Stranger Things Conspiracy Theories

Stranger Things Conspiracy Theories

 

What is Stranger things?

Stranger Things is an American science fiction TV series that captures the time of the 1980s inspired by the Montauk project of the United States of America & Dungeons & Dragons game. The story twitches when little Will Byers' disappearance and supernatural forces start to appear in the fictional city of Hawkins, Indiana.

The show was created by Duffer brothers AKA Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer. Lot of stars made their appearance throughout the series. Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven (Later Jane Hopper), Gaten Matarazo as Dustin Henderson, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers & Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield are the highlighted/main characters of the series. The series has a total five seasons & up to today the first four seasons (includes 34 episodes total) are already released.

The story line of the series & the unbelievable acting of the characters took stranger things fans hearts with a blink of an eye. Even though six years have passed the fandom's loyalty towards the series & the actors hasn’t died. It’s not a secret that the Duffer brothers mentioned, every little detail of the show has a purpose & hint for the series finale. Which leads to numerous conspiracy theories & have been united by the fandom from the pile of theories. Without a doubt the show itself is “Full of Secrets”.

Viewer’s discretion advised – Some of the theories could be spoilers for the upcoming season & you may or may not be in contradiction of some. Read at your own risk!

 

1.  Hellfire club

While Dustin played hellfire with Eddie & the troops he scored 11, he couldn’t kill Vecna with it. Meanwhile at the championship game Lucas scored the last points and won the game. And he’s number 8. This could represent 011 needing 008 to defeat Vecna. Could this be foreshadowing of the series finale?

 

2.  Turn back but in time

           

                    Ms. Kelly the Guidance Counselor                      Grandfather clock at Creel’s house

Dustin did mention that they only have to defeat Vecna and shows Eddie’s not guilty of the murders, in the beginning of the season. They failed to do that because of his tragic death.

We already know something is off with Ms. Kelly, the guidance counselor. And for some reason Ms. Kelly’s is wearing a clock pendant which is a shape of a key. Also the clock at her house is literally the shape of a key in season 4. She owns a key shaped pendant. If you watch the scene of season four, where the gang firstly enter the creel’s house, you can clearly see the grandfather clock in the living room has a keyhole on it. That key-clock pendant of Ms. Kelly, might fit into the grandfather clock at Victor creel’s house & may unlock the time to upside down.

Does this mean that the gang could turn back time? It could be. So if they can turn back the clock a few minutes before Eddie’s death, they can save him. But the problem is Vecna has the full entrance approval on anyone’s mind. So the group might need someone who has the power of delusion in order to divert Vecna’s attention. Sounds familiar? Yes, this could be Kali’s AKA 008s arrival to Hawkins and also we might’ve another survivor.

3.  I spy with my little eye

In previous seasons Vecna spied on his victims using Will byers & Billy Hangrove. Which leads to him using a new spy every time. This time it might be Ms. Kelly. The reason for the suspicion is, every time the victims are about to die or in their nightmares, Vecna shows them a grandfather clock. Plus all of Vecna's victims in season 4, came to Ms. Kelly for her guidance. Could she be the new spy?

4.  Father figure

Eleven’s father could be 001. Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives was a subject at Hawkins laboratory for the MK ultrasound experiments, which includes mind altering, psychedelic drugs & becoming sensory deprived in 1969. These experiments are the reason for all the powers the kids have. In season 4, with the help of NINA project, eleven tried to remember the past of her at Hawkins lab. She unlocked a memory of an experiment papa and the team held using the kids. Which was throwing their opponent out of the circle papa draws on the floor, while using their superpowers. And in that experiment eleven was the most powerful one/ winner.

Eleven born in 1971, Terry Ives, got pregnant in 1970, while doing the MK ultrasound experiment not before that. In 1959 Henry AKA 001 was only 12 years old when he killed his whole family. So he’s 24 by 1971. Dr. Brenner AKA papa knew kids from 002 to 010 weren't as strong as 001. So he waited till Henry came to a certain age so he could make Henry breed with terry, to create 011 & to make sure she’s the strongest. By far she’s the strongest out of the kids.

