Stranger Things fans blast show as 'worse than Game of Thrones' after divisive 2-hour finale

Warning: This article contains serious Stranger Things spoilers

Stranger Things fans have slammed the show's creators for not giving the hit series the ending it deserved - despite running a two-hour finale.

Twins Matt and Ross Duffer, the brains behind the hit franchise, whose exemplary work has inspired 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, have been blasted by fans who canceled plans on New Year's Eve to stay up and watch how the Netflix horror concluded - with dozens comparing it to the ending of HBO's Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones, in my opinion, is the greatest TV show ever written, but the last two seasons felt rushed, and now the cult series is synonymous with its poor ending.

So, the Duffer brothers will be horrified to hear their beloved Stranger Things has been received the same way.

"Stranger Things after taking 10 years to end ... only to end up having the worst finale in TV history since Killing Eve & Game of Thrones," one user blasted on X.

Another penned: "Trying to decide if the final season of Stranger Things is worse than Game of Thrones or losts final seasons."

David Harbour, as Jim Hopper, and Millie Bobby Brown, as Eleven, in 'Stranger Things' (Netflix)

While a third wrote: "The Game of Thrones ending was better than this, and that was one of the biggest pieces of trash of all time."

And the comments comparing the final season of Stranger Things and that of Game of Thrones kept coming.

"Stranger Things season 5 finale was worse than Game of Thrones finale. I’m gonna be so honest," one fan added...you get the point.

But why have fans received it so poorly? Well, it's to do with the fairytale ending in which none of the main characters die - well, Eleven appears to be killed, but it's all a bit confusing.

Fate of main characters

Kali seemingly bites the dust during a showdown with Hopper and Eleven, getting taken out by the military. In response, Eleven snaps and kills Lieutenant Akers.

Eleven’s own fate is a lot messier. She looks set to make the ultimate sacrifice by staying behind in the crumbling Upside Down, seemingly taking the wormhole - and herself - down for good.

But then an 18-month time jump shows Mike drop a hint that Kali survived and used her powers to trick everyone into thinking Eleven died - allowing her to escape to safety to a place with multiple waterfalls, just like Mike once imagined.

The time jump also gives fans closure on the rest of the Hawkins gang as Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max prepare for their high school graduation, playing one final game of Dungeons and Dragons.

None of the main characters in 'Stranger Things' were killed off for good (Netflix)

Max and Lucas end up together, Dustin becomes the classes' valedictorian and heads to college, Will moves to a big city after coming out, and Mike becomes a professional writer.

The older teens move on too, with Steve staying in Hawkins, Robin heading to Smith College, Nancy joining The Boston Herald, and Jonathan studying filmmaking at New York University.

Hopper finally proposes to Joyce and hints at a future in Montauk.

"We wanted each of the characters to find happiness but in their own specific ways," Matt Duffer told Tudum.

Meanwhile, Ross Duffer added: “She [Eleven] lives on in their hearts, whether that’s real or not.”

To me, it sounds like the Duffer brothers didn't want to kill off any of the main characters - leaving the opportunity for a sequel later in the future without excluding key cast members!