Five ‘Stranger Things’ theories that could really summon a psychological upside down
Chaos is not a visitor in Stranger Things; it’s the guest of honour. Believe it or not, in the twisted town where Christmas lights speak and monsters crawl from cracked realities, chaos is the only world order. And no matter how deep Upside Down drags you, it still doesn’t dive as far as the rabbit holes fans dare to follow.
From Will Byers’ disappearance, Stranger Things has spun meaning from madness, hiding logic in jump-scares and truth in tentacles. Now, as the show hurtles towards its fifth and final chapter, the fanbase has cracked open a Demogorgon-sized egg of speculation, letting theories spill faster than Eleven’s nosebleed.
But what if these theories are more than just speculation? What if they’re the missing pieces of the puzzle we’ve been trying to solve for nine years? If they fit, let’s just say, it won’t be a total surprise. Four seasons have already twisted minds like vines from the Upside Down, and now, in the home stretch, the floodgates of fan theories are wide open. No holds barred. No theory too strange. No shadow too dark.
So, if you’re brave enough to step into the woods of what might be, here are five fan theories wild enough to flip Hawkins and your brain completely upside down.
The five wildest Stranger Things theories
Stranger Things is just rolling the dice on behalf of D&D
Imagine a twist so epic that it rewrites Stranger Things as a whole – that’s what the first theory suggests. According to a very popular theory, the finale will reveal that the entire Upside Down saga was just a Dungeons & Dragons campaign being played in Mike’s basement.
It would come up to suggest that Stranger Things never really happened, nor did Eleven or Vecna. While it’s oddly wild, the Duffer brothers have thankfully quashed that theory, ensuring no eye-rolls from the other end.
Vecna is not the ultimate threat of Stranger Things
When Stranger Things introduced the father of real menace, Vecna, the shivers of people cowering were felt worldwide. And so far, fans have every reason to believe there’s no bigger face of menace than him. But what if season five flips the script? A TikTok user, demi.kuijpers, noted that Vecna is not the biggest threat in Dungeons & Dragons monster canon; Borys is. While the possibilities of the Duffer brothers introducing a new big bad were always on the cards, if they do, it would be very on-brand for Stranger Things.
But with Vecna’s arc still left unresolved, only time will tell what truly awaits the alleys of Indiana.
Someone will die from the Hawkins gang
Netflix has a thing for body count when it comes to Stranger Things. And honestly, without a little blood, it won’t be strange enough. Although the Netflix series has cut short several beloved characters, there’s a possibility that another one will bite the dust, and perhaps, someone their very own.
According to fan theories, nearly everyone from the Hawkins gang should be on guard. So long, only sidekicks were thrown under the bus. But with the stakes higher than ever this time, this theory could likely come true, especially since the actors, including Gaten Matarazzo, Millie Bobby Brown, and Maya Hawke, shared a similar instinct.
Max’s consciousness is in Vecna’s realm
Max’s fate has been the question of the hour since Stranger Things pulled the curtains on season four. The haunting finale left her teetering on the edge of life and death, her body battered and bruised, and her mind and spirit creepily absent. Now, a popular Stranger Things theory suggests that although Eleven’s intervention saved Max’s physical form, her consciousness remains trapped in Vecna’s mind or the Upside Down.
Fans speculate that her essence might be imprisoned within a realm beyond the living. But since she’s alive, this could be a very well-built-up for an ultimate showdown between Max and Vecna. And hopefully, Katie Bush also lingers this time because fans clearly cannot run up that hill, just watch.
Will Byers’ link with the Upside Down will bring its end
It all began with Will Byers vanishing into thin air. And a strong consensus of fans believes that Stranger Things will draw a full circle with him. Will is the heart of Stranger Things. And time and again, the Netflix show has hinted at his mysterious connection with the Upside Down from the show’s inception. Plus, season four ended with his creepy confession that he could feel Vecna’s presence.
The Duffer brothers previously teased a pivotal arc awaiting Will in the last season. Since then, fans have every reason to believe that these connections with the alternate universe and Vecna serve a bigger picture. In fact, these threads will help the Hawkins gang defeat the real evil. As per the theory, Vecna will want Will alive, as the only person to have forged a connection to the Upside Down. Relying on this connection, Vecna might use Will as a vessel.
But if they do, the Hawkins rebellion would take a dire turn as the tight-knit squad will leave no stone unturned to use this connection to their advantage. While it might require his sacrifice, it will be all for the greater good, bringing Stranger Things to a full circle.