I hope Eleven doesn't keep that slicked back hair - Stranger Things (2016) Discussion

[–] JohnnyCastle (393) 7 years ago

Well she didn't want to tell him what kind of trouble she got into. I don't expect her to keep that look. Probably will have her normal look, the way she looked at the Snow Ball dance which was "pretty...good"

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[–] Mister Babadook (2684) 7 years ago

Yeah she looked good at the dance, but that was a special occasion kind of look, i don't see her keeping her hair styled that way all the time. Her best look was with the coveralls and curly hair, i didn't mind her in the flannel shirts either, i thought she had a really cute comfortable look when she was at Hopper's cabin. I hope thats how she mostly looks in S3.

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[–] JohnnyCastle (393) 7 years ago

Eh idk. We'll have to see what S3 will be like. She was pretty much in isolation when she looked like that. Also in the care of Hopper. I can only speculate and tbh I'm usually way off on what a season will be like. I have no idea.

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[–] JohnnyCastle (393) 7 years ago

Well she didn't want to tell him what kind of trouble she got into. I don't expect her to keep that look. Probably will have her normal look, the way she looked at the Snow Ball dance which was "pretty...good"

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[–] Pantstrovich (14) 7 years ago

I don't think the slicked back hair looked very 80's. Maybe she should have a more 80's look, even though I like the shaggy hair too.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

Yeah, it was fine as a one-off in episode 7, but I was a little disappointed that was the look she had in her reunion with everybody. We got to know El with the curly hair, which is basically her defining look of the season, and then we don't have a single scene between she and Mike with it all season. We could have at least gotten a glimpse of it in the flash forward, maybe a scene between her and Hopper in the cabin informing her of the adoption?

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[–] Mister Babadook (2684) 7 years ago

Yeah i was really disappointed when she came through the door to finally reunite with everyone and she still had that punk look, it kind of took away from that moment with her having that one off look she had in ep 7.

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[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

She didn't exactly have time to pack a change of clothes when she ran. And she went straight from the bus station to the Byers house. Had she stopped to shower, brush her hair, and get dressed back at Hopper's cabin all her friends would've died horribly. Probably a good thing she didn't.

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[–] Mister Babadook (2684) 7 years ago

They could have easily written it where she got rid of that punk look before going back to save them, i mean something as simple as her messing her hair up would have been nice. Heck i mean why even have her change her appearance to a punk at all in ep 7?

Theres just alot that could have been changed to have it where she shows up looking like herself, they could have written it where she did pack some clothes.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

It's logical from a continuity standpoint based on the sequence of events that happened before it, but how things should have played out in episode 7 in the first place opens up yet another can of worms.

Although, something as simple as mussing up her hair on the bus gives symbolism that she wants to leave that whatever that world was behind her. The main point is the way they chose to play things out seems like a missed opportunity. El ends up interacting with the core group for zero scenes while sporting her defining look for the bulk of the season. If they couldn't do it for the reunion, we could have had a few moments of El back to normal prior to the snowball.

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[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

Trying to figure out who she is was the major theme of her trip. What's "normal" for Eleven is something she herself is struggling to establish. I mean everybody is at that age, but her even more so because of the extreme isolation of most of her life. Who knows what her style will look like in season 3? She probably won't adopt the punk look but she may keep some part of it. They've already said she will be more talkative and outgoing as she gets used to being around people.

What happened at the end of episode 7 wasn't so much a total rejection of her sister as the choice to follow a different path. El doesn't hate Kali, and wouldn't feel the need to quickly erase any part of her influence. I kinda liked that look actually. In the dark of the lab, with Hopper and his rifle at her side, it had sort of a Matrix vibe to it.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

I think for me it's less about whether that curly look is who she ultimately wants to be, but rather that we never got closure on it in a sense. It's like a signifier for a significant chapter in El's saga that she never got to share with some of the people most important to her. And even though I imagine she had a look probably similar to it in the time following the aftermath, we as an audience never got to see it.

As for the punk look, it's fun as the experimental makeover that it is but it doesn't feel right to me tonally in the context of the more serious events (keeping in mind that for me, something resembling a Matrix aesthetic you describe isn't my thing). It'd be like if we had Dustin running around with his snowball 'do in the climax of the show. If the story played out that something happened while he looked like that, I would get why he had it but that wouldn't stop me from thinking it that it takes something away from the moment just a little bit.

