#let’s talk about the implications of el’s birth being constant flashback material for her…

[chirpsythismorning]

Terry Is Not El's 'Mama'

Let's talk about this scene.

In 4x08: Papa, as El is waking up after finding out the 'truth’ about the massacre, she has yet another flashback of her birth.

It's important to keep in mind that El has had flashbacks of her birth consistently ever since she met Terry aka 'Mama', in 2x05: Dig Dug. Though arguably, her most notable flashback occurred in 4x07: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab, which showcased her mother’s love in the moment El was born and how that memory was a a catalyst for her getting the strength to defeat Henry in '79.

And so, why? Why oh why is her flashback in Papa framed like this?:

Did you catch it?

The nail polish...

The same woman doctor currently helping attend to El at the Nina Project in Nevada, has identical nail polish to Terry in El's flashback.

Literally, back to back, they are juxtaposing these shots with this woman's hand.

This exact shot of Terry from El's flashback was also shown during the massacre, just a little bit differently with I love you accompanying it instead of Hi, Jane.

If you want to understand what exactly I'm implying here, this ask I answered a few days ago delves into why I think El's memories in relation to Terry and the Rainbow Room at Hawkins Lab have been tampered with. And the scene(s) here in this post seems to support that claim even further.

Because seriously, why else would they show us a flashback of what we're being led to believe is Terry's hand, aka El’s mom, with it being this huge moment that gives El the strength to banish Henry to the UD, only to bring back that same shot in the following episode, juxtaposing it with this woman who works alongside Brenner and Owens?

Why?

I talked about it in that original ask, but I just want to reiterate again that it really doesn't make sense for them to keep rehashing El's birth, making it more and more disjointed every time, if the truth behind it all is that Terry is simply El's mom? It only makes sense to keep bringing it to the forefront if there's still something missing/being misunderstood by both El and as a result, the audience.

I also want to add another scene in the mix, within the context of that scene I talked about most in my ask, related to Terry rejecting herself as El's mom/home, and how that also juxtaposes this scene from 4x05: The Nina Project, which includes Brenner, Owens, some guards, and that infamous third doctor (with the nail polish matching Terry)...

You might be asking yourself why? And I am clearly right there with you!

Why???

And yet, upon thinking more critically about what is believed to go down in s5, I can’t help but wonder if all of this series long build-up related El’s birth(day) memories being tampered with, and how that might have a little something to do with another certain characters widely speculated forgotten birthday…