One understated sequence in Stranger Things 4 served as a subliminal reminder to viewers of how everything started in season 1 and demonstrated how far the show has advanced.
A moment from Stranger Things season 1 was subtly compared in Stranger Things season 4, demonstrating how much the show has advanced. Stranger Things was initially envisioned by the Duffer Brothers as a limited series, which makes it almost surreal to think about given how the Netflix original has come to dominate Netflix’s output. It has also been a masterclass in narrative development and world building, going well beyond the scope of its initial 80s science fiction inspiration to forge its own unique identity.
Intertextuality has always been a significant part of Stranger Things, and it frequently pays tribute to the literary works that initially inspired the series. The Goonies, Alien, E.T., Firestarter, and Stand By Me, to name a few, are all mentioned in Season 1 alone. The program has advanced to the point where it can now look back on its own scenes, and one from season 4 shows exactly how popular it has gotten since it debuted in 2016.
Mike, Lucas, and Dustin ask their science instructor Mr. Clarke for advice in Stranger Things season 1. They “hypothetically” inquire about gateways to other dimensions. Using a paper plate and a pencil, Mr. Clarke shows how this operates and how gates can open. To demonstrate how this rift in space and time might create a portal between dimensions, he bends the plate over on itself and drives the pencil straight through the centre.
Brenner goes on to describe how Vecna is using a pencil to tear down the wall between Hawkins of the Right Side Up and the Upside Down in Stranger Things season 4. Brenner starts by bending the pencil to show how the barrier is being strained; later, he snaps the pencil in half to represent the breach in the dimensional barrier.
The Pencil from Stranger Things Is More Symbolic Than You Think
The first season of Stranger Things was still full of monsters and peril, but Mr. Clarke’s pencil demonstration was intriguing and, to some extent, inspiring. It gave the lads reassurance that Will wasn’t lost for good and that they could actually take him into the Upside Down and rescue him. Audiences found it to be thrilling in addition to this. This little example by Mr. Clarke opens the door to a variety of unique and novel storytelling possibilities.
Apocalyptic dimension’s threat has only been more obvious as the secrets of the Upside Down have been explored more thoroughly over the course of four seasons, with each season revealing something new about it. By changing the pencil’s initial meaning of exhilaration and optimism into horror, concern, and disarray, Brenner’s demonstration serves as a representation of the terror that is to come.
The basic premise of Stranger Things—a girl with abilities helping to locate a little boy trapped in an other reality—was already a big idea, but it has already expanded into a major phenomenon. The Vecna master plan, which was revealed in Stranger Things season 4 volume 2, demonstrates how intricate the plot is and how Mr. Clarke’s “flea and the acrobat” explanation was only the top of the iceberg. Season 5 of Stranger Things is expected to be the decisive conflict since the show’s peril has become glaringly evident.
