Stranger Things stars promise series-long burning questions will be answered in season 4

The stars and creators of Stranger Things know fans have questions, ones that have been lingering since season 1. Well, we're finally getting at least some answers.

Speaking on season 4 amid a virtual presentation put on for press during filming in June 2021, showrunner Matt Duffer promised viewers will "learn more this season than we ever have about our mythology."

"We've learned a lot about the Upside Down and what this evil that has been threatening Hawkins all these years really wants," he said, standing beside his brother and brother-in-arms, series co-creator Ross Duffer. "It's exciting for us in that way, there's a lot of story being uncovered here."

Joe Keery reiterated that point in an interview. "I think this is a season where there is a lot thematically, things from other seasons, that are starting to come together," he mentioned. "I was really excited to see these little threads that the Duffers have been placing throughout the show, seeing those start to converge into this one thing."

Season 4, which we now know is the penultimate season split into two parts, picks up with our characters having splintered off into three locations.

Folks like Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max (Sadie Sink), Steve (Keery), and Robin (Maya Hawke) have all stuck around the town of Hawkins, Ind. as a new mystery involving the Upside Down emerges. Joyce (Winona Ryder) is trying to enjoy her new life in California with her family: Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). And then there's Hopper (David Harbour), who's been captured by the Russians and forced into manual labor in the brutal wasteland of Kamchatka.

There's clearly a lot of new elements fans haven't seen coming this season, which kicks off with Volume 1 on May 27. But Brown prefaces, "It always leads back to the Upside Down."

"Eleven is… Her character arc this season is incredible, and you guys definitely get to see things that you have been questioning," she said. "You get answers, which is super great. And it was also really nice for me to be filming that and to understand more of Eleven's background."

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