The Stranger Things finale may have hinted at a path for a new spinoff series, but is it the right direction to take? The show has become one of the biggest hits on television and established a massive franchise for Netflix. So even though it has come to an end, there are certainly going to be plenty more stories to come.
Netflix has already confirmed an animated Stranger Things spinoff is on the way, and The Duffer Brothers are working on a live-action spinoff. While there are a number of directions the franchise could take from here, the final episode of Stranger Things may have set the stage for what's next. However, it also might be the wrong way to take the story.
Holly and her friends could lead a Stranger Things sequel
The final scene in Stranger Things ended with the friends playing one last game of Dungeons and Dragons. It served as an emotional farewell to these characters as they get ready to start their adult lives while also going back to the beginnings of the story, which all started with this board game.
However, the bittersweet moment of reflection gets interrupted when Holly and her friends storm into the basement and begin their own game of Dungeons and Dragons as Mike leaves them to it. It is easy to interpret the moment as a way of showing that what Mike and his friends started will live on even with them no longer actively playing it. Of course, it is hard not to also see the potential for a possible sequel.
The moment could serve as a "passing of the torch" as Holly and her young friends become the new heroes we follow into a new adventure. Holly established herself as a terrific young hero in the final season of Stranger Things, finding courage and taking action when she needed to. Some of her friends even stood out, especially Derek Turnbow, the hilariously bratty kid who proves he is a hero as well.
A potential sequel series could keep the Dungeons and Dragons theme at the heart of the series intact, drawing new elements from the beloved game to develop new adventures with these new characters. It would also allow the same Stranger Things vibe, but focusing on kids growing up in the 1990s, rather than the 1980s.
Despite the setup, Stranger Things needs a fresh start
This final scene might feel like the perfect setup for a Stranger Things spinoff, but it feels like the wrong approach for the franchise to take right now. There are certainly going to be more shows connected to this world to come, but it needs to be something a little different than Holly's adventures would provide.
For starters, the franchise needs to leave Hawkins. By the end of the series, all the catastrophes and strange occurrences that were just being swept under the rug were becoming ridiculous. It is time to give the town a break and remain safe. Otherwise, the heroes of Stranger Things fighting tirelessly to protect their town, only for a new threat to come about, would feel like a betrayal.
It is also important that the show move on to new characters. It is true that Holly and Derek are relatively new to fans, but it would be impossible to focus on their adventure without incorporating some of the established Stranger Things characters. While a new spinoff may focus on another group of kids, they need to be disconnected from the original Stranger Things characters.
Even though the Stranger Things finale received a mixed response, there is still plenty of love for the franchise and plenty of opportunities ahead. However, if the franchise just tries to repeat what worked the first time, it will grow stagnant. Stranger Things' future series needs to be bold enough to go in a new direction while keeping the spirit of the original series alive.