5 Wild Stranger Things Fan Theories

Though Netflix recently announced that Stranger Things will be coming back for a third season on July 4, 2019, that still leaves fans with a bit of time to kill between now and their official return to Hawkins, Indiana. Which gives them ample opportunity to speculate on the wild turns the new season might take. Here are five of our favorite Stranger Things fan theories.

1. Stranger Things and It Takes Place in the Same Universe. 

Over the past two seasons, Stranger Things viewers have noticed multiple references to Stephen King's novels in the show. And even though It has never been directly referenced, one scene in particular from the second season cements a popular theory that Stranger Things and It take place in the same universe. In Season 2, Bob tells Will about a clown he used to have dreams about when he was a kid—and this clown sounds awfully similar to Pennywise. Maybe there's a chance for both of Finn Wolfhard's characters to crossover? 

2. Chief Hopper's Daughter Was a Lab Experiment.

There has been lots of speculation over the death of Chief Hopper's daughter, Sara. Viewers began to notice distinct similarities in the handrails in the scenes where Hopper finds a wounded Dr. Sam Owens and where Hopper breaks down crying in the first season after the death of his daughter. David Harbour, who plays Hopper, partially confirmed the theory in a recent interview, stating that, "Yes, it is the same location. So that's interesting. Or it's a similar location."

3. The Next Person to Die Will Have a Name Starting With the Letter B.

If you've paid attention to some of the deaths in the show, most of the non-villain characters who have died had names that began with the letter "B." Benny Hammond. Barb Holland. Bob Newby. Coincidence? Maybe, but maybe the Duffer Brothers had this plan in mind when creating the show.  

4. Papa is not actually dead (and he'll appear in Season 3).

This is one theory we hope isn't true, but it's fairly plausible. Dr. Brenner, also known as Papa, was the mastermind behind the experiments occurring in Hawkins. Ray Carroll, former Department of Energy agent in the show, claimed in the most recent season that Brenner was still alive. In 2017, executive producer Shawn Levy told Collider that the character is not dead. So there's a real chance that we haven't seen the last of the evil doctor.

5. Bob is Alive, But Now He's a Vampire. 

Season 1 brought nostalgia to fans of The Goonies. The show did not shy away from the comparisons, and went full meta by casting Goonies lead Sean Astin in season two as Bob Newby, Joyce's love interest. The character was a favorite with fans until his unfortunate demise at the hands of the Demodogs. But one Redditor believes the attack did not kill him, because Bob is actually a vampire with evil intentions. And not just any vampire—"He is the Head Vampire," ChaoticNeutralUK wrote. "Bob wants the under to take over the world so darkness can reign." This one's not that out there; after all, Bob did give Will some strange advice about the Mind Flayer.