MovieChat Forums > Stranger Things (2016) Discussion > The point of the Indian/British girl?

The point of the Indian/British girl?

posted 6 years ago by Bobby Briggs Briganza (485)
23 replies | jump to latest

What do we suppose was the point of having the Indian heritage girl with the British accent?

She's only in one episode (the worst one), not counting the preview in episode 1. Her story doesn't go anywhere (and it actually interrupts the flow of the main story pretty badly).

Ideas?

My initial idea is that they were pandering to demographic that would be happy to see a "badass girl" and a "person of color." ? I'm sure that after the airing there were many blog posts Tumblring around about how a "badass girl of color" is just so badasssss and my hero... cuz she's a girl and cuz she is brown, etc.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 6 years ago

Actually, that episode was a lot more about Eleven than anything else. Eight and her gang represented one possible future. Hunting the government people who experimented on them and taking revenge. But she realized her "sister" was consumed by rage and would never find peace no matter how many of them she killed. Yeah, we also learn that the agency which ran the project (whoever they are) actually tracked down former volunteers in their program and abducted their children for study, including ones who had left the country. And I'm sure we'll see Kali again next season. But this season's story was about Eleven trying to figure out who she is, and where she belongs. All the other characters were secondary.

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

But this season's story was about Eleven trying to figure out who she is, and where she belongs. All the other characters were secondary.
Sure, fine... so what was the point of secondary character "Kali"? Eleven is an annoying brat and the focus on her ruined this season.

Anyway, yeah, I saw the episode. So do you think these things (which?) were the point of making Kali Ma be in the show, or is that just what they did with her after deciding she would be there?

Setting up a future season, as you say, sounds like a plausible reason. Thanks for that.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 6 years ago

I think Kali will serve a purpose in the story. She may very well show up in Hawkins next season.

You think Eleven is an annoying brat? She's gone from one prison to another (admittedly more comfortable) prison, forced to stay indoors all the time and never go out anywhere or have a life. Most 13 year olds will pitch a fit over quite a bit less than that. Considering everything she's been through, she has handled it all remarkably well.

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

So she's not an annoying brat because she went through stuff? I don't see the connection.

The cop trooper beard guy was right about everything he yelled at her.

[–] Bowilly (171) 6 years ago

Absolutely Eleven can be an annoying brat. Her powers tend to dehumanize her in a sense and the fact that she can be a brat and throw tantrums brings balance back to her human side. The fact that Eleven is a child, I’m glad they chose to reveal this side of her character, the more realistic they can portray her the better, at least for me.

I believe the cop trooper beard guy would disagree with you!

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 6 years ago

Eleven has legitimate reasons to be angry. Being stuck in that little cabin all the time is stifling, and she knows now (which she really didn't when she was at the lab) that this is not the way normal people live. Everyone else gets to have a life ... except her. Only criminals are supposed to be stuck in jail. And there's no end to her misery anywhere in sight.

Of course being thirteen she expresses her anger more like a child than an adult, throwing a tantrum. I have a daughter the same age and she does it occasionally too. Minus the telekinesis. When she storms off to her room she actually has to use her hands to slam the door. I've gotten exasperated with her just like Hopper did with Eleven. She's usually quite mature for her age, not a brat at all, but like any teenager there are exceptions - and our kids know exactly how to push our buttons when they want to. Hopper later regrets losing his temper and saying some of the things he said. If you have children of your own, you know the feeling.

Eleven is also mature for her age most of the time. I thought that scene in the cabin with Hopper was great, both for reminding viewers how young she is and to show how the relationship between them has evolved. Only family fights like that. One part I thought was interesting though: there was a brief moment there when Hopper wasn't sure if Eleven was about to hurt him. This is a kid who could kill you just by thinking about it; there's really no way to contain her, if she decides not to let you. Being a father to El comes with all the typical trials of raising a kid plus a whole bunch of issues that really lead into uncharted waters.

[–] Xenopharb (617) 6 years ago

A teenage girl was annoying and bratty ... how could she? Hopper yelled at her ... oh my!

You must not have teenage children if you believe the characterization was out of line.

Do you want realistic characters or Punky Brewster? The writers made that point obvious.

[–] TexasJack (12515) 6 years ago

Is it "sister" or are they really sisters? As much as I disliked that episode and those new characters, it's intriguing that Eight and Eleven could be real sisters despite the obvious racial differences. Could they share a supernatural father who resides in the Upside Down?

[–] Mister Babadook (2623) 6 years ago

I think they was just sisters cause they was both there together and went through the same thing and have similar tattoos. I don't think theres any blood relation between them though.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 6 years ago

We don't know who Eleven's biological father is. Not Brenner I assume. But El and Kali aren't literally sisters, they have gifts and a shared trauma, and apparently at one point early in their lives they were playmates in Hawkins Lab's charmingly named Rainbow Room.

