Following the broadcast of the "Stranger Things" Season 5 finale, debate surrounding the ending continues to rage. Recently, on social media platforms like TikTok, a theory dubbed "Conformity Gate" by fans has rapidly spread, claiming the ending viewers saw was merely an illusion created by villain Vecna, and that the true final chapter has yet to be revealed, with rumors even circulating about the release date of a supposed "secret final episode."
However, as these claims grow increasingly outlandish, a growing chorus of voices within the fan community has emerged, urging caution and warning against holding high expectations for such a reversal theory. 
"Conformity Gate" is not an official series setting, but rather a sarcastic fan term used to describe how some viewers, dissatisfied with the official ending, try to create a psychological escape hatch for themselves, believing "it was all a lie."
One fan on a Reddit thread stated directly, urging others not to be angry at the Duffer Brothers tomorrow, saying that no one was to blame but themselves. He noted that throughout "Stranger Things"' run, fans had often blamed the production team when theories they overly believed didn't pan out, and that "this situation is essentially the same."
The fan further elaborated that the Duffer Brothers had left Eleven's ending open to audience interpretation and provided a complete farewell for the main characters. He argued that there was no need to know what happened to Erica, Mr. Clarke, or a soldier who appeared for only a few seconds, as everyone simply returned to their own lives.
Another user more directly stated that there was no "finale of finales," and that the doors they thought existed were not real, concluding that the story of "Stranger Things" had ended.
The emergence of these reversal theories is closely linked to some viewers' dissatisfaction with the ending. Some questioned the absence of the monster horde in the final battle, while others expressed unease about the ambiguous handling of Eleven's fate and even cited so-called "plot holes."
In response, other fans criticized these claims as mere avoidance, calling them complete delusion, lacking any substantial evidence, and merely a refusal to accept an ending they disliked.
Some have likened this phenomenon to the fan conspiracy theories that arose after the ending of "Mass Effect 3," viewing it as a collective interpretation born out of self-comfort.
Following the finale, the Duffer Brothers have repeatedly given interviews explaining their vision for the ending and confirming that the "Stranger Things" universe will continue through spin-offs and documentaries. Perhaps, as some fans suggest, instead of waiting for a non-existent reversal, it's better to accept that the story has concluded and allow this multi-year journey to truly end.
via： IGN