Fan Theories About 'Stranger Things' Season 4

The Duffer Brothers confirmed this theory on February 14, 2020, when they released the first official teaser for Season 4 featuring Hopper "imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, where he will face dangers both human… and other." 

The Duffer Brothers really teased everyone with that reference to the "American" being held at the Russian base, and it's probably sprouted more theories than the rest of the season combined. Hopper is one of the most popular candidates to be the mysterious "American," and Redditor /u/JediSabre says they have the evidence to support it.

This theory points out some additional clues that Hopper survived. Hopper repeatedly tells El to keep the door open 3 inches, which could be interpreted as foreshadowing, because the writers have left the door open metaphorically for Hopper to be alive. Redditor /u/JediSabre also notes that, during the scene with El reading Hopper's letter, the filmmakers make a very deliberate music choice. The soundtrack in that scene is the same music that plays in Season 1 when police find the "fake Will" in the reservoir. This could suggest that Hopper's passing is also a fakeout.

Even everyone's favorite Russian translator, Murray Bauman, has something to say about it. Brett Gelman, who plays Murray, posted the character's official phone number on his Instagram: (618) 625-8313. In Season 3, episode 6, Hopper gives Bauman's number to Dr. Sam Owens at the US Department of Energy so he can warn him about the Russians in Hawkins. Fans who called the number reached Bauman's voicemail, which says: 

Hi. You have reached the residence of Murray Bauman. Mom, if this is you, please hang up and call me between the hours of 5 and 6 pm as previously discussed. Okay?

And if this is Joyce, Joyce, thank you for calling. I've been trying to reach you. I have an update. It's about - well, it's probably best if we speak in person, it's not good or bad but it's something.

And if this is anyone but my mother or Joyce, well, you think you're real clever getting my number don't you? Well, here's some breaking news for you. You're not clever. You're not special. You are simply one of the many, many nimwits to call here, and the closest you'll ever get to me is this pre-recorded message. So, at the beep, do me a favor. Hang up and never call here again. You are a parasite. Thank you and good day!

Theorists believe Bauman's message to Joyce refers to Hopper's fate and the possibility that he is alive and being held in the Russian bunker. 

Winter is coming for Hawkins, or at least that's what Redditor /u/TheNotoriousAvocado seems to believe. Their theory suggests that the next season will take place in December and focus on Christmas.

This fits in with the theme of the last few seasons occuring near seasonal holidays, and they haven't done a winter season yet. In the last episode, we learn that the Byers family plus El are moving out of Hawkins. Mike then suggests that Elle and Will should visit Hawkins for Christmas, which is more evidence that we'll be getting a Christmas season in the near future.

Redditor /u/blank_U has a theory about a real-world event that could influence Season 4. If the next season continues the trend of being one year after the prior season, then Stranger Things 4 will be set in 1986.

The Chernobyl disaster occurred that year, and since the Soviet Union has become a major plot point in the show, it's likely that the meltdown will somehow be referenced in the next season. The show could even suggest that the Russian meddling in the Upside Down is responsible for the meltdown, or maybe that the meltdown is really a cover up for a catastrophic disaster relating to the Upside Down.

This theory from Redditor /u/Strangerthingsideas- might make a lot of people happy. This Redditor believes Hopper didn't perish in the explosion, but instead managed to slip inside the portal to the Upside Down and is hiding out in there. Hopper has already been to the Upside Down before and may know how to survive in there for a prolonged period of time.

It might be a while before anybody finds him though, especially since El presumably won't get her powers back at the beginning of next season. This could end up being one of the biggest plot points of Stranger Things 4.

In the season finale, El loses all of her supernatural powers. Redditor /u/JediSabre believes the bite El sustains from the Mind Flayer's monster is directly responsible for the loss of her powers, and that it has something to do with all of its human puppets eating chemicals.

Throughout the season, we see that the people who become part of the Mind Flayer's hive mind are driven to consume large amounts of toxic chemicals. The theorist thinks the Mind Flayer is doing this to create a specific cocktail that can suppress or even erase El's abilities at a chemical level. This "venom" is then absorbed into the meat-monster and injected into El when it bites her.

This theory from Redditor /u/JediSabre points out that '80s pop culture often has big impacts on the plot. Stranger Things 3 takes place in 1985 and has numerous references to films released in that year, and the theorist believes the movies of 1986 will play a similar role in Stranger Things 4. The theorist names Aliens, The Fly, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off as three movies that will likely influence the plot in a big way.

For Aliens, it might be that the next season's monster is like the Alien Queen. It can spawn smaller minions, but the ultimate fight will be against the queen herself. The Fly is essentially about the perils of teleportation. Since a lot of the cast are separated at the end of the season, it's possible that teleportation might play a bigger role than it already has in the show. As for Ferris Bueller, the kids are getting older and having more freedom. Mike could emulate Ferris by blowing off his responsibilities to travel to where El is living now.