11 Unanswered Questions for Stranger Things 4 (Spoilers)

Stranger Things 3 had plenty of Mind Flayer action along with the deaths (?) of a couple key characters, but many threads are still hanging off Netflix’s hit show. With the introduction of the Russians, Stranger Things has gone global and will likely continue to expand its worldview in order to answer more questions about the mysteries behind the Upside Down. But Stranger Things has never just been about the monsters that lurk in the shadows. The purest joys of the show is spending time with this fun collection of characters in their unsuspecting small town. So what’s in store for Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Max, Dustin and the gang? Here are some unanswered questions that will hopefully be resolved in Stranger Things 4.

1. Where are the Byers moving?

For three seasons, Stranger Things and the Upside Down have terrorized the tiny town of Hawkins, Indiana. Sooner or later some of these characters were going to have to question why they’ve stayed in Hawkins for so long. Joyce has had enough and is moving out of town with Jonathan, Will and Eleven - but where to? Eleven and Mike talk about visiting each other over Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it’s not close enough for a short weekend, but close enough that two teenagers without cars could arrange to see each other. Are the Byers moving to Chicago? And will the Upside Down follow them wherever they go?

2. Did Hopper really die?

The big emotional climax of Stranger Things 3 came when Hopper willingly sacrificed himself to allow Joyce to close the door and stop the Mind Flayer; however, did we really see the last of Chief Jim Hopper? Many online are quick to point out that we never saw him explode as the scientists at the beginning of the season had, and that he vanished after nodding at Joyce. Could he have escaped or somehow been captured by the Russians? Did he jump into the Upside Down just before Joyce could close the door? Is Netflix really going to allow them to just get rid of the king of Dad Bod like that? It might lessen the impact of his letter to Eleven, but most Stranger Things fans would be delighted to have him back.

3. Who is ‘The American’?

The mid-credits scene in Stranger Things 3 hints at the conflict yet to come but it also provides a bit of hope for fans of Chief Hopper. At a Russian facility in Kamchatka, two guards pass by a series of prison cells, but when one guard goes to open a door, the other guard tells him, “No. Not the American.” Who is this American being held by the Russians? It’s hard to believe the Duffer Brothers would tease this without having placed a character we already know in that cell, but could it be Hopper? The biggest problem with it being Hopper is explaining how he got there. Did the big laser explosion somehow teleport him rather than kill him? Did the Russians recover him from within the Upside Down?

Another possibility being floated is that the American could be Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine), the doctor who “made” Eleven. Though it seemed that Eleven killed him in the first season, he appeared in a vision during Stranger Things 2 and producer Shawn Levy has suggested the character may not be dead after all.

4. What are the Russians doing with a demogorgon?

Speaking of that mid-credits scene, what the hell are the Russians doing with a demogorgon? They feed it a prisoner, which may be an effective way to dispatch of enemies of the state but seems unsustainable in the long term. Are they hoping to weaponize it? And if so, have they not seen any of the movies that Stranger Things is referencing?

5. Will Eleven get her powers back?

Okay, maybe the more appropriate question is how and not will because Stranger Things without a superpowered child isn’t really Stranger Things. Eleven’s inability to use her powers isn’t clearly explained, but something about the Mind Flayer’s attack left her unable to move things with her mind. On the one hand, Eleven is finally a normal teenager who might have a shot at living a normal life. On the other hand, whenever Hawkins has been in real trouble, they’ve turned to Eleven to battle stop the Upside Down. What will happen if there’s a demogorgon attack and Eleven can’t be relied on to stop it?

6. How do Mike and Eleven handle long distance?

As the Stranger Things kids age and get paired off with romantic partners, Mike and Eleven’s relationship remains the low stakes center of the show. Season 3 tested their relationship when Eleven dumped Mike’s ass; however, by the end of the year the young lovebirds were back together (just in time to be driven apart). Mike may need to borrow Cerebro from Dustin.

7. Will we get more of Dustybun & Suziepoo?

Speaking of Dustin, how will his relationship  develop with the Mormon girl from science camp whose hotter than Phoebe Cates? Although Suzie really only had one scene in Stranger Things 3, it was the most instantly memeable moment Netflix has had since #BirdBoxChallenge. You can bet we’ll be seeing more of Dustybun & Suziepoo (Gabriella Pizzolo) in one form or another for Stranger Things 4.

8. What’s Will’s deal?

All of his buddies have girlfriends but all Will wants to do is play D&D like they used to. Will isn’t growing up as fast as his friends, but what’s the reason for that? Viewers have speculated that some of his scenes are meant to allude to the character being gay, although actor Noah Schnapp told TheWrap that he doesn’t “interpret it” that way. Stranger Things 3 added a gay character to the ensemble with Robin (Maya Hawke) already and it doesn’t quite seem like a progressive enough show for a BoJack Horseman-esque exploration of asexuality. It may just be that Will is a kid who missed out on a portion of his childhood due to trauma and wants to get it back. But that won’t stop fans from speculating.

9. Is the door still open?

Joyce flipped the switches to close the door to the Upside Down in the last episode of Stranger Things. But in the subsequent scene, after Paul Reiser arrives to pick up his cameo check, did that crack in the wall look a little bit open to anyone else? Maybe I’m taking Hopper’s “leave the door open three inches,” comment too literally, but did Joyce also leave the door to the Upside Down just a little bit open for Hopper?

10. Will Stranger Things 4 introduce anymore of the test subjects?

In Stranger Things 2, the Duffer Brothers introduced viewers to Kali, aka Eight. That episode was instantly reviled, which seemed to kill any hopes Netflix had of launching Eight into her own spin-off. And while Stranger Things 3 made no mention of Eight or any of Eleven’s other “siblings,” there still remains time (and at least nine other child experiments) to meet them.

11. What pop culture will the new season reference?

Stranger Things 3 brought a mall to Hawkins and with it more 80s tropes like jazzercise, funky clothes, and Sam Goody. They also referenced The Terminator and The Neverending Story. But after 3 seasons, what nostalgia items do The Duffer Brothers have in store for audiences? Each season of the show has taken the story a year further into the 1980s, with the latest season set in 1985. If Stranger Things 4 follows the trend and takes place sometime in 1986, it’ll sync up with the release of movies such as Top Gun, Aliens and Star Trek IV, as well as the wide release of the Nintendo Entertainment System. 1986 was also the year of Hands Across America, though perhaps the Duffers will stay away from that touchstone after Jordan Peele used it so hauntingly for Us.