With each season of Stranger Things, the series got stranger and much more mysterious. It led to so many budding questions; fans just can’t keep themselves from seeking answers. (Well, if nothing else, that is an irrefutable win for the cast and crew’s toiling, isn’t it?) On top of that, the post-credits scene left everyone ravenous for a season 4.
Is Hopper still alive? How did Eleven lose her powers? And will she ever get them back? Where are the other nine ‘sisters’ (or ‘brothers’) of Eleven? Can Hopper be Eleven’s biological father? Why did the Russians want to open doors to the Upside Down? Did they finally open the door? If not, where did Russians bag a Demogorgon from? Is Billy from Stranger Things really dead? That is the standard size of everyone fans’ list of questions right now. With this, we arrive at the one question that haunts every person who has watched season 3 Stranger Things unanimously: Who is ‘The American’?
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The Upside Down is an uncanny world. Every season brings in new rules that make the (under)world go round. After many poignant goodbyes, the last season ended with a perplexing post-credits scene that took the audience (most probably) to Russia. In a guarded prison, a hungry Demogorgon is to be fed. And for that, a guard is instructed to leave ‘The American’ before he drags a Russian prisoner to an underground cage.
Added to that the most consistent and loved character over the 3 seasons, Hopper, is portrayed dead. So, everyone was fast to rush to bridge the two ending scenes and conclude that Stranger Things’ ‘The American’ is Hopper.
While it is (almost) established that Hopper will be alive and kicking in Stranger Thing season 4, we believe ‘The American’ might just be someone else
Hopper is alive and kicking in Season 4 of Stranger Things
Meet the most likely contenders:
Dr. Martin Brenner: The Long Lost Papa
Who ‘The American’ is, highly depends on why the Russians are keeping him (or her) alive? It was very clear from season 3 Stranger Things that their intentions were deeply vested in the (under) world.
With reasons unknown, The Russians went miles, months and millions deep into opening the gates to the Upside Down
So, if they are planning to continue from where they left (after failing miserably), they would require someone who has been there, done that. And we all know who that is: Stranger Things’ Dr. Martin Brenner. Or as Eleven calls him, ‘Papa’.
Brenner has been long lost from Hawkins. But what makes him an even strong contender is his death scene. There is an explosion (at Hawkins Middle School) but his death is never clearly portrayed at the end of season 1 of Stranger Things. These two reasons combined make him the strongest contender for the possible ‘The American’ of Stranger Things season 4.
Billy Hargrove: The antagonist who looks oddly familiar
There came a character who wooed the audience and fans think that his was an unfair and untimely death. Billy Hargrove of Stranger Things gave a vigorous replacement to antagonist Dr. Martin Brenner. And the audience could not take their eyes off his oddly familiar face. After Hopper’s death, his demise was the most mourned. (Heightened by the fact that he died doing a good deed).
If the Duffer Brothers ever try to bring back Billy to Stranger Things, it is not going to be an easy task. He died a pretty graphically detailed death. But did you know this? The original script of Stranger Things season 1 was meant to be the end of Eleven?
But the fact that she gained massive popularity changed her future in the series altogether. Billy, though an antagonist, gained similar levels of popularity in Stranger Things season 2 and 3.
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So, the makers can (and most probably will) leave no stones unturned to bring him back. Moreover, he could easily be ‘The American’ if the Russians have dug a door into the Upside Down. (Supposing that he has been there the whole time). Popularity does have its upside.
The Strangest Americans of Stranger Things
While there are many speculations regarding who ‘The American’ might be, the series is known for leaving fans shocked. So, they might put a strongly unanticipated (yet likely) contender: Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives.
While Eleven’s mother was spoken about and her existence speculated since the origin of Stranger Things, she only got a good amount of camera focus in the last season. Moreover, the latest season focused on female actors more than it ever did before. Terry might be the key to Eleven. Thus, in turn, she is a key to the Upside Down. (That is if her powers are retrieved).
After all, the Russians never specified the American’s gender, did they?!
On that note, Eight’s journey was a very misplaced chapter in Stranger Things season 3.
The only thing that it gave the audience was the hint of the existence of 9 other test subjects. All these might have some physic abilities that the Russians can use for their agenda. So, it is highly likely that ‘The American’ in Stranger Things season 4 might be a whole new character!
Do you have any more contenders? Share with us.
