Stranger Things 3 Spoiler discussion thread

[Nemesis]

On a different note, any speculation on who the “American” is in the end credit scene?  I feel like it is Hopper.  Or at least, I’ll be very upset if Hopper isn’t back next season.  Maybe he wasn’t at his best this season but I adore his father/daughter relationship with El.

My first thought was Hopper. We never SAW him die. We saw the scientists in the hazmat suits being torn apart by the blast, but not Hopper. To me that’s a giveaway, unless the writers were deliberately trying to be misleading or stir up audience speculation. I feel like they at least left some wiggle room to bring him back in S4.

[Sunset]

On a different note, any speculation on who the “American” is in the end credit scene?  I feel like it is Hopper.  Or at least, I’ll be very upset if Hopper isn’t back next season.  Maybe he wasn’t at his best this season but I adore his father/daughter relationship with El.

My first thought was Hopper. We never SAW him die. We saw the scientists in the hazmat suits being torn apart by the blast, but not Hopper. To me that’s a giveaway, unless the writers were deliberately trying to be misleading or stir up audience speculation. I feel like they at least left some wiggle room to bring him back in S4.

I agree.  Though I suppose that it could turn about to be someone else (lots of discussion elsewhere puts Brenner as another possibility) only to have Hopper pop up some where else unexpected.  And your right.  When people die on this show there is no ambiguity.  So not seeing the actual death is very suspicious.

[Nemesis]

You know, it’s occurred to me... Benny, Barb, Bob, Brenner, Bruce, Billy... If your name starts with a “B” in this show, your days are numbered.

[Beldarna]

We have seen six episodes so far and I love all the references.. but I don't recall any Neverending Story reference? Where was it, or has it not been yet? I loved the My Little Pony scene. Dustin is a nerd and he concluded that MLP is a nerdthing so if course he is a fan!

It’s in the last episode... Trust me, you can’t miss it.

I saw it yesterday and oh my god was it awesome! I laughed so hard and then I sang with them and then I laughed some more. Neverending Story was one of my favorite movies as a kid, still is as an adult and I know the song by heart. I think this was my favorite part ever in the show. We actually sat the last episodes and commented on every 80's reference we could find.


Icey, I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I'm certain he's hept you company while watching the season from somewhere.

Nemesis, I did catch on on Billy in Season 2. When his father pushed him up against the wall and talked so harsh to him, you saw the fear and sadness in his eyes. That's when I knew why he was the douche he was and gained some sympathy for him. I am glad he got to redeem himself in this season. Also, you are so correct with the names. If ever I moved to Hawkins, I would never befriend anyone who's name starts with a B, lol.


Sunset, I hope it's Hopper. That's what I told hubby. None saw him die, he could've jumped through the gate before it closed and since he's been there before knew a little bit around.. the russians might have been able to open a gate on their side and found him. I hope we get to see him in the next season I'll keep my fingers crossed.


What struck me a lot this season is how grown the kids have been! When the flashbacks from earlier seasons came I just gaped. And their voices. I know kids grow fast in that age but wow. I guess I'm so used with adults playing teens and therefor never change, so seeing them evolve like this feels like an honor.

[Icey]

Thank you, everyone. He was my baby brother and best friend, so it has been a tough year. He was only 38 years old when he lost his battle and he and I were super dorks. We liked video games and comics and Sci Fi. He was a good kid and I miss him terribly. He would have loved this season as he really loved spooky stuff. That whole scene with the people walking in and melting back into the monster would have been right up his alley.

I am hoping Hopper is the American. As several people have said they never showed his death, which is usually pretty telling in media. They left doubt and that makes me think that we will see him again. I loved the scene where El read the letter, it was so touching. He is a tragically flawed person, but he had enough room in his heart for that little girl.

I always thought from the beginning of the show that we would see a Joyce and Hopper union. They are both broken people, but they are able to work together and win against IMPOSSIBLE odds. They strengthen each other. You know their back and forth was kind of cute, like two immature kids who did not know how to deal with their feelings.

I think the cast of this show is really amazing. There is not one person that I can pick out that I say 'Gosh, I wish so and so were gone.' The Duffers do a great job of writing the characters in such a way that you invest in them all, even the ones who are classic cliche arch types. You just know they have some redeeming quality and we will see it at some point. I am so glad my brother convinced me to watch this show. I do not watch much TV or media these days for a number of reasons, but I really really enjoy this show.

Post Merge: July 07, 2019, 07:22:10 AM

Also, I think the Russians have two machines. I would have to go back and re-watch it, but I thought that Alexei sort of hinted to that in one of his exchanges or maybe he was just talking about the two keys.