Also 001 told eleven that papa doesn’t always tell the truth. So when 001 tries to tell the truth about her mother to eleven because he knows a lot about her, papa saw them talking and got suspicious, which led to punishing 001, Because he doesn’t want eleven to know about her parents. Which also explains that 001 knows exactly how to unlock eleven’s full power but Brenner couldn’t. Because 001 knows that he and eleven bear somewhat the same powers. At one point 001 also mentioned she reminds him a lot of himself, to eleven. Could 001 be Eleven’s father?

5. Ghosted

We know that Vecna finally made his appearance on season 4 with the backstory. But was that the first time he did that? No. Vecna has been in every season from the start.

After the tragic accident Billy went through on that horrible night, his life turned upside down. That’s something we know. But if you pay attention to details very carefully, Billy’s characteristics changed a lot. For example he never holds his hands while standing or talking. But 001 does. You can see how Billy talks to El & Max when they crash the dinner at Heather’s house in season 3 & exactly the same as 001 talking to eleven at the rainbow room in season 4. And the other reason is Will. Now that was clearly shown. When Vecna attacked Will's body and took control he made sure to make his body habitable. At that time we didn’t know it was Vecna. We called it the mind flayer.

We know that whenever he kills someone he makes the victims see a grandfather clock & make clock chimes. Firstly, when the day went missing, when he saw a Demogorgon in the middle of the road there’s chimes of a clock exactly like in season four. Second proof is in season one, when el made her first contact with the Demogorgon, we can hear a clock ticking. And in season two, when Jim hopper went through the mind flayer’s tunnel, we can hear the chimes of a grandfather clock. And finally in season three when Billy Hangrove got possessed by the mind flayer and in the upside down we can hear multiple chimes of a clock. This proves Vecna ghosted Hawkins ever since eleven sent him to the upside down, from the start. Does this chiming’s mean Eleven’s, Hopper’s & wills’ destiny have been written exactly like Billy’s?

6.  Puppet master

There could be a new villain/monster in season 5. Mind flayer shaped by Henry with his drawing. He didn’t create it, he was just the explorer of the realm. What if Will can do the same.

As you can remember there were three headed dragons AKA Dzalmus painted by Will in his gift to Mike in season 4. We also know there are many dragons in Dungeons & Dragons. Also the background of Will's painting shows somewhere in the mountains. In the season 4 final moments there’s a scene where Will and the team are looking at Hawkins city from a mountain. Familiar?! The dragon theory is backed up with Nancy’s possession. After getting released from upside down in season 4, Nancy does mention about a giant creature with a gaping mouth.

This could lead to another unlocking of the far worst monster of DND.

7. Siblings

Since the duffer brothers are very detailed when it comes to the show, you must already know pretty much about victor creels family. There’s a theory spreading like wildfire, says that Mrs. Wheeler AKA Karen could be Henry Creel’s sister, Alice creel.

They’re also both roughly the same age by the look. We know that Henry was the only survivor, but what if his sister also survived that night. When Karen came to see Billy whether he’s doing okay, after storming off, he did say to stay away from him. Could this happen under the influence of Henry AKA Vecna on Billy, for the love he’s on his sister or something big planned for her? Also there are few posters of stranger things stating multiple theories about the season, which includes one piece dedicated only to Karen, to fire up that theory the poster includes the Creel’s house too.

But when Nancy was captured by Vecna’s and in the Trans she saw Karen, Holly and Mike’s death. Does this mean Alice is still alive? If so, will she die in the series finale?

 

8. Reincarnation

Since we already know there’s DND influence on stranger things, I thought I might throw this theory to the pile too. We already know Eddie Munson died because of the demobat attack. In dungeon & dragons, there’s a vampire called Kas who turned into a vampire after getting bitten by bats. Similar?

After turning into a vampire, Kas became top lieutenant of Vecna. But eventually Kas betrayed Vecna and started a war. This did lead to damages to Vecna. Could this be the window of hope that Eddie Munson fans are wishing for?

 9. Foreshadowed

When Mike, Will, Jonathan & Argyle went to see Suzie to get help to save El, the environment & characters of her house & the family, might’ve revealed the clues of what’s happening & will happen at Hawkins & Russia with the main characters/ heroes.

