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Stranger Things, a show people have greatly enjoyed over the past nine years, released its feature-length final episode last week—and was met with surprising backlash from fans left disgruntled by plot holes and certain story choices. Co-creators the Duffer Brothers would surely have rather taken a victory lap accepting congratulations for “The Rightside Up,” but they’ve been doing a lot of explaining instead.
Speaking to Josh Horowitz on his Happy Sad Confused podcast, billed as a “Stranger Things spoiler spectacular,” Matt and Ross Duffer went through the finale, including each part of the “where are they now” epilogue and the biggest burning questions, including Eleven’s fate and whether Henry/Vecna could have been redeemed.
They also chatted a bit about the spin-off and whether or not a sequel might ever happen; of the latter, Matt Duffer said, “The only way it could work is—we’d have to wait a really long time until our cast is old enough to have kids that are around 12 years old … that is the only version that could possibly work.”
Added Ross Duffer, “I think ultimately it [would] just take away from this story and with this ending with Eleven that we have, leaving it up to the audience … any direction that you go, you steal the power from that. So there are no plans. No plans [for a sequel].
The duo also admitted they got a bit frazzled last week, leading to some interviews that disappointed fans who were hoping for clarity and were left sadly wanting.
“I really shouldn’t have done any of these postmortem interviews,” Matt Duffer said. “I am not in a good place. Like, why the hell did we did any of them yesterday is beyond me … I’m, like, fried. I’m getting over the flu. So, anyone mad at any answers we gave you yesterday, just give me a break. Cut me some slack.”
Perhaps that making-of documentary that Netflix just announced will help heal some of those wounds?
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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