Netflix’s newly released documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 was meant to offer closure and insight into the final chapter of the hit sci-fi series. Instead, it has reopened wounds for fans still unhappy with how Stranger Things ended, sparking a fresh wave of online speculation, criticism, and conspiracy theories.
While dissatisfaction with the finale has been simmering since the series wrapped, the documentary has given viewers new material to scrutinize. From perceived creative detachment by the showrunners to eyebrow-raising background details, fans are now questioning whether the final script was written entirely by creators Matt and Ross Duffer.
Did the Duffer Brothers actually write the Stranger Things finale?
One theory gaining traction online suggests that parts of Stranger Things 5 may not have been written by the Duffer Brothers at all. Some fans speculate that filmmaker Leigh Janiak, Ross Duffer’s ex-wife, may have contributed to sections of the season, though no evidence has surfaced to support this claim.
What has truly fueled the fire, however, is a brief moment in the documentary that viewers believe shows multiple ChatGPT tabs open on a computer screen belonging to one of the Russo Brothers, who were involved in the production. The fleeting shot has been dissected across social media platforms, with fans debating whether AI tools were used during the writing or development process.
Photo shared by the Duffer Brothers
Longtime fans will remember “Conformity Gate,” the viral theory claiming that episode 8 of season 5 was not the real ending of Stranger Things. That theory emerged shortly after the finale aired, driven by disbelief and disappointment, and was eventually dismissed as collective denial.
Now, the narrative has shifted. Instead of questioning whether the ending was real, some viewers are questioning how it was created. The AI rumor has become the latest explanation offered by fans struggling to reconcile the tone and pacing of the final season with the show they followed for over a decade.
Social media backlash intensified immediately after fans noticed
Online reactions have been brutal and relentless. One user wrote, “Now we know why the finale felt different and incomplete.” Another added, “The only way to explain season 5 is that it was written by ChatGPT.” Others leaned into dark humor, joking about wanting access to the creators’ AI chat history or suggesting the writers “never picked up the pen at all.”
While many of these comments are clearly exaggerated, they reflect a broader frustration with what fans see as a loss of emotional depth and narrative cohesion in the final episodes.
Stranger Things 5 filmed before the ending was written
Adding to the controversy, the Duffer Brothers confirmed in the documentary that filming for season 5 began before the finale script was fully completed. According to the creators, production timelines required writing and filming to overlap, with early episodes shot while later scripts were still being finalized.
Although the Duffers have emphasized that they always knew the overall arc and final destination of the story, this revelation has only intensified criticism. Disappointed viewers argue that the overlap explains what they see as uneven pacing and unresolved character arcs in the final season.
Why the One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 debate refuses to die
Netflix has not addressed the AI speculation, and there is no concrete evidence that artificial intelligence was used to write Stranger Things 5. Still, the combination of a divisive ending, admissions of a compressed writing schedule, and a highly scrutinized documentary has created the perfect storm for fan theories to thrive.
For a show as culturally dominant as Stranger Things, expectations were always going to be sky-high. Whether the backlash is fair or fueled by nostalgia, one thing is clear: even after its finale, the series continues to dominate conversation, controversy, and internet obsession.