Sadie Sink’s Shocking Take on Eleven’s Fate Has ‘Stranger Things’ Fans Divided
Stranger Things may have ended, but fans are still talking about what really happened in the final moments. One of the biggest questions is whether Eleven survived or not. Now, Sadie Sink has shared her own view, and it surprised many people.
Sink, who plays Max on the Netflix series, spoke about the ending during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. When Fallon asked her if she believed Eleven was alive at the end, Sink did not hesitate. “I think she’s dead. I don’t know,” she said, which caused an immediate reaction from the audience.
She went on to explain why she feels that way. “Is that like a hot take or something?” Sink asked, before adding her thoughts on the final message of the show. “I think Mike’s story is just one last story, and then they say goodbye to childhood. But that’s just one final tale. And that’s it. I think it’s just like a coping thing.” Fallon agreed that her opinion was bold and said he shared the same view.
.@SadieSink answers what she thinks happens to Eleven at the end of @Stranger_Things… 👀 #FallonTonight #StrangerThingsOnFallon pic.twitter.com/9zDvjw3HOS
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) January 6, 2026
The ending of Season 5 left room for debate. Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, appeared to make a huge sacrifice by staying behind in the Upside Down to protect her friends and stop the government from using her powers again.
However, another idea was shared in the show. Mike Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard, suggested that Eleven may have staged her death with help from Kali so she could disappear and live in peace. One of the final scenes, showing Eleven in a calm place surrounded by waterfalls, only added to the mystery.
Sink later said that believing Eleven died made the ending feel more emotional to her. Fallon pointed out that the creators clearly left the ending open on purpose. Sink agreed and said this was simply her personal reading of the story.
All episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 are now streaming on Netflix. The series was created by the Duffer Brothers and also stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, and Caleb McLaughlin.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
