YMMV / Stranger Things S 4 E 8 Chapter 8 Papa

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Eleven seems to take a long time to knock down the helicopter. Is she unsure/unskilled how to do it, or is she toying with it because it just shot Papa?
• Jerkass Woobie: Brenner of all people get this in the episode: It's basically laid out by Eleven to him that he was so obsessed with wanting to atone for messing up with Henry that he tried to do the same with Eleven, even if it meant emotionally abusing and controlling her. It was even pointed out that his desire to open the Gate was so he could find Henry too. When he's shot down and left dying, Brenner earnestly tells El how much he truly did care for her and even lays down how proud of her he is.
• Unintentionally Unsympathetic: The episode's attempt to garner sympathy for Brenner while he's dying falls flat when earlier in that same episode he threatened to murder Owens to force El to comply with his wishes, and then drugged and collared her, then spent his dying breath trying to emotionally manipulate El into agreeing that the lifetime of abuse he inflicted on her was all for her own good. Although Eleven’s reaction to his death — remaining silent while Brenner explained himself then walking away, leaving him to die alone, implies that Brenner wasn’t meant to be redeemed or forgiven.

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