Stranger Things' Papa star Matthew Modine has made it clear that he does not approve of the series finale, and hopes there is some truth to fan-led conspiracy theories circulating online.
When asked if he liked the Stranger Things series finale over on Instagram, Modine replied, "Nope." Then, when another fan commented, "Does Papa believe in Stranger Things episode 9?" referring to Conformity Gate, Modine replied, "Hoping so for the fans." A screenshot of the exchange has since been posted on Twitter by Discussing Film.
First introduced in season 1, Modine played Doctor Martin Brenner, better known as Papa, due to being Eleven and the other test subjects' adoptive father of sorts. Brenner was the head of Hawkins Lab and the overseer of the scientific experiments on the super-able children, including Eleven and One, AKA Vecna. However, Brenner dies at the end of season 4, so Modine had no part in the final season of the hit sci-fi show.
As for Conformity Gate, the star has shown support for the fan theory for a while. On January 29, Modine posted a clip of himself dressed as Brenner with the caption, "Waiting," presumably referring to the never-ending wait for the ninth episode.
In case you happen to be on the other side of social media and are wondering just what Conformity Gate is, back in January, fans theorized that the Stranger Things season 5 finale was a rouse set up by Vecna, and that the real finale was coming soon. The trend ultimately started because fans were not happy with the real ending, and predicted that a secret ninth episode would drop in January, but it never did.
Other Stranger Things stars, including Joe Keery and Jamie Campbell-Bower, have since put the theory to bed, but some fans still choose to believe the story isn't over. Alas, Stranger Things heads have one thing to look forward to, as the upcoming animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is due to hit Netflix on April 23, and will fill in the gaps between seasons 2 and 3.
The complete Stranger Things series is available to watch on Netflix now. For more, check out our Stranger Things season 5 finale review and keep up with new TV shows.
