Is There a Stranger Things Season 3 Post-Credits Scene?

It's official: We live in the era of the post-credits scene. Fans will wait around through the credits for every major franchise movie to make sure they don't miss anything. This trend began back in 2008 with the iconic debut of Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury at the end of Iron Man, and it hasn't showed any signs of slowing down. In fact, some TV shows are even joining the movement, tacking sequences onto the credits of their various finales, offering teases for the seasons to come. Given that Stranger Things is such a massive part of pop culture, and the series is heavily influenced by big-budget sci-fi films, people are of course wondering if the new installment will have some sort of credits tease of its own.

Well, if you're planning on binging through Stranger Things 3 this week, be sure to stick around as long as Netflix will let you, because there is definitely a scene after the title card that's worth waiting for. Not only is it a fun tease, but it's also vital to the story of the show going forward.

That's all for the non-spoiler portion of the story. We're going to break down that cryptic post-credits scene below, but just know that it will contain MASSIVE spoilers. If you don't want the ending of Stranger Things 3 spoiled for you, stop reading now. In fact, you can just click here to leave this page and check out our official Stranger Things 3 review instead!

Okay, so that post-credits scene is a big deal for two key reasons. First and foremost, it begins with a key line that gives everyone hope Hopper isn't actually dead. While it seemed as if he died in the lab explosion, and his family and friends all believe he's gone, his body was never shown. This post-credits scene starts with two Russian officers walking through a prison to grab someone out of a cell. When one reaches for a cell door, the other stops him and instructs him to leave "The American" alive for now. Instead, they move to the next cell and take a Russian prisoner.

The thinking here is that "The American" is Hopper, and that he was taken prisoner by the Russians at the conclusion of the season. It's not exactly the most glamorous life, but it means that he's still around and can one day return home to Eleven.

This scene also teases the story to come in the potential fourth season of Stranger Things. As it turns out, the Russians are testing something with the Upside Down. They take the prisoner down to a basement cage where a Demogorgon comes out of a tunnel to attack him. Either they're working on opening another portal, or they're somehow developing these creatures on their own. Regardless, it's a horrifying thought.

What did you think of the third season of Stranger Things? Let us know in the comments!