Finn Wolfhard, who has portrayed Mike Wheeler throughout the hit Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things since 2016, recently opened up about his character’s conclusion in the upcoming fifth and final season. The 22-year-old actor shared mixed emotions about Mike’s fate, describing it as both satisfying and perplexing.
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“I was so happy with his ending, and I don’t know, I was satisfied, but I was also very confused and sad, but also very happy,” Wolfhard told People in a recent interview. The actor, who joined the series at just 13 years old, described filming the finale as an otherworldly experience.
“I felt like I was in a dream or something. None of it felt real. I don’t know, it felt perfect,” Wolfhard added, suggesting that despite the confusion, there’s something meaningful about how Mike’s journey concludes.
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Growing Up in Hawkins
Having spent nearly half his lifetime portraying Mike Wheeler, Wolfhard has grown up alongside his castmates Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Sadie Sink. This deep connection to the character makes his conflicted feelings about the ending even more understandable.
The actor admitted that the reality of the series’ conclusion didn’t immediately sink in. “I just couldn’t believe it at all,” Wolfhard said. “It didn’t really start to go into focus until the next day. It was like an emotional hangover. But it ended really well, and I just have such positive things to say about everyone.”
The Duffer Brothers, creators and executive producers of Stranger Things, have promised fans that the fifth season will be the most ambitious yet. Speaking at a Netflix press event in January, Matt Duffer added an emotional note about the production process:
“We think it’s our most personal story. It was super intense and emotional to film — for us and for our actors. We’ve been making this show together for almost 10 years. There was a lot of crying. There was so much crying.”
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When Confusion Isn’t Necessarily Bad
Wolfhard’s comments about feeling “confused” by his character’s ending might initially sound concerning to fans, but his additional descriptions of feeling “satisfied” and that it “felt perfect” suggest this confusion might be intentional and meaningful.
The hit sci-fi series has always embraced complex storytelling with twists and turns that challenge viewers. A confusing yet satisfying ending could indicate that Mike’s storyline concludes in a way that’s thought-provoking rather than neatly packaged — perhaps the best kind of ending for a show that has consistently pushed boundaries.
With the fifth and final season of Stranger Things set to premiere on Netflix later this year, fans will soon discover exactly what kind of ending awaits Mike Wheeler and the rest of the Hawkins crew. Based on Wolfhard’s intriguing comments, viewers should prepare for an emotional, complex conclusion to the beloved series.
