I Don't Buy Stranger Things Fans' #ConformityGate Theories, But I Do Need A Few Baffling Details Explained By The Duffers

Warning: spoilers are ahead for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, available streaming with a Netflix subscription.

The main saga of Stranger Things ended to close out last year, but debate about what happened in the series finale is continuing into the 2026 TV schedule. In fact, some of that debate between fans concerns a theory known as “Conformity Gate,” which posits that there’s a secret extra episode coming on January 7 that the Duffer Brothers planned all along to address some inconsistencies and continuity issues. Now, I don’t personally buy into the Conformity Gate theory, but that doesn’t mean I don’t agree about some of the details that have fans on social media buzzing.

What Is Conformity Gate?

The theory, which has expanded across social media platforms like TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter), suggests that clues were planted throughout Season 5 to hint that viewers weren’t seeing the true story, but rather a version created out of Vecna’s “curse.” The Stranger Things story isn’t actually over, according to the theory, but will be wrapped up with the true finale that releases on January 7.

I’ll be honest: I don’t buy it. Interviews from Matt and Ross Duffer about Eleven's fate point towards the show truly ending with Episode 8, called “The Rightside Up.” The episode even included Prince’s “Purple Rain” as a needle drop so epic that it belongs in a finale. Conformity Gate would be a massive secret to be kept within the entertainment industry, and I just don’t see it happening.

That said, there are definitely issues from the fifth season that weren’t addressed by "The Rightside Up," and a reason why the theory is tied specifically to January 7.

Some Unaddressed Plot Details

There were some issues that jumped out to plenty of people as soon as Episode 8 released, like why Max was able to graduate after nearly two years in a coma and how Dustin became valedictorian. I still wanted answers to two continuity errors from Volume 1: why Joyce messed up Will’s age and how Will’s flashback didn’t match Season 2 canon.

There are also moments noted by eagle-eyed viewers that fit with the theory. One of my favorites can been seen in a photo that Noah Schnapp posted on Instagram after Episode 8, with letters on the D&D books (sort of) lining up for “X A LIE,” which could be a sign that there's more to the story of Dimension X, a.k.a. The Abyss. Click through to the tenth pic and see for yourself:

Other moments cited as evidence towards Conformity Gate are the poses of just about everybody in the graduation sequence, which has them seated with their hands crossed in a Vecna-esque pose, and there is a shot with what looks like audience members staring straight into the camera. Props changed colors between scenes, Jonathan and Will’s watches (per What’s On Netflix) don’t actually display the time in the epilogue sequence, and Season 5 even ends without really digging into the importance of the number 12 with the kids.

With unexplained moments piling up by the final credits, it's understandable how any viewers who weren't happy with the finale might come to envision a ninth episode to "fix" the ending.

Possible Real-Life Clues For Conformity Gate

I had fun digging into Conformity Gate, and my favorite piece of possible evidence comes directly from Netflix. In a video titled “Your Future is on its Way” released on Christmas Day, small glimpses of Stranger Things are among the shows teased for the new year. The caption on YouTube includes "What Next? Jan 7, 2026." Take a look at the video, which is a bit Upside Down-esque if you squint:

Your Future is on its Way | Netflix - YouTube

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Is the silver cat a nod to the secret message from Season 3? Are the posters behind the bus stop actually a hidden clue? What's "next" on January 7? Is the tone of the video a nod to Vecna's eerie abilities? Or was this just a teaser video cut together before #ConformityGate went viral with no deeper meaning at all for Stranger Things?

Technically, there still was one episode left after the video was posted. “The Rightside Up” was released on December 31, while all the other shows teased in the video are for 2026 premieres. Including Stranger Things in a video mentioning January 7 is arguably suspicious.

And if we want to get really into the weeds of real-life clues, then perhaps we can look at Sadie Sink appearing on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon on January 5 and Finn Wolfhard as the next upcoming SNL host, both of which are promoting the show well after the last episodes released... unless Conformity Gate is true.

Is Conformity Gate Real?

If I sound like I’ve started to convince myself, I’ll all say is kudos to all the fans who compiled evidence. If it does somehow turn out to be true, then the first person who came up with the theory has eternal fandom bragging rights. And who am I to judge? I'm on Team "I Believe" when it comes to Eleven's fate.

I still think any continuity errors were just mistakes that weren’t caught in time, and can point toward Holly Wheeler wearing a sleeve with an Under Armour logo that was clearly visible until it was later edited out from Volume 2 as an example. What seem like Easter eggs are likely just coincidences rather than clues, as far as I’m concerned. Plus, Stranger Things being included in a Christmas Day video hyping "What's next?" on January 7 could point towards Netflix releasing new details about the documentary, which premieres on January 12.

This also isn't the first time that a Season 5 fan theory went out of control, after some viewers spread the idea that huge scenes had been cut out to explain away elements they didn't like. Randy Havens, who played Mr. Clarke, debunked the idea with an Instagram Story (via EW), writing "There's no secret Snyder cut of the show" and "Please don’t believe everything some random ass tells you on the internet."

As for why Stranger Things pops up when you search “Conformity Gate” on Netflix… well, I don’t actually have an explanation, but it's worth noting that Emily in Paris also shows up when you search. Conformity Gate is just too grand of a scheme for me to believe that the Duffers cooked up the idea of a secret ninth episode, filmed it, edited it, and kept it quiet this long. Combined with a nationwide theatrical release for what was billed as a finale and end credits that quite literally closed the book, and I'm not buying it.

We’ll find out for certain soon if the theory is correct! Check out Netflix on January 7 to see if there’s any truth to Conformity Gate, or just to check out any of Stranger Things' (full) five seasons. The One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 documentary will debut on Monday, January 12.