‘Stranger Things’ Fans Think New Series Is “Fake” Like the Season 5 Finale

Even after Stranger Things concluded its five-season run, fan theories surrounding the series continue to dominate online discussions.

The show’s finale divided fans. Those unimpressed with the last chapter launched an online petition demanding more footage from Netflix, while a viral fan theory dubbed “Conformity Gate.” claimed the finale was fake and that a real ending would follow.

The theory suggested that the episode’s epilogue, which takes place 18 months after the gang defeats Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), was simply an illusion created by the villain.

Some fans even predicted Netflix would release a second finale days later. The theory gained traction when January 7 was rumored as a possible release date for that secret episode. Instead, Netflix released the documentary One Last Adventure on January 12, which explored the making of Season 5.

Related: Fan-Favorite ‘Stranger Things’ Actor Could Lead New TMNT Reboot | Disney Dining

A New Spinoff Reopens Continuity Questions

Now, attention has shifted toward Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, the upcoming animated series set between seasons 2 and 3.

The show reunites Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, Max, Hopper, Steve, and Nancy for a new paranormal storyline set during the winter of 1985.

“Welcome back to Hawkins in the winter of 1985, where the original characters face new monsters — and a paranormal mystery — in this epic animated series,” the blurb reads.

But while the series explores an uncharted period in the timeline, some fans have questioned how such large-scale events could go unmentioned in later seasons.

Watch the trailer for Tales From ’85 below:

D&D Theory Emerges As A Possible Explanation

One growing fan theory suggests the animated series could all be fake and that it’s nothing more than a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, an idea that stems from a line in the trailer referencing the start of a new campaign and the show’s longstanding use of tabletop role-playing as a storytelling motif.

With all that said, showrunner and executive producer Eric Robles has emphasized that the series is grounded in established lore. “I dissected the [main live-action] show, looking for any loopholes,” he told Entertainment Weekly last year, describing how the series introduces monsters formed from leftover Upside Down matter.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 premieres April 23 on Netflix, while all five seasons of the original series remain available to stream.

Are you excited about Tales From ’85? What do you think of the new trailer? Let us know in the comments!