NetflixThe Duffer brothers just proved everyone wrong about Stranger Things’ “worst” moment, with Season 5 Volume 1 finally correcting the show’s most divisive storyline – and it all comes down to 008.
The time has arrived: Stranger Things Season 5’s first four episodes are out now. It’s a monumental moment in TV history, so much so that the sudden influx of viewers caused Netflix to crash.
There’s a lot going down in Volume 1: mysterious “new” characters, answers to questions we’ve had since Season 1, and a banging ‘80s soundtrack to match, all of which culminates in an epic mid-season finale.
One climatic moment ties back to the single storyline that is considered to be the Netflix show’s biggest misstep: Kali, better known as 008. Her Season 2 arc was widely criticized, but Season 5 Volume 1 finally redeems it in a way no one saw coming. Warning: spoilers ahead!
Forgotten 008 plot matters again after Stranger Things Season 5 twist
NetflixIn Season 5 Episode 4, we find out that Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) has Kali, 008 (Linnea Berthelsen) imprisoned, using her brain to study her powers in the hunt for Eleven, and she’s set to play a bigger part in Volume 2 onwards.
So, while Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) lost sister has often been written off as Stranger Things’ worst detour, by making her arc matter again, the Duffers prove there was always a point to her introduction.
For the uninitiated, Kali was introduced in Season 2 as another child experimented on at Hawkins Lab. Unlike Eleven’s telekinesis, Kali’s power is illusion-casting – she can make people see things that aren’t really there.
The problem wasn’t Kali herself, but the execution and her peers. Her standalone episode, ‘The Lost Sister’, felt disconnected from the main story, with many viewers arguing that it derailed the season’s pacing, especially given that she wasn’t brought back.
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As said by one Redditor, “I think the biggest problem with her is that the plot point got dropped. ‘The Lost Sister’ wouldn’t have faced nearly as much criticism if she had actually played a role afterwards.”
NetflixAnother commented, “The whole side plot just felt like it was its own show. It didn’t fluidly feel intertwined within the original plot.”
For years, it’s been considered Stranger Things’ biggest misstep… until now.
In Season 5 Volume 1, Eleven enters the mind of Lt. Robert Akers (Alex Breaux), where she discovers that the military has been hiding “Kryptonite” in Dr. Kay’s greenhouse.
Believing Vecna could be behind the door, she and Hopper (David Harbour) break into the base, only to discover that the lab’s sound technology disables the powers of anyone who has them: including Eleven.
They still manage to make it through, but they’re shocked to discover it’s not Vecna: it’s Kali. She’s unconscious and hooked up to a machine, with her powers undoubtedly subdued in the same way Eleven’s have been.
Kali plays “important role” in Volume 2
NetflixIt appears Dr. Kay has been using 008 as a means to get to Eleven, but there are still so many questions to be answered by Volume 2. One thing’s certain: Kali will be playing a significant role moving forward.
Speaking to Deadline, Ross Duffer said, “We’ve always wanted to bring her back because Linnea’s an incredible performer. We wanted to give her another chance to shine, but we talk about it every year, every season.
“We didn’t want to just put her in, to put her in. We wanted her to have a real impact on the narrative and on Eleven’s journey. As we hit this final season, it felt wrong to not bring her back.”
“It would have felt like, ‘Oh, there was just this loose end or a mistake episode,’ and we didn’t want that,” he continued.
“We didn’t feel like we could end the story of Stranger Things without bringing her back into the fold. As you get into the second volume, you really see how she fits into the narrative and Eleven’s journey, and she plays a really important role moving forward.
“Linnea’s awesome, so it’s definitely a big swing for this season, but one we’re excited about.”
Millie Bobby Brown also commented on her on-screen sister’s return, stating, “It was really, really exciting. The Duffers don’t bring anyone back for no reason. [Kali]’s definitely utilized heavily within the season.
“It’s really exciting because I don’t think Eleven has much family in her life, or at least people that entirely understand what she’s been through. One of those people honestly being Will, and not even Mike truly understands what she’s been through.
“So I think Will and Kali are the two people that know that trauma and so I think every scene I had with her felt more emotional and more intense than the rest.”
The decision to bring her back has gone down well, proving that the single mistake from the Netflix series has been fixed in the eyes of many Stranger Things fans.
“As soon as Hopper questioned how Vecna would be capable of abducting all the children from behind the kryptonite door, I was like, it’s got to be 008. You know it’s someone who has powers given the door, and Vecna didn’t seem likely for multiple reasons,” said one.
Netflix“I mean, the Duffer brothers said all questions were supposed to be answered and all loose ends would be tied up, so bringing 008 back (despite the response to her, which to be fair, I feel like is less to do with the concept, and more to do with the execution) makes sense.”
“I couldn’t be happier. Kali had too much potential on her own to be left in the lurch,” wrote another, while a third added, “I love how they included her, let’s hope they pay it off.”
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is streaming on Netflix now, with Volume 2 set to drop on Christmas Day. In the meantime, find out if anyone died in Volume 1, our ranking of the best Stranger Things characters, and the best Stranger Things episodes.