The famous horror and sci-fi series Stranger Things has finished its ten-year run, with an eight-episode release spread across three dates: November 26 (four episodes), December 25 (three episodes), and the highly anticipated finale on December 31. Fans also had the option to watch the finale in select theaters, with cast appearances nationwide.
Despite the highly anticipated ending, some fans believe that the final episode was disappointing, ultimately causing a divide between fans who enjoyed the finale and those who didn’t.
Spoilers ahead…
After Season 5, Episode 4 revealed that Will Byers can channel Vecna’s (the main villain) power, fans began hyping up the ending, expecting Will, Eleven, and Kali (008) to team up and defeat Vecna, with a possible betrayal from 008.
However, when the final fight only lasted around five minutes, fans were disappointed that such an anticipated battle ended up feeling underwhelming.
Furthermore, fans argue that the ending had too many plot holes and was overly ambiguous. In post-release interviews, the Duffer Brothers have claimed that some fan questions were either answered off-camera, like Dustin and Suzie breaking up, or intentionally left up to interpretation, like the outcome of Robin and Vickie’s relationship.
On the other hand, some fans argue that the finale was perfect because the characters got to move on from the tragedy and build a life for themselves. There was a mix between love and sadness, as well as a nostalgic feeling of a new generation of friends playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).
Still, the big mystery that has the Stranger Things fandom talking is whether or not Eleven is dead. Though it seems like Eleven sacrificed herself, Mike Wheeler seems to think that it was an illusion created by Kali so Eleven could escape and be free in a faraway land.
Since the finale, social media has been flooded with theories of what might or might not have happened to her, backing up their arguments with solid evidence.
Amid the mystery and disappointment, hyper internet sleuthing led Stranger Things fans to believe that a secret ninth episode would be released on January 7, a different ending that explains the plot holes of the “final” episode number 8. This theory is called Conformity Gate, as fans believe that would be the title of the secret episode.
Conformity Gate believers theorized that the ending presented to us is an illusion placed inside Mike’s head by Vecna. This theory is supported by several subtle details and perceived inconsistencies observed throughout the finale.
One piece of evidence is the fact that at the graduation ceremony in the epilogue, every student was sitting with their hands in the same position as Henry Creel’s (Vecna’s human name) when he was human and working at the lab. Furthermore, the entire Wheeler family (except Holly) has the same hairstyle as Henry Creel.
Other inconsistencies are found in character futures and background objects. Steve Harrington becomes a baseball coach despite only being shown playing basketball throughout the show, and in Vecna’s memory, Steve is only seen holding a baseball bat. The presence of a Mr. Whatsit board game is also noted in Hopper’s cabin and Mike’s basement, a callback to when it was first seen when Holly was taken to the Upside Down.
Evidence also includes hidden messages. The characters’ D&D books shown at the end of the finale spell out “X A LIE” as if they were truly trapped in Dimension X. On the radio, Robin remarks that the town isn’t the Hawkins she remembers, and the formation of cassette tapes behind her forms a morse code that translates to “you did not stop me.” Finally, the final shot of Mike walking up the basement stairs and closing the door exactly mirrors the final shot of The Truman Show (a movie about a fake reality).
Though the original release date of the Conformity Gate theory was January 7, after nothing happened, fans now believe that the behind-the-scenes documentary of the final season, coming out January 12, will actually transition into the true, long-awaited ending of this beloved show.
But after all, Conformity Gate or not, do you believe…?
