With the highly anticipated finale of Stranger Things Season 5 dropping in just a few days, the fan community is ablaze with a major theory: one of the core group is a traitor. Following the release of the second volume on Boxing Day, viewers are pointing the finger squarely at the returning Kali, also known as Eight (Linnea Berthelsen).
The Suspicious Return of Kali
The latest three episodes revealed that Kali was captured by the military, who killed her friends and have been draining her blood. This ties directly into the plans of the new antagonist, Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton). Kay aims to replicate Dr. Brenner's work by creating new superpowered children, using Kali's blood in experiments on pregnant women.
However, a critical discovery was made: to succeed, she also needs the blood of Henry Creel, also known as One or Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). This makes Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who has Henry's blood in her system, the ultimate key to Kay's plans. In response to this dire situation, Kali has proposed a radical and brutal solution to end the cycle for good.
A Sacrificial Plan and Mounting Distrust
Kali has suggested that after rescuing the abducted children from Vecna, she and Eleven should sacrifice themselves. Their plan would be to destroy the Upside Down and remain inside as it collapses. While Eleven has not agreed, she appeared to be considering it by the end of volume two.
This extreme proposal, coupled with Kali's intense focus on the government over Vecna, has sparked widespread suspicion among the show's audience. Fans have taken to social media to voice their concerns, with many labelling her the 'obvious traitor'.
Fan Theories Run Riot Online
On X, formerly Twitter, one fan stated plainly: "It is so obvious Kali is the traitor." Another agreed, commenting on her misplaced priorities: "She is so obviously the 'traitor' if there is one... The government can be dealt with after Vecna and the Upside Down are gone." Some have gone further, with a third viewer claiming, "The actual villain of the series is her and not Vecna."
This distrust is mirrored within the show itself, as even Jim Hopper (David Harbour) has been vocal about not trusting Kali. Her behaviour throughout the new episodes has been visibly off, leaving viewers to question if she is secretly working against the Hawkins gang.
A Potential Hidden Agenda to Save Eleven
Not all theories paint Kali as purely villainous. Some fans on platforms like Reddit speculate she may have a hidden, selfless plan. One popular theory suggests Kali could use her illusion-manipulation powers to fake Eleven's death in front of the military, allowing El to go into hiding while making the government believe the threat is neutralised.
This would achieve Kali's stated goal of stopping the hunt for Eleven without requiring her actual death. It's a clever twist that could redeem her suspicious actions, though whether the show will take this route remains to be seen.
The fate of Hawkins and its heroes will be decided when Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 8 is released on January 1st. All previous episodes are available to stream now on Netflix.
