May 2, 2025 • 36 mins
In today’s episode, Ashley discusses the symbolism of the rabbit – a common motif that appears throughout Stranger Things, but most commonly in seasons 1, 4, and, as Ashley speculates here, will be a prominent theme in Season 5 – and what the furry animal can tell us about the deeper meaning of the show.
*Please note: Ashley mistakenly forgot to include in this episode the scene in ST4, Chapter 7 where Holly is making a Rabbit on her Lite Brite. She will be forever horrified by this error and asks for your forgiveness 🙂
"The Hidden Symbolism of 'Stranger Things'" article: https://vigilantcitizen.com/moviesandtv/true-story-hidden-symbolism-behind-stranger-things/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
It's a ham radio, the Cadillac of ham radio.
Hello everyone, Welcome back to yet another episode of Ham Radio
(00:24):
as Stranger Things podcast. We've got a great episode for
you today as usual. But first, we have a little
housekeeping to take care of, and I'm going to turn it over to
Jasmine to let you know where you can find us on social media
and where you can listen to the podcast.
Thanks Ashley. You can find us on Instagram at
Ham Radio Media, all one word onTwitter, at Ham Through on
(00:48):
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We also have a discord you can join which is linked to the
description of this episode. If you have a fan theory or
question you want to share, you can e-mail us at
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(01:08):
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keep up with the podcast and allof our new content.
Hey everyone and welcome back toanother episode of Ham Radio, a
(01:31):
Stranger Things podcast. Today I will be talking about a
prevalent piece of symbolism that has been through has been
in Stranger Things since season 1 and looks to be a key part of
season 5. So what what is that piece of
symbolism you may ask? The rabbit, of course,
everyone's favorite, the rabbit.And this is actually going to be
(01:52):
Part 1 of Part 2 because in Part2, I will be talking about
another big piece of symbolism that has been within Stranger
Things, especially in Season 4 and I believe in season 5 as
well. And that will be the rainbow.
But that will be next week. But today I will be talking
(02:14):
about all things rabbits today and what they can tell us about
Stranger Things and why maybe Stranger Things, why the rabbit
is such a big part of the mythosand lore of the show.
Before I do that, I would again like to extend my thanks on
behalf of ham radio media to ourrecent guests that we've had on
(02:39):
for the past couple weeks. Aaron from the Lord of the Rings
podcast and then Haley from Haley's Funko Space Instagram
account. They were both very good to chat
with. And I hope you will go back and
listen to those episodes that I did with them.
(03:02):
If you haven't already or if youhave re listened to it, share it
to someone, a friend, a foe, a family member, whoever, and let
them know about it and let them know about all our episodes.
But again, thank you again, Aaron Haley, if you're listening
to this, thank you again for hopping on hopping.
(03:23):
Yeah, onto the show with me to talk about The Lord of the
Rings. And then Funko Pops again, had a
good time with both of them in our respective episodes.
So again, make sure you get those.
Listen. All right, so let's talk about
rabbits themselves first, shall we?
So just to give you some basic facts about the rabbit species,
(03:46):
there are over 30 species of rabbits.
The family that they are in, it's called the leper or Lipora
die. I know I'm not pronouncing that
correctly. Alongside hairs.
JREA habitat, grasslands, meadows, forests, deserts and
wetlands diets. They eat meat, obviously.
(04:10):
No no I'm kidding. They're herbivores.
They eat grass, leafy weeds, vegetables, bark, things like
that. As far as diet and digestion are
concerned, rabbits are hind gut fermenters, meaning that they
digest food in the large intestine and seek large
intestine and seek them. They eat their own soft
(04:31):
droppings called sisotropes to re digest nutrients traits.
They have long ears for detecting predators, strong hind
legs for hopping and kicking, and excellent vision.
Domesticated rabbits can be keptas pets and bred for meat, fur
or show and then common breeds of domesticated rabbits include
(04:54):
the Netherland dwarf, the Holland Lop and Flemish Giant.
They require a lot of space, a proper diet, mostly hay, and
regular social interaction. Differences between wild and
domestic rabbits Wild rabbits dig complex Burrows, also known
as Warrens and are more skittish, which makes sense.
(05:15):
Domestic rabbits can be litter trained and enjoy indoor living.
Which is true. You can you can litter box train
a rabbit. I had a great uncle one time who
he had he had rabbits that were litter box train like the cats.
So that that is that is true. The most adorable thing you'll
(05:35):
ever see too, by the way, like cats when cats do it.
And I love my cat, but you know,when he's taking a poo in the
litter box, you know, but but I don't know the bunnies seeing a
Bunny get into a litter box. I mean, come on.
