Netflix's Stranger Things Season 5 finale was an emotional but hopeful end to the beloved horror series. From Eleven's ambiguous fate to the long epilogue, the Duffer Brothers were very clear about every aspect that we saw in the finale.Even before the finale of Stranger Things Season 5 premiered, fans had been speculating a Tolkien-esque ending to the Netflix series. Recently, Matt Duffer revealed that the length of the epilogue drew some inspiration from LOTR.While talking to Deadline, the brothers confirmed it and said:"That was sort of the reference for the epilogue."More on this in our story.The Duffer Brothers reveal the LOTR inspiration behind Stranger Things Season 5 epilogue View this post on Instagram Instagram PostStranger Things Season 5 Episode 8 was the final episode of the popular Netflix horror series. The finale tied several of the storylines, such as the revelation of how Henry became Vecna. However, even with the final fight with the Mind Flayer and Vecna, the finale remained hopeful for the beloved characters by offering a glimpse into their lives after the tragic events.The epilogue of Stranger Things Season 5 gave viewers a detailed look into the lives and futures of all the characters, and a hopeful yet ambiguous end to Eleven's story. When asked about it in the Deadline interview, the Duffer Brothers shared their appreciation for the 'extended editions' of The Lord of the Rings movies, and how it was one of the references for the epilogue of the finale.Matt Duffer, in the interview, shared that they took inspiration from the LOTR films for the 'length of the epilogue.' He further revealed his love for the 'extended editions' of the movies and how they added to the stories of the characters perfectly, and stated:"I’ve watched all extended editions in a row on a single day. If you do that, the epilogue feels absolutely perfect and not long at all. In fact, if it felt shorter, it would feel absolutely distressing."Furthermore, he also revealed that it was not just the epilogue but the end credits of The Return of the King that inspired the end credits scene. In LOTR: The Return of the King, the long end credits scene is filled with illustrations of Middle-earth and the characters as well. He stated:"We love the credits at the end of Return of the King. So that was the initial idea, and they were these very simple illustrations."He further revealed how the end credits illustrations, which resembled 'D&D manuals,' came into being. He shared that with the help of the design studio Imaginary Friends, they created the illustrations that we see in the end credits of the Stranger Things Season 5 finale episode. He stated:"They brought back illustrators from the actual 1980s who drew in the manuals all the way back then. So it really came full circle, and, mainly, we wanted it to feel finite, right? I mean, that was really the key."The Duffer Brothers' love and appreciation for LOTR movies are reflected in the finale as they referenced not just the epilogue but also the iconic end credits scene from The Return of the King, and made it more memorable.Keep reading Soap Central for more such stories.Also Read: Stranger Things finale had the the most obvious Stephen King reference in the show's history, details explored in-depth