They firstly enter a room where two kids sword fighting on a table. This could be the duffer brother’s way of showing hopper & his cellmate’s battle with the Demogorgon at the Russian prison. Another two kids are making a movie, when one of them acts like dying of a bite. Which could show the Demobats attack on Eddie Munson. Also there’s fire caught up/ set up when two of the kids are trying to cook. This could be the writer’s way of showing Nancy's battle with Molotov cocktails on Vecna. Final foreshadowed theory is the way Suzie and the team distracted her dad in order to get back to his study to log into the computer, must’ve shown how Max sidetracked Vecna, in order to enter Vecna's lair.

10. An army

Do you remember the Chrissy and the grandfather clock scene in the woods? If so, hear this out. If you remember carefully, there’s spiders coming out of a hole in the clock after its glass broke up into an X shape. Also Vecna showed Nancy of Hawkins future while she’s under his spell upside down. She mentioned she saw a lot of monsters, an army of monsters coming to Hawkins.

To connect those incidents, in the final episode of the season 4, Hawkins divided into four parts because of the earthquake happened at upside down, which left a huge X shaped crack, centered next to Hawkins public library, by what Nancy told the crew, could the bull's eye of X shape crack be the doorway to the upside downs army of monsters? Since there weren’t any monster presence after the gate opened on season four, does that mean the people of Hawkins have to face not only a three headed dragon but an army of monsters too?

11. Upside down

Who created the upside down? Could it be El or will or neither? We all know the first portal opened by eleven. The show also implies the eldritch powers 001 bears came from the upside down. Which means ancient & interdimensional powers.

When Eleven merged 001 through the portal, the upside down consumed everything of him because it recognized him as a familiar entity. But we know the upside down will entered in season one was way different to the portal eleven pushed 001 to. This could be because it’s another dimension messed up with time, space & with every physics aspect. The upside down may not be frozen in time. The time moves forward but the presence of nobody could be the reason for the consistency of the environment compared to the one Vecna’s lives in.

Also out of all the humans in Hawkins, why did Vecna choose Will in season one as its spy, randomly? If you look thoroughly throughout the seasons shows a lot of similarities will and henry have. Maybe Vecna knew those similarities might lead to power & wanted to consume Will's powers but he wasn’t successful because Will doesn’t bear powers like El or the other kids, he bears the power similar to Henry's. This could mean on purpose or accidently will could be the creator of the upside down version of Hawkins. To rile up that theory, the Hawkins upside down stuck on November 6^th of 1983. That’s the day that will go missing & the creation has stopped. Does this mean the responsibility for the destruction of Hawkins is upon Will Byers?

12. Invisibility

008 AKA Kali has the power of delusion. We got to know about it in season 3, where the police invade her lair and she uses it to make them invisible & sidetrack their attention. In the last episode of season four volume two, Robin, Steve & Nancy set Vecna on fire. They used Molotov cocktail bombs and guns to do so. Vecna fell on to the ground from the creel’s house attic. It did seem, to a certain level, that he got injured pretty badly.

But when Nancy, Robin and Steve came down to the porch, Vecna’s body wasn’t there. It just disappeared. We saw that the body was full on fire, but when he fell it wasn’t burned to ashes. Could he also bear the same power & used it on to hide from Nancy and the gang in order to distract them?

Does this mean he’s going to unlock a much worse power of his in the next season?

13. Hell master

Now we know the hell master of hellfire club is our beloved Eddie Munson. But in season four, he died because of a Demobats attack in the Upside down. But let me recap this to the start of the season 4 trailer.

If you look closer at the season 4 official trailer, frame by frame, you’ll capture some numberings mentioned on multiple portal-like backgrounds (to be exact 1 minute 59 seconds of the trailer). The numberings are 0.33, 0.52, 1.46 &2.30. But what does these numbers mean? The trailer includes some timestamps of the actual episodes. If you follow back the timestamps in the trailer, it shows four scenes of season four.

0.33 is the scene where Max is reading her goodbye letter to Billy’s tombstone in the cemetery. 0.52 is the scene where Dustin & Mike clapping at the stadium of Hawkins high school.  1.46 is the scene where Mike is looking at El leaving Leonora police station in prison transport. And finally the 2.30 minutes scene is where Erica rolled a 20 and Eddie bowed to her. So what does these scenes mean? If we go back to portals of the trailer, it does look like those were pointing to something. By overlapping the portal scenes & the previously mentioned four scenes, the fandom found something very interesting.

