Netflix's hit series "Stranger Things" officially concluded with its fifth season, but the open-ended finale regarding Eleven's ultimate fate continues to spark fan debate.
Creators the Duffer Brothers recently appeared on Josh Horowitz's "Happy, Sad, Confused" podcast, where they were asked if they would ever reveal the true outcome for Millie Bobby Brown's iconic character.
In the finale, Eleven seemingly sacrificed herself to save her friends, yet the core group chose to "believe" she was still out there somewhere. When pressed by fans, Ross Duffer jokingly stated, "If we're still talking to you about 'Stranger Things' 20 years from now—I mean, I hope so. I hope people still care about it then, that would be great, and then I'll tell you everything. Yeah, then, 20 years from now."
During the interview, the duo also addressed fan theories that a heartbeat-like sound in the final episode might hint at Eleven's survival. Matt Duffer admitted the script indeed specified the sound should "sound like a heartbeat," but he added, "It was actually just the sound of bricks, just distorted. You can interpret it that way, I mean, it was designed to be interpreted that way, maybe."
As for some cast members stating in interviews that they didn't believe Eleven survived, Matt seemed somewhat surprised. He remarked, "They never told me that. I'll have to talk to them. I'm not saying they're wrong, but it's interesting that they all came to that conclusion without talking to us, because that's not what the characters believed."
While the Duffer Brothers remain tight-lipped about Eleven's survival, they have clearly left room for audience interpretation, ensuring that "Stranger Things'" biggest post-finale mystery might not be solved for decades.