#the consumer

In Stranger Things' lore, explored in the The First Shadow play, the first contact with Dimension X, AKA the Abyss, was inspired by a prominent conspiracy called "The Philadelphia Experiment" during WWII. Where in the epilogue, Philly is named as a nod to this experiment.

She Blinded Me With Science 🧲

An ex-merchant mariner reported the U.S. Navy experimented with stealth technology at the Philadelphia navy yard. Supposedly, they made the USS Eldridge, a huge destroyer ship, disappear and "magically" transport, with surrounding rumors of UFOs and paranormal activity, that has all been debunked as a hoax.

The stealth technology in the play that Brenner's father, the captain of the USS Eldridge ship, used was inspired by "degaussing," a security and guerrilla warfare measure that neutralizes magnetic signatures naval vessels actually use in real life.

Degaussing uses electrical coils to create a magnetic field that counteracts the ship's own field, preventing detection by magnetic mines and torpedos. The coils deploy an electrical charge running through the ship's steel hull (you can see it in the photo above). This tech helps streamline magnetic navigation (compasses) that can get thrown off by the enemy, solar storms, or the earth's own magnetic field.

Because degaussing makes ships invisible to magnetic mines, etc, that is why rumors of teleportation started, and it is the inspiration behind the "science" in Stranger Things.

Who Goes There?, the inspiration behind The Thing, tells how the alien ("Thing") comes from an atomic planet whose radiation effects the antarctic south pole's field. It arrived on the planet via a solar storm, like the electrical storm that transports the ship in the play.

Ahoy There Mateys! It's Your Host, Mindy Flare🗼

Henry's powers mimic the powers of the telepathic Thing, and so does the radio tower. Like the USS Eldridge in the play too, the station has wonky transmissions and uses electrical coils. El cannot find Will using her powers at the radio station, and somehow the station's power is operational after it's power cables are cut by Robin and Will.

Only an alien power source that has this "degaussing" telepathy effect could explain this phenomenon. When the Mind Flayer coils up around the tower, it's a potential clue that this shadow is the "coil" causing these crazy dreams/trances.

This is why when the party discusses Jonathan's experimental horror recalling this conspiracy and why he says it's the "perfect hideout." I believe they are referencing how the alien source used the radio station as it's hideout.

Standing on top of the station, their brains are being feed this telepathic transmission that's giving them these thoughts—making them choose Philadelphia for their "experimental" film.

Is the Consumer really a film, or a plan? Hmm. In Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the main location is a naval yard, and the aliens transport pods via ships for world domination.

As an aside, the Hideout is a bar in Hawkins, which Mike dreams up Will's "Valaki" future (Valaki is located inside the Shadow Realm). Another aside, Jonathan prefers to "diffuse" the light—like degaussing.

Also, the fact that the maritime imagery is brought up again with Hopper's dream to live by the shore and listen to a "squawk" of seagulls continues this theme.

His dream recalls WSQK, the "squawk" radio station, the Navy experiment, and the albatross (seabird) symbolism in the novella that leaves readers with an uneasy sense of uncertainty on whether or not the alien escaped in this bird-form to take over the world.

Then, yes, Robin and Steve, who worked at a maritime-themed ice cream parlor, two ex-maritime merchants if you will, operate the radio station. This is all practically a time loop of the Eldridge events. "The right question is, when the hell are they?" — Doc Brown, Back To The Future.

I have many, many posts on this blog that theorize at length about the radio station, if you wish to continue down this rabbit hole.

Partners In Crime? 🫆

It was the very obvious clue (signal) put directly in the GA's face. If only they would be open to receiving it 😕 🫩

Radio towers give off signals.

To piggyback (from a pizza dough freezer anyone huh huh what a pun I know) on that....snowballgate

Snowball turned unavoidable avalanche etc etc..

For those of us who have seen '85 you know where this is going.

Snow shark??? The animation of how the monster attacked????

Moral of the story I'm painting here is,,, we are crazy; crazy (and stronger) together. I'll be honest I don't think there is a definitive confirmation coming, not in the form of new content for the original show anyway.

That being said; between the script books(+ the other official books), The first shadow(when it does eventually release on streaming), Tales from '85 (notice how its from and not of because it isn't the telling of what happened in '85)...I truly believe the puzzle pieces are all being given to us to put together and "guess the ending." I've always thought it strange that there was a point to say no one had guessed how it would end. They want us theorizing. "I think you guys are better writers" they would never allow someone to say that if there wasn't a reason..even if that really was Noah saying something he shouldn't have the things he has said lately/after that comment would never be allowed. They would have scolded him to some extent after saying fans are better writers if they didn't want him saying it and he would not be so lax with his comments.

Mixed media gate anyone???? Unless we combine the different forms of media/storytelling, you're unable to get the full picture.