Lenora police station scene pointed to the name board of the station and the overlapped portal highlighted the word “HI”, the cemetery scene highlighted three letters “I”, “A”& “M”, the stadium scene highlighted the word “HELL” printed on Mike’s T-shirt & finally DND game scene highlighted the word “MASTER”. Together the words make “HI, I AM HELL MASTER”.

Also in the scene where Eddie played the guitar, in upside down, he actually plays the song called “Master of Puppets”. Coincidence?

Could this be Vecna, a new villain or comeback of Eddie Munson as the Hell master of Upside down?

14. Waking the Witch

At the end of season four, Max Mayfield fell into a coma due to not being able to get rescued from Vecna’s possession. But what if her destiny was predicted throughout the season by leaving crumbs.

We know “Running up that hill” song was the rescuer of Max because of Billy. The singer, Kate Bush did explain about the meaning of the song as swapping places of a man and a woman. She simplified this saying, a man and a woman can’t understand each other 100%, to do so they need to swap the souls. But why did Max continuously listen to that song? Because even though Billy was her step brother she couldn’t understand him while he was alive. Even though she wants him to leave this planet, near his deathbed she wants him to be a survivor. To understand him more & to save her and get rid of the guilt she’s feeling might be the actual reason. This is just the beginning.

In Season five Max could be alive and her soul in Henry's mind. When eleven looked into Max’s mind at the season 4 final episode, it was blank. Even though she’s in a coma she’s not 100% gone. When 001 killed all the kids at the Hawkins lab, he told eleven, they aren’t gone, they’re still in his mind. Dr. Brenner also backed up this theory by saying, when 001 kills he doesn’t simply kill, he consumes everything about his victims of their memories & abilities of their past, present & future.

Rumor has it she does wake from the coma. I previously mentioned that Max could be in 001s mind. There’s a song called “Waking the Witch” by Kate Bush, in the same album. The song itself is about waking up & ending the nightmare. What if Max nightmare happened in Vecna’s mind? She woke up in his mind, and she’s been accused of the corrupted things & thoughts of hers. It’s like the witch trial in ancient times. To find whether a witch or not, the drowning method was used in ancient times, if she’s drowned she’s not a witch, if not she’s one.

To connect this song’s meaning to Max’s life, the more she digs deeper in Vecna’s mind to find a loophole to survive & starts to understand that she did bad things but she shouldn’t let it destroy her life, the more she’ll live. But if she wondered and let the guilt wrapped its arms around hers and did nothing, she'd die. At the end of the song it says “Get out of the Waves, Get out of the water”, this could be her thoughts saved her or Eleven and the group defeated Vecna and the monsters & finally saved her. Will she be saved?

 15. Traitor

According to Caleb AKA Lucas, in an interview he said that “Traitor” was a one word teaser to the new season. What if he’s talking about traitors in the group? Once Will said that he feels Vecna’s badly injured but very much alive. Also he says he knows what Vecna thinks & how. Because of Nancy and the group's attack, Vecna got even more injured at the end of the fourth season, therefore the odds are that he might need a new body to live. What if he chooses Will. Because there are so many similarities between them & he is already very aware of them. Plus he already used him once. But the Hawkins heroes won’t rest till Vecna’s death. Does that mean, Will has to sacrifice himself in order to save Hawkins?

 

16. End of the world

Nancy might've told the future of the series finale. When she’s in Vecna's trans she’s been told many things may or may not happen in the future by Vecna. She said “I saw a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this giant creature with a gaping mouth. And this creature wasn’t alone. There were so many monsters, an army. And they were coming into Hawkins. And mom, Holly & Mike were all dead. He showed me four gates, spreading all over Hawkins & didn’t stop growing”. Also the theory of four. Four chimes, four gates & four victims. If these are true Vecna’s only one kill away. Some of the predictions have already happened in season four. Will the rest take place in season five or will they be able to prevent it? 

There could be more theories to these stories or some of these theories may or may not become true. 

But what’d you do without an imagination in order to imagine a future that doesn’t exist?

By Sakuni Geethika

Published on 29th of August, 2022