Stranger Things Finale Ending Explained: Who killed Vecna and the secret behind the briefcase rock

After five unforgettable seasons, Netflix's one of the most loved shows, Stranger Things, has finally reached its conclusion. The Hawkins gang faced terrifying monsters and battled the darkness of the Upside Down. And then there was Vecna, a villain who was not only terrifying but also haunting, leaving scars that extended beyond physical wounds. But at the end of Stranger Things, Vecna was finally killed. Who killed Vecna, and how did Stranger Things end? Let's find out! 

Who killed Vecna?

If you are thinking it's Eleven and Will who killed Vecna, then you are technically wrong. They might have overpowered Vecna, but it is actually Joyce who completely killed him by beheading him with her axe. Now, let's break down the complete battle showdown. 

Eleven and Kali take the fight to their brother Henry in Camazotz, halting his plan to merge the Abyss with Earth. Their attack clears the way for the others to bend the Squawk radio tower, the Beanstalk, and enter the abyss, where they aim to rescue the children trapped in the Pine Tree.

In the Abyss, the Hawkins crew finds the Pain Tree, but its branches twist into spider-like limbs, revealing it’s the Mind Flayer. Inside the beast, Eleven confronts Henry/Vecna, while outside, the group launches a desperate attack on the massive monster. Following this, the group also enters the beast, and that is when Joyce beheads Vecna, saying, "You f*cked with the wrong family." 

Also Read: Stranger Things finale: Why we'd like to see these spin-off ideas take off

What's the story of the briefcase rock inside the cave?

Stranger Things Season 5 episode 8 finally reveals what was inside the briefcase when young Henry killed a scientist with a rock. The briefcase, which belongs to that scientist, actually possesses a rock containing Mind Flayer particles. The young Henry takes the rock in his hand it begins to possess him. The Mind Flayer calls out, “Come find me,” while the dying scientist warns, “It will consume you.”

Speaking of how it consumed the young Henry, we know about Brenner’s experiments. The rock likely contained traces of Captain Brenner’s blood. Henry, already bleeding from his gunshot wound, has been exposed to the infected blood, triggering the emergence of his psychic powers. Those abilities later passed down to the children Brenner experimented on, linking the cycle of power and danger across generations.

Did Will use his superpower to overpower Vecna?

As Henry/Vecna nears death, Will uses his superpower to save Eleven, who was almost getting hit by Vecna. During the process, Will tries to reach him, urging him to understand that the Mind Flayer is manipulating him. Henry makes it clear that joining the Mind Flayer was his decision. “He says, ‘No, it showed me that this world is broken, that man is broken." 

What happens to Eleven and the Hawnkins gang?

Kali advises staying Upside Down during the collapse so that scientists cannot use their blood to create more supernatural children. Towards the finale, when the Hawkins gang detonates the bomb to destroy the Upside Down, Eleven seems to be missing. She appears at the gate, still in the void, and pulls Mike in for a final farewell before disappearing. 

During the last D&D game, Mike imagines that Kali is helping Eleven escape, and the group believes that she is alive in a remote, secret village. Now, Duffer Brothers said that they want the audience to decide whether Eleven has died or just disappeared to save Hawkins. 

The Hawkins crew, Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Robin, make it out alive, while Joyce and Hopper finally have their date at Enzo’s, delivering a finale packed with emotion that fans will never forget.

Stranger Things finale FAQs:

Q: What happened to Eleven in Stranger Things?

A: As the Upside Down collapses, Eleven stays behind, saying goodbye to Mike before vanishing. Later, in a D&D game, Mike imagines she escaped to a hidden village, and the friends all echo, “I believe.”

Q: Is Stranger Things Season 6 coming?

A: There will be no Stranger Things Season 6. The Duffer Brothers have consistently maintained that Season 5 was designed as the final chapter of the original story. 

Q: Will there be Stranger Things spin-offs?

A: The Duffer Brothers said that they are going to make a spin-off but added, "it’s very exciting to work with a clean slate: completely new characters, new town, new world, new mythology."