9th episode of new Stranger Things series 'exists now' as cast reunite

The cast of Stranger Things has reunited to poke fun at rumours of a secret ninth episode in a new Saturday Night Live skit.

After a decade on air, the Netflix juggernaut came to a close on New Year's Eve (or New Year's Day, depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on), wrapping up the events in Hawkins and providing 'happy ever afters' for nearly all of the cast.

Or did it? As hardcore fans of the show began circulating rumours of a 'secret ending' that would drop on 7 January.

Dubbed 'Conformity Gate', the viral theory suggested the events of episode nine were a vision shown to Mike by Vecna, with fans pointing to numerous 'clues' from the episode as evidence.

However, 7 January came and went with no secret episode arriving on Netflix, leaving Stranger Things fans forced to accept the show was over for good.

Or is it?

Given the fact that 'Conformity Gate' rumours swept through the internet quicker than vines from the Upside Down, it wasn't long before the theories made their way to the show's cast and crew, who couldn't resist poking fun at it.

The topic came up while Finn Wolfhard was hosting Saturday Night Live yesterday (17 January), and the actor couldn't help poking fun at the conspiracies alongside co-stars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin.

In a skit titled "Which," the show imagined various spin-offs for characters such as Steve, Nancy, and Mike, as well as roasting the length of Will's coming-out monologue.

However, no parody of season five would be complete without a nod to Conformity Gate.

"Remember that mysterious 9th episode the Internet was convinced existed? It didn’t but it does now," a voiceover for the faux-ad says as Mike, Lucas and Dustin arrive in Iceland in search of Eleven.

"Everything we thought happened was an illusion that was planted by Vecna. He's still out there," Wolfhard's character explains, before the trio are greeted by 'Eleven' played by SNL comedian Kenan Thompson.

Watch the whole skit below:

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And that, folks, is as close to an episode as we'll ever get.

The trio aren't the only Stranger Things cast member to address the Conformity Gate saga, with Joe Keery addressing the theory during an interview with BBC Radio One's Jack Saunders.

"I did, yes. I talked about it with Charlie [Heaton, Jonathan Byers actor]. It’s not true," he said. "I think some people are sad to see it go. Unfortunately, I’m here to squash your dreams. There’s no ninth episode."