Netflix Confirms No Secret Stranger Things Episode On Blu-ray Release

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Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things Season 5

Published Mar 19, 2026, 1:48 PM EDT

Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.

The batted around idea of a secret Stranger Things episode can be officially put to rest with the announcement of the complete Blu-ray series available this summer, a complete set which does not include any "never-before-seen" episodes. After 10 years, Stranger Things came to an end with season 5 at the end of 2025.

The end of a series as big as Stranger Things was always going to disappoint some fans, no matter in which direction it went. When the credits rolled on episode 8, "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up", unsatisfied viewers were already getting online to air their grievances.

The fervor took an odd direction at one point, with some people proposing the theory that there would be a secret ninth episode, one that would end the show in a way these fans would prefer. Unfortunately for them, and for those who just want more Stranger Things, that theory simply isn't true.

Netflix Is Releasing Stranger Things: The Complete Series On Blu-Ray This Summer

Finn Wolfhard in the Stranger Things season finale graduation scene

Netflix announced in March that the entire five-season Stranger Things series would be released on Blu-ray and 4K UHD on July 28 in the United States, and July 27 in the UK. The standard box set will include every episode of Netflix's series, and there will be special and deluxe editions as well.

These enhanced editions will include bonus content, bloopers, and exclusive interviews. The deluxe version will also include newly commissioned artwork, an art book, double-sided posters, and other collectibles. If there were ever a time to unveil a "secret" episode, it would be in these enhanced collections.

How The Complete Series Release Puts An End To The Stranger Things Secret Episode Theory

Vecna frowns in Stranger Things season 5

With the complete series soon to be available on Blu-ray, theory-crafters and fan-fiction writers alike will need to accept that the final episode of the show they watched was, in fact, the intended finale of Stranger Things. If a hidden episode is not included in something titled "The Complete Series", it doesn't exist.

This theory of a secret ninth episode involves everything in episode 8 being a creation of Vecna's, with the understanding that episode 8 was so bad that it must have been a fabrication. Maybe, watching the entire series again will give these fans a new perspective on the ending and help them realize it's not as bad as all that.

The Summer Could Still Have More Surprises For Stranger Things Fans

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in season 5 of Stranger Things

Sorry, Stranger Things finale-haters, you might just have to live with the show the Duffer Brothers gave us. Still, if you're feeling unsatisfied about the franchise and where it's left you, there could very well be some surprises in store.

This July is the 10th anniversary of the Stranger Things premiere after all. It's very possible that the Blu-ray collection isn't the only thing in store for the next steps of the franchise. There could be some more news and announcements about the future of the series.

You might think there's nothing that can wash the taste of the Stranger Things finale out of your mouth right now, but just ask A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fans what they thought of the franchise after the Game of Thrones finale. Redemption is always possible.