So, You've Finished "Stranger Things" Season 2? We Rate S3's Craziest Theories

Now, we begin the long wait for the next season.

Another season of Stranger Things has concluded, leaving us with an empty, dark space where our nightly Stranger Things viewing slot was and a handful of questions about loose ends. Thankfully, people on the internet have a lot of time on their hands to think up wacky and implausible theories to help us speculate what Season Three will bring.

Obviously what follows is intended for readers who have completed Season Two. So, if that's not you, STOP. Open up a new tab and head to Netflix and binge-watch all nine episodes. 

Using Steve Harrington's exaggerated facial expressions to rate each theory from "get outta town" (no) to "huge if true" (possible) to "totally tubular" (definitely!), we look at some of Reddit's recent Stranger Things theories and discuss whether they could fit snugly into Season Three's story arc.

So, here it is. Straight from the depths of Reddit and into your browser, strap yourself in because we're going Upside Down.

Hopper's daughter, Sara, is alive.

As one Redditor, awtaylor, proposed, it's possible Hopper's daughter never actually died. In Season One, there is a flashback of Hopper and his daughter playing in the park when she begins to hyperventilate. awtaylor points out that this is similar to what happened to Will this season when he had his 'episodes', which we now know to be true sight. This suggests Sara may have had it too.

If this is true, Dr. Brenner and his band of douchy men may have kidnapped her and taken her in as one of the 11 or more human experiments. 

But how come Hopper saw her die? I hear you say. As was revealed in Season Two, Kali, or Eight, has the ability to cast illusions. It's entirely possible she cast an illusion in Hopper's mind that Sara died of cancer while Dr. Brenner stole her.

There are a lot of ifs here. But it's interesting to ponder how Eleven would react if Sara is alive, given how Hopper seems to have adopted her?

Steve says: "Huge if true!"

Eleven's parents were among 001 – 005.

Another Redditor, lftovrporkshoulder, proposes Eleven/Jane's mum was one of the original test subjects (001 to 005) and that her dad was one of them too. Both of her parents showed the capability of undertaking "remote viewing" (when Eleven goes into that pitch black world) and they produced Eleven (011) who combined those powers with telekinesis. 

It would certainly be an interesting backstory as to who the other numbers are and how Eleven came to be.

Steve says: "Totally tubular!"

It's all just a big game of Dungeons & Dragons. The whole story is their imaginations.

According to wittyusername4me, all the adventures from both seasons are just the result of fantastical imaginations through playing Dungeons & Dragons. The evidence? In Season Two, when the gang discusses whether Max can join their group, they refer to it as a "party" like a Dungeons & Dragons party. They also argue that the monsters and the specific settings such as the fortified bus/junkyard area and the underground tunnels are representative on their game's features.

I don't like this one because it follows the classic And it was all a dream trope. It's just lazy writing. This theory goes in the theory bin.

Steve says: "Get outta town!"

The Upside Down is a glimpse into Earth's (and most obviously Hawkins') future.

One Redditor believes the Upside Down might be a version of Earth that the Mind Flayer has already destroyed. TheRealClose suggests the Upside Down was a world like ours before the Mind Flayer infiltrated it with vines, spores, Demodogs and Demogorgons.

The theory suggests that the gang will be fighting to stop the Mind Flayer for the next two seasons, but will ultimately have to ditch the universe because the Mind Flayer will succeed. Essentially, it just feeds off fresh Earths for eternity and is never beaten. It relies on Elevens to open up the gate then takes over and moves on to the next one.

While it's a bit outlandish—and the time-looping is a bit hard to get your head around—it could definitely be plausible. It also means the gang can't really do anything to win unless they break the loop.

Steve says: "Huge if true!"

Season Three will be a bit like Nightmare on Elm Street.

In Season One, we thought we saw Dr. Brenner/Papa's death at the hands of the Demogorgon, but Season Two seemed to suggest he was still alive. One Redditor thinks he was actually dragged into the Upside Down and infiltrated by the Mind Flayer as well. The difference between him and Will, however, is that Papa is actually a bad person and will work with the Mind Flayer to re-open the gate to Earth.

The theory, according to rcinmd, will be that Papa and the Mind Flayer will pull the gang into the Upside Down during their dreams, similar to how Will's episodes happened and what happens in '80s classic Nightmare on Elm Street. Will better learn how to use his ability to enter the Upside Down, because it would be up to him and Eleven to take down the Mind Flayer and Papa; their greatest fears.

This theory's a good one and I'm excited to see if Will learns how to use his gift to fight back rather than just be taken advantage of again.

Steve says: "Totally tubular!"

Bob, the 'hero', is actually a spy for the bad guys.

Oooh, saucy. 

This theory sees Bob, a lovable nerd and accidental hero, as a double agent for the lab. Julbull73 believes Bob was planted in Joyce's life to keep an eye on Will, as he's the head of IT at the lab. 

The proof? Bob knew how to use the computer, a rare skill in 1984, when they were trying to escape that very lab. Bob also pushed Will to confront the Mind Flayer, leading to his mind being infiltrated. Finally, Bob has a video recorder, which films Will's episode on Halloween and captures the Mind Flayer on screen.

It's a ridiculous theory and very circumstantial but it also makes a bit of sense.

Steve says: "Huge if true!"

Stranger Things and Mad Men are set in the same universe.

We saved the worst for last.

One Redditor believes Mike's mum, Karen Wheeler, is actually Dr. Faye Miller from Mad Men and it all sounds pretty legit. I mean, they're played by the same actor, Cara Buono, after all.

Mad Men spoilers ahoy.

Flootloop thinks that after Don Draper broke Dr. Miller's heart by dumping her for the much-younger Megan, Dr. Miller changed her name and moved to Hawkins, Indiana, marrying Ted, Mike's boring dad; the antithesis of Don Draper.

They even show that Nancy, 17, would have been born two years after Miller had allegedly left Manhattan for Hawkins. 

They forget to take in one fact, really: HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ANYONE AT ALL? If it's true, then it's just a fan Easter Egg.

Steve says: "Get outta town!"

Photo: Make It Stranger