Everything We Learned about ‘Stranger Things 3’ from the New Trailer

First, here’s a reminder as to the titles for the upcoming episodes of Stranger Things 3, which make a bit more sense thanks to the latest trailer:

1. Suzie, Do You Copy? 

2. The Mall Rats

3. The Case of the Missing Lifeguard 

4. The Sauna Test 

5. The Source 

6. The Birthday 

7. The Bite 

8. The Battle of Starcourt 

The only “Suzie” we know of is Susan Hargrove (Jennifer Marshall), the mother of Billy and Max, and wife to abusive husband, Neil (Will Chase). It’s possible that Susan might get disappeared in this first episode or factor into the story in some other way, though it’s equally likely the name will come into play in a way we don’t expect. The rest of the titles make a bit more sense since the trailer and these images feature shots of the Starcourt Mall (scene of a likely big battle), the local pool (complete with a variety of hornball lifeguards), and what looks like a nasty infection for poor Billy Hargrove…

With that out of the way, let’s check in with some familiar faces who seem to be living their best lives in Hawkins, Indiana:

First, Dustin is apparently back from his summer camp, “Camp Knowhere”, and is feeling down, at least until his friends surprise scare the crap out of him. Good thing he has his Farrah Fawcett hairspray handy!

But that little bit of foreshadowing let’s us know that the gang might be experiencing some growing pains this season (1985 sitcom pun unintended). As Mike and Eleven get closer, as do Max and Lucas, with Will sinking further into his own darkness (this kid can’t catch a break), Dustin is left on the outside. They still manage to have some fun this season, however, setting up a new warning/detection system in a greenspace, hanging out at the mall, and enjoying the town fair. Channeling the spirit of Wendy P(f)effercorn from The Sandlot (which came out in 1993 but told a story set in 1962, but I digress), we get to spend some time at the Hawkins pool. A significant chunk of side story will be told here, featuring some good (and possibly sexy) and bad times for local bad boy, Billy Hargrove. Newcomer Reale, who plays the lifeguard Heather, will get to share some screentime here.

Everyone’s favorite surrogate mom and dad Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper seem to be up to their same old small-town hijinks, namely smoking a bunch and looking vaguely confused by whatever the kids are talking about.

While our cast of young heroes is certainly growing up, they’re still kids at heart. We get to see them spending time with each other, namely Eleven and Max (reading Tiger Beat, perhaps?), outside of the basement and in the bright, wide open world of Hawkins.

Another newcomer, Hawke, who plays Robin as seen above, will add some extra dimensions to the franchise this season. And while their mall-based “Scoops Ahoy” store is a delight, there’s more in store for our characters at the new town fair, led by Mayor Kline (Elwes):

But it wouldn’t be Stranger Things without a dark underbelly beneath the otherwise colorful and sunny surface. Conflicts in this season range from fractured friendships and political protests, to a menacing gunman, a frenzy at the fair, mayhem at the mall, and more, much more.

Here’s where things start to get rough for new and returning characters alike. First up, the local newspaper gets to play a part in the story this time around. Last season feature investigative journalist turned private eye Murray Bauman from the Chicago-Sun Tribune, but season three will introduce Busey as Bruce, a local journalist with a very 80s/90s movies sense of humor. Things don’t look great for Bruce from this first look:

Another newcomer this season is the unknown gunman seen below. Though I’m not sure who’s playing the part (or what part they have to play), there’s some clear inspiration from 1984’s The Terminator here:

Not safely out of the Upside-Down yet, Eleven seems to be experiencing another transition into the parallel world that exists just on the other side of our own, with Hawkins as a door between the two:  And here’s where things seem to take a turn for the worse for Billy. He’s got a nasty infection on his arm which seems to be spreading throughout his body. To what end remains to be seen, but … it’s not going to be pretty.

It looks like this electrifying scene takes place at one of the shadowy lab operations where researchers experiment with the parallel dimension and risk exposing our world to its horrors. It seems like those horrors are once again making their intentions known.

While our heroes get to spend a fair amount of time enjoying themselves this season, some of those horrors will make their way to the mall, the town fair, and the hospital over the course of Season 3:

Luckily, Lucas still has his slingshot (and a fashionable infatuation with the Italian cycling team, Ariostea). Interestingly, his little sister Erica appears to get in on the monster-fighting action again this season: I … don’t recognize these people but they feature prominently in a quick scene. Any ideas? They look vaguely possessed, like oft-adapted Invasion of the Body Snatchers story… And things get rather bad for our buddy Steve… I dunno who this is either, I just like his style.

Perhaps the greatest mystery for this upcoming season of Stranger Things is the nature of its other-worldly monster … which may not be completely other-worldly at all. The current theory is that Billy Hargrove will be corrupted and transformed to become the gruesome creature teased at the end of this trailer. It’s rather reminiscent of the title terror of The Thing, released in a very era-appropriate 1982. Get another look at it below:

What are your predictions for Stranger Things 3? Let us know in the comments!