Stranger Things creator debunks major theory about finale ending

Warning! This article contains spoiler discussions of the final episode of Stranger Things

Stranger Things creator Matt Duffer has debunked a major theory about the show's ending.

After nine years on TV, the hit Netflix series finally came to a close on New Year's Eve with a blockbuster two-hour finale, 'The Rightside Up'.

The episode, which saw the Hawkins gang finally defeat Vecna, close the Upside Down and save the world from destruction, has received mixed reviews online – most notably over one of the show's main characters.

After defeating Vecna/Henry (Jamie Campbell Bower) and detonating a bomb inside the Upside Down, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) decides to stay inside the wormhole and vanish once it closes.

Or so we're led to believe, when Mike's (Finn Wolfhard) story in the epilogue reveals Eleven may have faked her death and is now safely living far away from Hawkins.

After defeating Vecna, Eleven chooses to die in the Upside Down – or does she? (Netflix)

The reveal left fans combing over the episode for further clues about Eleven's ambiguous fate, with several believing a moment where Mike hears the speakers distort during his high school graduation as proof of her making contact.

It's a theory which - while reassuring - is ultimately incorrect, as Matt Duffer has since spoken out to debunk the idea.

Speaking about the finale with his brother and co-creator Ross in an interview with Variety, the showrunner said: "The only thing I’ll debunk is that Eleven does not communicate with Mike in any way."

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He goes on to explain that the speaker distortion is due to the Hawkins High principal being 'so angry' at Dustin's graduation speech, but does confirm that the moment was one of realisation for Mike.

"It makes him realise that there was the kryptonite. So how could she have possibly made it all the way to the gate," he said.

"Not only that. How could she have possibly used her powers to bring him into the void?"

During a final Dungeons and Dragons campaign, Mike shares an alternate ending for Eleven (Netflix)

"But there are a lot of other questions. Could Kali have actually done that? Could she have possibly been alive?

"We like that it’s up to the audience. Obviously, we tell you what the characters choose."

While Eleven's fate is now ultimately up to the viewer to decide, the Duffers wanted to clarify that there was never an ending scenario where she was living in Hawkins alongside the rest of the gang.

"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," Ross added.