The “Stranger Things” fandom, notoriously difficult to satisfy, has found itself in turmoil following the series finale on New Year’s Eve 2025. Some fans refuse to accept the ending, speculating that the true conclusion will air on January 7, coinciding with Orthodox Christmas. This belief was fueled by a Netflix promotional trailer suggesting this date, as the entire fifth season was released during the holiday period.

According to the popular “Conformity Gate” theory, Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower) ultimately triumphed over Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the Hawkins crew. The theory proposes that the apparent resolutions for the main characters are merely illusions crafted by Vecna. Subtle clues in “The Rightside Up” support this narrative, such as the positioning of characters’ hands during the graduation scene, overlooked characters, and the shifting hues of the levers and dials at WSQK, which connect to Holly Wheeler’s (Nell Fisher) insights from Vecna’s subconscious. These elements suggest the characters have succumbed to Vecna’s vision, giving rise to the “Conformity Gate” moniker. Regardless of whether anything transpires on January 7, it’s fitting that “Stranger Things” has sparked such intricate fan theories.

Despite some dubious moments in the “Stranger Things” finale, the showrunners have dismissed any trickery. The Duffer Brothers, who created the series, have debunked parts of the Conformity Gate theory, clarifying that Vecna can no longer reach his victims. “The bridge to the Abyss has been severed. There’s no longer any connection, preventing anything from crossing into Hawkins,” Matt Duffer revealed to Entertainment Weekly.

While there are plenty of dumb moments too hard to ignore in the “Stranger Things” finale, there doesn’t seem to be any chicanery involved. Co-creators the Duffer Brothers have blown a hole in at least part of Conformity Gate, explaining there’s no way Vecna can reach his victims anymore. “Whatever’s up there in the Abyss, they’ve severed the bridge. There is no connection anymore. There’s no way of anything in the Abyss from reaching Hawkins again,” Matt Duffer told Entertainment Weekly. 

That pretty much nullifies the notion of Vecna winning, or still being able to manipulate the kids and their families. You could say that he wins at some point during the battle and his death is a lie, but that would involve a whole lot of coincidences coming to fruition. The hope has been spurred on by two different fan shippings — those who want El and Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) to get together and those who want Mike to be with Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). It looks like both parties are going to end up disappointed in the end. But fans of the show have much more to look forward to, with two spin-offs coming soon and a documentary called “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5” dropping on January 12.