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A Few Thoughts!

posted 7 years ago by Bowilly (171)
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I was a little disappointed with the reunion between Mike and Eleven, all of their scenes together felt extremely rushed particularly at the dance. I thought they did a great job with the dance sequence overall, Dustin getting to dance with Nancy was a complete surprise and the soundtrack they chose was amazing. Eleven’s entrance to the dance was very sweet, when she sees Mike you can see her breathing heavily with anticipation.
When Mike tells her “you look beautiful” immediately you see her shyness return. I wish they had kept building on this moment before the kiss takes place, again I felt their time on the dance floor was cut a little short.

I have to agree with most that episode 7 was a little disappointing. Now that we know there are more test subjects like Eleven, just knowing is good enough for me and I really don’t care to see them become part of the story. When we were introduced to Eleven her powers made her unique and a little mysterious. Now, part of the mystery has been taken away and I’m disappointed that they felt it was necessary to reveal the others like Eleven so soon. If there is a positive side to this episode, this part of the story does manage to steer Eleven in the right direction. She comes to realize that the people that truly care about her are back in Hawkins and that her Aunt and the one she called sister, their concerns for her weren’t real. Her sister being older and streetwise immediately seized the opportunity to influence Eleven by using her vulnerability against her. I really didn’t care for this part of the story and I found nothing appealing about the character 008 or her gang, hopefully we have seen the last of them.

Now that Season 2 is complete, I do think it was a good follow up to Season 1 despite a few disappointments. I wonder what direction the story is headed for next season? If I had to guess I think a good portion will focus on Eleven adjusting to her new life in the real world. Now that Hopper has adopted her I wonder if we will see her attending school at some point. That could be a very interesting storyline where Mike is concerned as I’m sure there will be others seeking Eleven’s attention, could be interesting to see how that plays out for both of them if it were to become part of the story. Also will the Mind Flayer pay Eleven a visit? I think that’s very likely!

In Season 1 Eleven quickly became my favorite character. I absolutely love the contrast between her feistiness and shy nature and even though Eleven can be extremely feisty deep down she has a gentle soul that will always be a part of her, a part of her that even Brenner himself couldn’t destroy. I love the way Eleven was conceived and written for the screen, her compassion for others is her most revealing trait and she still remains my favorite character.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

I didn't see El leaving her "sister" to return to Hawkins, or even taking off from her aunt's house, as a rejection or an indication that either one didn't care about her. Becky Ives was a broken woman. She wasn't really up to the task of taking on responsibility for her niece, which is why she was trying to get in touch with Hopper (the last place Eleven wanted to be at that moment). Kali, a.k.a. Eight, wasn't trying to use her so much as assuming that her way was also the right way for El. Killing in self defense was one thing. But killing a helpless man, even if he deserved to die, wasn't something she could bring herself to do. Eleven doesn't hate Kali. She just can't follow the same path.

I'm sure we're going to see Eleven starting high school with her friends. It'll be her first day of school ever. Expect at least a few fish out of water situations for her to navigate. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mind Flayer tries getting inside her head; it can't take control by brute force like it did with Will, she has to surrender willingly. Maybe Mike will be the one saving her next season. Pulling her back from the edge of getting lost in the hive mind. Remember the black cloud that was driven out of Will and went streaking away from Hopper's cabin? I don't think they would have showed us that unless it was significant. That swarm went somewhere.

Plus they've already said Brenner is alive and will be back (in the flesh) during season 3. This is what I think they were setting up for, introducing Eight and her gang. Either Brenner comes for them and they team up to protect each other or they take the fight to him first. Maybe we'll see at the beginning of the season that Eleven has been eavesdropping on Brenner ever since she returned to Hawkins. Something she witnesses makes taking him down an urgent priority. Like maybe he's re-started the experiments that led to the gate being opened, believing this time he can control where it opens to.

[–] Bowilly (171) 7 years ago

I really didn’t have a problem with Eleven’s Aunt as much as I did with her sister, but even in Season 1 to me her aunt seemed to give bad vibes like she may be someone that you can’t fully trust. She may indeed had Eleven’s best interest in mind but it just seemed to me that she had rather get rid of her than to accept her as family, or maybe it’s just me.

I don’t know, I do think Eleven felt rejection particularly with her sister or at the very least disappointment. When Kali didn’t respect her decision not to kill the man and then scolded her in the process, I believe Eleven seen for the first time what her sister really stood for. Kali might have cared about Eleven in a sense, but clearly she didn’t hesitate to put her own agenda before Eleven’s well being.

Due to their upbringing I don’t think either of them fully understand the difference between right and wrong, but what’s inside of them guides them through the decisions that they make. Where as Eleven felt compassion for the two children in the photo Kali did not, I believe that was the moment for Eleven that weakened the bond between them.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 7 years ago

Becky Ives just seems like she's burnt out and depressed. I don't think she's capable of seeing to the needs of a child, and probably knows it.

Kali is an interesting character. She seems to live by a code. As I pointed out in another thread, she could easily use her abilities to hurt the people pursuing her (by tricking them into hurting themselves) but she sticks to illusions that let her and her gang escape. She punishes only the guilty - at least in a direct way, not counting children she might be orphaning - and values freedom of choice more than anything else. That's what she was angry at Eleven about, not for refusing to kill that guy Ray but for stopping her too. Taking away her choice.

What El realizes is that her "sister" is not a bad person, but she's driven by anger and it often blinds her. Everything phantom Brenner said about festering wounds applies more to Kali than to her. No matter how many of the "bad men" she kills she's never going to find peace. Eleven can be tough when she needs to be, but deep down she's basically kind and full of empathy. Everything she's experienced since leaving Hawkins has made her realize she has a home, and people who love her, and even with all the complications of her life there, it's where she wants to be. Eleven feels no animosity toward Kali and probably hopes she'll change in time. But for now, they have to part ways.