SEASON 2: Episode 7 [APPRECIATION POST]

march, 22/2018

Hello there Stranger Things Amino! I'm back with a new post that I've wanted to do since a long time ago!

STRANGER THINGS S2: EPISODE 7 - THE LOST SISTER APPRECIATION POST

OVERVIEW

The Lost Sister is the most hated Stranger Things episode so far! I'm pretty sure most of the people who hated it didn't fully understand it and I want it to make it clear and give reasons why it should be appreciated.

This episode was something new in the series. The Duffers wanted to extend the story, move it outside Hawkins and give us more about Eleven's backstory. Even though the whole episode was full of 80s refferences it overall had a different atmosphere with different characters, only keeping Eleven. It also gave us lots of plot options for the next seasons and made us ask ourselves lots of questions after finding out that there are more text subjects and that Dr. Brenner is alive.

If you've got a bad opinion on this episode then I suggest you to keep on reading because I'm going to give you some reasons why it is indeed a really great episode and it should be seen from a different point of view!

THE PLOT & MEANING

So first of all, this episode is important in Eleven's story and the events that happen in it are in fact important for her. She gets to know a lot of her past, finds a "sister" and goes through a lot of emotions and experiences that change her completly. At the end of the episode she finally defines herself and realises where her place is. She becomes more powerful as a person (speaking of her personality) and also learns how to use her powers better.

This episode was so epic from this point of view and Millie Bobby Brown acted Eleven's emotions very well. What I liked the most was how some of the scenes were executed because of how emotional they were and I'm really proud of the Duffers for making something like this. I usually don't cry while watching stuff but I was about to cry at how beautiful the scene when Eleven moves the train was. The music and the flashbacks along with Eleven's screams were wonderful. An epic scene that should not be forgotten. It was that point of Eleven's life in which she could finally unleash the anger inside her.

This scene in which Kali teaches Eleven how to use her powers better is actually a refference to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It's really similar to Yoda teaching Luke the ways of the force, the only difference is that in our case we can pretty much take this as a Sith training other than Jedi because the Sith think that their emotions make them stronger and they rely on them (yeah, I'm a huge Star Wars fan).

So, taken like this, Eleven can be called the "hero" because after all, she closes the Portal at the end. Eleven pretty much had her "Hero Journey" in this season and this episode is the point in which she learns the knowledge she needs in order to finish it. Of course, in our case it will still continue.

ELEVEN & KALI

The relationship between these two is pretty interesting. What ruins everything new in this show is that people are obsessed with shipping and making Steve a mom and forget this one beautiful relationship which is something special.

Kali and El knew each other ever since they were at the Lab but all they were left with were very few memories. I'm pretty sure that Kali didn't forget Eleven after she escaped because she must have been the only other test subject she knew and that's why when she and El finally met she told her that she feels whole now.

Another beautiful scene is Kali showing El her powers with "Outside the Realm" by Big Giant Circles playing on the background (easter egg: Ashly Burch from Life is Strange sings the song and there's also a blue butterfly!)

Kali is very happy to be together with her and so is El. They both had similar fates but dealt in different ways with them. Kali's mistake is that she thinks that Eleven is just like her and that her way of living life would fit her, but of course it didn't.

Many would see Kali's actions in a bad way: using Eleven so she could kill more of her enemies with her powers and also playing with her emotions when she made Brenner appear. I can say that it might have been atleast a bit like that but Kali really did want to "save" her sister in the way she thought was right and the Brenner part was a kind of lesson for El, she tried to warn her that she still is in danger and that she should face her fears.

Kali was heartbroken after Eleven left and I'm sure that she's sorry. I hope that in the next season we'll hear more about her and that she will look for El.

"No, but I can save them."

Eleven understood that she does not belong to the outcasts when she saw Ray's children and recongised herself, an innocent child who doesn't deserve to be left without a family.

THE CHARACTERS

I'm pretty sure that the new characters are what bothered the haters the most. They're way different than what we've had before in the show and that's understandable. I've also seen a video on YouTube in which it was said that compared to the other characters in Stranger Things that were really relatable and seemed very real these weren't at all. However, looking behind the story of these outcasts they are indeed interesting and I'd like to say a few words about them.

So first of all, what I like the most about the Duffers is that they find a meaning and refference behind every character. All these outcasts were refferences to other characters in 80s movies (not really sure which ones but I've seen some videos on that) and the masks they wore were aswell.

At first sight, these characters seem those annoying murderers which aren't relatable at all but what I've learned from this show is that you shouldn't judge by the first impression created. For example, Hopper seems like a tough and strong guy on the outside but he actually is really sensitive. Same is with these characters and any other villain in general. They all had a similar fate to Kali and Eleven, all of them lost, not accepted by others, wanting revenge over those who did them bad things.

After Eleven becomes part of their group we become to see them differently. At first, they are just the image of those iconic 80s outcasts: mercyless and vengeful. Let's not forget that they were some time ago just like Eleven but they had something different that made them become like this. I can see them relate to El after they meet her properly and behave nicer to her even though they took advantage of her powers. I feel that they were actually happy when they had Eleven in their group.

EXPANDING THE STRANGER THINGS UNIVERSE

This episode gave us a lot more: more text subjects (Kali and other than that, the ones in those old newspapers might be possible text subjects), Dr. Brenner is alive and also other bad men, what happened to Eleven's mother and more about what happened in the MK Ultra project. The Duffers knew well what plot ideas for the next seasons to give and took advantage of this oportunity given by Episode 7.

I really do want to find out more about MK Ultra, it's really interesting and I want to see Brenner again. Some people don't want these to happen though, they want to give a break to the characters but the action is important, without it the show would be boring. Stranger Things isn't a show in which things are meant to go well and characters to be happy. It has to be STRANGE.

I hope that you liked my blog and that I made you change your mind atleast a bit and see this episode from a different point of view!

#AppreciationPost