[BethyVic]

Icey, I am sorry you lost your brother.  I would like to think he was with you when you watched the last season. Sibling relationships are so special and I hope the love you shared together gives you strength.  Hugs

Regarding Hopper, I have read some stuff online that seems to me that they are foreshadowing his survival.  During his last scene, Peter Gabriel's version of "Heroes" is playing. The same song played when Eleven seemed to die in the  school.  She was just in the Upside Down.  And, yes, usually we see the deaths.  Joyce's eyes were closed so she didn't see his last moments.  I hope he jumped into the Upside Down and he is the American in the prison.  That would be wonderful.  I have been watching the duet between Suzie and Dustin online over and over again.  Apparently Gaten has been in Broadway plays.  The girl who plays Suzie is adorable and I love the way she loves Dustin. 

[Zapper]

In season 2, I absolutely couldn’t stand Billy. He reminded me unpleasantly of various toxic people I have known in passing, and whose words and actions have hurt me. I was initially disappointed that Billy had returned prominently in season 3, but I’m very satisfied with the way he was handled. In the end, we see the root of his behavior, and where he learned it. It doesn’t make anything he did OKAY, and it doesn’t mean he never had a choice to be a better human being... but it does make him sympathetic.

I hate how the Duffer's trick is working on so many people
He was over the top violent in S2 and he was obviously racist. No way in hell he freaked out at Max being with Lucas because he was overprotective or whatever. He was a danger to his own sister. I can't find a character like that sympathetic just beause the writers did a little emotionally manipulative move by showing him as a little boy.

I thought it was kind of messed up to have Billy say these weird lines "hold still, it will be over soon" or whatever all the time and have him be violent to women, then add in that little Billy on the beach segment to make the audience turn mild on him again. We already knew his father was disgusting to him in S2, did we really need to see him as a kid?

Flashback to Billy in S2 about to beat the crap out of a little black boy and his own sister... flashback to Billy in S3 with the totally intentional se*ual assault allusions.

I wonder what would have happened to Billy if the character hadn't been so popular. Probably would have died within the first few episodes Barb style, lol.

What that beach scene told me tho, was that Billy had mommy issues and that's why he was hot for Nancy's mom while he would treat girls his own age like objects. He idolized his dead mother and it turned into his preference.
I wonder if this is also why he was able to spare Karen? He had an impulse to beat her but he resisted and picked the girl he was working with instead. He told Karen to stay away from him. Even a mindflayed Billy would still have a soft spot for his momcrush

[Icey]

Wow, you live in a dark place

[Zapper]

Wow, you live in a dark place.

I live in the Upside Down, actually.

BtwSecondSeasonOfDARKNowOnNetflix 

[Nemesis]

As I said, Billy’s past trauma absolutely does not excuse anything he did. His actions were monstrous, no question. But I retain the belief that no one is inherently “pure evil” or beyond redemption. I am sympathetic towards people who have suffered or are suffering—period. That is not falling for a “trick” of any kind, as that is how I feel towards real human beings, not just fictional ones. Do not confuse being compassionate for naïveté or being easily manipulated—they are not at all the same thing.

I still can’t say I “like” Billy as a character, but I at least appreciate how he was handled, and feel compassion for him.

[BlackCurtains]

Man, I just hope Hopper isn't really dead.

[Zapper]

As I said, Billy’s past trauma absolutely does not excuse anything he did. His actions were monstrous, no question. But I retain the belief that no one is inherently “pure evil”.

And I did not say Billy was pure evil I acknowledged that in S2 it was shown his father was partly to blame for his messed up personality. I mean, his dad called him a gay slur and was all up in his fac screaming. It was obvious some of his bullying was due to that.

As Billy became a breakout character I felt like the Duffers inserted more sympathy points than needed in the first place. They did not even bring up again how horrible he was towards Lucas because that would have taken away from baby!Billy.
The show already has a reputation for following fan demand and I look at Billy's arc from that point of view.
The Duffers and Dacre were so annoying fuelling the gay rumors about Billy just because some fans wished for that to happen. Makes me thankful they put in a new and positive gay character instead of a bad and forced one (gay guy using and lusting after women doesn't make buch sense in the first place, lol).

[BlackCurtains]

I thought there were rumors about Will being gay? I know he had a date for the Snowball that was a girl but... that doesn't mean much after Mike saying flat-out "sorry you don't like girls"

[Zapper]

I thought there were rumors about Will being gay? I know he had a date for the Snowball that was a girl but... that doesn't mean much after Mike saying flat-out "sorry you don't like girls"

Will had gay rumors for the same reason Billy had them. He was called the f-word.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if Will was gay by the end of the show. The fans want it and so far he hasn't shown interest in girls so it would make more sense than womanizer Billy.

[BethyVic]

I agree that Billy telling his victims to "hold still, it will be over soon" was very disturbing, and being racist against Lucas bothered me quite a bit.