Following the highly-anticipated Stranger Things finale, there has been no shortage of fan theories, including one that the show is not actually over.
But as viewers ran amok with the idea of a potential ‘Conformity Gate’ secret episode, which many believed would make a surprise appearance Wednesday on Netflix, the streaming platform appeared to put those theories to rest.
“ALL EPISODES OF STRANGER THINGS ARE NOW PLAYING,” reads the bio of Netflix’s official profiles on Instagram and X.
Since the Duffer Brothers‘ nostalgic sci-fi series concluded on New Year’s Eve after five seasons, the ‘Conformity Gate’ fan theory gained traction online in recent days, claiming that the time jump at the end of Episode 8 was an illusion created by Vecna.
Netflix also threw fuel on the fire with a recent mysterious promo. “Your Future is on its way. #WhatNext Jan 7, 2026,” read the recent post, which turned out to be teasing a new campaign that personalizes users’ viewing experiences with its 2026 slate of new releases.
Fans who appear to be dissatisfied with the series finale, or just not ready to say goodbye, have taken to social media to react to the false theory.
“I hate that ‘Conformity Gate’ is not real and the possibility of it happening is also bleak,” someone wrote on X. “I want the Duffers to reconsider their finale so bad and do what has never been done before and take a U-turn and redo s5 vol 2 and finale.”
“#Conformitygate could be true even without an extra episode to wrap it up and explain it. It just means it’s a darker and unsatisfying ending people can theorise about for years to come lol,” wrote one optimist in another post.
“Even without the secret episode appearing, I’ve loved #comformitygate it’s been a lifeline to the best side of social media,” someone else wrote. “I’ve been off the whole way through. In Ep8, I was very much waiting for Jim to turn to the singer in Enzo’s & say ‘Thanks for that Patty.’”
I hate that conformity gate is not real and the possibility of it happening is also bleak. I want the duffers to reconsider their finale so bad and do what has never been done before and take a U-turn and redo s5 vol 2 and finale. https://t.co/IG0TMpnJZ6
— ⁷Cherry🍒¹ᴰ (@timetogodorthea) January 7, 2026
#Conformitygate could be true even without an extra episode to wrap it up and explain it 🤷♂️ it just means it’s a darker and unsatisfying ending people can theorise about for years to come lol
— Blake Hero⚡ (@BlakeDHero) January 7, 2026
Would you look at that, Conformity Gate didn’t happen.
It’s as if you’re making excuses for the lazy writing and plot holes throughout the Season.
You gang of deluded sausages. pic.twitter.com/Oby3jsoTvx
— hu⊗ (@huxismi) January 7, 2026
Meanwhile, one cynic gloated, “Would you look at that, ‘Conformity Gate’ didn’t happen. It’s as if you’re making excuses for the lazy writing and plot holes throughout the Season. You gang of deluded sausages.”
At least one person was happy with the finale as is. “Funny how viral #ConformityFate is even though Ep. 8 is already a perfect ending to the show. Ties back to the opening scene of S1EP1 and wraps everything up nicely. Trying to continue from there would’ve only made things worse,” they wrote.
Although Stranger Things has officially concluded, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the final season when it debuts Jan. 12 on Netflix. The animated series Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is also set to premiere in 2026.
The Duffer Brothers recently teased a future spinoff to Deadline as well. “We’ve said this before, the spinoff idea we have, it is early days, but it is an entirely new mythology. So, it is connected, and it is going to answer some questions that people have, and there’s some lingering questions that weren’t answered in the finale that will be answered in the spinoff. But at the end of the day, it’s got its own story and its own mythology,” said Ross Duffer.
