The Stranger Things season five finale ends with a big fight involving the major players of the series, and according to the creators behind the hit Netflix show, how this large fight played out was inspired by Baldur’s Gate 3.
Last week, on New Year’s Eve, Stranger Things wrapped up after nearly a decade with an epic two-hour finale. While some fans weren’t happy with the conclusion and are even theorizing that a special bonus episode will be released soon, the last episode of Stranger Things did deliver a big battle featuring Vecna, the Mind Flayer, and many of the characters people have grown to love over the last few years.
In a new interview with Variety, the Duffer brothers, the duo behind the show and its finale, revealed that the big boss fight was inspired by playing Baldur’s Gate 3.
“We were thinking about D&D, and I was playing Baldur’s Gate 3 [while creating the finale], and we felt it was very important that the only way for them to defeat it was for the entire party to work together,” said Matt Duffer. “Everyone had fully realized—either through self-acceptance or they’ve resolved all their various issues—moving into that final battle, they’re absolutely primed. They’re the ultimate team, and it’s the party working all together to defeat this thing. And they each have their own individual skills, right? And that’s where I go back to Dungeons & Dragons, and something like Baldur’s Gate. Because that’s how you take down these monsters that seem otherwise unstoppable.”
Swen Vincke, the head of the studio behind Baldur’s Gate 3, seemed pleased with this information, resharing it on Twitter and saying, “That’s pretty cool.”
While speaking to Variety, Matt Duffer also added that “lots of video game references were applied to that final battle,” but didn’t confirm anything specific. Also, it sounds like the Duffers are aware of your wild theories that the “true” finale is yet to be revealed and simply replied, “Obviously, that’s not a real thing.”
