Stage finales for popular stories (7)
I believe the answer is:
legends
'popular stories' is the definition.
'legends' can be an answer for 'stories' (legend is a kind of story). I'm not certain of the 'popular' bit.
'stage finales' is the wordplay.
'stage' becomes 'leg' (a leg is a stage of a competition).
'finales' becomes 'ends' (I've seen this in another clue).
'leg'+'ends'='LEGENDS'
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for legends that I've seen before include "Myths, fables" , "Such as George Best and Stanley Matthews" , "Old tales" , "The saintly lives" , "People admired" .)