Happy Friday, my fellow strangers! It’s Mrs. Strange again. On today’s episode for
Stranger Universe, I will theorize and talk about Doctor Brenner’s role in Stranger
Things season 4.
Before we start, please like, share, and subscribe to see more episodes from Stranger Universe.
Please turn on your notifications to attend premieres and get a chance to interact with
Mrs. Strange and other stranger fans. Help get this video to 1,000 views and likes if
you really want to see us release more Stranger Universe videos like this one. Don’t forget
to share this video across all social media platforms to help fans and viewers join our
strange family and find this great Stranger Universe content. And now, let us begin...
Yesterday was one of the best days ever for us fans of Stranger Things, because after
several long months of no major official news, we finally got another teaser for Stranger
Things 4. It reintroduced Doctor Brenner’s role in Eleven’s upbringing and theories
on how he will return to the series. Fans have proposed many theories on what happened
to him after his last real appearance in season 1, and the new teaser suggests he’ll be
coming back for more than just a flashback in season 4. Eleven and her surviving siblings,
as indicated by Eight’s vengeance in season 2, aren’t finished with Dr. Brenner, so
the next season will likely focus on resolving their tortured childhoods. The new teaser
features some of the young children who were Eleven’s “siblings” as test subjects
at Hawkins Lab. Halfway through the teaser, Brenner walks into the rainbow room greeting
the children. The scenario raises more questions than it answers; namely what happened to the
other lab kids and why Doctor Brenner has Eleven separated from the other children.
The trailer hauntingly ends with him asking, “Eleven, are you listening?”
Martin Brenner, played by Matthew Modine, was in charge of the controversial Project
MKUltra at Hawkins Lab, and indirectly led Eleven to release the Demogorgon while spying
on a Russian agent. He was the father figure not just for Eleven but for the other kids
as well, while exploiting and traumatizing them for scientific gain. The last time we
saw him was at the end of season 1 when he was attacked and presumably killed by the
Demogorgon. Because there was no blood when Brenner was attacked and a former colleague
suggested he was alive, fans have theorized his whereabouts, how he survived, and his
involvement in Stranger Things season 4. One theory suggests that Doctor Brenner is stuck
in the Upside Down. Building on the assumption that no blood was seen when Brenner was confronted
by the Demogorgon, his survival could mirror Eleven’s confrontation with the monster
at the end of season 1. If so, Brenner likely also would have been transported into the
Upside Down. This would make sense considering some former employees of Hawkins Lab know
of Brenner’s survival, and they have a mediocre knowledge of the Upside Down. It’s possible
Brenner made contact with Hawkins Lab officials to inform them of his survival and has been
conducting more experiments and tests in the alternate dimension.
Another theory suggests that he is in Russia. After the post credits scene in Stranger Things
3 with Russian prison guards mentioning “The American,” most fans speculated the prisoner
was Hopper, while others pointed to Doctor Brenner. Hopper was revealed to be laboring
at the Russian prison facility in Stranger Things’ first season 4 teaser, but that
doesn’t discount Brenner also being taken to the facility. Some Hopper theories suggest
he was transported to Russia and captured through the Upside Down, which may be what
happened to Dr. Brenner in season 1. The Russians have obviously learned to contain the Demogorgans
and use them against prisoners, and this knowledge may have willingly or unwillingly
been passed on by Brenner. Speaking of which, could he be helping the Russians out in stopping
Eleven? Though Brenner used El’s powers to spy on Russians in Stranger Things season
1, he may have changed allegiances or been a spy. He would be an important asset to the
Russian use of Demogorgans considering his extensive knowledge of the Upside Down and
Eleven as a weapon. She has temporarily lost her powers which makes her less of a threat
to the Russians and Upside Down, but the Russians and Brenner have no knowledge of this change.
Brenner knows the general extent of her powers and would know how to manipulate them, as
he was instrumental in shaping and growing them.
If the theories of Brenner being in Russia and involved in assisting the Soviets are
correct, Brenner will likely come into direct contact with Hopper, who has much resentment
and vengeance against the scientist. Hopper killing Brenner would be a way of officially
transferring Eleven’s father figure status to Hopper. Brenner “raised” Eleven until
she was about 11 or 12 years old, but she and Hopper formed an emotional bond much more
akin to a parent-child relationship. If Brenner is a leader in the Russian effort, Hopper
may need to kill him to escape the prison or to stop Brenner from pursuing Eleven. Brenner
may consider himself Eleven’s “Papa,” but nobody cares for El’s wellbeing more
than Hopper. Hopefully, we should be able to get our answers sometime in the near future
when season 4 finally comes out. Overall, very exciting times.
And that is all that we have for today. What are your theories on Doctor Brenner’s role
in Stranger Things 4? Are we just seeing flashbacks to Eleven’s time at the Lab or could Brenner
be back and working from the shadows.
Today’s special shout-out is for Ana Maria.
Comment down below to become our next special Stranger Universe shout out. Follow us at
struniverse on Twitter and Instagram to stay updated with us every day.
Click on our discord link in the video description or the comments section below to join the
official Stranger Universe discord server. Also, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Please turn on notifications to never miss another Stranger Universe video again. Help
get this video to 1,000 views and likes if you really want to see us release more Stranger
Universe videos like this one. Don’t forget to share this video across all social media
platforms to help fans and viewers join our strange family and find this great Stranger
Universe content.
I am Mrs. Strange, and this is Stranger Universe.