Spoilers Stranger Things - Season 3

Spoiler: Do we still need to tag posts? I put a general spoiler tag on the thread

I realize my hopes for Hopper still being alive are a long shot, but it does make some sense.

But I do agree (as do some online articles) that Brenner makes sense, too, considering last season's suggestion that he was still alive. I think it's probably more likely that Brenner is the American prisoner while I maintain my original belief that Hopper was transported to the Upside Down.

 

Spoiler

We didn't "see Brenner die" we just saw get devoured by the Demogorgon.

 

Spoiler: Same spoilers

One other possibility one of IGN's articles mentioned that also occurred to me is Murray. We never do see him again after the Russian base is destroyed.
If Hopper isn't in the Russian's prisoner, then he's in The Upside Down. At this point I'm pretty much convinced he's coming back. I might be a bit more skeptical is Hellboy had taken off, and he was going to potentially be busy with sequels, but since that didn't happen I'm sure he'll be back.
I'm thinking next season will start with either him escaping from the Russians and making his way back to Hawkins to warn the others about what they're up to, or he'll get a message to El from the Upside Down, and they'll have to go there to rescue him. No matter what, I'm pretty sure his return will be what sets things in motion next season.
One thing that felt important to me I haven't seen anyone mention, is the fact that the Gateway wasn't completely closed when we saw Owens looking at it, there was still a tiny glowing crack in the wall. If it didn't close all the way after they showed it, then I could definitely see that coming into play next season.

 

Spoiler: Do we really need these? They're annoying to use. Spoiler warning in thread title.

I doubt it's Murray, he's not a "big enough" character to warrant such an end-credit tease.

 

Turns out Murray's phone number is an Easter Egg. When called, a pre-recorded message from Murray plays and hints at...something.

 

Spoiler: Re: The post credits scene

...but...

Spoiler

Eleven was on the path to normalcy, and having a father was a major, driving part of that. Beyond having powers, she was still struggling with being human, as seen in the way Max had to school her on the dynamics of male/female relationships, or in season two, where Hopper had to repeat how her perceptions were not correct. Hopper being alive would be the biggest payoff for the Eleven character, lifting her beyond being a weapon and embracing the rest of her life as a regular girl, which is what she needs.

 

David Harbour has addressed the ending.

Spoiler: Spoilers

In a recent interview with /Film, Harbour more or less confirmed that the American the Soviets were referring to is, in fact, his character, meaning that Hopper is almost certain to return in Stranger Things’ future. The actor wouldn’t go into specifics about what Hopper’s return might look like or how he fell into enemy hands, but he shared some rather heady musings about Hopper’s life—the sorts of things that one might think about while trapped in the Upside Down:

“I think the tapestry of Hopper is so large and interesting, and I also think that Hopper has karmic debts to pay for how dead he’s been for a long time.

We have to decide who this man is…Is he a man of justice? Is he a father? Which one is he? And I think those two things are not always compatible. I don’t know that you can stand for values or stand for relationships at the same time. At some point, you’re going to have to choose. So I’m interested in that – in him as a human being, if he’s faced with that choice, what he would choose?”

 

In the end, this was my favorite season so far. The character development from the first two season paid off this time around. Steve is such and excellent character--and his development has been so natural.

The story itself was so similar to watching an eighties movie that was thoroughly enjoyable. The pacing was excellent--with enough time in the early episodes to get acquainted with the characters and the second half of the season a roller coaster ride.

 

Someone has produced a short animated film as if Stranger Things was an 80s anime:

 

I like Erica.

Spoiler

Commence operation Child Endangerment!

 

I swear they titled that just to get 1000's of comments of people saying "That doesn't look like 80s anime...".

 

I thought the same thing.

 

Hmm, I wonder if the Duffer's have talked with Harbour since the EW interview. In that one he kept repeatedly insisting that he didn't know anything yet.

I was thinking after I finished this season, that I would love to see them pull a Harry Potter kind of thing at the very end, and give us a flashforward to show us what all of the characters are up to today. They should be in their 40s or 50s by now, right?

 

Cillian Murphy for grown up Mike Wheeler. Topher Grace as grown up Will Byers.

 

Jason Momoa as grown up Dustin

 

So if Will doesn’t end up queer I’ll eat my hat. He reminded me a lot of myself at a young age this season.

 

According to io9's group review of the season, Will was originally written as gay for the first season but apparently they weren't able to make room for it (after all he didn't appear much and Noah Schnapp wasn't even a cast member). It seems like his and Mike's conversation picked up on that thread and hopefully it'll be further explored next season.

 

Did anyone else get the feeling of "we spent a lot of money on THAT set so we are gonna use it as much as possible"

 

They do seem to have alluded to it on more than one occasion going all the way back to season 1, so I wouldn't be at all surprised.
That said, I suppose it's possible he's asexual (I'm never sure if that falls under the "queer" umbrella or not.) I know it's circumstantial to say the least, but while it's true he shows no interest in girls, he doesn't exactly show any interest in boys either. So it's at least a possibility. Or he's just an awkward late bloomer and/or suffering long term mental health issues from his past ordeals and it's making him retreat into himself more. I guess they're leaving their options open for now.

 

I thought it was pretty important that Mike said "he didn't like girls" instead of "he didn't like girls yet" and Will didn't disagree.

IIRC Joyce called him "sensitive" and he got bullied for it. Him being asexual could be a possibility too and it depends on the person, but I've know a few asexual people who use queer. I think it depends on the age group, younger people use it as an umbrella term for anyone who's LGBTQ+ because it's easier to say and doesn't exclude anyone.

I do like how he was handled this season. He's no longer the plot device victim who needs to be saved. He's the group therapist trying to hold them together and monster detector.