Photo Credit: Netflix

Stranger Things is one of the best original Netflix creations and, with season two dropping on October 27th, it’s time to start unraveling the mysteries that season one left behind.

Like the fans of many other hit television programs, Stranger Things die-hards (“Thingers?”) love to jump onto the internet to discuss, not only what they just watched, but also what the future seasons will have in store.

Like Lost, Game of Thrones, and The Walking Dead, there are a plethora of websites and blogs devoted to Netflix’ sci-fi, horror, thriller, mystery adventure story, focusing on fan-service news like new characters being added, rumored plot lines, and plausible theories. The Stranger Things Reddit page alone has plenty for fans to chew on to help appease the hunger until we finally get to see (what the Duffer Brothers are calling) the sequel (rather than season two).

Yet there are some people who don’t want to delve too deep into that spoiler territory, so before continuing, I offer a big, hearty SPOILER ALERT! Because I’m not one of those people. (You read the title right?)

Give me the goods is my motto and with that, I’m jumping headfirst into the Upside Down and looking at some of the more popular fan theories, rumors, and season two predictions that are floating around the interwebs.

There is no doubt the Duffer Brothers will expand the universe and, although most storylines wrapped up quite nicely in season one, there are a few loose ends that could lead us into darker woods in season two.

Let’s grab our compass and flashlight and head into the spoiler abyss, taking a closer look at five Stranger Things theories and the odds they turn out to be correct.

STRANGER THINGS ODDS: SEASON TWO

Odds Eleven is the Demogorgon: 9/1



A popular fan theory floating around postulates that Eleven is actually the Demogorgon.

During season one, Eleven tried to warn the boys that she was the monster. After saving Mike from plummeting to his death, Eleven tearfully tells him, “I’m sorry. The gate … I opened it. I’m the monster.” On the surface, that could mean that she wanted them to know she was dangerous because of her powers, and that she was the one that unleashed hell on earth. But it could also be taken in its more literal sense: she is that wild creature from the Upside Down.

The theory actually puts forward a lot of strong evidence that Eleven and the Demogorgon are somehow connected like two sides of the same coin. Maybe the Demogorgon is the “dark” version of Eleven manifesting itself in the Upside Down?

Or it could all be coincidental. Regardless there is some plausible evidence backing this theory so you can’t totally dismiss it.

Odds Will Byers has powers: 9/1

What happens if Will has powers similar to Eleven and he doesn’t know it? One fan theory making the rounds argues that the Demogorgon was initially attracted to Will because of his powers, not because of blood.

With Eleven probably spending most of her time in the Upside Down during season two, this leaves an opening for another magical character. Could Will end up realizing he has powers and trying to harness them? Is that why he is shown in the hospital in the trailer? After all, how was Will able to communicate with his mother Joyce via phone and lights? Did he create his own portal between the Upside Down and his home?

If Will is power-endowed, will he and Eleven have the ultimate power face-off like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker?

This theory was given increased … umm … power by cast member Gaten Matarazzo (who plays super-nerd Dustin). Matarazzo agreed that the theory was a possibility, albeit before he had read the season two script. Nonetheless, when a cast member claims a theory is a possibility, there maybe something to it, even if that cast member isn’t old enough to have a drivers license.

We’ll keep the odds on this fairly tame, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it turns out to be correct.

Odds one of the new monsters is the Thessalhydra (from Dungeons & Dragons): 19/1

When Will returned home from the Upside Down, he brought something with him. In the final scene of season one, Will coughs up a slug-like creature into his sink. Could he be spitting out monsters?

In the season two trailer, there is a quick flash of red with the shadow of a large creature, reminiscent of a giant spider, frightening Will.

It appears one of the new monsters is quite large and menacing with many speculating that it’s the Thessalhydra from Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), the role-playing game the boys are hooked on.

The curious thing about this theory is that the large spider-type creature we see in the trailer doesn’t really look like D&D’s Thessalhydra.

Mind you, season one’s Demogorgon was also named after a monster from D&D, but didn’t actually look like the one from the game. The new monster may just be named “Thessalhydra” without actually resembling the game version.

But this is probably just a red herring and so the odds are long.

Odds Eleven is Jim Hopper’s daughter: 25/1

This theory also has some merit for two main reasons: we know Hopper’s daughter died mysteriously and we know every death in Stranger Things should be viewed suspiciously.

We know that Jim left Eggo waffles in the woods for Eleven. Does he know some things about El that only a father would?

Although there is some plausibility to this theory, I actually don’t think Eleven is Hopper’s daughter. Here’s a twist, what happens if his daughter is actually Ten, or Nine, or even One? My guess that Eleven is named Eleven because there were other test subjects. Maybe Hopper’s daughter was one of them.

Odds Barb is still alive: 100/1

What about Barb? Poor girl, she was unfairly forgotten by the town after she disappeared into the Upside Down just days after Will Byers did the same. She became an afterthought as the show went along, until we see her corpse in the other dimension. But now rumors are swirling that maybe Barb isn’t dead after all. #JusticeForBarb

I don’t know. She seemed pretty dead to me, and I think her return is highly unlikely.

The odds don’t support Barb making a miraculous return but I do think that there will be some sort of mention of her to help tie that loose end together.