Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 revealed Kali's shocking plan for her and Eleven, which could completely change their future in the franchise, even after they defeat Vecna. Volume 1's ending dropped a major bombshell by bringing back a forgotten character from Stranger Things lore: Kali (aka 008), who is Eleven's sister, last seen in Season 2. Unlike Eleven, Kali (portrayed on-screen by Linnea Berthelsen) possesses the psychic ability to induce mental hallucinations, creating illusions that are not physically real.
Kali is part of the grand scheme of the military's efforts to locate Eleven for their own nefarious purposes. She is being held captive like a puppet by Dr. Kay, and Volume 2 finally pulls back the curtain on why she is inside the military facility in the first place.
Why Kali's Evil Plan for Eleven In Stranger Things Makes Sense
Netflix's Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 5, revealed a harsh reality about Eleven and Kali's future, suggesting that they are poised for a grim fate in the final season when all is said and done. Kali laid out her "evil" plan for Eleven and herself ahead of the Stranger Things series finale, pointing out that having a normal life is not an option due to the military's relentless pursuit of them.
If the Hawkins crew was successful in preventing Vecna's ultimate plan of merging the Abyss and Hawkins by using 12 innocent kids as energy anchor points, Kali explained that it would only be a temporary solution, and they would always be on the run because the blood of Henry Creel (aka Vecna) is in their DNA. The worst-case scenario already happened to Kali because the military killed all of her friends and detained her as a living experiment.
Even if they managed to destroy Dr. Kay's lab and kill her alongside the Upside Down, the military would still find another scientist or a high-ranking officer to replace her, considering that Kay replaced Martin Brenner (aka Papa) after his death in Season 4. As Kali noted, it is an ongoing and brutal cycle.
If Eleven decides to embrace her happy ending with Mike Wheeler and run away as far as possible, the military will find a way to find her and possibly kill Mike, similar to what they did with Kali's friends.
As a result, Kali revealed that her plan for her and Eleven is to stay on the bridge when the team blows it up so that they can vanish alongside the Upside Down and completely erase any trace of them in reality.
Kali's evil plan for her and Eleven makes sense because it would break the cycle and lessen the burden on those around them by keeping them safe. However, it's worth noting that this plan is gut-wrenching for Eleven, considering all of the close relationships she forged with her family in Hawkins all these years.
Still, there is a way for Kali to become a hero while still allowing Eleven to have a happy ending. During the pivotal climactic battle, some have theorized that Kali could create an illusion of both of them dying and show it to the military. This would be a win-win situation, and they could relocate as far away as possible to start a new life and even create new identities. Still, this is a theory at this point.
What the Military Is Really Doing with Kali's Blood Is Disturbing & Scary
Stranger Things Season 5 confirmed what the military is really doing with Kali and her blood in Dr. Kay's research facility. After Dr. Kay drugged her, the military used her blood to infuse it into pregnant women in hopes of recreating the necessary process of turning these children into super-powered individuals like Kali, Eleven, and Henry Creel (Vecna).
Abducting Kali and trying to capture Eleven are the military's efforts in restarting Dr. Brenner's secret government program. Kali and Eleven's blood are crucial to the process because Season 5 confirmed that they received their powers from Henry's blood. However, Kali's was not powerful enough to replicate Vecna's powers, which is why the military is hellbent on finding and abducting Eleven for their own gain.
By capturing Eleven, it would essentially restart the government's sinister program of enhancing more children with powers. The government basically wants to control super-powered kids as weapons for future conflicts. This is a disturbing move because they are weaponizing innocent kids and preventing them from experiencing the complexities of growing up like a normal child.
As fans know, this could backfire because it risks creating another Vecna (or a much worse villain) in the future.