OK, so you know, what do rabbits?
What do they symbolize? So, you know, I'm doing my
research. I mean, it became pretty clear a
(05:58):
lot of you're going to hear a lot of similar, similar things
that they symbolize here. And I'm going to only be talking
about the big ones. I mean, there's, there's so
there's actually so much that rabbits symbolize, but I'm only
going to be talking about a few of those, like the bigger ones
here. But according to
whatismyspiritanimal.com, the rabbit archetype is anything but
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a fuzzy Bunny, lightweight in the world of animal symbolism.
In many myths and legends, rabbits act as guides between
heaven, the earth, and the underworld.
They're a potent emblem of shamanic journeys and may even
be called up to monitor those rituals.
In fact, when viewing the rabbit's physical attributes,
(06:45):
the creature represents a a prayerful life as it puts its
paws in a prayer position each time they wash their faces and
the earth plane. The rabbit is a sound navigator,
having perceptions that pilot him through the darkness.
Because of this, the rabbit represents sensitives and seers
and their psychic powers. It also reflects on those
(07:08):
moments when we must hop into unfamiliar surroundings using
our inner light for direction. Will Max.
Rabbits are creatures of the earth living close to the ground
where they can easily hide. The meaning here can be twofold.
Either you need camouflage or you've become under recognized
among peers. Beyond this, turn your attention
(07:30):
to communing with the earth element and getting grounded.
Rabbits are trickster. Rabbits are tricksters because
they know their enemy and remainaware of their adversaries
movements to outwit them when chased.
Rabbits are not predictable in their movements.
They are no straight lines. There are no straight lines.
(07:52):
Rather, they zip and zag, which aids in an escape If their
erratic movement doesn't work. The rabbit or hare, like a
skilled shapeshifter, disappearsas it blends into the
environment via camouflage. Otherwise, the rabbit slips into
a small hideaway for a tidy retreat.
(08:13):
So this crafty critter has the additional symbolism of
directional awareness, cleverness, planning and keen
senses. Rabbit spiritual meaning is
often associated with lunar energy.
From Celtic traditions to the lore of African cultures.
The man in the moon is a rabbit.So the attributes and energy of
the moon are similar to that of the rabbit spirit.
(08:35):
So in reading that I instantly think of Will and how he was
able to hide from the demagogue in in season 1.
Now, I know we did not get to see that take place on screen,
but I believe that we are going to see a good bit of that on
Season 5. Just hold through flashbacks.
(08:55):
But yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing that still got to
me there is you, the rabbit slipping into a small hideaway
for a tidy retreat. I mean, that's what they do.
And I think that's absolutely what Will did.
You know, he even though we did not see him in the Upside Down
actually doing these things in Season 1, we do know that he
(09:17):
eventually found his way to castle buyers in the Upside Down
and he hid there, kept him safe.I mean, he also stayed in a long
time in the buyer's house in theUpside Down.
So we'll definitely a rabbit in season 1.
But, and also you know what Hopper says, or excuse me, what
Joyce says to Hopper in season 1is that Will is good at hiding.
(09:39):
So there you go, some more symbolism.
This is from americantarantulaandanimals.com
Rabbit symbolize sensitivity. Rabbits are sensitive animals,
and consistent with a study fromthe American Journal of
Physiology, they can process up to 20 times the sense humans
have. Additionally, their big ears are
(10:01):
designed to pick up various sounds, especially from
predators. Moreover, they have clear
visions, and their round eyes can see all the directions in
one look. Because of these features,
rabbits are considered symbols of sensitivity in real life.
This animal is encouraging you to not be too desensitized.
Instead, it reminds you to live culturally and use your senses
(10:25):
as well. If you are sensitive, use this
behavior to show empathy to others, especially to the lost.
Help others become connected in this world full of
disconnection. Rabbits also symbolizes
gentleness. Aside from being sensitive,
bunnies are also gentle. They remind you to handle your
life and other people around youwith care and compassion.
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They try to tell you to help others fight their battles.
At the same time, rabbits also encourage you to be gentle with
yourself. If there are days when you feel
discouraged and you start to hate yourself for this, seek
help from help from others to avoid self harm.
Yeah, that's number one. That's really good advice #2 I
think of 11 here, especially 11 in season 1.
(11:13):
Now, I mean that, you know, I like 11.
I love 11. She's my favorite character.
But I mean, definitely as the show has progressed and she is a
person has progressed other thanI'd say maybe like in season 4,
but definitely in seasons two and three, we do kind of see her
not being that, you know, big doe eyed, gentle rabbit like
(11:38):
figure as she was in season 1. But nevertheless, I still think
that she's a very gentle character, you know, and I think
she still possesses those qualities.
