Did ‘Stranger Things’ reveal its ending in Season 1? Jaw-dropping Mind Flayer Easter egg sparks theories
Nearly a decade after ‘Stranger Things’ first pulled viewers into Hawkins, the Netflix juggernaut has finally reached its end. And fans are already dissecting every frame for hidden meaning. As debates rage over whether the finale lived up to sky-high expectations, a new theory has emerged suggesting that the Duffer Brothers may have been quietly teasing the show’s ending since the very beginning. The final episode of ‘Stranger Things’ arrived on New Year’s Eve. Given the show’s cultural impact and long run, anticipation for the finale was immense. Unsurprisingly, reactions have been divided.
Some fans praised the emotional payoff, while others felt the conclusion struggled to satisfy years of buildup. At the time of writing, the finale holds a solid 7.9 out of 10 rating on IMDb. Much of the finale’s discussion centers on the show’s final setting, known as The Abyss, and the central role played by the Mind Flayer. Viewers who have watched both the penultimate episode and the finale will recognize how heavily these elements shape the show’s endgame. The Abyss is presented as an eerie, otherworldly space, with the Mind Flayer looming over it as the ultimate manifestation of the Upside Down’s menace. The creature’s final form is particularly striking.
Shaped by Henry Creel, better known as Vecna, the Mind Flayer takes on a spider-like appearance, complete with multiple legs stretching outward. While the entity existed long before Henry’s descent into darkness, the series establishes that it was his obsession with spiders that molded the ancient force into the terrifying figure audiences have feared for seasons. At one point, the Mind Flayer is shown partially embedded in the ground of The Abyss, its legs raised and spread in a way that resembles the branches of a massive, twisted tree. Since the finale aired, fans have begun rewatching earlier seasons with fresh eyes, searching for clues that may have foreshadowed this imagery.
One theory gaining traction online points all the way back to season one: specifically, a seemingly innocent detail in Mike Wheeler’s bedroom. In the show’s first season, Mike is seen with a poster for the fantasy film The Dark Crystal hanging on his wall, as per Unilad. Some fans now believe this wasn’t just set dressing, but a subtle visual hint at what Mind Flayer would eventually look like. A YouTube Short comparing the Season 1 bedroom scene with Holly’s first glimpse of The Abyss in season 5 quickly went viral. Overlaying the two moments, one fan captioned the clip: “So you are telling me we already saw this in S1?”
The post sparked hundreds of comments, with viewers debating whether the resemblance was intentional or simply a coincidence. One commenter took the theory even further, writing, “And suddenly the theory of everything being Mike’s imagination is kinda making sense… That’s literally in his room.” Whether the Dark Crystal poster was a carefully planted Easter egg or a retroactive coincidence, the discussion highlights one thing 'Stranger Things' has always excelled at: inviting its audience to look closer. Love it or hate it, the finale has succeeded in keeping Hawkins alive in fan conversations and proving that, for many viewers, the mystery doesn’t end when the credits roll.
