Stranger Things: Why ‘008’ Is Essential To The Plot
This post contains minor spoilers for season four of Stranger Things. It also heavily discusses content from season two, so if you have lived under a rock and haven’t watched that far, stop now.
It has been three weeks since Netflix released the final two episodes of the hit sci-fi drama Stranger Things. If you’re like millions of others across the globe, you have already watched (or even rewatched) the most recent season. I, myself, am a passionate fan of the show. I love reading fan theories, watching interviews with the cast, and considering others’ opinions about the show. However, there is one popular opinion that I cannot see both sides on or even consider.
In season two, episode seven, Eleven goes to Chicago and meets Kali or “008,” a former patient in Hawkins Lab with Eleven. During the episode, Kali helps Eleven strengthen her powers while encouraging her to take revenge on the men who hurt them in their past. Eleven ultimately decides to leave and Kali is never seen again. Since the release of season two, fans have questioned why the seemingly stand-alone episode was made in the first place. Now, many are going as far as to say the episode should never have existed at all. I have to respectfully, but strongly, disagree.
Until the release of season four, viewers had almost no information about the lab or its patients other than Eleven. The introduction of Kali opened up a world of possibilities about the lab and the other patients. Without this episode, viewers wouldn’t have had any questions about the lab or other patients answered until the release of season four. This would NOT have gone over well with fans.
In season four, Vecna also explains that the other children in the lab were created using his DNA. This reveal explains Kali’s powers more, since one of Vecna’s abilities includes making people see things that aren’t really there. As you know and I know, clocks especially. Showing Kali’s powers foreshadowed Vecna and his powers.
Episode seven also showed the love and care Eleven had for her friends. As a woman of few words, it can be difficult at times to get a gauge on Eleven’s thoughts or feelings. By choosing to leave her “sister,” the only person who could relate to her and someone she considered family, it is clear how deeply she loves her friends in Hawkins.
After four seasons of Stranger Things, we know that the Duffer Brothers are story-telling geniuses. Even if you disagree with my points, it is unlikely that they would include an episode without a good reason. Here’s to hoping we see a final character arc for Kali in season five.
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