Back in late December 2025, Stranger Things ended its run with its final episode on Netflix. However, many fans weren't the happiest with how things wrapped up. They felt the series finale ended with more questions than answers, and that the ending itself lacked the emotional payoff the series had spent years building toward.
One big disappointment that many fans share is Eleven's fate. While most of the core characters were allowed to move forward into a hopeful future, Eleven’s story was left painfully ambiguous. Her apparent sacrifice is framed as heroic, but the show stops short of confirming whether she truly died.
Because of this unclear, unsatisfying ending and fans spotting signs in the series that they believe point to something being off about the finale, a viral theory has taken hold online. Many believe that what Netflix released wasn’t the real ending at all. Instead, fans now think episode 8 was a deliberate fake-out and that the true conclusion of Stranger Things is being hidden, possibly in a secret final episode that Netflix has yet to reveal.
This fake ending theory has only gotten more popular after fans noticed something strange happening on Netflix itself. When searching for “fake ending” on Netflix, the only result that appears is Stranger Things. This coincidence has only further fueled the speculation, and honestly, we're just as confused. Why would only Stranger Things appear? Could Netflix really be hiding a secret final episode, waiting to reveal the conclusion that fans have been hoping for?
For those who’ve followed Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the gang through every terrifying encounter with the Upside Down, the idea is both thrilling and maddening. Who wouldn't want to see another episode of the hit sci-fi series, whether you liked the finale or not?
When it comes to when this rumored final episode will supposedly come out, there's a belief that Netflix will either announce it or release it on Jan. 7, 2026. Why this date, you ask? Well, the streaming giant previously teased fans with a cryptic X post reading, “Your future is on the way,” tagged with a Jan. 7 date. Although no details were given about what will be shared on this date, fans think that it's related to the secret Stranger Things episode.
To back up this theory, they point to the way Netflix released the fifth season's episodes around major holidays. The first batch of Stranger Things 5 episodes was released on Thanksgiving Eve, followed by the second batch on Christmas. The current series finale came out on New Year's Eve. Jan. 7 coincides with Orthodox Christmas, so it fits perfectly with the show’s holiday release pattern.
But again, this is just a theory. Neither Netflix nor the Duffer Brothers has confirmed anything about a secret episode. We'll just have to wait until Jan. 7 to see if the rumors are real or if fans have been chasing shadows all along. While it's currently unknown whether a ninth episode of Stranger Things 5 is actually coming, we do know that a behind-the-scenes documentary of the show will be released on Netflix on Jan. 12. It's titled One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, so be sure to add it to your watchlist!