A new image of Robin and Nancy in Stranger Things season 4 supports the upcoming installment’s major time travel theory. Each season of Stranger Things has taken on a slightly new genre as it ups the ante for the show’s supernatural phenomena, with season 4 looking to integrate more psychological and paranormal aspects to its horror side and seemingly time travel for its sci-fi elements. Stranger Things season 4’s promotional materials have had several overlapping elements in teasing the 2022 installment, with each subsequent reveal pointing to a significant new development in Hawkins: time travel.
On March 23, just two months before volume 1 of the highly-anticipated new season debuts, Netflix released a “photo dump” for Stranger Things season 4. The images featured several major reveals for the new characters, locations, and plot details, including a first look at the new Hawkins Hellfire Club leader at Hawkins High and a confirmation that Joyce and Murray fly to Russia to rescue Hopper. Netflix’s image teases also gave more looks at the character team-ups in Stranger Things season 4, with recurring investigative partners being Robin and Nancy, Max and Dustin, and Joyce and Murray. Like Stranger Things season 3, the setup for season 4 suggests the characters will be split on different adventures for the first volume, with the groups perhaps teaming up ahead of the second volume of episodes.
The image reveals for Stranger Things season 4 follows Netflix’s previous four teaser trailers, each of which focused on the different locations for the installment. The first Stranger Things trailer teased Hopper performing labor at a prison in Russia, the second revealed Dr. Brenner and Eleven’s siblings at Hawkins Lab, the third teased the Hawkins teens exploring the presumably haunted Creel House, and the fourth saw the Byers clan and Eleven in their new California home. Two of the upcoming locations have hinted at time travel in Stranger Things season 4, with the connections to and characters set at Creel House being the strongest – including the new image of Robin and Nancy.
How Stranger Things Season 3 Set Up Time Travel For Season 4
Even before Stranger Things season 4 began releasing promotional material, fans theorized that the end of season 3 was setting up time travel for the characters. While Stranger Things season 3’s 1985 setting lent itself perfectly to exhibiting Back to the Future’s premiere, the focus on this film seemed to be hinting at the series integrating its most important sci-fi element in season 4. Stranger Things season 4’s Creel House already connects back to the 1950s, which is a perfect parallel to Back to the Future’s 1950s and 1980s time traveling. Season 3 also showcased ‘80s pop culture with references to The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic time-traveling role. Many also theorized that Hopper’s death fakeout at the end of Stranger Things season 3 was accomplished through time travel, with the Upside Down possibly being a portal to the past or future. With theories that Hawkins’ characters may have been time-traveling since season 1, Stranger Things has clearly laid the groundwork for time-hopping, which may finally come to fruition in season 4.
Stranger Things Season 4's Time Travel Theory Explained
The theory of Stranger Things season 4’s time travel subplot truly began once Dr. Brenner’s teaser trailer was released, which depicted a seemingly past version of Hawkins Lab with a focus on a clock set to 3 o’clock. The ticking of the clock scored the trailer, which appeared to have a greater significance with Dr. Brenner calling Eleven, who was locked in her room, as this would have seemingly taken place years prior. The most significant support for Stranger Things season 4’s time travel theory came with the Creel House teaser trailer, which heavily depicted a mysterious grandfather clock in the attic of the abandoned home, with the Hawkins teens crowding around it. The teaser trailer cut back and forth between the 1950s with the original Creel family, seemingly with the father murdering his family, and the 1980s with the Hawkins teens investigating the house. The trailer ended with Stranger Things zooming in closer to the grandfather clock, also set to 3 o’clock, as the glass cracked and the setting transformed into the Upside Down. Many theorized this meant the grandfather clock was another portal to the Upside Down, while others believe it to be a relic of the Upside Down’s time-travel element.
The theories behind the purpose of time travel in Stranger Things season 4 vary, with some believing it to be the all-encompassing link between the various character groups and primary conflict. Time travel could explain how Hopper survived the explosion in Stranger Things season 3, be the tool that finally gives Eleven her powers back through visiting Hawkins Lab in the past, or finally reveal how to put the Upside Down’s connection with Hawkins to an end. The grandfather clock at Creel House seems to be the most important aspect of Stranger Things season 4’s time travel theory, which may connect back to how Brenner, Hawkins Lab, and even Russia fractured time by opening the gates to the Upside Down.
Stranger Things Season 4's Robin & Nancy Image Supports Time Travel Theory
Netflix’s released image of Robin and Nancy in Stranger Things season 4 depicts them at Pennhurst Mental Hospital, most likely visiting patient Victor Creel. Robin and Nancy have already been shown in the group exploring Creel House during Stranger Things’ teaser trailers, with Nancy’s investigative journalism skills from season 3 returning to solve the mystery of the Creel family, which has heavily hinted at connecting to time travel. What’s odd about Nancy and Robin’s image is that they’re wearing outfits that don’t fit with their typical 1980s fashion in the rest of the trailers and teaser images. Rather, their outfits seem to indicate an older style, potentially the 1950s, particularly for Stranger Things' rebellious character Robin.
Even more strange is that Nancy and Robin’s visitor tags have fake names on them, with Nancy’s labeling her “Ruth.” Victor Creel has likely been kept in the Pennhurst Mental Hospital since the 1950s after he seemingly murdered his family, so it’s possible that Nancy and Robin time-traveled back to the ‘50s to visit him in the hospital. Although Creel is still a patient in the 1980s timeline, the Stranger Things characters may have been sent back in time and decided to get answers from him then. It’s still possible that Nancy and Robin’s ‘50s costumes are part of an elaborate disguise in the 1980s to investigate Victor Creel, but it seems much more likely that this is another hint at Stranger Things season 4’s time travel plotline.
Stranger Things S4 Hints Creel House Will Be The Source Of Time Travel
The mysterious grandfather clock in Stranger Things’ Creel House has become one of the most prominent icons for season 4, hinting it will have an extremely important role in the installment’s supernatural horror elements. The time travel bits all connect back to Creel House, with the ‘50s outfits of Nancy and Robin, who are already linked to the location, seemingly confirming that the grandfather clock’s relationship with the Upside Down is what alters or fractures time. While Hawkins Lab opening the gate to the Upside Down in 1983 began Stranger Things’ story, Creel House’s 1950s timeline confirms that its supernatural components within Hawkins were established long before.
With Victor Creel seemingly playing an important role in Stranger Things season 4 as Nancy and Robin visit him, it’s possible he also connects back to the early days of Hawkins Lab’s past, which began its MKUltra experiments in 1953. While Eleven opened the Upside Down's gate at Hawkins Lab in 1983, Victor Creel may have experimented 30 years prior with the Upside Down and discovered a supernatural connection between time manipulation and the grandfather clock at his home. After 30 years, Stranger Things' teens have finally discovered this link between the Upside Down and Creel House, which is increasingly hinting at a portal for time travel.