The decade-long wait for the Stranger Things finale has finally come to an end, and the two-hour-long finale episode spends half this time saying goodbye to its characters and the audience with a hear

One of the best moments in Stranger Things season 5 thus far, the tensions and conflict between Dustin and Steve were finally paid off in Volume 2.

Stranger Things is officially over, though it’s still heavy on many minds, including my own. The super-sized episodes of this blockbuster concluding season have been praised and maligned in great detail by publications across the board,

They do their silly Star Wars handshake, laugh, and forget the world for a second. It feels warm and safe, even inside a noisy mall. This moment matters because it shows how much they care about each other. Their handshake is their way of saying, I missed you and I am glad you are here.

SPOILERS are ahead for the Stranger Things series finale, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

Stranger Things' star Gaten Matarazzo on the series finale, Eleven's fate, delivering that graduation speech and Steve and Dustin's friendship.

Nothing illustrates the problem more than the decision to pair Holly with Max in Camazotz. Volume 1 of season 5 established Holly as a great Stranger Things hero. She used her nerd knowledge of A Wrinkle in Time to navigate the world with Mr. Whatsit, making her brave and competent without sacrificing any of the series’ scares.

Across five seasons, the series returned to the same truth: horror is survivable when you don’t face it alone. The Season 5 finale embraces that idea in full, closing the door on the Upside Down with grief,