Could Stranger Things' 'Conformity Gate' Be Real And Air Tonight? We Explore
"U DID NOT STOP ME."
While most "Stranger Things" fans are still debating last week’s finale, a growing number of viewers aren’t convinced the finale has actually aired.
A popular theory spreading across social media as of Tuesday, colloquially known as "Conformity Gate," suggests that the Duffer Brothers have a surprise episode scheduled for 8 p.m. on Jan. 7 that will serve as the real finale.
Proponents of the theory believe the secret episode will undo certain plot points, revealing that the finale was not reality at all but merely a vision of Vecna/Henry/One/Mr. Whatsit.
Across social media, hopeful fans have shared posts pointing to supposed hints that Episode 8, "The Right Side Up," was only a red herring.
"Among the purported evidence for the theory is everything from wardrobe choices — the graduation gowns were orange, though Hawkins High’s colors are green and yellow — to extras wearing glasses similar to those worn by Henry/Vecna," Variety reported.
"They also point to set design changes: a doorknob in the Wheelers’ basement appears on the opposite side of the door in the finale, and a dial at the WSQK radio station changed colors between episodes."
One of the most intriguing claims centers on the series finale’s epilogue, in which a stack of cassette tapes seemingly spell out "U DID NOT STOP ME" in Morse code.
Take a look:
Hmm.
"All of this has fueled the larger fan theory of Conformity Gate," the report continued, "which gets its name from the idea that Henry/Vecna was not actually defeated by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), Joyce (Winona Ryder), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and the gang — and that the Hawkins crew remains under Vecna’s mind control, ‘conforming’ to false memories and an ending he created for them, and for viewers."
So, does that mean that at 8 p.m. tonight, the real series finale will air, one that could finally satisfy disgruntled fans?
As of the morning of Jan. 7, the bios for the official "Stranger Things" social media accounts read: "ALL EPISODES OF STRANGER THINGS ARE NOW PLAYING."
Still, let’s be honest. We’re all going to check Netflix around 8 p.m., just in case.
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