Fans of Stranger Things are still buzzing after the series wrapped its fifth and final season on December 31 (New Year’s Eve). After nine years, the beloved hit Netflix series has finally come to an end. But the finale and the overall season itself proved divisive, and as a result, the conversation quickly shifted to a viral fan theory known as “Conformity Gate.”
According to the theory, “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up” was allegedly a “fake ending,” with a supposed “secret episode” scheduled to air on Netflix on January 7. Many fans suggested that the epilogue, which takes place 18 months after Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the gang defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), is a fabricated reality created by the “dark wizard” himself, meaning the characters didn’t actually beat him in the end.
But obviously, the so-called “secret episode” never happened.
Despite the nonappearance (and non-existence) of a ninth Season 5 episode, many fans quickly latched onto the release of the Stranger Things Season 5 documentary, One Last Adventure, which began streaming on Netflix today, January 12.
Many online suggested that the documentary itself would be the “secret episode” the theory had promised, even though it is explicitly a behind-the-scenes feature rather than new narrative content. Watch the official trailer for the film below:
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Finale: What Actually Happened | Disney Dining
One Last Adventure revisits the making of the final season, offering insight into the cast and crew’s experiences as they brought Hawkins to its climactic conclusion.
The documentary includes interviews with series creators, several members of the ensemble cast, and key production staff, exploring everything from practical effects and stunts to the emotional challenges of ending a show that has run for over a decade.
For those curious about the show’s final chapter and the people behind it, One Last Adventure is now streaming on Netflix. It may not be a hidden episode, but it gives fans a close look at how the saga of Hawkins came to an end—and why the fandom’s imagination refuses to let go.
Watch Stranger Things in Full on Netflix
Stranger Things seasons 1 — 5 are also streaming.
Stranger Things Season 5 stars Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry Creel), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay).
Were you hoping for a “secret episode” or were you satisfied with the ending you got? Let us know in the comments down below!
