Stranger Things 5: Kali's Return and On-Camera Head Shave Signal a Threat Beyond Vecna
Linnea Berthelsen discusses Kali's return in Stranger Things 5, her dramatic on-camera head shave, and the new threat that looms even after Vecna. Why did the Duffers bring her back?
Is defeating Vecna really the end game? Netflix's 'Stranger Things 5' just complicated its finale by bringing back a long-lost face from season 2: Eleven's 'sister,' Kali (Number Eight). In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, actress Linnea Berthelsen opens up about her character's return and the intense story behind her dramatic head-shaving scene.
The One-Take Head Shave
In episode 5 of the final season, viewers find Kali captive once again, her hair being forcibly shaved by military personnel. This wasn't a trick of CGI. Berthelsen confirmed she shaved her head for real, on camera. “It was my first day of principal photography,” she recalled. “We had to do it in one take. I also had to do it with somebody who I didn't know.” For Berthelsen, the scene was symbolic, representing her rebellious character losing control and being forced back into the captivity she fears most.
A New Beginning and a New Threat
The Duffer brothers reportedly reached out to Berthelsen three years ago to discuss Kali's return. Co-creator Matt Duffer told EW, “it still felt like this loose end where Eleven just left her there.” For season 5, they finally found a compelling narrative reason to tie it up. Berthelsen embraced the change, explaining she “started from scratch with the character” to portray a person transformed by trauma.
Kali's return comes with a chilling warning for Eleven: killing Vecna won't end their fight. New antagonists like Dr. Kay (played by Linda Hamilton) and the forces she represents will continue hunting them to create more psychic weapons. This suggests the series' ultimate villain may not be a monster from the Upside Down, but the humans trying to control it.
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