Netflix Officially Resurrects Stranger Things’ Most Hated Character in Season 5

by

Season 2 of Stranger Things revealed a new character, Kali, who helped explain Eleven’s origins. Like Eleven, Kali was a test subject at Hawkins National Laboratory, where she was known as Eight by Dr. Martin Brenner, and is one of only two known survivors. She appears in the episode “The Lost Sister,” which is often considered one of the most disliked episodes of the show due to its storyline and impact on the overall narrative.

The episode received negative reactions from both critics and viewers because it felt out of place in the season. Though important for developing Eleven’s character, it paused the main story at a bad time – right after a major cliffhanger where demogorgons invaded Hawkins Lab, trapping several key characters. This episode focused heavily on Eleven meeting Kali, slowing down the pace significantly. Kali didn’t reappear until much later, in Season 5, Episode 4, titled “Sorcerer.”

What Happened to Kali on Stranger Things?

At the beginning of Season 2, Eleven embarked on a solo journey. While staying with Terry’s sister, she discovered Terry was deeply unresponsive. Through a mental connection with her mother, Eleven saw a vision of Kali, interpreting it as a sign from Terry to seek out Kali and bring them together as a family.

So, Eleven eventually tracked Kali down to Chicago, and it turned out she’d built this whole crew of… well, let’s just say they weren’t exactly law-abiding citizens. They were all about getting back at people who’d done them wrong, and for Kali, that meant targeting the scientists from Hawkins Lab. The really cool thing was how she did it – she had this incredible ability to manipulate people’s perceptions, basically creating illusions. That’s how she managed to get out of Hawkins Lab before Henry… you know, before everything went down with the other test subjects. It was a seriously clever escape.

Kali welcomed Eleven like a sister and helped her navigate her confusing feelings about who she was. While Hopper wanted to keep Eleven safe and hidden, Kali pushed her to embrace her true self and confront those who had wronged her. At first, Eleven agreed, but she hesitated when it came time to act. They planned to break into the home of a former Hawkins Lab scientist and kill him, but Eleven stopped Kali when she discovered he had a family.

Even though Kali and Eleven had different ideas about dealing with their difficult pasts, they still deeply cared for each other. When Eleven left to help her friends in Hawkins, both were very upset. Kali disappeared after that, though Eleven briefly remembered Henry mentioning her. Later, in Season 5, Kali unexpectedly returned as a major reveal at the end of the first volume – she was the powerful person Dr. Kay had been secretly keeping hidden in the Upside Down.

Kali Can Help Bring Down Vecna

The creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, followed through on what they said they would do. A major complaint about Season 2 was that the character Kali disappeared and Eleven didn’t seem to care or try to find her or her mother. Even though Kali played a significant role in Eleven’s development in Season 2, the show needs to be cautious about how much they use her in the upcoming Season 5.

Kali’s ability to create illusions could be a key weapon against Vecna. She can potentially trap him by forcing him to relive his most terrifying memories – probably the one from the cave he avoids. However, making her central to defeating Vecna could mean less screen time for other characters. Kali has only appeared in one complete episode so far, and even with the extended length of the recent episodes, there may not be enough time to fully develop her role without overshadowing other important characters.

The Duffer Brothers made a good decision by bringing Kali back. It was better to give her storyline a proper conclusion, showing that Eleven’s encounter with her wasn’t meaningless. However, the show is starting to feel overcrowded with characters. Perhaps the most fitting role for Kali now would be a small part in the fight against Vecna, culminating in a selfless sacrifice to help Eleven.

The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 is available to watch on Netflix now. The second part will be released on December 25th, and the very last episodes of the series will premiere on December 31st.

Read More

2025-11-27 07:08