STRANGER THINGS 5’s Big Kali/Eight Cameo….Sure Was a Choice!

And that choice WAS NOT Eddie Munson. Come on, guys! It could have been Eddie Munson. Instead, Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 brought back quite possibly the LEAST requested character of all. Throughout Volume 1, Stranger Things 5 teased a major revelation, hinting that Linda Hamilton’s Dr. Kay was keeping someone or something behind a locked vault door. And that character COULD have been Eddie Munson. Instead, what we got was pure Stranger Things shenanigans. So, who was behind Dr. Kay’s locked vault door? In the end, Stranger Things 5, volume 1’s big cameo, its promised super-powerful surprise character, was none other than Elven’s “sister” Kali Prasad, also known as Eight. And it turns out Kali/Eight was introduced in what is widely considered to be Stranger Things‘ worst episode. But why is Kali/Eight present in the narrative of Stranger Things 5, and how is she important to the story? Here’s everything we learned about Kali/Eight in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Who Is Kali Prasad/Eight in Stranger Things?

It’s been a very long time since we saw Kali/Eight on Stranger Things, yet, somehow, here she is again in Stranger Things 5.

Kali first appeared in Stranger Things 2, episode seven, “The Lost Sister,” presumably to shed some light on Eleven’s past and powers. Like Eleven, Kali was taken by Doctor Brenner at a very young age and kept at Hawkins Lab in Indiana. She was one of the several other children with abilities, whose mother had presumably been part of the MKUltra experiments where Brenner infused women with Henry Creel/Vecna/One’s Flayed blood in order to induce powers and abilities in them. Eight was also seen in one of the Stranger Things‘ most replayed flashbacks, playing with Eleven as her birth mother tries to break into the lab and reach out to her.

Eventually, Eight and Eleven were separated, and Kali used her abilities to run away. When Eleven met Eight/Kali years later on Stranger Things 2, she had formed something of a gang of misfits. She used her powers not only to help her friends but to take revenge on those who wronged her in the Hawkins lab.

Kali/Eight taught Eleven how to use her emotions and rage to tap into her powers on Stranger Things. She also tried to push for them to remain together as sisters and help one another heal. But Eleven was not as disillusioned with the world as Kali/Eight and did not approve of the overly violent tactics she used. So she left Kali behind to go save her friends, including Mike Wheeler and Hopper, in Hawkins. But she did draw on Kali/Eight’s advice in order to ultimately close the Upside Down gate, season’s two big issue. Eleven did that by recalling the loss of her mother and other traumas.

Bitchin’

Notably, Kali taught Eleven the term “Bitchin,” which Eleven loves to use at every available opportunity on Stranger Things. Her sister also gave her a punk rock makeover.

And, as we assumed would happen, in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2, “Bitchin” makes an appearance. The two don’t say it to one another, but Hopper brings us this Stranger Things fun fact, in case we forgot.

Kali/Eight Was the Person in Dr. Kay’s Mysterious Vault, and Now We Know Why

But how does Kali/Eight come to cameo in Stranger Things 5? The government brought Dr. Kay, a fearsome military scientist, into Hawkins. Initially, we thought it was just to study the Upside Down. But we learned that Dr. Kay’s plans are much more nefarious than that. Dr. Kay is seeking to restart Dr. Brenner’s program and make more psychic kids that can connect to other dimensions, like Henry Creel/Vecna can. Dr. Kay kidnapped Eight to try and use her blood to make new psychic children, but it wasn’t strong enough. Kali/Eight reveals that Dr. Kay needs Eleven in order to really create new psychic children. And that’s why, through most of Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 and 2, Dr. Kay tries to hunt Eleven down.

But Dr. Kay didn’t waste her time with Kali either; it’s revealed in episode three of Stranger Things 5 that the military has a sonic blast they can fire that completely neutralizes Eleven. Eleven calls it her kryptonite.

