It’s been ages since I decided to write about a show, but there were several story inconsistencies that I noted while watching the latest season of Stranger Things that I felt it was warranted. Now don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the season but there were quite a few things that were “off” about it.
I’m mainly going to be focusing on Eleven in this post as that’s where I thought the most inconsistencies came about. As I am discussing the plot of the latest season, there will be spoilers.
Eleven and the Upside Down
In Season 1, we are introduced to the last individual of a government experiment. Over the seasons, her powers have been gradually decreasing. In Season 1 she can flip cars easily, but by Season 3 she can barely do some tasks until the point of Season 4 where she can’t use them at all. This is easy enough to explain away with the number of nose bleeds she gets. I only mention her powers as they play into what we discover in Season 4 since they are what caused the Upside Down.
The “first” gate we were told Eleven opened by accident when she connected with it psychically, but it turns out it wasn’t actually the first and the true gate as she purposefully opened one to deal with Number 001, 4 years prior to the events of Season 1. And we know from that same episode where this is revealed, that time does not move there as it’s stuck in the time when Will was set to Upside Down (same day as Eleven opening the gate in Season 1), which was in 1983 (not 1979 when she sent 001 to the Upside Down). So, when the hell did the Upside Down get created: the accident time in Season 1 (1983) or what we were shown in Season 4 (1979)?
If it was several seasons apart when this was being discussed that’s one thing, but literally within the same episode? Come on!
Eleven and her Mom/Powers
When Eleven uses her powers to their full capacity, she remembers her mom. This was a major plot point of Season 2. She went through a whole journey to discover who her mom is. And yet, she apparently already learned that information, according to Season 4. So, either she forgot 7 years of her life or it’s a major story inconsistency.
Not to mention, on that same journey to discover her mom, she learned about strengthening her powers.
So, both journeys of season 2 are meaningless for Eleven as she has apparently already done them once before. Why introduce this when it neglects her journey for the last three seasons? It makes no sense. I know people can block or repress memories, but a good portion of these I feel wouldn’t be something that would get forgotten. But I’m not an expert in memories and trauma, so I could be wrong. Still, it seems strange to reintroduce character milestones as they have already happened.
Speaking of powers…
The incident that sent Number One into the Upside Down, resulted in the death of every other kid in the experiment, so how the hell did Eight (Kali) escape? We met her in Season 2. Not to mention, none of the kids in Eleven’s flashback look like number Eight. So, where was she during this attack? This was clearly the incident that left Eleven as the only one left? It had to be before that incident as she mentioned she escaped sometime after Eleven stopped showing up to the Rainbow Room. But that doesn’t line up with what we’re shown in Season 4. Since the kids are kept together unless it’s grouped by abilities as we were told in previous seasons they had different abilities. As Kali could do illusions, while El could do telekinesis. But everyone we see in the experiment is doing telekinesis, including the stand-in for Kali (unless I’m wrong) but there is a kid that could be a younger version of her in a test designed for telekinesis. Something Kali cannot do, so why subject her to a test she will fail?
Eleven and Bullying
Season 1 started with Mike, Dustin, and Lucas being bullied. El decided to stand up for them by breaking their bully’s arm and then making him wet his pants. Before that happened she asked Mike why anyone would remotely bully another individual, and seemed shocked by it. But in Season 4, we learn El has been bullied most of her life so she knew what it was like to be bullied, which makes her reaction in Season 1 make no sense. Not to mention, why would she hide this fact from Mike in Season 4, he’s familiar with what it’s like. Hell, that’s how they fell for each other as Mike very much loved what she did to his bully. But when she strikes back at hers, he does understand why she would do that and comments that he has no idea who she is anymore.
Like… what?
They literally started out with her standing up to his bullies, and she does the same thing (granted slightly different) to her own. How is that not in character for her, Mike? That’s how the two of you bonded in the first place.
If you watched Stranger Things Season 4, what did you think? Did you think things were slightly off like me or did you not find issues with those things?
Love ya,
Mae Polzine
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