The small town setting of Hawkins, Indiana is perfect on Netflix's Stranger Things, and the Upside Down adds a fascinating, mysterious, and complex layer. It's a terrifying place where no one would ever want to spend time. And unfortunately for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends, they keep ending up there, whether they're fighting off Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) or Eleven is saving Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink).
While some details have been revealed about the Upside Down, Stranger Things fans have some interesting theories about what it could all mean. From explanations of why the Upside Down has the appearance that it does to where it is actually located, fans have put forward some ideas. When Stranger Things returns for season 5, which will be it's last, chances are that some questions about the Upside Down be answered in a satisfying manner.
Vecna Wanted The Upside Down To Resemble Hawkins
There are many questions about the Upside Down, including why it resembles a sad, scary, and warped version of Hawkins, Indiana. Redditor yer1 put forward the theory that "the Upside Down looks like Hawkins because 1/Henry/Vecna thought he was permanently trapped there." The fan continued, "he was rebuilding it to look that way to turn it into the world he wanted to rule."
This theory makes a lot of sense considering Vecna is the biggest villain Stranger Things has ever seen. Vecna chooses his victims and takes pleasure in harming them, which is terrifying and heartbreaking to watch. And he is on a stubborn and determined mission to make other people struggle as much as he has his entire existence, which is what motivates him.
Is The Upside Down In Eleven's Mind?
There is a theory that Eleven created the Upside Down, which lines up with some Stranger Things plot points so far. For Redditor B52Ltd, it's possible that the Upside Down is directly tied to Eleven's mind. The fan wrote, "the Upside Down World is Eleven’s subconscious. Certainly, to the extent it is a physical place, it is entirely created by her. I suspect this is something Eleven herself does not know, nor was it something she intended."
While season 4 does confirm that the Upside Down was Vecna's doing, this is still an interesting theory since it suggests that Eleven and the Upside Down are closely connected. This relationship will likely be explored even more in season 5. Fans are gearing up for a battle that is sure to be filled with action and feeling.
Vecna Will Use Will In The Upside Down In Season 5
Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) has been an important character since the pilot episode when he disappears, which starts Will's fascinating Stranger Things timeline. Fans have been saying for a while now that Vecna and Will are closely tied together.
Redditor cruljin thinks that "Will has the powers/ability to shape" and that this means that in season 5 of Stranger Things, Vecna will use Will for his evil plan. The fan wrote, "Vecna wants to hive mind Will to use his powers to shape/recreate the world as he thinks it should be." It's possible that Vecna will work on Will in season 5 and Will is going to save himself and his friends and Hawkins, just like Eleven will.
Is The Upside Down A Planet In An Alternate Reality?
While the Upside Down looks a lot like Hawkins, it's definitely its own unique place, and it's one of the coolest settings in any TV show. Redditor AskFrank92 thinks that the Upside Down is "a young planet in a reality parallel to our own, hence the unstable atmosphere and volcanic environment we saw through Vecna's vision." The fan continued, "Maybe the planet doesn't rotate and half of it is cold, with the thick atmosphere trapping what little warmth it can."
Although there have been many hints about the Upside Down, it's likely that season 5 of Stranger Things will answer every last question that fans have and flesh out this great Stranger Things setting even more.
The Upside Down Is Another Earth, Not Just Hawkins
Although the Upside Down seems to be an alternate Hawkins, it's possible that its scope and reach are larger than viewers originally thought. Redditor acebarrett54's theory is, "The Upside Down is a fully alternate Earth. A lot of people think that the Upside Down is just an alternate version of Hawkins, but it actually encompasses the entire world."
If this is true, it would have some scary implications as the rest of the world isn't aware of what could potentially happen. And if this fan theory comes to fruition, it will definitely be explained in the much-anticipated season 5 of Stranger Things. At this point, anything seems possible.