'Stranger Things 2' Ending Cut Epilogue Scenes That Would Have Set Up Season 3

Tired of hearing about Stranger Things yet? Too bad! There's even more Stranger Things news to be had! In a new interview, Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy reveals that the Stranger Things 2 ending contained a now-cut epilogue scene that would led directly into season 3.

Have you finished Stranger Things 2 yet? If you haven't, you might want to avoid this bit of info since it constitutes a spoiler.

For those of you who have finished the season, you're aware that season 2 of Netflix's most popular show ends on a surprisingly positive note. Eleven and the gang dance the night away at a school Snow Ball, and all is right in their world. We do get a quick shot showing the looming Shadow Monster is still lurking in the Upside Down, but for now, everyone is having a good time.

It's a pretty clear-cut ending, but in a new interview with Collider, producer Shawn Levey reveals that wasn't always the case. Levy says the Duffer Brothers originally planned several epilogues that would set-up the inevitable Stranger Things 3:

"There were epilogue scenes that were considered for after that [final] shot that would have hinted more at Season 3. But there was a decision made by all of us where we said let's not back in to any promises again ... We always felt after Season 1 that we had to payoff that slug that Will coughs up in the sink, or whose black car Hopper was getting into, and had to — and wanted to — follow-up on Hopper putting the Eggos out in a wooden lockbox in the woods. This time the [Duffer Brothers] very consciously wanted to promise less, so that their freedom is more."

Setting up season 3 would've been neat, but the Duffers wanted to give themselves a chance at a fresh start for the next season. In a previous interview, they explained:

"Last year, we had a lot of little cliffhangers at the end of the season. We didn't want to do that again. We didn't want to box ourselves in for season three. We wanted to be able to start season three on a very clean slate. It felt totally unnecessary, when we had the Snow Ball. Once we had the Snow Ball, we didn't know [if we wanted to do] anything else as an ending."

I honestly think the the way Stranger Things 2 ends now is fine as-is. Whenever a series adds several scenes that are meant to set-up the next season, they tie themselves down to specific ideas. Sometimes this is fine, but it's also nice to have options, and let things develop more organically. I'm sure Stranger Things 3 will have plenty of call-backs to this new season, but for now, let's just let those crazy Hawkins kids dance and have a good time, okay?