Stranger Things 4 is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated shows of the year, and its release garnered positive reviews from fans and critics alike. The eight-minute sneak peek into the Hawkins lab premiered on YouTube a couple of days before the season opening, and it brought back the magic to Netflix.
Great shows tend to draw comparisons with those from the past. Some consider it a compliment, while others usually take it with a pinch of salt. However, with the entertainment industry being more than a century old, a few plot points and narratives are likely to be similar, and the fourth season of Stranger Things bears some uncanny similarities to the second story in the Harry Potter series. It may or may not be intentional, but it's interesting to examine nonetheless.
The below list provides hints of plot points and narratives from the first volume, and therefore a "spoiler warning" is in full effect.
6 Max Mayfield and Ginny Weasley: The Unsung Heroes
The similarities between the two beloved characters lies not just in their hair color, but more profound aspects of the story. Both Max and Ginny are the first characters (associated with the leading group of characters) in their respective fields to come in contact with the imminent threat that looms over them.
Ginny Weasley, the younger sister of Ronald Weasley, opens the Chamber of Secrets with manipulation from Tom's diary. Meanwhile, Maxine, who is friends with the main characters, is the first to meet Vecna himself. Although this might be a little far-fetched, their involvement in the main plot point is what helps the lead characters move the storyline forward with much more clarity.
5 Tom Marvolo Riddle and Henry Creel: A Character Study
The upcoming entries are major spoilers to the season and might ruin the experience for those who haven't watched it yet. El is connected to the Nina project (more on that later), a machine that recreates the past to help rekindle old memories. While doing so, she becomes acquainted with tall, lanky Henry Creel who helps her get on her path to finding her superpowers.
The above narrative draws similarities with the scenes from the Chamber of Secrets where Harry Potter, the titular character, learns about Tom Marvolo Riddle, a teenager from the house of Slytherin. Harry is ushered into doing many things by Tom through the diary, leading to a grand reveal at the end, just like in Stranger Things 4.
4 The Nina Project and Tom's Diary: The Gateway to Secrets
In all honesty, the Nina project works more like the Pensieve, which reviews old memories and helps the wizards use them to learn of their past. The Nina Project does just that, but takes to the context of what Tom's diary intended to do in Chamber of Secrets.
A series of unfortunate events forces Eleven back to her roots, where she and Dr. Brenner must tap into her subconscious memory to bring back the lost and forgotten powers. When the first 8 minutes of the season opener premiered on YouTube, it brought about a change in perspective regarding Eleven in the series. However, her time in the Nina Project opens up a new branch in the storyline, adding more expectations over Volume 2.
3 Lord Voldemort and Vecna's ideologies: A World for Supreme Beings
Apart from both these characters missing their noses, a broader inspection of their ideologies might reveal them having an intent to bring a sense of extremism to the world.
Lord Voldemort believes in a world wherein half-bloods, mud-bloods, and muggles are obliterated to bring forth a new beginning, a place for the superior beings. Similarly, Vecna has his own principle, where he puts himself as the prominent being above the average human. With an intent to make the humans bend their knees and set new rules of functioning, one could only speculate if the writers did take a leaf out of the Harry Potter books for the season. Although, of course, destroying the world and reclaiming it in one's own image isn't an uncommon supervillain plain.
2 Eleven and Harry Potter: The Duo Who Lived
As the story goes in the Harry Potter franchise, Lord Voldemort — the all-powerful evil wizard — was put to an end by an infant who could barely speak. Thus began the feud between the two that spanned a seven-book series and other media adaptations.
In the last episode of Stranger Things 4, Vol 1, audiences are given a different perspective of the killings in Hawkins lab. Eleven is barely a kid who has not tapped into her powers yet, but the showdown between her and Henry is similar to the Harry Potter franchise. Like baby Harry sending the evil lord to the realm of wizard hell, Eleven pushes her power, breaking Henry Creel and sending him to the upside-down.
1 Bonus: Fred Benson and Colin Creevey
This last point of similarity in the list has nothing to do with the story or the plot and hence is a mere bonus that might add a kick to the list. Colin Creevey is introduced in Chamber of Secrets as the obnoxious yet lovable photographer for the Hogwarts school editorials. However, he is one of the few who falls victim (although he survives thanks to his camera) to the basilisk.
Similarly, Nancy Drew's colleague Fred Benson follows the same fate, as he is stalked and preyed on by Vecna in Hawkins. The thing that binds the two characters from the respective franchise is that they worked in similar capacities for a magazine/editorial while meeting their obligatory end.