Stranger Things Season 2 Original Ending Was Much Darker
It's hard to keep track of every plot line and detail in the hit show Stranger Things.
The detail in the planning and thought that have gone into creating the show is astounding. When you watch an episode, it's hard to imagine that the story could have unfolded any other way.
Alternative endings
It's common to have alternative endings and plotlines in shows. In fact, many different endings are often filmed before the cast knows which one will be the chosen ending.
The Stranger Things writers confirmed that there had been two alternative plotlines to the second season of the series – and both of these involved key characters killing a loved one. In October 2022, the Stranger Things writers' room account on Twitter (@strangerwriters) posted:
"Crazy sh*t that almost happened #2:
In season 2, Eleven was going to mercy kill her mother."
This was following a tweet five days before saying:
"Crazy sh*t that almost happened #1:
In season 2, a possessed Will was going to kill Bob."
What did happen to Terry?
In Season 2, Eleven meets Terry Ives (Aimee Mullins), her birth mom. Terry is experiencing catatonia but manages to share the tragic backstory that led to the events of season 1.
Terry had tried to save Eleven from experiments after she had been abducted. She was caught and as a result, received torturous shock therapy. This is why Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour ) found her unresponsive in season 1.
When would Eleven have 'mercy killed' her mother?
Other than their 10th October tweet, the Stranger Things writers haven't divulged details about when or how Eleven might have killed her mother but it's likely to have been planned for after the fifth episode of the season, "Dig Dug".
The story of Eleven's mother also comes into play in "The Lost Sister," when Eleven travels to find Kali "Eight" (Linnea Berthelsen) who was a fellow experiment in Hawkins. With Kali's help, Eleven finds her mother's torturer but spares his life when she discovers he has a family.
Terry hasn't really appeared in the show since, though we know she's still alive.
Are we glad this didn't happen?
Most people are pretty glad this didn't happen. After all, Eleven has only ever harmed people who are evil. The idea of a "mercy killing" is also highly controversial and would bring with it a whole loaded gun of the euthanasia debate. Her conversations through Eleven showed that Terry still had feelings and thoughts. Killing her wouldn't have achieved anything – other than shocking the audience. It also wouldn't have helped Eleven's character overcome her feelings of being a monster either.