​The Duffer Brothers Basically Confirm 'Stranger Things' Is a 'Harry Potter' Ripoff

Spoilers from both series ahead, duh

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Nov 6, 2017

A group of adventurous misfit kids get mixed up in the supernatural, discovering unknown powers needed to defeat an impending evil force — sure, it sounds a lot like the second season of Netflix's hit show Stranger Things, but fans of the Harry Potter franchise have heard this one before.
 
In a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer admit that there are some undeniable parallels between their show and the beloved books (and films).
 
When asked if the mysterious new Mind Flayer monster — seen looming over Hawkins Middle School at the end of Season 2, despite Eleven slamming the gate shut in his face — will return with a vendetta against Eleven, the Duffer Brothers referenced Potter's own storyline.
 
Ross claimed that the Mind Flayer "didn't know that Eleven existed, much less someone with this kind of power," and said that they definitely intended to hint that, "Yeah, this thing is still there and it's not thrilled with the way events happened."
 
Matt then added: "It's a little bit of the Harry Potter thing, in terms of 'Oh, this is the one person who can stop me?'"
 
Furthermore, the Duffers revealed that the Mind Flayer will serve as the chief enemy going forward.

"We're not going to have a new monster for the kids to deal with every season," they told Digital Spy. "Moving forward, there's one clear tension. It's like Voldemort in Harry Potter."
 
For Stranger Things viewers whose nerd knowledge doesn't extend to the J.K. Rowling-penned universe, the Harry Potter series starts when an evil wizard named Voldemort attempts to destroy an infant Potter based on a prophecy claiming that the youngster will be "the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord."

The fatal curse backfires and seven books worth of action eventually reveals that "neither can live while the other survives" — setting up an inevitable final showdown between the pair. After discovering and destroying the seven Horcruxes Voldemort has split his soul into, of course.
 
All of which is to say, we can probably expect Eleven's powers to be at the forefront when it comes to destroying the Mind Flayer in upcoming seasons — and hopefully not the other way around.
 
Spookily, there are plenty of parallels between Will Byers and Harry Potter as well, like sharing a telepathic connection with the evil force — putting them both in the awkward position of trying to close off one's mind to the enemy, while also using their unique insight to help the good guys win.
 
If you've already binged your way through Season 2 of Stranger Things (and its new aftershow), perhaps it's worth spending the next year revisiting Rowling's tales while we wait to see what the Duffer Brothers do next. 

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