‘Stranger Things’ cast members confirm and refute fan theories, starting with it just being an ‘elaborate D&D game’

The Stranger Things cast have done something that almost no creatives do: address fan theories.

In a video produced by Vanity Fair, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, and Joseph Quinn read and discuss Reddit and Twitter fan theories about their hugely popular sci-fi series. The first theory they address is that the events of the show take place inside a Dungeons & Dragons game. “The kids are actually all grown up and fantasizing about their imagined childhood nightmares,” the theory reads.

“Love this theory,” Keery replies and Hawke seconds.

The next theory is that Eleven will become the villain of the series, “whether of her own accord or under the control of the Mind Flayer.” Quinn calls this the most feasible theory, with which Hawke agrees and adds, “The hardcore killing that happens in the flashback is . . . maybe indicative of such a thing.”

After quickly addressing more or less plausible theories like Robin being a spy and Steve wearing Eddie’s jacket as a memorial, the cast respond to a Twitter theory purporting that “Max gets powers and becomes an avatar sort of person for the Mind Flayer.” Hawke doesn’t like that idea, calling it “unsupported.” “No one’s gotten powers,” she continues. Keery raised a counterpoint that her step-brother William kind of did, which Hawke concedes. “Runs in family,” Dyer adds. This gets the rest of the cast nodding.

See if any of these theories are true when season 4 of Stranger Things drops on Netflix, the first volume on May 27 and the second on July 1.