Knot 1995, The book was originally released as part of an art package that included a CD with experimental recordings — readings, drones, ambient sounds and minimalist compositionsComplete Words for

Journals, music,collected stories, and songs span the years 1981 to present. Includes visual archives and artwork dating back to 1974

"The Consumer," Michael Gira, is one of the most extreme, disturbing, and cult-followed books of 1990s underground literature.

1994 (published by Henry Rollins' 2.13.61) horror, transgressive fiction, short storiesThe book is a collection of short stories—but many readers describe them more as delirious fantasies than traditional stories.

According to bookstore descriptions and criticsIt mixes body horror, surrealism, and grotesque imagery.

obras intensas, transgressivas, experimentais, sombrias e literariamente ousadas

The Atrocity Exhibition (edição original) — J. G. Ballard (1970)

Algumas edições foram banidas.

A versão americana foi retirada do mercado.

Um clássico do experimentalismo.

William S. Burroughs – Naked Lunch

Dennis Cooper – Frisk ou Closer

Escrita minimalista, fria e perturbadora.

Temas de violência, desejo e identidade.

Kathy Acker – Blood and Guts in High School

Punk literária.

Mistura pornografia, poesia, desenhos e colagens.

Edições pequenas, muitas vezes censuradas.

Mistura texto, pornografia, desenhos e colagem

The Age of Wire and String (primeira edição) — Ben Marcus

Culto absoluto entre escritores experimentais.

Esgotado em várias edições

Samuel Beckett – Texts for Nothing

Anne Carson – Autobiography of Red

Poético, mítico, emocional.

Não é grotesco, mas tem a mesma densidade simbólica.

Fragmentos existenciais, minimalistas, obsessivos.

O vazio como forma literária.

Livros de culto sombrios, perturbadores ou proibidos

🌑 Story of the Eye — Georges Bataille (edições antigas)

Erotismo filosófico extremo.

Muitas edições foram proibidas

Crash (primeira edição) — J. G. Ballard O romance que inspirou o filme de Cronenberg.

Edições iniciais são muito valorizada

The Painted Bird — Jerzy Kosiński (primeiras edições)

Um dos livros mais controversos do século XX.

Brutal, devastador, e muito procurada

American Psycho (primeira edição não censurada) — Bret Easton Ellis

Algumas edições foram retiradas de circulação.

A versão australiana ainda é vendida lacrada.

Jerzy Kosiński – The Painted Bird

Brutal, cru, emocionalmente devastador.

Não é experimental, mas é tão intenso quanto

Mark Z. Danielewski – House of Leaves 2000

Experimental, labiríntico, visualmente estranho.

Mistura terror psicológico com estrutura tipográfica única

A primeira edição é muito procurada.

Estrutura tipográfica única, labiríntica

Ben Marcus – The Age of Wire and String

Prosa poética surreal, quase científica.

Mundo estranho, linguagem reinventada.

Arcana — Austin Osman Spare

Ocultista, artista, mago.

Edições originais são raríssimas e caríssimas

The Book of Disquiet (edições antigas) — Fernando Pessoa

Livros extremos e quase inacessíveis

⚠️ 13. Pure Filth — Peter Sotos

Extremamente controverso.

Edições pequenas, muitas vezes destruídas.

Exquisite Corpse — Poppy Z. Brite (primeira edição)

Romance de culto do horror queer.

Esgotado e muito procurado

The 120 Days of Sodom (edições antigas) — Marquês de Sade

Algumas edições históricas são praticamente impossíveis de encontrar

The Process — Brion Gysin

Amigo de Burroughs, inventor do cut-up.

Edições antigas são raras.

The Mushroom Book — John Cage

Mistura micologia, arte e filosofia.

Edição limitada, muito valiosa

The Codex Seraphinianus (primeira edição) — Luigi Serafini

Enciclopédia surreal ilustrada.

Primeiras edições são objetos de culto

Ryu Murakami – Piercing ou In the Miso Soup

Psicologia doentia, violência contida, atmosfera urbana.

Hideshi Hino – Panorama of Hell (mangá)

Horror gráfico, grotesco e poético.

Uma experiência visual e emocionalmente violenta

Georges Bataille – Story of the Eye

Erotismo filosófico, simbólico e transgressor.

The expository note is refined then dropped. The need to give some pseudo-scientific explained on superpowers is dropped in favor of pointing to gadgetry. The initials appear a holdover from the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. spy spoof trend Chase that this follows.

Not sure the jet belt figures at all here given they give her a cape.

She is a Superteen no more, costume dumped in an alley as she walks off forlorn, head down.

Noodnic versus Noodnik. I do have a thought on the Consumer’s swim trunk-wear – borrowing from Marvel’s Thing I suppose – what is the nature of his anatomy? Is there genitalia he’s hiding?