You know what day today is, right? Yes, Independence Day, but it’s also the day so many Stranger Things fans have been waiting for — the third season of the hit Netflix horror show is available for streaming in its entirety. We’re looking at eight more episodes of action that will certainly involve the Upside Down, and it’s all set in the summer of 1985. But you know what else Strange Things 3 has? An awesome post-credits scene that I’ve just watched, and I’m going to tell you all about it. Before we proceed, I’ll warn you that some spoilers will follow below, although they’re not major ones and they won’t ruin season 3. Think of it more like a trailer for future, equally strange things.
There I was, minding my own business when I heard via The AV Club that Stranger Things had a post-credits scene. That sounded intriguing enough for me to immediately load up Netflix and start streaming season 3. This is what a decade of post-credits scenes can do to you, a signature trick that superhero movies use to give audiences a sneak peek at future adventures. Add to that the magic of streaming services and you’ll find it hard to resist the temptation. By the way, this is your last chance to avoid tiny spoilers, so look away if you prefer to be surprised.
I haven’t watched anything from the new season, so I have no idea what Eleven & Co. will be up to. The first thing Netflix loads is the season 2 recap, which I instantly ditched before clicking through to episode 8, the last one in the season, in search of the post-credits scene. And let me tell you this: The scene is brilliant, potentially teasing a great twist in the story that would make perfect sense.
It’s a regular windy, snowy night in Kamtchatka Russia, with the camera taking us around what appears to be an army installation. Somewhere deep inside, two guards wearing uniforms that remind us of the Cold War era Russian army go to collect a prisoner from his holding cell, choosing the Russian one over an American who’s also locked up down there.
Nobody likes prison, but this guy would rather stay in his tiny cell then go with the guards. It’s almost as if he knows some bad stuff is about to follow. He’s dragged kicking and screaming through a corridor and down the stairs, and I follow along already suspecting where we’re heading.
Once they reach the lower levels, they lock him up in what appears to be a larger cage with lots of fresh blood on the floor and then open a massive steel door. Guess what’s hiding behind it? A hungry Demogorgon, of course. The camera fades to black just before feeding time starts.
As I said before, this isn’t really a massive spoiler for season 3. We’re hardly given any information about what happens in this season that precedes this scene, aside from the fact that an unknown American is alive in a cell and the fact that the Russians have captured a creature from the Upside Down.
We already know that Stranger Things is getting at least one more season, if not two. Whatever happens in the current season, it makes plenty of sense to bring in the Russians.
Think about it: this is a show set in the ’80s, several years before the Cold War ended. That means the Russians are spying more than ever, and they would report home on all these strange things happening in Hawkings, Indiana. They’re certainly going to want to get their hands on a Demogorgon and experiment with any associated paranormal events.
The credits scene will make a lot more sense once you’re done with the finale, of course. Remember not to skip over the credits of Stranger Things when the last episode ends so you can see the post-credits scene for yourself.
