Just when we thought that the anticipation for Stranger Things season 4 couldn’t be higher, Netflix showed us that they have more cards to play. The platform released the first 8 minutes of season 4. Needless to say, it exceeded expectations. But, that shocking scene brings up a plethora of questions that we will try answering below. Watch the clip here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QiG9w0SUzk&ab_channel=StrangerThings

Stranger Things season 4: who killed the kids?

If we had to explain the “this went from a 0 to 100 real quick” meme using a video, we would use this clip of Stranger Things season 4. The video starts out slow, with an old man going about his daily chores. He picks up his newspaper, trims his bonsai, and gets dressed for work. But, we knew this was going to turn sinister the moment we saw the face of this man. It seems like Dr. Brenner from season 1 is making a comeback.

We soon realize that this is all a flashback as Brenner walks between a swarm of kids dressed exactly like Eleven in the now-closed Hawkins Lab. As Brenner goes about the activities that seem like routine in the facility, he notices that there is something wrong. Someone is killing all the kids. Viewers soon realize that the person responsible for the dead bodies lying in a pool of blood is Eleven. But, something about her seems off.

Was it actually Eleven who killed the kids? If yes, why?

The one thing that everyone can agree upon is that Eleven wouldn’t kill anyone. In the first season, we watch her not able to even hurt a mean cat despite Brenner forcing her to. It is highly unlikely for a character who caused a massacre this large to shift to the meek girl we saw in season 1.

Upon further digging, we noticed a detail that proves the theory of Eleven not being responsible for the deaths. A detail that everyone must remember from season 1 of the Netflix Original is that the portals that lead to the Upside Down leave a mark. In the season finale at the school, the massive portal that led to the Upside Down left the wall darkened. In the final scene of the 8-minute-long clip, we see a similar version of this on the wall behind Eleven.

While there are numerous theories that could explain the events, the most plausible one is that something from the Upside Down entered the room and killed all the kids. The other kids were found with blood seeping out of their eyes. Brenner also found Eleven in the same manner. This means that she was also close to dying but was somehow saved. Or, maybe, she was the only one strong enough to save herself and close the portal.

Her contact with a creature from the Upside Down before the events of season 1 of the Netflix series also explains why she was so scared of the same throughout the period that we saw her. Additionally, we possibly might also have more on why the Mind Flayer concentrates on Eleven and is afraid of her so much, despite people like Hopper and Joyce having been a large part of the last few adventures.

The first set of episodes of Stranger Things season 4 will be available for streaming on May 27, 2022. Until then, let us know your thoughts in the comments!