The Purpose of Kali/Eight’s Cameo on Stranger Things 5 Is to Set Up Eleven’s Possible Death and Sacrifice

But what ultimately is the purpose of Kali/Eight’s Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 and Volume 2 cameo? It feels like Kali/Eight’s return on Stranger Things, and Dr. Kay’s desire to restart Dr. Brenner’s research, come down to setting up Eleven’s final choice in Stranger Things 5‘s series finale. Before Kali/Eight came back and brought with her the knowledge that Dr. Kay was restarting Dr. Brenner’s program, Eleven thought she could run away and live happily ever after with Mike. But now, Kali/Eight has revealed to her on Stranger Things 5, Volume 2 that as long as the blood is pumping in Eleven’s veins, not only are she and her loved ones not safe, but the entire world remains in danger. As long as Eleven is still alive, then someone like Dr. Brenner and Dr. Kay could make more psychic children, more monsters, and put the whole world in jeopardy once more. Kali/Eight wants Eleven and herself to remain in the Upside Down after the Party blows it up, so that their deaths can ensure the world is safe forever.

Here’s How Eleven Found Kali in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1

After being exposed to the sonic kryptonite weapon in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1, Hopper and Eleven are eventually able to take down and interrogate one of Dr. Kay’s soldiers while in the Upside Down. They want to understand more about the situation, including what Dr. Kay is up to, what the military knows, and any information about Vecna. Eleven enters the soldier Akers’s mind and sees Dr. Kay pass through a secure door at her facility. At the end of the hallway is a vault door. Akers says he doesn’t know what’s behind there, but Eleven knows he doesn’t want her to see the “secret shit” inside. Akers is in agony but swears he doesn’t know what is in the vault. Eleven uses her powers to tear the door off, and Akers passes out. All Eleven ultimately understands is that someone powerful like her is behind the door.

At the time, Eleven and Hopper believe this person is how Kay learned Eleven’s Kryptonite. Eleven thinks it must be Vecna, though a skeptical Hopper says that doesn’t make sense after the vanishing of Holly Wheeler. Of course, the person behind Dr. Kay’s vault door in Stranger Things 5 is not really Vecna, but Kali/Eight. Here’s what happens.

Kali/Eight Was the Powerful Person Behind Dr. Kay’s Vault Door

Desperate to destroy Vecna, Hopper and Eleven fight their way to the vault. But at the last minute, Hopper prevents Eleven from entering into it with him. He intends to blow himself and Vecna up to guarantee Eleven’s safety, but no explosion comes.

Instead, Hopper emerges once more and beckons Eleven into the room. And YES, there inside the vault in the secret room, the big Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 revelation and cameo arrived: it was Eleven’s sister Eight/Kali.

Who Plays Kali/Eight on Stranger Things?

Kali/Eight is played by Linnea Berthelsen on Stranger Things 2. Linnea Berthelsen returned to play Kali/Eight in her Stranger Things 5 cameo.

Kali/Eight’s Appearance Was More Than Just a Cameo in Stranger Things 5

In the lead-up to Stranger Things 5, Volume 2, the Duffer Brothers revealed that Eight/Kali will have a major role to play in the ending of Stranger Things, noting, “None of it would play out the way it would if she wasn’t involved again.” And add “to really tell this story completely, we needed to bring her back. As you’ll see in Volume 2, she’s really there. Her reason for being there is very important in terms of Eleven’s journey and also the journey for this story to end.” We can see Kali/Eight’s importance starting to bubble up in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2—and we bet she’ll have even more of a role to play in Stranger Things 5‘s final episode. Will she get Eleven to sacrifice herself for the greater good, though? Only time will tell.

Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

Rotem Rusak is Nerdist’s Editor-in-Chief. She recently rewatched all of Stranger Things in 72 hours and is still not over Eddie Munson’s death. If Steve Harrington dies in Stranger Things 5, she will cry.

Originally published on November 26, 2025.