Stranger Things Season 4 just wrapped up, and with the final season on the horizon, fans are speculating wildly about how this incredible series is going to wrap up.
So I rounded up 10 of the best fan theories out there for us to think about for the next two or so years while we wait to get all the answers in Season 5.
Let's take a look, shall we?
Oh, also —
1. Max is trapped inside Vecna's mind.
There are a lot of theories circulating surrounding the fate of our beloved Max. When we leave her in Season 4, she is in a coma and effectively braindead after being killed by Vecna and brought back to life by Eleven. But where is Max's consciousness?
This TikTok user has a theory:
The same user also points out that Dr. Brenner backs this up in Chapter 8 of Season 4:
Someone on Reddit took this theory and ran with it.
Like Chrissy
And Fred
Patrick
And hell, IDK, maybe even Barb and Eddie? Plz?
2. Karen Wheeler is connected to the Creels and will play a big role in Season 5.
There have been a lot of theories flying around about Karen Wheeler (Nancy and Mike's mom) and her role in the show, and as this Redditor points out, it has a lot to do with Karen having her own character poster.
They show Eleven at the lab:
Joyce in Russia:
Will in California:
And Nancy at the Creel House:
But what's interesting is that Karen has her own character poster, also with the Creel House as her backdrop:
It's odd for her to have a character poster when she seemingly doesn't have a very large role in the story. But she does seem to get a lot of featured moments, as this Reddit user pointed out.
3. The Mind Flayer is the actual Big Bad.
There has been a lot of debate within the Stranger Things community about whether Vecna is the one controlling everything in the Upside Down, or if it's the Mindflayer. While I have my own opinions on the matter, this YouTuber has a very compelling theory:
The theory suggests the Mind Flayer has been in control the whole time, using Vecna as a puppet.
That somehow a gate was opened and infected young Henry's mind, and began controlling him.
It also posits that we haven't seen the last of Kali, aka Eight, which PLZ LET IT BE SO!
Harder for me to get on board with El sacrificing herself in order to save everyone, but it would be very dramatic!
4. Eddie will return.
One of the more popular and widespread theories is that we haven't seen the last of Season 4's fan-favorite character, Eddie Munson. I was preeeeetty skeptical at first, I gotta be honest, but some of these theories are pretty convincing!
Using the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, this Reddit user theorizes that Eddie might come back as a VAMPIRE!! (Personally I love vampires so this is very much my shit.)
In Dungeons & Dragons, Kas (the vampire of which we speak) is Vecna's right hand, but ultimately betrays and kills his master, meaning if Eddie took on this role, he would deliver the final blow, which would be pretty epic!
The user also points out the similarity of Kas and Eddie's weapons (a sword and spiked shield) as possible foreshadowing.
Someone on Twitter even suggested that as a vampire, Eddie should be in command of the Demobats using his guitar!
additionally he kindof already DOES command the bats, if u consider his guitar as calling them to him in a way
Ok, ok, I'm sold!! I want it!
5. The introduction of Borys from DnD lore.
Getting into a little bit more of the Dungeons & Dragons mythology (it's ok, we're all nerds here), another Reddit post pointed out that some of the game's most popular monsters have yet to be used on the show, namely, the most popular one.
It also lines up with Nancy's vision from Vecna.
Someone on Twitter thinks that Vecna himself will become Borys.
6. Will gets possessed by Vecna again for old times' sake.
This TikToker suggested that all the clues we need to assume that Will is going to get possessed again are all right in front of our faces.
They also tell us that according to Vecna's DnD stats, he is "neutral evil."
The Duffer brothers confirmed that Will plays a key role in the upcoming season, and a lot of people think Will is headed towards a villain arc.
i like the theory that s4 is basically just will's origin villain story #StrangerThings
I mean, yeah... Will wasn't exactly championed by his friends this season. But do I think he'll go full villain? Unsure. Time will tell! But it's not like these two don't have a history...
One person on Twitter takes it a step further and suggests that maybe Will has been DEAD and possessed this whole time.
// stranger things spoilers i have a theory that the reason the upside down is frozen on the day will went missing is that will actually died the day he went missing and is now just an extension of vecna and always has been
For any fans of the podcast How Did This Get Made, we're all screaming "JACOB'S LADDER!!" (a film in which the main character was dead the whole time). I mean, that would be a CRAZY twist, but I'm not not here for it.
7. None of the events of the show actually happened.
After finally finishing season 4 I still stand by my theory that stranger things has just been them playing D&D this entire time. Season 5 is gonna end with them all around a table.
8. We've already seen the giant monster from Nancy's vision.
Getting back to Nance's vision, this Redditor thinks we've potentially already seen the giant beast with a gaping mouth.
Let's compare, shall we?
9. Time travel will play a significant role in the story.
Proving that literally everybody has their theories about what's going to happen in the show, this Twitter user's MOM had some interesting ideas!
my mom has a theory that the clock in this season of stranger things was foreshadowing that in season 5 they'll go back in time and fix everything that went wrong before it happens and that they'll also be able to save a bunch of characters that died
Now, before you say, "Ok, really? Time travel???" just hold your horses for a moment. Because a Redditor backs mama up, reminding us that time travel might have already been happening in the world of the show.
It's all about the clock!
Henry wasn't just messing around with the clock when he said "he became an explorer." He was literally time traveling!
And when he showed Nance the future, it was the *actual* future. I mean, we saw the gates open just like he said!
But if Vecna can time travel, then we can assume El can too, which would let us go back and fix everything.
10. Will created the "copy" of Hawkins in the Upside Down.
Without even knowing how, Will might have created this Upside Down Hawkins to comfort himself while he was trapped, running from the Demogorgon.
Vecna/One/Henry sees what Will does and is like, "Ohhhhh, shiiiiit this kid has got something!"
And then proceeds to torment Will for the entirety of the series, trying to harness his power for his own use.
We know the ol' Vecs is open to ruling the world with a partner.
And with El unwilling to cooperate, why not go after Will instead?
