Stranger Things 3 releases episode titles and we’ve got theories

Bless you Netflix for releasing a new Stranger Things trailer plus episode titles — let’s get going with some theories, shall we?

Stranger Things, a series following a group of kids as they battle inter-dimensional monsters during the epic ’80s, is so amazingly good that its fan base has been waiting for its third season forever. Well, almost forever. It’s been over a year, and we have fairly little information to go off of — a recent companion book for the show helped a little, but of course, we’re craving more. What new monster (or monsters) will haunt the children of Hawkins, Indiana?

While the show’s second season was released in time for Halloween last year, the third installment won’t be available until later in 2019.

Yesterday, Netflix finally threw us a bone and released a new trailer via Twitter featuring the titles of all eight episodes of season 3. The trailer’s final message says: “In the summer of 1985, the adventure continues…” Which means that our favorite group of tweens will be frolicking in the same year that Back to the Future first aired.

Watch the new Strangers Things 3 episode trailer here:

Coupling the episode names with what we already know about Hawkins can help piece together a few ambitious theories on where season 3 of Stranger Things will take us…

Suzie, Do You Copy?

It looks like Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will will be using walkie-talkies again to communicate. But who is this Suzie they are calling out to? While there have been several announcements of new characters joining the cast, there have been no Suzie’s. Maybe this is a new playmate we have yet to meet?

The Mall Rats

The first trailer of season 3 was a commercial advertising Starcourt Mall. Much like the arcade in the previous season, it looks like this mall will be the new hangout spot. Steve even gets a job at the mall ice cream shop, Scoops ahoy, and seems less than thrilled about it. Our favorite tweens may find themselves addicted to hanging out at the mall like the rest of us.

The Case of the Missing Lifeguard

Variety previously reported that new character Heather will be a favorite lifeguard at the local pool that becomes the center of a dark mystery. Could this be the lifeguard that goes missing because of a new evil straight from the upside down? (Please don’t let this be a rerun of Barb, though, please.)

The Sauna Test

While this title doesn’t elicit any ideas, I’d wager that any test in Stranger Things could be the result of a clever science experiment cooked up by our science-loving pre-teens. Could the heat generated inside of a sauna help uncover some greater evil or is this a test to help them find the missing lifeguard?

The Source

This episode may be the “A-ha” moment where the kids realize the source of the problem and can, therefore, devise a plan to overcome it. It looks like Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will and Eleven will eventually find the source of the evil that is causing any of the seasons new problems.

The Birthday

Not sure whose birthday is being celebrated, but it sounds like someone’s birthday party is going to get ruined by Upside Down related havoc.

The Bite

While we know the Shadow Monster has not been eliminated, there is no telling what evil it or other monsters will bring to Hawkins. Based on this title, perhaps a new fanged creature emerges? If so, we hope none of our favorites are the victim of such a bite.

The Battle of Starcourt

The final battle will conclude in Starcourt Mall, the center of season 3’s universe. Since the kids will know all of the mall’s secret halls and doorways from hanging at the mall all day, they will be able to strategize against whatever new creature they face in their final fight.

If everything in this is pointing at a summer of fun in Hawkins, it is more than likely we won’t see Stranger Things on Netflix until Summer 2019.

What are your theories based on these Stranger Things season 3 episode titles?