Stranger Things theory may reveal a huge clue about this character’s fate after the finale

Warning: this story contains spoilers for season three of Stranger Things. 

Stranger Things officially returned this week - and it was definitely worth the wait. But as happy as we were to be able to return to Hawkins, it all ended on a heartbreaking note - and we're going to need answers ASAP. Last warning: the rest of this story (as in, right below this photo) contains spoilers for season three.      ....still here? Okay, don't say we didn't warn you about the spoilers...       The last episode of season three seemingly killed off Chief Jim Hopper after the machine Joyce ultimately used to save the day  exploded. Thankfully, though, it looks like there may be hope for Hopper yet. The mid-post credits scene took fans to a snowy, remote Russian facility where guards were trying to decide who they were going to feed to their guest from the Upside Down. When one of the guards goes to open the door of a cell, the other tells him: "not the American." Instead, they drag another guy down the stairs and leave him with a Demogorgon who - we're going to assume, based off what looked to be all the blood on the floor - ate him alive.

Jim Hopper - Season 3 #StrangerThings pic.twitter.com/HBcyDyHo7i

— best of david harbour (@bestofharbour) July 3, 2019

But as for the "American"? Fans are convinced that that's actually Hopper - especially after Grigori, the Terminator-esque hit man, called him 'The American' a number of times. Plus, since he died in the Russian's underground lair in the mall and there was no body...well, it would make a lot of sense for him to be alive. Especially after Us Weekly found this throwback to season one. Back in season one, when the police find a body in the water that everyone - bar Eleven - thinks is Will. The director of the episode, Shawn Levy, picked an emotional Peter Gabriel cover of David Bowie's Heroes to play over the scene. In 2016, the Duffer brothers told Entertainment Weekly:

"This may very well be the most emotional episode of the season, and a lot of that has to do with the ending. Shawn picked that Peter Gabriel cover of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and played it over some of our favourite shots from the show. “When Jonathan hugs Joyce, their bodies silhouetted by the car headlights, and the camera slowly cranes up to reveal distant sirens … it gives us goose bumps every time we watch it.”

Ultimately, it was revealed that Will is still alive - and the song became associated with death fakeouts. Then again, in season three of episode eight, the song plays again - this time, as a heartbroken Eleven is reading Hopper's letter. Combined with the post-credit scene, he has to still be alive...right??