Stranger Things ‘Conformity Gate’ Conspiracy Is Dead
Kotaku••entertainment
Key Points:
- A conspiracy theory called "Conformity Gate" claimed that a secret ninth episode of Stranger Things season 5 would be released on January 7, 8 p.m. ET, to address fan dissatisfaction with the finale, but no such episode appeared on Netflix.
- Despite the theory being debunked by Variety before the supposed release, it gained widespread attention, even causing rumors of Netflix server crashes due to high traffic from eager fans.
- Various corporate and brand social media accounts engaged with the trend, using it for social media engagement, while official Stranger Things accounts and cast members indirectly dismissed the theory.
- Fans have reacted with mixed emotions, from grief over accepting the finale to appreciating the theory as a temporary distraction, though some continue to speculate
