Stranger Things Season 2 concludes with a dramatic finale that raises numerous questions about the storyline established in the first season, particularly regarding the true origins of Eleven and the experiments conducted at Hawkins National Laboratory.
Will’s mother is destined for a new happiness, yet she suffers tremendously. Hopper and Eleven have now become a familial unit, akin to a father and daughter, as they navigate the complexities of teenage life within the confines of the AV Club.
However, the film’s conclusion, featuring the ominous Shadow Monster lurking in Hawkins’ Upside Down, has left audiences with many lingering thoughts, along with numerous questions that remain unanswered. Below is a compilation of insights that may help viewers better understand certain aspects of the film’s finale in Episode 9.
1. Barb’s Death and the Threat of Hawkins Laboratory
Barb’s brutal death in Season 1 left a lasting impact, particularly due to the gruesome nature of her demise at the hands of the Demogorgon. Many fans rallied on Twitter under the hashtag “Justice 4 Barb,” while the production team cleverly intertwined this plot point with Jonathan and Nancy’s investigation into Hawkins’ laboratory.
This season has shown that Hawkins Laboratory will never return to its former glory and that no one will seek a way to reopen the gateway to the Upside Down unless someone possesses Eleven’s unique abilities.
2. Joyce and Hopper
Bob is a character well-developed in both personality and appearance, and everyone assumed Joyce would find solace in his arms following the traumatic events. However, the way he meets his end is particularly gruesome. While his death is significant and serves as a catalyst for Joyce’s determination to confront the Shadow Monster for Will, the abruptness of his demise feels overly sudden for a character who was otherwise engaging. The producers had to quickly establish another character to provide emotional support for Joyce, leaving only Hopper as a viable option.
Hopper has known Joyce since high school, and they frequently reminisce about their past while sharing cigarettes. Since Season 1, Hopper has been impulsively searching for Will, often rushing into dangerous situations like the highly secured Hawkins laboratory where the Shadow Monster lurks.
Now, with Bob’s loss, both characters must confront the fact that they need each other more than ever, especially as Hopper has taken on a fatherly role for Eleven, highlighting his struggle with the concept of “parenting.”
3. Dr. Owens: Benevolent or Malevolent?
While all the staff in the laboratory have perished, Dr. Owens has managed to survive somewhat mysteriously, even when Hopper confronts him about a briefcase containing a demo dog. Can he truly be trusted? Is he hiding something? Throughout Season 2, Owens’ behavior has been somewhat ambiguous, particularly as he continues to interact with the laboratory’s surviving members while simultaneously overseeing Will’s treatment.
We only know that Owens will appear in the upcoming season and is the only character aware that Eleven is still alive, which raises the question: Is he reporting to the so-called “Papa”? Hopefully not, as that would undermine Hopper’s credibility.
4. Kali and Other Unique Individuals
Season 2 features a notably different tone, especially in Episode 7 titled “The Lost Sister.” In this episode, we learn that aside from Jane, there are several other unique individuals that Kali interacts with.
Kali possesses the ability to make others see illusions at her command. With many individuals still out there, are they alive or dead? This could be a significant reason why the Duffer Brothers dedicated an entire episode to explore Kali’s relationship with Jane.
With Jane now established as a legitimate citizen rather than merely a laboratory experiment, she is entirely free to seek out the other unique individuals. Thus, the siblings may unite to completely eradicate the threats posed by the Upside Down while also uncovering the whereabouts of Papa and the mysteries surrounding his experiments.
5. The Shadow Monster’s Appearance in the Finale
Eleven has yet to defeat the Shadow Monster; she merely attempts to fend it off as it seeks to penetrate the human realm, thus endangering the Demo-Dogs. The Shadow Monster’s emergence has created significant chaos for the residents of Hawkins.
At this point, numerous questions arise: Why Hawkins, and not elsewhere? Does the Shadow Monster still exist in the human realm? Perhaps, when Will is infected with the virus, the creature will infiltrate the human domain instead of utilizing its powers as it did with Will earlier.
Moreover, if we speculate further, viewers may notice the vehicles that appear in the Upside Down, which seem reminiscent of the 1950s, contrasting sharply with the 1980s vehicles in the human realm. This leads to the theory that the Upside Down is a parallel dimension that has been trapped in the 1950s, while Joyce and Hopper are currently exploring the 1980s. It is highly likely that during this time, significant events have occurred that could link to the storyline in Season 3.
