Is Kali bad in Stranger Things and does she betray Eleven?

28 December 2025, 12:46 | Updated: 28 December 2025, 21:44

By Katie Louise Smith

Is Kali a traitor in Stranger Things 5? Her dramatic plan for her and Eleven has left viewers suspicious about what she's up to.

Just when you thought Stranger Things had forgot all about season 2’s controversial ‘The Lost Sister’ episode, season 5 brought back a long lost character… Kali a.k.a. 008.

For those who didn’t do their rewatch homework before season 5 dropped, Kali is one of Dr. Brenner’s lab children. In season 2, El goes to Chicago to try and find her and after spending time together, Kali tries to convince El to stay but El chooses to go home to her friends.

At the end of Volume 1, three years after they first met, Eleven discovers Kali hidden in Dr. Kay’s secret military base in the Upside Down. Kali escapes with El and Hopper and is now set to join them in the final battle against Vecna.

At first, fans thought Kali would prove to be an ally in the fight against Vecna a.k.a. 001 but viewers are now convinced that she may be about to betray Eleven. Here’s why…

• Read more: Stranger Things 5 finale episode runtime confirmed
• Read more: Who dies in Stranger Things 5 Volume 2? All the deaths in order

Is Kali bad in Stranger Things 5? Does she betray Eleven?

Kali is not a villain in Stranger Things, she is a victim just like Eleven, but her comments to El have now seemingly raised suspicions amongst viewers, and the characters in the show.

Shortly after they escape the Upside Down lab, Kali reveals the absolutely horrifying truth to Eleven about why Dr. Kay had taken her captive and why she’s hunting El. It turns out that Kay had been taking Kali’s blood and using it to transfuse pregnant women in the hopes that they would give birth to kids with abilities as powerful as Kali.

Kali then reveals the truth to Eleven about how she got her powers—Brenner had given El’s mother Terry a blood transfusion using Henry’s blood, resulting in her being born with powers as strong as his. Explaining that this cycle will continue if Eleven gets caught, Kali warns: “There are no happy endings Jane, not for us.”

Hopper then grows extremely suspicious of Kali who he thinks has “wormed her way” into El’s head. The two even butt heads back at the Squawk, with Kali accusing Hopper of feeding El “lies”.

Later, Hopper tells Joyce that he’s sure Kali is “up to something” and that he doesn’t trust her at all. “That Kali makes once false move and I swear to god I’m gonna kill her. I will not hesitate,” he threatens.

While speaking to her from within the Void, away from the others, Kali then tries to convince Eleven to agree to following her ‘endgame’ plan instead of the idealistic escape Mike had been planning for them.

Warning her that running away is not a realistic option, and that the military will “kill Mike” if they’re found, Kali tries to persuade El to stay on the bridge with her when they blow it up, effectively killing them both in the process. “When the Upside Down vanishes, so will we. It’s the only way Jane,” Kali says. “The only way.”

As the group begin the final mission and enter the Upside Down, Eleven gives a nod to Kali, seemingly suggesting she may have accepted Kali’s plan.

Will Kali betray Eleven in Stranger Things 5?

Kali’s shock drastic plan to just eliminate themselves is not sitting right with viewers and now fans think she might have ulterior motives. The fact that Hopper doesn’t trust her either has only fuelled those theories.

Theories that Kali is somehow working with Dr. Kay to trap Eleven, or that she is even working with or is under the control of Vecna have emerged online. Some have also mentioned that the way Kali calls Henry “brother” is a little odd. (Lowkey true though, they are 'lab siblings'...)

“I do NOT trust Kali,” one viral post reads with another comment saying: "I’m concerned that Kali will cross El last minute or kill her and try to save herself."

"It’s so obvious that Kali is the traitor," another viewer writes, referring to a viral clip of Caleb McLaughlin giving a one word tease. However, this is actually an interview from 2022 where Caleb is describing season 4. It does not refer to season 5 at all. (Several TikToks and X/Twitter posts are still running with this theory, which would explain why people think Kali is a 'traitor'.)

We don’t yet know if Kali’s plan is her being genuinely truthful or not yet. But in an interview with Variety, the Duffers revealed they have written in the storyline for exactly this reason: To keep viewers sweating about what path Eleven will ultimately choose and how it affects her relationships with Mike and Hopper.

"We needed Kali to represent maybe a more pessimistic, but perhaps realistic, version, compared to Mike’s worldview of 'we’re gonna have butterflies and rainbows'," Ross Duffer explained. "And Kali’s going, 'How is this going to work? And what is the solution here, that you can live a normal life?' That’s really a huge part of Eleven’s journey this season."

Will Kali betray Eleven at the final hurdle? We’ll find out on December 31st...

Read more about Stranger Things 5 here:

• Stranger Things' Duffer brothers say they have not filmed multiple endings
• Will's powers in Stranger Things 5 explained in full
• Stranger Things' Noah Schnapp says he'd still be closeted if Will wasn't gay in the show
• Here's why Stranger Things 5 recast Holly Wheeler with new actress
• Where to watch Stranger Things The First Shadow online

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WSQK The Squawk: The Stranger Things radio station that's always turned up to 11! Listen now on Global Player, thanks to Netflix UK.