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[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

I can't see El walking around Hawkins sporting the punk rocker look - but it was pretty badass, perfect for heading into the bowels of the lab to confront the monster in its lair. Doesn't entirely suit her of course. That's why she left Kali's merry band. El can be a hardass when the situation call for it, but deep down she's basically kind and compassionate - executing a man lying helpless on the floor (even if he deserved it) just wasn't her.

I don't think you have to worry that Eleven will adopt her sister's makeover on a permanent basis. Although personally, I didn't find it distracting the way you obviously did. What I thought was interesting was the way she avoided Hopper's question about where the clothes and makeup came from. She told him about going to see Terry Ives but not her little bus trip to the Windy City. I wonder why? Got a feeling Eight is going to show up in Hawkins next season, and Hopper's lack of a heads up could be problematic.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

Yeah I don't think there's much dpubt the 008 storyline will be returning given how it was left. It is interesting as you say how El refrained from mentioning that aspect of her trip. Since they'll be doing another time jump, something will have to happen to unearth that storyline. Now that El's sense of home has been firmly established, I would imagine it would have to involve someone heading to Hawkins. I also feel the status of Brenner could play a role in future events as well, him being a common enemy and all.

Recent comments from the Duffers suggest season 3 may pull back on some of the world building and deal with coming-of-age elements, so I'm not sure if this is something they'll get to right away.

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[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

I think they've established the ultimate foe of the series in the Mind Flayer. The enemy whose defeat will bring the ST story to its conclusion. We don't even know how big the hive is. Does it control a handful of worlds or millions of them? If the Upside Down is indeed a recently conquered parallel version of our world they had all the things we do: soldiers, tanks, planes, nukes ... and it did them no good. They still lost. There's a giant collective organism, an apex predator that stalks and kills whole worlds, and it's right on our doorstep so to speak. Eleven was able to shut the door in its face (for now) but at some point it's going to be back.

Season 3 may very well focus on other things though, with the Upside Down threat on the back burner. There's certainly other stuff going on. Whether Eight comes to Hawkins or El seeks her out, I think we're definitely going to see them fighting side by side again. Somehow I doubt Brenner has retired to Florida and spends his days on the golf course. Until now the good doctor thought Eleven was dead. Knowing she's out there somewhere (after a tip from Ray) he may start looking for her again. Or El will eavesdrop on him and see him doing to a new protege the same things he did to her. Naturally, she'll want to go riding in like the cavalry and there's at least one person we know who would definitely be into that. El may use Terry Ives' file to track down any of the other special kids who are still alive and free. Better to go in with as much help as they can get. Right?

I'm sure we'll see some of Eleven trying to integrate into the town and live a normal life, but I can't see them turning this show into a typical teen drama. Wonder what will happen when she bumps into Troy, the bully who held a knife to Dustin? That could make for an amusing scene or two. When he sees who it is, he may pee his pants without any help from her. :)

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

I'm curious where the inciting incident is going to come from this time around given how season 2 ended and with things presumably going back to normal for another year. Either way, for my own enjoyment's sake I hope the show doesn't venture too far into the comic-book tone it brushed with in select moments this season.

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[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

I agree with you there. The obvious allusions to X-Men and Jean Grey don't need to be taken any further. Plenty of material for comic fans these days, including an upcoming Dark Phoenix X-Men movie. They should focus on developing those aspects of Stranger Things that make it different and unique. Not retreading ground that's already well covered.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

Absolutely. One of the great things about Stranger Things was how it had a different tone from the typical genre franchises that are everywhere today already.

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[–] TexasJack (12516) 7 years ago

Recent comments from the Duffers suggest season 3 may pull back on some of the world building and deal with coming-of-age elements

ruh roh! Sounds like a recipe for major suckage.

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[–] nauru-1 (160) 7 years ago

I guess it depends whether you would prefer Stranger Things be more Freak and Geeks with sci-fi/horror elements, or X-Men/Harry Potter set in a mid-west town. I'd much prefer the former, which feels more in spirit with season 1.

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[–] ridah (289) 7 years ago

It was an 80's reference to Terminator and the punk craze in the 80's, especially among teens and trouble youth. It's pretty likely she'll be back to normal in S3.

https://youtu.be/DabyWeto6Mw?t=4m11s

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[–] DracTarashV2 (4493) 7 years ago

I seriously, seriously doubt she will. She went through a short-lived punk phase.

The only way I can see her going back to that look, is if she rebels. Or supposing she meets up with Eight and is again influenced by her, then we shouldn’t expect her to keep that hairstyle. Personally, I thought she looked cool. Better yet... bitchin’.

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