Stranger Things season five has wrapped up, with the epic finale addressing what happened next to the Hawkins gang.
Hayley Anderson TV Reporter
17:37, 01 Jan 2026
Stranger Things fans have been left pondering the fate of a certain character, with The Duffer Brothers providing a rather understated explanation.The grand finale of Stranger Things season five was released on New Year’s Eve in the US and in the early hours for UK fans, with Netflix subscribers being treated to a two-hour cinematic spectacle.
Following an intense showdown with Vecna (portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower) and the colossal Mind Flayer, viewers got a glimpse into what life looked like for the gang 18 months later.While Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Max (Sadie Sink) and Will (Noah Schnapp) were celebrating their graduation, their older friends had already embarked on their next journeys.
Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) was busy working on his film about capitalism, Nancy (Natalia Dyer) had landed an entry-level journalism role, and Steve (Joe Keery) had become a PE and sex education teacher.
Robin (Maya Hawke) revealed that she was studying at Smith College in Massachusetts, but made no mention of her girlfriend, Vickie Dunne (Amybeth McNulty).
Stranger Things’ Robin Buckley hinted that she was no longer with Vickie Dunne, referring to “overbearing significant others”. (Image: NETFLIX)
The smitten Rockin’ Robin had expressed her desire to treat her girlfriend to a posh dinner at Enzo’s and was concerned that the Vecna chaos would prevent her from keeping her promise.Fortunately, Vickie was understanding when she discovered that Robin was actually battling monsters and wasn’t using drugs as she had initially suspected.
However, Robin not only failed to mention Vickie during the charming rooftop reunion, but she also hinted at where things stand between them now.As the quartet of longtime mates raised a toast to monthly gatherings, Steve lifted his beer bottle and declared, “To nothing ever keeping us apart.”
Robin’s response was telling as she remarked: “Including overbearing significant others.”Whilst it isn’t entirely spelled out, this pointed remark does imply that Robin and Vickie have gone their separate ways.
Stranger Things season five couple Robin Buckley and girlfriend Vickie Dunne. (Image: NETFLIX)
It might also shed some light on what caused the break-up, with Vickie perhaps attempting to distance Robin from her established friendship group.Vickie isn’t the sole character leaving fans with questions, though, as Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) fate remained unclear.
It seemed as though she perished when the Upside Down was obliterated, but in the closing moments, Mike puts forward a theory that Kali (Linnea Berthlesen) assisted her in surviving and staging her own demise.A brief shot of El admiring waterfalls also suggested she’s out there somewhere in the world, though whether this is reality or merely hopeful speculation remains uncertain.Stranger Things is available to watch on Netflix.
