Stranger Things Fans Are Convinced Season 5 Could Get A Secret Episode 9

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After eight episodes, Stranger Things has come to an official end. The two-hour finale wrapped up the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down, but some viewers believe the show might not be completely finished with just the fifth season’s eighth episode.

There’s a rumor going around that Netflix might surprise fans with a secret ninth episode of Stranger Things today. But if one exists, what could it be about, considering the show already had a satisfying conclusion? That’s where the “Conformity Gate” theory comes in. This new idea circulating among fans attempts to explain a potential extra episode – here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know.

Stranger Things Fans Speculate That Season 5 Will Get One More Episode

Fans Think An Episode 9 Will Release Sometime On January 7

I’ve been watching Stranger Things for a long time now, and it’s tough to think about it ending – it’s a show a lot of us really love. So it makes sense that fans are hoping the story will continue in some way, maybe through a spin-off. Actually, a spin-off seems quite likely. But the recent talk about a hidden ninth episode for Season 5 really came as a shock to everyone.

Lately, a lot of people online – especially on X – have been talking about a possible ninth episode. While another episode would be great, most of these posts are actually fake. If Netflix was planning one, we’d have likely heard something official by now. However, Netflix hasn’t confirmed anything about Episode 9. In fact, the official Stranger Things Instagram account recently updated its bio to say “All Episodes of Stranger Things are now playing,” which is their way of letting fans know “Don’t believe the rumors – there’s no Episode 9.”

However, many fans still believe a bonus episode will drop around January 7th. Some are even pointing to the “Conformity Gate” theory as evidence to support this idea.

Fans Think The Stranger Things Conformity Gate Theory Might Be Real

It’s Highly Unlikely, Though

Image via Netflix

The eighth episode featured a final showdown between the Hawkins group and Vecna. They managed to defeat Henry Creel and the Mind Flayer, but there was still one more threat: Dr. Kay. Eleven realized Dr. Kay would try to use her friends to get to her, so she followed Kali’s advice and remained in the Upside Down. When the Upside Down was destroyed, Eleven seemingly died with it. However, Mike theorized that Eleven actually escaped, and Kali used her powers to make everyone believe Eleven was gone. Mike believes Eleven has likely started a new life somewhere far from Hawkins.

It feels like a satisfying conclusion to the story, doesn’t it? However, the ‘Conformity Gate Theory’ suggests something different. This theory proposes that the entire final episode was a carefully constructed illusion created by Vecna. According to it, the Hawkins group is actually under Vecna’s control, and he’s forcing them to experience a false reality to prevent them from resisting. While it sounds far-fetched, some fans have discovered evidence supporting this idea. For example, the cassettes visible behind Robin in her studio during the final scene spell out a Morse code message: “U did not stop me.” Additionally, some viewers believe that all the students seated during the graduation scene were subtly mimicking Henry’s posture.

Look, I get that some people have pointed out interesting things, but I really don’t think it proves the Conformity Gate Theory is true. Honestly, Episode 8 felt like such a perfect ending to the whole story. It would be so out of character for the creators to undo all that satisfying closure just for the sake of a shocking twist or to squeeze in another episode, don’t you think?

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2026-01-07 20:34