[–] Xenopharb (617) 6 years ago

India was by far the most populous colony in the British Empire and one of the last major colonies to gain independence.

Many UK citizens are of Indian (South Asian) heritage. What's the problem?

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

Where do you see a problem? I don't even know what you're talking about. Do you not notice that the British accent makes the character distinct from the others in the show? Hence, they made they made the character different from EVERYONE else in the series on the two broad axes of "race" and language.

Thanks for the retarded remedial history though.

[–] Xenopharb (617) 6 years ago

Yeah, because so many Americans know the history of the UK.

You said this was pandering. My point was that this is common in the UK, and not all of these gifted children would likely be from America.

The headline read "Indian Girl Missing in London". The story is about missing children from the UK. Even though the actress, Linnea Berthelsen, playing Kali is Danish, the character is from London, so this makes sense.

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

I speak Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi. Have lived in India extensively, been to Southall in UK, etc. My ex-significant other was a British born Indian-heritage from Brum. You just assumed and seemed inspired to share with the world some pet issue, e.g. awareness of Asians in UK or how clueless you think "Americans" are, whatever. When all I was doing was identifying the character (whose name I didn't remember) according to her outstanding characteristics -- not questioning the possibility of a person with South Asian physical features having a British accent when speaking English...which would be absurd.

My opinion about pandering had nothing to do with the character's being from Britain.

[–] GunWillTravel (198) 6 years ago

No.

1. Kali introduces us to a larger world, setting the scale of S3-S4. We now know that one or more of the other test subjects has survived and escaped. Her ethnicity and accent suggest that the test subjects are global, not just isolated to Hawkins.

2. Kali represents a potential path for Eleven: vengeance, violence, destruction.

3. "Kali" is a reference to a Hindu god that shares many of the qualities of Eleven and the Shadow Monster. Kali is the destroyer of demons, but she may also appear demonic herself. Kali exists beyond time and space, like black space and the upside down might. She represents death, but also triumph over death. Form and formlessness.

[–] Bowilly (171) 6 years ago

I agree that Kali represents a potential path for Eleven, but not one she will likely take. Eleven has a strength that Kali neither wants or possess. Kali has allowed her anger to consume her life, she feeds off of it and without it she would be lost. I see Kali headed down the path of her own destruction, not caring whose life she endangers along the way including Eleven and that is the biggest difference I see in both of them. Eleven wants to be free from her past, she doesn’t want her anger as it serves no purpose in her pursuit to be happy. From my point of view Kali is more demonic than not. Her own demise may be the only triumph in Kali’s future, particularly over the anger that has consumed her soul.

[–] FFNogoodnik (770) 6 years ago

i just went through the "Beyond Stranger Things" series that accompanies Season 2. In one of the episode the actress that plays Kali said that the look her character has at the end when we saw her (Kali looking in the window of the van) was one of discovery that perhaps she (Kali) is missing out on something that Eleven has.

[–] Bowilly (171) 6 years ago

I wonder though, is it a discovery that she is willing to pursue and take to heart. Is it too late for her to find another purpose in life to fill that void. The good that’s inside Eleven is a gift that has always been with her, if Kali were to try and follow in Eleven’s footsteps it’s a gift that she will have to earn.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71689) 6 years ago

My thoughts too...Im really intrigued by Kali
Will she and Eleven battle? Team up to destroy the Mindflayer???
Sadly we wont know for at least a year:(

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

What are you answering with "No"?

Yeah, I know who Kali the devi is, and I'm aware of how Western pop culture has used generic ideas of Kali. Until proven otherwise, I'm going to expect this is one more generic use of "Kali," and that what you're saying is just an interpretation you made up in your own head based off of the pop culture trope of Kali. Because Stranger Things is just a dopey show about kids and nostalgia -- I don't think they really put that much thought into it.

[–] GunWillTravel (198) 6 years ago

My initial idea is that they were pandering to demographic that would be happy to see a "badass girl" and a "person of color." - No.

this is one more generic use of "Kali" - No.

what you're saying is just an interpretation you made up in your own head based off of the pop culture trope of Kali - No.

Stranger Things is just a dopey show about kids and nostalgia - No.

I don't think they really put that much thought into it - No.

But thanks for playing.

[–] Bobby Briggs Briganza (485) 6 years ago

Are you the mother of writer of the show? Did you write to his teacher to defend him from all criticisms when he got a D on his book report?

[–] GunWillTravel (198) 6 years ago

Are you the mother of writer of the show? - No.

Did you write to his teacher to defend him from all criticisms when he got a D on his book report? - No.