Is Kali Good or Evil in Stranger Things?

The final season of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things‘ ties up a lot of loose ends, referencing the things that have been building up since the first season. One of the major plot points it revisits is the existence of Kali, aka Number Eight, who first appeared in the second season’s ‘The Lost Sister.’ When Eleven left her behind to return home to Hawkins, it seemed that Kali was out of the picture for good. There were no updates about her in the third and fourth seasons, but halfway through the fifth season, she returned in an entirely unexpected manner. While her return seems well-timed, given the show is about to wrap, it also starts to feel suspicious when she starts talking to Eleven about the possibility of killing themselves to save others. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Kali May Have Been Set Up as the Wild Card for Stranger Things Finale

Since the first season, ‘Stranger Things’ has delivered one plot twist after another to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. This is why every new character is viewed with suspicion, particularly after the arrival of Vecna, who is known to play mind games with his victims. He can easily get inside anyone’s head, which is why it is easy to believe that he may be involved, especially when it comes to Eleven. Considering all this, Kali’s return becomes questionable because she is the only one telling Eleven that they need to die to save the world. And the viewers are not the only ones irritated with her words. Hopper has picked up on Kali’s weird vibe, especially when it comes to Eleven. He knows that she has been playing mind games with his daughter, which he doesn’t like, especially considering that they are headed into the final battle against Vecna.

Since the beginning, Hopper has wanted nothing but to protect Eleven. He is ready to give up his own life, but under no circumstances does he want the same thing for her. So, when Kali keeps whispering in Eleven’s ear, talking about how they are the root of all the problems, and how, even when Vecna dies, the cycle of violence will continue, one can’t help but wonder if she has an ulterior motive that hasn’t come to the surface yet. Considering that she has been in the Upside Down all this time, it is not far-fetched to believe that Vecna has tried to reach her. Perhaps, he has already found a way into her mind, just like he did with Will, and in her, he has another spy in Hawkins, ready to do his bidding.

Another possibility could be that she has made a deal with Dr. Kay. As she tells Eleven, Kay tried to use her blood to create more superpowered beings, but when it didn’t work, the evil scientist realised that she needs no one but Eleven. Could it be that Dr. Kay offered Kali her freedom in return for getting Eleven to her? Could it be that asking Eleven to stay in the Upside Down after Vecna has been defeated is her plan to trap Eleven and deliver her to Kay in return for her own freedom? The fact that she is the only one who has talked about Eleven’s death makes her a very unlikable character for the fans. However, there is a very good chance that she is not as evil as she is suspected of being.

Kali Might be the Reason Eleven Gets Her Happy Ending

One thing to note about Kali is that she is not the same person that we saw in Season 2 anymore. A lot of time has passed since then, and a lot has happened to her. Her found family was massacred right in front of her eyes. Then she was captured and brought back to the place that she had escaped so long. She hadn’t yet fully processed the trauma she suffered at the hands of Dr. Brenner, and now, she is being traumatised by Dr. Kay. Even when she tries to escape, she discovers that Kay is trying to restart Brenner’s program by using her blood. So, even if she escapes, there will be more children born like her, who will spend their childhoods in a lab where they are nothing more than rats. Even if they escape the place, they will never fully be free and this trauma will continue forever, until the root is cut off.

With all this in mind, it isn’t a surprise that Kali is so heavily suicidal. She has already accepted her death, and she most likely would have killed herself if she didn’t see Eleven again. Reuniting with Eleven made her realise that her death will not close the loop of torture inflicted by people like Kay. Eleven’s blood is more powerful than hers, and that’s what Kay needs for her experiment to succeed. So, as long as Eleven is alive, someone will always keep trying to find her and continue Brenner’s work. When Kay dies, someone else will take her place, and the cycle will never end. So, when she tells Eleven they needs to die, she is actually quite sincere about it. She doesn’t have an ulterior motive, she is not doing it out of malice, and she is not under the influence of Vecna or Kay. The tragic thing in all this is that Kali’s suicidal plan is driven by the fact that her family is gone and she doesn’t have anything to live for, or at least that’s what she thinks.

Having just escaped Kay’s lab, it is fair to assume that she is not in a clear state of mind, which is why she cannot see that Eleven has a support system that will always fight for her and keep her safe. In the grips of her loneliness, Kali has been blinded to the fact that Eleven, unlike her, has not lost everything, and she has quite a lot to look forward to. Given how dangerous things are going to get in the finale, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there comes a moment when Kali realises her mistake, when she sees that Eleven deserves a chance to live and lead a happy life. Perhaps, Kali will still die. Perhaps, she will sacrifice herself to save the day, or she will live long enough to create an illusion that makes it look like Eleven is dead so that the government can leave her alone. Perhaps, she will bid goodbye to her sister, being happy about the fact that she will get to live a full and free life, but there is a very good chance that she will still stay behind in the Upside Down when the whole place comes down.

Read More: Stranger Things: Why Can’t Vecna Enter the Cave? What was in the Briefcase?