Stranger Things Didn’t Release A Secret Bonus Episode, But Gritty’s #ConformityGate Evidence Made Me Want To Believe

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It’s been a week since the final episode of Stranger Things was released on Netflix, but fans are still discussing the mysteries of the Upside Down and the surprisingly quick aging of some of the characters. Despite the #ConformityGate theory – which predicted a secret ninth episode would drop on January 7th at 8 p.m. ET – no extra episode appeared. While I never fully believed the theory, some clues involving the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Gritty, almost had me convinced.

Conformity Gate was more or less already debunked before the 8 p.m. ET deadline on January 7, with the official Stranger Things Instagram account updating to include “ALL EPISODES OF STRANGER THINGS ARE NOW PLAYING” in the bio that morning. It wasn’t exactly a statement from the Duffer Brothers, but the matter was still pretty settled. Nevertheless, the infamous Philadelphia Flyers mascot (who once threw shade at Dwayne Johnson) put up a pretty good case before the debunking. Take a look:

A post shared by Gritty (@grittynhl)

A photo posted by on

I don’t really follow the Philadelphia Flyers or believe in conspiracy theories, but even I have to admit Gritty is entertaining when he goes viral. His recent conspiracy board about the ending of Stranger Things, which feels very much in the spirit of the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, perfectly captures his chaotic personality. It’s hard to pick a favorite part, but I especially love that the whole thing looks like it was made with printed images simply taped to a board – it’s charmingly low-tech.

I completely agree with Gritty’s enthusiastic take on Diana Ross’ “Upside Down,” calling it a fantastic song. I also find it amusing that the show’s creators included some of the more subtle clues from the ‘Conformity Gate’ mystery, like the similar haircuts of Karen and Nancy compared to Henry’s, the milkshakes mentioned during Will’s coming out, and the recurring detail about the ring Hopper used with Joyce being the same one Jonathan once considered giving Nancy.

The display was clearly well-planned and I loved how they used yarn to create a ‘murder board’ effect. Given Gritty’s intense stare, I wouldn’t have expected anything less! And the Vecna clock chiming right as the camera showed Gritty in his shirt and tie? It was a perfect touch.

As of right now, Ross Duffer hasn’t publicly replied to Gritty’s challenge, where the Philadelphia Flyers mascot gave him 24 hours to respond. However, Randy Havens, who played Mr. Clarke in four out of the five seasons of Stranger Things, has offered a comment.

I frickin’ knew Gritty was behind this.

Even though the theory is cleverly put forward, it has too many flaws for me to accept, especially regarding #ConformityGate. I will say those who believe have clearly done their research. I do have some specific questions for the Duffer brothers, like a couple of inconsistencies involving Will Byers in the first part of the season. Ultimately, I just don’t think a large conspiracy is plausible.

Good news for fans of Stranger Things! Even though Season 5 doesn’t have a hidden ninth episode, the story isn’t over just yet. A behind-the-scenes documentary called One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 will be available on Netflix starting January 12th. Plus, you can rewatch all five seasons anytime on Netflix.

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2026-01-08 04:08