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Stranger Things has finally come to an end, with the series finale streaming New Year's Eve on Netflix. However, reactions to Stranger Things' grand finale have been mixed, with many left unsatisfied with how the popular series ultimately concluded.

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' series finale trailer teases final battle against Vecna

The Duffer Brothers' retro sci-fi series has significantly evolved since its 2016 premiere, starting with a small town teen's disappearance and ending with a potentially world-ending supernatural fight. Stranger Things fans were eager to find out how it all ended, and learn the fate of beloved characters such as Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Max (Sadie Sink).

Featured Video For You Gaten Matarazzo on 'Stranger Things' 'SNL' shoutout, Dustin and Steve's big fight, and why AI is 'lame'

Unfortunately, not everyone received a completely happy ending. 

Beware, massive spoilers ahead.

Did Eleven die in Stranger Things? Credit: Netflix

Season 5 revealed Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) grand plan to merge Hawkins' dimension with an alternate one labelled the Abyss, uncovering the Upside Down's true nature as a wormhole connecting the two. In 'Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up,' the group ventured into the Abyss to confront both him and the Mind Flayer in a dramatic final fight, eventually emerging victorious thanks to their combined efforts (and projectile weaponry).

Yet while most of the party made it back to Hawkins relatively unscathed, not all did. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) failed to return to Hawkins with her friends, choosing to deliberately stay behind and sacrifice herself to ensure her blood couldn't be used to restart Hawkins Lab's human experimentation program. Though Mike (Finn Wolfhard) comes up with a theory as to how she may have secretly survived, Stranger Things ultimately leaves Eleven's fate ambiguous.

"There are two roads that Eleven could take," Matt Duffer said in an interview with Netflix. "There’s this darker, more pessimistic one or the optimistic, hopeful one. Mike is the optimist of the group and has chosen to believe in that story."

"There was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end," Ross Duffer agreed. "For us and our writers, we didn’t want to take her powers away. She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood. For our characters to move on and for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to come to a close, Eleven had to go away. We thought it would be beautiful if our characters continued to believe in that happier ending even if we didn’t give them a clear answer to whether that’s true or not."

Stranger Things' finale leaves fans dissatisfied Credit: Netflix

Despite the Duffer Brothers' reasoning, Eleven's fate upset many viewers who had hoped for an unequivocally happy ending. Online reactions to Stranger Things' finale have been largely negative, as fans expressed their frustration with the ending they were given.

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Eleven's fate wasn't the only issue fans had with Stranger Things' finale either. Many viewers also felt that the final battle was anticlimactic, and that the series' conclusion failed to reward the characters for their efforts throughout past seasons — or the viewers for their loyalty. 

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Some fans further speculated that Stranger Things' cast may be just as dissatisfied by the ending as its viewers. In a popular X post, Stranger Things X fan account @stonetflix likened Brown's seemingly apprehensive reaction to being asked about the ending before it aired to that of actor Emilia Clarke answering a similar question about the Game of Thrones finale. Game of Thrones' conclusion was notoriously poorly received, with many viewers upset by the ending given to Clarke's character Daenerys Targaryen.

Though widespread sentiment is that Stranger Things' ending was nowhere near as bad as Game of Thrones', the fact that the parallel is being drawn at all isn't a great sign.

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Fortunately, while many reactions to Stranger Things' finale were negative, not everyone was disappointed. While in the minority, a few fans expressed satisfaction with the series' end and appreciation for what it was.

"A lot of the finale is about growing up," said Matt, touching on Eleven's ultimate choice. "It’s the end of a long coming-of-age story and part of coming of age is leaving your parents and making your own decisions. That’s the moment where Eleven reaches that point and Hopper realizes he does have to let go."

"[There were] discussions with ourselves and also with the other actors, and everyone had very specific ideas of where their characters would end up," said Ross. "We wanted them to continue the journeys that they had all started."

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Stranger Things' final season is available to stream now on Netflix.

The MCU is about to take a good hard look at itself from within itself in the upcoming Disney+ miniseries Wonder Man, from Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton and Community writer Andrew Guest. And looking at the trailer, we're in for some actual fun. Remember fun?

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as Simon Williams, an actor trying for that big break when a superhero role emerges on the horizon. Who better to teach him the art of faking it till you make it? None other than Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), the performer we last saw playing the role of terrorist leader The Mandarin in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The thing is, Simon seems to be developing actual powers himself.

It's one of the shows we're most looking forward to this January, and you can check out our 2026 TV preview on Mashable.

Wonder Man premieres Jan. 27 on Disney+.

TL;DR: Live stream Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are a number of really interesting NBA games over the first weekend of 2026, but Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder might be the best of the bunch. Can the old guard of the Warriors stop the Thunder juggernaut?

If you want to watch Warriors vs. Thunder in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Warriors vs. Thunder?

Warriors vs. Thunder in the NBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Jan. 2. This game takes place at the Chase Center.

How to watch Warriors vs. Thunder for free

Warriors vs. Thunder in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There's no new year break for the NBA. The games come thick and fast in 2026, with New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks one of the most interesting contests as we head into the weekend. Both teams look strong this season, but Knicks fans will be expecting a win at the Garden.

