India, Jan. 8 -- Number of fan theories that convinced parts of the internet a secret ninth episode of Stranger Things was on the way has been officially debunked by Netflix. After days of intense online speculation dubbed "Conformity Gate," the streaming service has made it clear: the story that ended on New Year's Eve is truly over and the upside side down is forever locked.

Under the "Conformity Gate" theory, the touching ending of Episode 8, "The Rightside Up," was seen as a false ending. Fans believed Vecna had won and reshaped reality to give viewers a happy scene of the Hawkins group graduating and moving forward. They pointed to odd details, such as shared poses and similar hairstyles, as clues of Vecna's influence. The theory sa...