In Stranger Things, the U.S. government is depicted as a deeply flawed, antagonistic force, heavily inspired by real-life Cold War-era conspiracies like the CIA's MKUltra program. Throughout the series, government agencies—primarily through Hawkins National Laboratory—are responsible for unleashing monsters, conducting dangerous experiments on children, and executing cover-ups.
Key Aspects of the Government's Role in Stranger Things:
- MKUltra and Experiments: The show’s premise centers on illegal, unethical experiments, where Eleven’s mother was a test subject in a program using LSD and sensory deprivation to develop psychic abilities.
- Reckless Action: The government, led by figures like Dr. Brenner, is portrayed as treating human life as expendable in pursuit of military superiority and scientific discovery.
- The "Cover-Up" Antagonists: In the early seasons, the government is the primary antagonist, actively hunting Eleven, threatening the residents of Hawkins, and covering up the existence of the Upside Down.
- Evolving Factions: While the Department of Energy acts as the main villain early on, later seasons introduce broader, more chaotic military forces (such as in Season 4) that continue to hunt the main characters, complicating the battle against the supernatural threats.
The portrayal often highlights a distrust of authority, placing the responsibility on "scrappy outsiders" to fix the disasters caused by elite scientists and bureaucrats.
