Stranger Things: 5 Reasons Why The Lost Sister Was Actually A Great Episode (& 5 Why It Wasn’t)

“The Lost Sister” is, arguably, the most divisive episode so far of Netflix’s Stranger Things. Season 2 saw Eleven discover more about her family and her dark history with Hawkins Lab. The telekinetic teenager reunited with her ‘sister’ Kali, another former test subject and a controversial character among fans.

Many viewers panned “The Lost Sister” for its uncharacteristic tone and alienation from the main plot. “The Lost Sister” did have many positive elements that were overlooked, however – as well as low-points that earned its criticism.

10 Why It Was Great: Eleven & Kali’s Relationship

Kali has only appeared in “The Lost Sister” so far, but it was great to see her relationship with Eleven develop. The two superpowered girls are kindred spirits as well as pseudo-sisters. Kali seems to genuinely care about Eleven and, in a future season, could play a vital role in her life as a sibling figure.

Eleven’s scenes with Kali were incredibly touching. The former test subjects finally reunited, finding a family with each other against the odds.

9 Why It Wasn’t: Kali’s Gang

Kali was a great addition and her character has heaps of potential. Her gang, however, is a different story. Kali’s friends in “The Lost Sister” were one-dimensional caricatures who appeared more cartoon-like than compelling.

The lackluster new characters deterred many viewers from this episode. It would be great to see Kali return in a future episode – but she should leave her friends behind.

8 Why It Was Great: More Superpowered Characters

Kali’s character provided the Duffer Brothers with an excellent opportunity to involve more superpowered characters in Stranger Things. “The Lost Sister” introduces additional test subjects besides Eleven from Hawkins Lab. This could mean a future confrontation between the superpowered ‘siblings’ in the future.

Kali’s powers were uniquely interesting as well as visually dazzling. Her abilities are a perfect foil for Eleven’s; whereas El’s abilities are combative, Kali’s powers are more defensive and can be utilized in clever ways.

7 Why It Wasn’t: Distracted Viewers From The Main Plot

“The Lost Sister” was largely rejected by fans due to its position in the season timeline. The previous episode ends with the Demodogs attacking Hawkins Lab. Viewers were eager to see what happened next and having to sit through “The Lost Sister” first was frustrating.

Viewers wanted to see if their favorite characters would survive the Mind Flayer’s attack and were reluctant to become invested in a separate story. If this episode had been structured differently then fans’ reactions could have been more positive.

6 Why It Was Great: An Arc Of El’s Own

While “The Lost Sister” did, admittedly, distract viewers from the primary narrative, it also gave Eleven a personal arc that was instrumental in her character’s journey. El’s solo adventure sees her character obtain more autonomy and individuality as she learns more about herself and her history.

Eleven’s arc could be seen as a hero’s journey; in this case, “The Lost Sister” is almost an origin story. El discovers secrets about her past and hones her telekinetic abilities whilst training with Kali.

5 Why It Wasn’t: Too Much Like X-Men

The premise of multiple test subjects is interesting but “The Lost Sister” shared too many similarities with the X-Men. Many fans criticized this episode for its off-kilter vibe. The episode felt less like Stranger Things and more like a generic sci-fi story with superpowers.

Although they lacked powers, Kali’s cartoon-like gang helped influence the vibe of this episode. Kali’s powers were entertaining, but her presence makes Eleven less special and Stranger Things more like Marvel.

4 Why It Was Great: Dr. Brenner’s Survival Is Revealed

The evil Dr. Brenner seemingly perishes in Season 1 after being attacked by Demogorgon. In “The Lost Sister,” however, Eleven discovers that her sinister father figure survived this encounter and is still at large in the world after she and Kali almost kill a former employee of Hawkins Lab.

It seems inevitable that El will eventually come face-to-face with Brenner once again. The telekinetic teenager will have to overcome her traumatic past to defeat the evil scientist who created her.

3 Why It Wasn’t: No Mention Of Kali In Season 3

Unfortunately, it is easy to dismiss “The Lost Sister” due to its lack of impact on the show’s narrative. Kali and her gang don’t appear in Season 3 of Stranger Things. There is no mention of Eleven’s pseudo-sister or her adventures in Chicago; the episode may as well not have happened.

This decision was likely a reaction to the episode’s poor reception from fans. It remains unclear if Kali will feature in the narrative again or if the Duffer Brothers have abandoned this subplot entirely.

2 Why It Was Great: Foreshadowing A Future Fight Between El & Kali

If the Duffer Brothers decided to return to this subplot, however, then fans could see a fight between the superpowered sisters in the future. El lost her powers following a confrontation with the Mind Flayer in Season 3. Despite this, her telekinetic abilities could return in time for a future clash with Kali.

Eleven and Kali differed in “The Lost Sister” as El refused to follow the same vengeful path. Their differences could be revisited. A battle between El and Kali would be emotionally devastating as well as a spectacle of superpowers.

1 Why It Wasn’t: No Other Hawkins Characters

“The Lost Sister” felt like a spin-off show as it focused solely on Eleven. If another character from Hawkins such as Hopper or Mike had accompanied her then fans may have been more engaged with the events of the episode.

The presence of the Party could have connected this episode to the rest of the season more fluidly. If El had had company for this adventure then viewers may have given “The Lost Sister” another chance. “The Lost Sister” had many positive elements that were ultimately disregarded due to its departure from Hawkins drama.

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