Stranger Things BTS video 'reveals' Eleven's real fate

A recently released behind-the-scenes video of Stranger Things seems to reveal what actually happened to Eleven.

Season five of the Netflix show has been hotly discussed, with a viral online theory even suggesting there is going to be a secret ninth episode of the season.

Most, however, agree that the finale episode is the end of Stranger Things.

The biggest twist in the finale is without a doubt the end to Eleven’s story, with it being unclear whether she sacrificed herself while helping to destroy the Upside Down, or escaped with the help of her lab sister Kali.

The Duffer Brothers have remained intentionally vague on the ending, stating that they believe it would ‘ruin her sacrifice’ to know either way, with both endings being fairly sad for Eleven.

The new BTS clip, however, has given a hint towards what really happened to her.

Whether Eleven escaped Hawkins as Mike suggests in the Dungeons and Dragons epilogue scene or she is killed when the Upside Down explodes, the outcome hinges on the moment the party drive through the gate and get abushed by the military.

In the behind-the-scenes footage, however, Eleven is very clearly seen running out the back of the truck and running away from the gate - suggesting that the story Mike told about a not-quite-dead-yet Kali helping her escape was true.

Not everyone was convinced in the replies though, with others suggesting it was just them filming the scene for the ‘I believe’ vision presented by Mike.

One fan tweeted: “This is literally them filming the version of events from Mike’s 'storyteller' and 'i believe' scene. Like did yall not watch it.”

A new BTS video from #StrangerThings5 reveals that Eleven escapes the military by sprinting toward the Radio Shack store. pic.twitter.com/9kZt73D8wC

— Stranger Things Spoilers (@SThingsSpoilers) January 5, 2026

But another fan countered this by pointing out that this was the other side of the truck from the one shown in Mike’s story.

A third fan then came in with an even better ,point regardless of whether you believe this BTS scene is a sign pointing that El is alive or simply Millie Bobby Brown exiting the scene.

They replied saying: “To me the solution is much simpler. When El supposedly "pulled Mike aside" during all the military chaos, she didn’t have her eyes covered at first ... and later her nose didn’t bleed at all.

“So she wasn’t the one who did it. It was Kali. She’s definitely still alive.”

Speaking about why they had to have her leave Hawkins, whether through death or escape, the Duffer Brothers told Variety that it was because ‘Eleven represents the magic of childhood’.

They went on to say: “We knew for our kids to be able to grow up, the magic had leave Hawkins.

"There was never a version that we had written where it was Eleven down in that basement.

“It was never going to be that simple and that easy. It was finding a way to come up with an ending where it was not that simple, but also bittersweet, and that there was hope there.”