If you want to watch Knicks vs. Hawks in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Knicks vs. Hawks?

Knicks vs. Hawks in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 2. This game takes place at Madison Square Garden.

How to watch Knicks vs. Hawks for free

Knicks vs. Hawks in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Don’t miss Microsoft Office 2019 Home & Business for Mac for just $29.97 (reg. $229) — a one-time purchase that gives you lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams Classic with no ongoing subscription fees.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac $29.97
$229 Save $199.03   Get Deal

If you’ve been relying on free productivity apps and finding their limitations a little more noticeable each day, this offer arrives at the perfect time.

Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac is available for just $29.97 (reg. $229), giving you lifetime access to the full suite of essential tools — no monthly subscription fees, no cloud dependency, and no need to stay online just to get work done.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

This version of Office was rebuilt specifically for the modern Mac environment. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams Classic all benefit from macOS-optimized performance, including Retina display clarity, full-screen support, and smooth, responsive interfaces.

Whether you’re drafting reports, managing business emails, creating presentations, or organizing personal projects, the apps feel fast, familiar, and offline-ready.

Office 2019 Home & Business is a strong fit for anyone balancing work and personal tasks on the same device. From families managing schedules to small teams collaborating remotely, the suite offers tools that help streamline workflows without requiring constant updates or cloud syncing.

Because this license ties to your Microsoft account rather than your physical device, you can reinstall anytime you upgrade your hardware — ideal for long-term use. And with instant digital delivery, you can start working right away.

If you’re ready to give your Mac a productivity suite that feels stable, powerful, and refreshingly subscription-free, this one-time purchase may be the easiest upgrade you make all year.

Get Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac is available for just $29.97 (reg. $229).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Browse the web with peace of mind thanks to this Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router, on sale now for $159.97 (reg. $219) through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Deeper Connect Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router $159.97
$219 Save $59.03   Get Deal

Do you have a lot of travel planned for 2026? Whether you’re a jetsetter or you’ve got improving your home online security on this year’s resolution list, VPNs are an easy way to upgrade your cybersecurity.

The Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router is an easy-to-use option that can tag along anywhere, and right now it’s on sale for $159.97 (reg. $219) until Jan. 11.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

It’s time to take your online security more seriously. Luckily, the Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router is on sale just in time. This option offers military-grade encryption, so your data stays safe everywhere you go — from public Wi-Fi to your parents’ house.

This VPN Travel Router not only safeguards your information from hackers, but also lets you browse the web freely without geographical restrictions. You won’t have to miss an episode of your favorite show, as you can access whatever streaming services you want from anywhere. You can also watch seamlessly with blazing-fast speeds thanks to the 300 Mbps connection.

There are parental control options in Deeper Connect for the kids in your life, plus an ad blocker for an even more peaceful browsing experience. You can also use it on up to five devices simultaneously, so you can share the safety and security.

Unlike most VPNs, you can pay just once and use the Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router for life — no subscription fees required. A plug-and-play configuration makes it easy to use, and it’s pocket-sized, so it’s easy to bring along anywhere.

Get this Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router, on sale now for $159.97 (reg. $219) until Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

We're just a day away from the Full Moon, and it’s already starting to light up the night sky. If you look closely, you might catch some of the bigger craters and dark patches on its surface.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Friday, Jan. 2, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to The Sky Live, 98.9% of the moon will be lit up tonight.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3. The last full moon was on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to complete a full cycle. This cycle is known as the lunar cycle. Throughout this period, the Moon moves through a series of phases as it orbits the Earth. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight illuminating its surface changes over time. This is why the Moon appears fully lit, partially illuminated, or not visible at all at different stages of the cycle. The lunar cycle is divided into eight main phases:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Insulting.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SNIDE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

___ and bone.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FLESH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Convulsion.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 2 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SPASM

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Out of shape.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 2 Hurdle Word 4 answer

RUSTY

Final Hurdle hint

Foliage.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

FLORA

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Our PCs often cost thousands of dollars, and yet, we don't always treat them with enough respect. Something many of us are guilty of can be a silent PC killer in more ways than one, and it has everything to do with where your PC lives on a daily basis.

Documentaries don't always have to be big, behind-the-scenes collages or dark tales of true crime. This weekend's lineup of documentaries on Prime Video will hopefully inspire and delight you with their in-depth profiles on some of the world's most fascinating and life-changing people, and a peek inside the quiet decline and resurgence of the rare book world.

Fans of the 1930s character Betty Boop can rejoice as a precursor of the iconic cartoon is now in the public domain, as of Jan. 1, 2026.

That means anyone can adapt that specific version of Betty Boop, which appeared in the Dizzy Dishes cartoon, into their own creative work without being subject to copyright laws.

This version of Betty Boop featured her characteristic large eyes and pout but also had elongated dog ears. Her romantic interest at the time was a dog chef, hence her surreal canine appearance.

