'Stranger Things' Season 4: Observations from first 8 minutes of blockbuster Netflix show

From more insight into Dr Brenner's life to Eleven's predecessor, the prologue sets the tone for a gripping season
UPDATED MAY 22, 2022
Millie Bobbie Brown as Eleven in 'Stranger Things' Season 4 (Netflix)
Millie Bobbie Brown as Eleven in 'Stranger Things' Season 4 (Netflix)

The first eight minutes of 'Stranger Things' Season 4 is essentially a flashback. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) demonstrates her raw abilities after being experimented upon at the Hawkins laboratory in 1979, and it isn't a pretty sight. The critics weren't kidding when they called the latest installment of the Netflix blockbuster "darker" and "scarier" than its predecessors. These eight grisly minutes set the tone for Volume 1 releases on May 27, followed by the second that is slated for a July 1 release.

The official synopsis of Season 4 reads, "It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends is separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down."

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What have we learned from the 8 minutes of 'Stranger Things' Season 4?

More of Dr Brenner

The opener gives a glimpse of what Dr Brenner's personal life looks like. Despite being a crazy, cranky, genius of a scientist, he's shown to be living a normal life after his time at the laboratory. He wakes up early, does the crossword in record time (this gives a subtle hint at his IQ levels), and then proceeds to have another day in the office. He starts with his experiments until one of them goes horribly wrong.

A look at Ten and his abilities

Ten was one of the characters introduced in the episode, but his arc was rather short-lived and tragic as Eleven wreaks havoc. Her predecessor was more of a psychic who could read the situations and know what people were up to by just focussing on them from wherever he was. The origin of his power is unknown, but he is shown to be one of the experiments that paid off and made rapid progress.

Eleven and her raw powers

Eleven's telekinesis and portal opening abilities were at their full strength and like was shown in the first season, she struggled to control the magnitude of her powers. In this case, she goes on an all-out rampage that kills a huge chunk of people and kids at the laboratories. The Duffer Brothers showcase the deaths in grisly detail as children and the scientists' bodies are littered around and the walls splattered with blood. A young Eleven bleeding profusely from her eyes and nose is shown in the final seconds, giving a look at the massive power she generates and how it affects her.

What are your thoughts on the first 8 minutes of 'Stranger Things' Season 4?

'Stranger Things' Season 4 releases May 27 on Netflix.

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