There's an eerie mystery to both of these places that suggests they're one and the same. Perhaps Lynx is using the glossy sheen of the mall as a cover to carry out its schemes. That's a scary thought when you remember just how many people—including the core Stranger Things kids—hang out at the mall. Evil (might) be happening right under their noses.
2. A zombie infection will break through from the Upside Down. This theory comes straight from Reddit, and points to two episode titles from season three—"The Bite" and "The Battle of Starcourt"—as its primary evidence. We've seen Demogorgons and Demodogs use their teeth to kill people, but the show hasn't emphasized the physical bite until, presumably, now.
So why is that? Is it perhaps because people who are bitten by Demogorgons but live turn into Demogorgons themselves? And building on that, is the "battle" at Starcourt actually between humans and creatures from the Upside Down? It's entirely possible the Starcourt Mall is just a shield for alternative universes—more evidence this new place is not what it seems.
3. Joyce wants to skip town. If this is true, we totally understand why. After all, her son Will was lost in the Upside Down in season one and kept having terrifying visions in season two. Also, let's not forget her boyfriend, Bob, suffered a terrible death at the hands of a vicious Demodog. Reddit user TheHairyManrilla thinks that might be enough to push Joyce out of Hawkins for good. Plus, she might be out of a job if she stays: The Starcourt Mall will no doubt affect the livelihoods of everyone who works in retail.
Netflix via Everett
4. Something happens to Max and Billy's mom. An episode title serves as the main meat for this theory too. After Netflix revealed the episode list of Stranger Things's third season, fans were confused by the first, which is titled "Suzie, Do You Copy?" Who the hell is Suzie? The only character with that name on the show is Max and Billy's mother, Susan Hargrove. And because the phrase, "Do you copy?" implies something is wrong, put two and two together. Ms. Hargrove could absolutely be the one who's in trouble—unless, of course, there's a new character named Suzie. That's also possible.