SEE ALSO: Yes, Popeye can eat spinach: Everything you need to know about Public Domain Day 2025

In 2026, Betty Boop is joined in the public domain by other popular characters, books, films, and songs, including new Mickey Mouse cartoons and comics; the Blondie comic strip characters Blondie and Dagwood; William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, the illustrated version of Watty Piper's children's book The Little Engine That Could; the film All Quiet on the Western Front; and the standards "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "Georgia on My Mind," previously recorded by famous acts like The Mamas & the Papas and Ray Charles, respectively.

These and other creative works now in the public domain can be used without permission or payment. However, people should pay close attention to what version of the work is eligible for use.

Fleischer Studios, which appears to own the copyright to the fully developed Betty Boop character, pointed out that the expiration of that copyright does not apply to other Betty Boop copyrights and trademarks still in effect.

While nine early Mickey Mouse cartoons are now in the public domain, the Mickey Mouse character is still subject to enduring rights. (For more on these legal complexities, check out Mashable's story on the arrival of Popeye to the public domain in 2025.)

Here's some of the notable and beloved works entering the public domain in 2026, according to Duke University's Center for the Study of the Public Domain:

Comics, character, and cartoons

• Dizzy Dishes-era Betty Boop

• Rover (aka Pluto) from Disney's animated 1930 film The Chain Gang

• Original Blondie comic strip characters Blondie and Dagwood

• Nine Mickey Mouse cartoons from 1930, plus the first Mickey Mouse comic strips published in 1930

Films

• All Quiet on the Western Front, directed by Lewis Milestone

• Hell's Angels, directed by Howard Hughes

• The Big Trail, directed by Raoul Walsh

• Anna Christie, directed by Clarence Brown

Literature

• William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying

• Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon

• T.S. Eliot's Ash Wednesday

• Bertrand Russell's The Conquest of Happiness

Musical Compositions

• "Georgia on My Mind," written by Stuart Gorrell and Hoagy Carmichael

• "Dream a Little Dream of Me," written by Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, and Gus Kahn

• "On the Sunny Side of the Street," by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh

• "I Got Rhythm," "I've Got a Crush on You," "But Not for Me," and "Embraceable You," written by Ira Gershwin and George Gershwin

Weekends are perfect for documentaries. There are no spoilers to dodge, no huge commitments, and you're pretty much guaranteed to learn something fascinating or enlightening you can share with your workmates on Monday. It's a good thing, then, that Netflix has a ton of documentaries.

I know what you’re thinking—yeah, the Shield TV is old, but it’s still getting updates! While that’s true for some models, it’s not true for all of them. So, if you’ve upgraded to something new, we’ve got some ideas for that trusty NVIDIA Shield TV sitting in your media cabinet.

When Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri looks into the rapidly approaching future of AI-generated content, he sees a massive problem: how to tell authentic media apart from the kind made with AI technology.

In a recent Threads post on the topic, Mosseri said that social media platforms like Instagram will be under mounting pressure to help users tell the difference. Mosseri argued that major platforms will initially succeed at spotting and labeling AI content, but that they'll begin to falter as AI imitates reality with more precision.

"There is already a growing number of people who believe, as I do, that it will be more practical to fingerprint real media than fake media," Mosseri wrote.

SEE ALSO: The top 10 most-followed Instagram accounts

That "fingerprint" could be created from within cameras themselves, if their manufacturers "cryptographically sign images at capture, creating a chain of custody."

"We need to label AI-generated content clearly, and work with manufacturers to verify authenticity at capture — fingerprinting real media, not just chasing fake," Mosseri added.

Such labeling could help people navigate the AI slop that's flooding the internet. (Mashable's Tim Marcin has explained how we got to this moment.)

Mosseri also wrote that identifying the authenticity of creator content will shape the way people relate to that media: "We need to surface credibility signals about who's posting so people can decide who to trust."

Many people think the Enter key in Excel is just for moving down a row, and Ctrl is for shortcuts like copy or paste. But when used together, Ctrl+Enter unlocks hidden behaviors that change how data hits the grid and how you commit formulas, saving you from the repetitive workflow that slows you down.

These days, we're all yearning for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090—but two decades ago, it was a whole different story. Some Nvidia GPUs impressed with their immense capabilities, while others turned into a laughing stock and crashed and burned.

Helpers can be very useful in Home Assistant. A Toggle helper is an easy way to turn on Guest Mode, mute notifications, track states, and more. There are plenty of other helpers beyond the Toggle helper, and they can be even more powerful.

With the holiday season comes well-deserved vacations and sometimes, highly anticipated—yet very long—flights. Jet lag is often a side effect of these trips, but with only your phone, you can help your body adjust quickly with a few simple tricks.

When you get a NAS (Network-Attached Storage), there are usually a ton of features at your disposal. In fact, I personally found it intimidating when I first opened the dashboard and started opening dialogs. Now, these are the ones that I make the most use of.

Some people assume that Linux is totally cold and utilitarian. But as a long-time user, I know that Linux can be a real looker. If you'd like to spice up your Linux machine or find a gorgeous replacement for Windows, here are the best-looking distros you can install today.