Stranger Things, one of the biggest and best Netflix shows of all time, is now officially over. Season 5's finale, "The Rightside Up," ended things with a bang as the audience was treated to a two-hour installment that was so cinematic, it's tough not to just call it a movie. However, for all the impact the last episode made, Stranger Things will surely be annoyed that another sci-fi show's finale beat the Duffer Brothers to the punch in an incredibly specific way.
For the first time in history, it's now possible for Netflix subscribers to sit down and binge the entirety of Stranger Things. The show's legacy can't be denied, and although some fans found fault with the finale, I thought it wrapped up everything as well as it could, especially considering the sheer size of the cast. That said, Stranger Things' last tug at the heartstrings lost just a fraction of its poignancy through no fault of its own.
Doctor Who spinoff used David Bowie's "Heroes" in its finale, JUST before Stranger Things did
David Bowie released "Heroes" in 1977, and to this day, it's quite clearly still in high demand in industries other than music. On Dec. 21, 2025, The War Between the Land and the Sea miniseries concluded its 5-episode run with an emotional montage set to the song. It was a cover version by Alison Goldfrapp that was recorded specifically for the Doctor Who spinoff, but it's still the same song. It added a level of poignancy to the show as it drew to a close.
Ten days later, Stranger Things used the original version of the track as the show's final credit sequence started to roll on New Year's Eve. Because Stranger Things curates its playlist from songs that had already been released at the time the throwback sci-fi show is set, it admittedly had fewer options to choose from.
Still, "Heroes" is probably still the best choice for the moment in question. It's a strange coincidence, but not one that's entirely difficult to comprehend.
Which finale does "Heroes" suit best?
The two versions of the song are quite disparate from a sonic perspective. The cover in The War Between has been slowed down, and a concerted effort has been made to pull out the song's underlying emotions to put on full display. This doesn't make it an objectively better version, but the changes do benefit the moment in the Doctor Who spinoff. Similarly, using the original in Stranger Things was a master stroke.
However, the lyrical content in "Heroes" is actually way more fitting to The War Between's finale than Stranger Things'. "I, I wish I could swim. Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim," is incredibly reflective of The War Between's themes and storyline, especially during the sequence where "Heroes" is playing. Inversely, the lyrics don't really overlap all that well with Stranger Things, beyond the fact that the show is generally filled with heroic figures. In short, the song works well in both contexts for different reasons, but The War Between's use of the track probably takes the crown for how intentional it feels compared to Stranger Things.
Stranger Things is streaming now on Netflix.