Is Stranger Things season 5 episode 9 happening? The secret finale theory explained

If there's one word to describe the entirety of Stranger Things, it would be "mysterious". Since Season 1, the acclaimed Netflix show has left audiences with more questions than answers. Where did Eleven get her powers? What really is the Upside Down? What is the true nature of the Mind Flayer?

Even after a decade has passed and we all witnessed the epic series' finale, many mysteries are waiting to be answered, and it feels like there are some missing pieces to the puzzle. Where was Vickie during the epilogue? What was that mysterious rock? How come the military released the Stranger Things group so easily after Eleven's death? Unfortunately, some doubts will forever be unexplained... or will they?

Stranger Things fans all over the world have been compiling one big, conspiratorial theory worthy of being crafted by Murray himself. What if the real reason why the Mind Flayer was defeated so easily, and no Demogorgons arrived at the battlefield, was because the final battle didn't really happen, and it was all just one big ruse? Could the Duffer Brothers be planning the biggest plot twist in TV history? Well, let's take a look at the evidence.

A secret Stranger Things 5 finale is theorized to be released on January 7

The rabbit hole goes as far back as Dec. 19, 2025, when Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 was yet to be released. The official account of Netflix France tweeted a cryptic picture whose real meaning has yet to be deciphered to this date. At the time, no one really suspected anything crazy from this image, but now, fans around the world are convinced it's meant to tease a specific date: Jan. 7, 2026.

The Stranger Things Season 5 finale didn't tie up all loose ends, and it featured some moments that didn't make sense (such as Max graduating with the rest of her class, despite being in a two-year coma). As such, it has been theorized that perhaps what we saw was simply an illusion cast by Vecna and experienced through the eyes of Mike Wheeler, the same person who narrated a lot of the events from the epilogue. Maybe the real finale—the one that will truly answer every lingering doubt—will come our way on Jan. 7, 2026. As simple as that, the Conformity Gate conspiracy was born.

Fans have discovered that typing phrases such as "fake ending", "conformity gate", and "season 5 episode 9" in the Netflix search bar brings up one very curious match: Stranger Things. Furthermore, the Duffer Brothers revealed during an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that they had seen a lot of theories surrounding the show's finale, and that "none of them have got the ending right". However, Episode 8 didn't really have any major twists or turns that were impossible to predict, so what if this specific comment was made in reference to a potential, secret Episode 9 that could undo everything we saw back on New Year's Eve?

Netflix released a trailer meant to promote an event happening on Jan. 7, 2026, where "the future" of the streaming giant will be unveiled (which you can watch above). Incidentally, the trailer kicks things off with a person sitting in a bus station, while a largeStranger Things promotional material is seen in the background. Furthermore, at the 21-second mark, some fans are convinced that the shadowy figure falling from the sky might be Holly, hinting that a new Stranger Things episode is on its way. Besides, the dialogue of the trailer itself might be referring to the Conformity Gate theory:

"Sometimes the universe shows you a sign. You can brush it off, call it a coincidence. But I know you got some questions. Lucky you, your future is on its way. Even when you're not looking, it finds you."

The cherry on top? The official Netflix Instagram account changed its bio to "I believe", which could also be in response to the Conformity Gate theory. To add a bit more fuel to the fire, Netflix was running an official Stranger Things radio broadcast, and some fans are convinced that you could hear the words "Mike, Mike, wake up" during the transmission (though, to be honest, that one seems like a stretch).

Additionally, fans have pointed out some inconsistencies and oddities in Stranger Things Season 5 that may hint at a secret episode happening soon. For starters, Vickie was nowhere to be seen in the epilogue, and it could be theorized that perhaps her striking disappearance is because Vecna never knew her, so he couldn't project her on the illusion that he's casting in Mike's mind. There's also the question of why the voltage dial in the WSQK radio suddenly changed colors with no seeming explanation. After all, Holly noticed that the color inconsistency in the merry-go-round pointed the way towards the exit of Vecna's mind. Could Mike still be trapped in Camazotz?

Why did Max graduate with the rest of her class, even though she was in a two-year coma? We also need to ask: Why did everybody cheer when Dustin revealed his Hellfire Club t-shirt? After all, the entirety of Hawkins was convinced that the Hellfire was a satanic club. The odd details, inconsistencies, and unanswered questions go on and on. So could there really be a secret ending waiting behind all the confusion? While there might be some compelling evidence to support the case, chances are there's no secret finale coming our way on Jan. 7, 2026.

Most of the evidence pointed out in multiple theories can be a coincidence, and a case of people trying to find clues where there aren't any. Besides, it wouldn't be fitting for Netflix to hold movie theater showings for the "finale" of Stranger Things only to reveal that Episode 8 wasn't really the true end of the series. Additionally, filming an hour-long epilogue only to undo it just a week later is a very bold yet unlikely move. While we'd all love more Stranger Things on our TVs soon, chances are we'll have to wait until the spin-offs are released. On the bright side, we'll get a definite answer soon enough when January 7 comes our way.