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Stranger Things fans lit the internet on fire with a theory that a new episode would be released in January 2026. Dubbed “Conformity Gate,” social media users produced this trend while pointing to alleged clues from the season 5 finale that aired on December 31, 2025. Viewers claimed that these supposed hints indicated an additional episode was on the way. So, is it true?
Below, find out if you can expect a new episode of Stranger Things following its season 5 finale.
What Is “Conformity Gate”?
“Conformity Gate” is an online conspiracy theory that fans spread, alleging that they caught hints in the season 5 finale of a new episode of Stranger Things on the horizon.
Fans debated over one of the final scenes when the main characters aligned their books together, spelling the letters “XALIE.” Fans argued that this meant Dimension X was a lie and was, therefore, all in Vecna’s mind.
Is the Stranger Things “Conformity Gate” Theory Real?
No. Sorry, Stranger Things fans, but there is no truth to “Conformity Gate,” unless the Duffer brothers and the entire cast and crew of Stranger Things are skillful liars.
As seen on TikTok and X.com, the “Conformity Gate” trend began with viewers’ criticism of the series’ finale.
“The entire Stranger Things fandom currently in a collective psychosis coming up with a theory called Conformity Gate as a coping mechanism because the Duffers writing was genuinely THAT bad,” one person tweeted.
Stranger Things fans explaining conformity gate: pic.twitter.com/WO2pl9Rbbd
— The Cinéprism (@TheCineprism) January 6, 2026
Others continued to criticize the conclusion of the show, with one separate X user tweeting, “It’s hilarious how the Duffers inability to write a satisfying conclusion and reliance on the ‘we left it to the viewer’s interpretation’ crutch has now led to a fanbase somehow rabidly believing there is a secret final episode that just clearly does not exist.”
Is There a New Episode of Stranger Things Coming Out?
No, there is no episode 9 in season 5 of Stranger Things. Social media users definitely sparked intrigue in the possibility, though, when they flooded TikTok and X.com with their theories.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, cast member Jamie Campbell Bower put the rumors to rest by confirming that the last episode was “the ending the show deserves.”
“Even as the actor that plays Vecna, like, it just – it feels right,” he noted. “You know, the show is so much about friendship and love and hope and joy. And of course, like, the person who is not that has to go, you know?”
How Many Episodes of Stranger Things Are There in Season 5?
There are eight episodes in total of season 5.
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