Nagging Questions We Still Have After Watching Stranger Things Season 3
If you've finished Stranger Things season three, chances are you still have several key questions that remain unanswered.
Though we don't know for sure what will happen in the next season of the Netflix hit, we can offer some theories that relate to a handful of frustrating queries we still have after devouring the latest season. Scroll down to check 'em out, and keep in mind that there are spoilers lurking below!
Is Hopper Really Dead?
If we had to boil this list down to only one question, this would be it. This beloved character seemingly died in the final moments of season 3 when Joyce was forced to shut down the Russians' Upside Down device and kill the Mind Flayer before Hopper made it to safety. However, we never actually saw the beloved police chief get vaporized, nor did we see a shot of his lifeless body near the machine when the ordeal was over. This seems like a stunning (and perhaps purposeful) omission, that leaves to door for Hopper's return open ever so slightly.
(Stranger Things via Netflix)
Will Eleven, Joyce, Will and Jonathan Return to Hawkins?
After Hopper's "death," Joyce, who has now taken in Eleven, follows through on her earlier impulse to leave Hawkins, Indiana, behind. In fact, in one of the final scenes of season three, we see Joyce, El, Will and Jonathan fill a moving truck with all of their belongings and head to an undisclosed new home. Though a return to the spooky town in season four may seem inevitable (and could be accomplished by getting the characters in one place over a winter or summer break), we don't yet know when, or even if, the foursome will ever permanently return to their hometown. On the bright side, setting season four in a new locale could help freshen up the series a bit and further the idea that there are freaky things happening outside of Hawkins, too.
Will Eleven's Powers Be Restored?
El's powers were tested multiple times in season three, and it seems as though that gross slug that burrowed into her leg had some sort of impact on her supernatural abilities. Not only did El fail at harming the Mind Flayer in that climatic mall fight scene, but she was also unable to do something simple, like crush a can of Coke. In fact, even three months after the Mind Flayer was defeated, El was still unable to move a teddy bear from a high shelf in her closet. Though her powers will most likely return at some point, it's unclear exactly how and when they'll come back.
(Stranger Things via Netflix)
What Will Happen With That Demogorgon in Russia?
Though the gang managed to destroy the Upside Down device the Russians built in Hawkins, a post-credit scene made it clear that there's still a thriving Upside Down-related mission going on in Russia. In part of said scene, viewers watched as an unnamed Russian prisoner was fed to a hungry Demogorgon, which may or may not be the same supernatural creature that terrorized Hawkins in season one.
Who Is the 'American' Captive?
The aforementioned post-credits scene opened with a pair of Russian guards at a facility in Kamchatka, Russia, searching for a meal for the Demogorgon. When one guard headed towards a specific covered cell, the other one quipped, "No, not the American." Viewers never saw "the American's" face, but the chances that this person is someone we're already familiar with are quite high. In fact, many fans have theorized that "the American" could be Hopper, especially since we never saw him die.
(Stranger Things via Netflix)
For more Stranger Things content, click HERE for a definitive ranking of the playable characters in Stranger Things 3: The Game.