6 New Stranger Things Season 3 Theories That Just Might Flay Your Mind

It's painfully obvious that the big, shining star of the season is the sparkly new Starcourt Mall. It was the crux of the first teaser trailer, which was filmed as an '80s-tastic commercial. When the season's episode titles dropped in December, two of them clearly pointed to the mall as a central staging point for action, with the season finale giving us a "big battle" within its walls. So, yeah, the mall is important, but that's not the big theory here. The theory is that the mall is a front, potentially for another insidious government facility.

The first major indicator that the mall is not what it seems is the fact that it was built in Hawkins, IN. LOL! But seriously, what a way to deflect suspicion, right? Aside from the off-putting commercial and the episode titles, I have a feeling the new Lynx Corp. has something do to with the mall. We only get a small glimpse of this mysterious corporation in the premiere date announcement video, but I imagine they'll be a big part of the season. After all, Hawkins Lab was kind of destroyed by all the action in season two. Wouldn't it make sense for another, more secretive group to move in and make themselves at home? And think about it: if there's a big government facility underneath the mall, that's the perfect set up for that final battle at the end of the season.

If you don't remember, Dustin takes a spray to the face from one of the Upside Down tentacles in the season two finale, and I can't imagine that won't come back into play. He's not the only one, either; Hopper gets a dose earlier on and it renders him unconscious for an undetermined amount of time! What if they fall prey to the same kind of possession Will experiences in season two? What if it's something even more sinister than that?! I could see this kind of thing spreading throughout the town, forcing the government to quarantine the population. Wouldn't that be a great set-up for season four?

There are rats on the poster, and the second episode of the season is called "Mall Rats." Coincidence? I think there's a strong chance of a brewing vermin problem in Hawkins, only it's not your average vermin. If Dustin and Hopper are indeed infected with some kind of strange malady, maybe the rodents are responsible for spreading it to the other citizens of Hawkins. What if this epidemic causes mutations? Could the rats actually turn into Demodogs if they get sick enough?! Nothing's out of the question when it comes to the Upside Down.

Many aeons ago, the creative minds behind the show teased the inevitable return of the smoke monster aka the Mind Flayer. "They've shut the door on the Mind Flayer, but not only is it still there in the Upside Down, it's very much aware of the kids, and particularly Eleven," said co-creator Ross Duffer. "It had not encountered her and her powers until that final episode. Now, it knows that she's out there." It seems this freaky monster is determined to rip a new hole in the fabric of our universe, if only to get to Eleven. And since Will's tiny body housed the creature for a period of time, he must be sensitive to it as well.

Is there a chance the Mind Flayer could cross over into this world? Well, the Demogorgon made it to our side, so why not? As an added wink in the poster for season three, Eleven and Will seem to be the only ones aware at all of the evil lurking in the photo. While everyone else stares out into the distance, these two stare back at whatever lurks beyond the borders of the poster.

We already know Eleven is a pretty haunted girl, and I imagine it's not going to get any better in the new season. After all, she's just learned all about the the horrible trials she faced when she was younger, and she's deeper than ever in the web of conspiracies surrounding the Hawkins Lab. She's met her mother! She's met another person with abilities! This is just the tip of the iceberg. We also know, based on some set pictures, that she'll be exasperated and rolling around in the ocean at some point, so that does not bode well. What's more, her mother seems to be there with her.

Then again, these could be visions or flashbacks of some kind! But with the Mind Flayer taking an interest in Eleven, the blooming conspiracy, and all her past traumas colliding in the same space, it's hard to imagine a season in which Eleven isn't a mess.