Image: Stranger Things Season 5 [Netflix, YouTube]
The final episode of Stranger Things has actually been available on Netflix for quite some time and was even shown in theaters in the U.S. However, there’s now a major fan theory claiming that the true final episode is set to be released tomorrow, January 7. TikTok is flooded with viral videos about it. We’ll take a closer look at the background (as spoiler-free as possible) here.
Season 5: Episode 9 – Just Fans Hoping?
The series is officially over. And not everyone is happy with the ending. It’s no surprise that many fans are hoping for an alternative ending or a final explanation of the events. There have indeed been new announcements related to Stranger Things, but nothing official about a secret Episode 9. On January 12, the Netflix documentary “One Last Adventure – The Making of Stranger Things 5” will be released, focusing on the final season. In addition, an animated spin-off series titled “Tales From ’85” has been announced for 2026.
So how did fans come up with the idea of a secret episode specifically on January 7? Netflix posted a teaser video on X that mentions this date:
The Conformity Gate Theory
At first glance, this doesn’t seem to have an obvious connection to Stranger Things. However, a theory has emerged suggesting that the number 7 was already teased in the very first season, specifically through Will’s final dice roll in their D&D campaign: a 7. In addition, there was a mid-credits scene in the finale that also shows a rolled 7. And that’s not all: fans are also discussing the so-called “Conformity Gate” theory, which assumes that the ending we’ve seen so far is actually just an illusion created by Vecna. According to this theory, there are too many plot holes, the ending seems like an unrealistic happy ending, and several clues appear to support this idea. Examples include the seemingly empty poster at the graduation ceremony and the way some students allegedly hold their hands like Henry (Vecna).
There are even more details fans have noticed, but whether all of this will really be resolved tomorrow in a ninth episode remains to be seen. Many fans, however, don’t believe there will be a new final episode, even though the potential idea for such a plot twist from the Stranger Things team has already been praised in the comments.
Find the first trailers and announcements for the confirmed projects here:
