The highly anticipated third season of Stranger Things premiered this past Thursday, July 4th. And guess what?! It's already breaking records! According to Netflix, Stranger Things 3 has been seen by over 40 million Netflix accounts, and 20 million have already completed the series.
Some of you may have binged the series in one sitting, while others are trying to take it slow (I lasted a grand total of 4 days). If you have not yet finished Stranger Things 3, do not read any further! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
Here are four fan theories that will totally turn your world upside down (pun intended):
1. Hopper is the "American"
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, was prepared for Hopper to die. Thankfully, many people are interpreting the post-credits scene as a nod to the fact that Hopper is indeed alive! In said scene, we are taken over to what is interpreted to be a Soviet prison where two men speaking Russian refer to a door and say, "Not the American". #JusticeForHopper
2. Dr. Brenner is the "American"
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This refers to the same scene as mentioned above, but instead of the "American" being Hopper, people are pondering the idea that it's Dr. Brenner. The Duffer Brothers (creators of the show) mentioned we never technically saw Dr. Brenner die, although he was severely injured by the Demogorgon in season 1. So, who knows? We'll just have to wait and see.
3. Hopper is in the Upside Down
Fans are also saying that maybe, as a last resort to stay alive, Hopper jumped into the gate that leads into the Upside Down right before the explosion. When the camera focuses back on the machine right before it explodes, we don't see Hopper. People are also interpreting Hop's message to Eleven, "keep the door open 3 inches" as an allusion to the small opening in the gate to the Upside Down that he hypothetically jumped into.
4. David Bowie's 'Heroes'
If you go back to season one, you may remember that when Hopper found Will's body (who everybody thought was dead) David Bowie's song 'Heroes" played in the background. Now, flash forward to season three, we hear this familiar tune once again in the scene where the Byers and crew are loading up their moving truck. This song hypothetically symbolizes times where we believe a character is dead when they aren't.
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