It's somehow been a full month since Stranger Things came to an end on Netflix. As the stars of Stranger Things move on to other projects, one question keeps coming up during their appearances and interviews: Is Eleven alive?
While promoting his upcoming animated movie GOAT, Caleb McLaughlin, who starred as Lucas Sinclair in all five seasons of the Netflix series, was asked that same question on a new episode of The View.
After trying to dodge the question initially, McLaughlin revealed that he thinks Eleven died after the crew returned to Hawkins from the Abyss and Upside Down in the Stranger Things 5 finale.
"I think she's gone," McLaughlin said. "I think, rest in peace, Eleven."
Shortly after, McLaughlin elaborated on his position.
"I think Lucas thinks she's alive," McLaughlin continued. "Well, shoutout to the Duffer brothers, amazing creators who changed my life forever, but I think what the Duffers wanted to do was leave a level of optimism the show always had."
Obviously, I think we can all understand what McLaughlin is saying. It's incredibly depressing to think Eleven sacrificed herself to end the cycle of trauma, end the US government's terrible experiments, and keep her friends and family safe. So, it's a lot easier to imagine a scenario where Eleven is alive. If she did die, it's one of the most devastating deaths in the show's history.
McLaughlin is not the only Stranger Things star who seems to think Eleven did not survive the events of the final episode, though.
Sadie Sink thinks Eleven died at the end of Stranger Things, too
Sadie Sink, who plays Lucas's girlfriend, Max Mayfield, in the final four seasons of Stranger Things, opened up about what she thinks happened to Eleven on a recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Fallon asked Sink to share her thoughts on Eleven's fate, and she had a pretty blunt answer that's very similar to McLaughlin's answer.
"I think she's dead," Sink said. "I don't know. Yeah, is that like a hot take or something?"
After Fallon agreed, Sink shared her interpretation of the ending.
"I think, like, Mike's story is, like,just one last story, and then they say goodbye to childhood," she said. "But, that's just one final tale, and that's it."
It's so interesting to think about it that way. I think, on paper, it feels like that's the most likely scenario, but then you see the little clips of how Eleven could have escaped, how her sister could have helped, and how the Duffers and the writers literally had plans to make it seem like there was a plan for Eleven to escape at the end.
Regardless, there are only a few people who know that actual answer, and unless something changes, we'll all just have to believe what we want to believe.
For now, you can watch all five seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix right now! The first Stranger Things spinoff, Stranger Things: The Tales of '85, premieres on Netflix on April 23, 2026.