The perfect 9th Stranger Things episode already exists and Netflix should release it as soon as possible
'Conformity gate' wasn't real, but there could be another option
Stranger Things fans may be disappointed that there isn’t a secret ninth episode – but Netflix could give viewers something else instead that’d be just as good.
In the wake of the show’s divisive finale, a theory emerged that everything we saw in the epilogue was one of Vecna’s illusions, and that another episode would drop on January 7. It became known as ‘conformity gate’.
Unfortunately, for those who pinned their hopes on that outlandish rumour, it never happened. Other than a documentary about the making of season 5, the Stranger Things franchise is taking a break until Tales from ’85 premieres later this year.
Here’s the thing: while there isn’t a secret episode, there is another option that’d make fans happy.
The First Shadow could be Stranger Things’ ‘secret episode’
Stranger Things: The First Shadow launched in London’s West End in November 2023. It serves as a prequel to the whole show, following Henry Creel after he arrives in Hawkins.
Importantly, it is 100% canon. Considering Henry’s rock from the finale will play a role in the live-action spin-off, it could hold other clues.
Don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything else that happens in the show. All we’ll say is that it features young versions of Hopper, Joyce, and Bob, the wider Creel family, and some other characters you may recognise.
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Before Eleven, there was Henry Creel. Dr Brenner's first experiment. pic.twitter.com/w5Y9sK8WuA
— Stranger Things on Broadway (@STonBroadway) January 3, 2026
So, given its significance in the overall story, why hasn’t Netflix released a stage recording of the show?
Recordings of theatre productions are becoming increasingly common. For example, Hamilton on Disney Plus, National Theatre productions in cinemas, or Merrily We Roll Along’s Broadway show.
If anything, it should have been released before season 5. Even the Duffer Brothers said (via The Guardian) that the goal “was for it to just feel like a mega-episode of the show, but live on stage”.
In other words, it’d be just as effective on Netflix – and, crucially, more accessible. Right now, you either need to travel to London or New York to see the play. That could be unachievable for millions of fans; why not release it on streaming and enrich everyone’s Stranger Things experience?
Will Stranger Things: The First Shadow ever come to Netflix?
Unfortunately, there is one big factor stopping a recording of The First Shadow from coming to Netflix: money.
Not the cost of uploading it to streaming, and not even the cost of filming such a things. It’s how much the play could lose.
Think about it: right now, the fact that The First Shadow is only available in two locations across the entire world is part of its appeal. It’s a pilgrimage for true Stranger Things devotees, and its secrets (apart from one to do with Vecna) have mostly been kept secure.
As soon as a recording of it comes to Netflix – which anyone can watch at any time, for the cost of a subscription they probably already have – ticket sales could (and likely would) drop.
That’s not to say it’ll never happen. The show kicked off its run in New York in April 2025, so it could drop on Netflix at a later date.
Nevertheless, it’s one of the top demands among fans in lieu of conformity gate. “If there’s no conformity gate can we AT LEAST get The First Shadow play on Netflix?” one fan asked on X.
“Can Netflix please at least upload The First Shadow? So we can get over the huge disappointment Stranger Things season 5 caused,” another wrote.
“The first shadow explains Henry’s story before meeting Eleven and makes him a lot more interesting. Final season should’ve been 10 episodes to include it,” a third argued.
Read more: The most unforgivable Stranger Things plot holes after the season 5 finale
