Stranger Things Fans Have A Wild Theory The Finale Wasn’t The *Real* Finale

Spoiler alert: This post discusses details from Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 8.

Stranger Things may not actually be over — at least, that’s what a new viral fan theory claims. Though the long-running sci-fi series got a cinematic send-off with its Dec. 31 finale, some fans of the series aren’t buying that this was the true ending. Instead, they believe the final episode’s epilogue is a huge fake-out, and thus the “conformity gate” theory was born, which purports that a secret episode will reveal the story’s actual ending in due time.

The crux of this fan theory mainly boils down to the 18-month time jump after Eleven destroyed the Upside Down feeling very off. Stranger Things has always celebrated the outcasts and weirdos, which is why some fans were suspicious that most of the main characters’ endings involved turning away from their “strange”-ness to embrace quiet, normal lives. Because of this, #ConformityGate began trending, as the idea grew that Vecna or the Mind Flayer may have created this tame vision of the future to fool not only the Hawkins party, but also the audience.

There are a few pretty convincing clues that seem to lend themselves to this finale fake-out idea. For one, the final episode has been widely called out for a lot of plot holes, mostly involving how the final battle with Vecna seemed too easy, and the military presence in Hawkins just suddenly disappeared afterward. Fans have also noticed suspicious details in the epilogue, like how the graduating high schoolers all pose like Henry Creel, and the party’s shelved D&D books seem to spell out “X is a lie” (meaning everything that occurred in Vecna’s world Dimension X may have been an illusion).

The epilogue being a vision created by Vecna would also explain some frustrating character omissions. Fans were perplexed that both Robin’s girlfriend, Vickie, and Dustin’s girlfriend, Suzie, both seemed to be totally forgotten about in the show’s final moments — but if this is Vecna’s illusory realm, then it’d make sense they wouldn’t exist, since those are two characters he’s never encountered.

So, could a secret, true finale be on its way to break everyone out of Vecna’s biggest trick yet, or is this whole thing just some wishful thinking from fans disappointed in the ending? Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers haven’t addressed “conformity gate” yet, so the fandom will have to remain in limbo until more details come out.