And then they, the rabbits symbolize fertility.
I don't, I think that one's a very self-explanatory.
I mean, they love to love to have babies, The rabbits, the
rabbits do. And they also symbolize haste.
(12:02):
This is a big one in the movie Alice in Wonderland, when Alice
crossed paths with the rabbit, the latter reclaims that he's
late. You know, I'm late.
I'm late, I'm late. Eventually, the rabbit sprinted
as fast as he could to enter thehole he was trying to get to.
This behavior of the rabbit signifies haste.
It also represents quick thinking to resolve issues fast,
(12:23):
but in an accurate way. However, keep in mind that haste
can be negative too. And the story of the tortoise
and the hare. The former's haste abilities
made him lose the game. This means that being too
confident with your skills without being cautious can drag
you down. So always be careful because
(12:45):
your haste can go to waste when you do not use it accordingly.
Now this makes me think, you know, maybe of Mike and of
Nancy, like, I think I mean Mike, it's been on like
throughout the show. He's throughout the entirety of
the show. He like he's he's always late.
He's never on time to anything. And we see in episode 1 of
(13:06):
Season 4 that he is late for school.
He's not even dressed yet. And and Nancy comes in, you
know, hitting the hitting the wristband watch, you know, dirty
after, you know, and you know, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late,
you know, and again, very interesting these two with their
rabbits and their haste, just very, very interesting in the
(13:30):
show there. And then rabbits also represent
or symbolize new beginnings. During springtime, the earth is
renewed, meaning that it is fullof life.
According to a study from Italy,this period also is also the
breeding period for rabbits. Thus, they become associated
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with new beginnings or rebirth in life.
If you feel that you do not knowwhere to start, always remember
that just like bunnies, there will always be a new day to
begin again. Again.
Another very interesting thing, Season 4 set in spring in 1986
and in the cruel flashbacks, those that the massacre of the
(14:13):
cruel family happened in the spring of 1986, I believe in
March. So, yeah, like 27 years prior to
when, you know, Henry slash fitness US1, you know, came and
started doing again the same things in 1986.
And we we see rabbits in in those some of those flashback
(14:35):
sequences as well. But yeah, I mean, it's, you
know, all this symbolism spraying.
But I do think like what I read there at the end, there always
be a new day to begin again. I think is at a core, you know,
a core part of the messaging of Stranger Things, the message
(14:55):
that it wants to send. And then we have some religious
symbolism. Now, I'm only going to be
talking about the Christian belief system and the Native
American system because I believe those are kind of the
two more prevalent that have been like on the show Stranger
Things. But, you know, you can go to
whatismyspiritanimal.com and getall of the religious symbols
(15:18):
that the rabbit symbolize. It's very fascinating to read.
But in the Christian belief system, the association with the
rabbit is more secular as a symbol they became that came to
be associated with Easter. This is not a direct result of
the observations of Jesus Christ, but of the later changes
(15:39):
in morphing that occurred between Pagan and Christian
cultures. To some, the connection between
Jesus and the rabbit can stem from the rabbit living
underground, similar to Jesus time spent in an underground
tomb. They are associated with
rebirth, infertility, an allusion to Christ.
Some accounts of early Christiancults describe a connection
(15:59):
between the rabbit and the Virgin Mary as well.
In reading In reading the New Testament, there are no rabbits.
In the Old Testament, the rabbitis incorrectly labeled as a
ruminant and considered unclean,though in more recent factions
of Christianity, the rabbit rabbit's significance shifts to
positive attributes like purity,innocence, and gentleness, and
(16:21):
is therefore associated with Christ or being Christ like.
Meanwhile, Native American rabbit symbolic meanings portray
the rabbit as an ingenious and often humorous trickster known
as manabazo or great hare. This character shows up in many
legends, sometimes with the additional symbolism of a hero.
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Some stories relate that the great Hare created the world,
brought humans fire, and even taught shamans how to enact
sacred rites. The hare spirit is a good animal
ally when learning ritual forms.An additional association with
the rabbit is that of a fear caller.
Lore suggests when when a rabbitfears something, it calls out to
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that thing until noticed in nature, the rabbit lives in
fear. Here the Native American lesson
is that calling or focusing on whatever frightens you can
foster attracting that very thing in your life.
The Algonquin tribes had a hero named Nana Bazo who named all
(17:29):
the plants and animals of creation.
His duty was to be a practical teacher and a spiritual mentor.
He could shapeshift into the form of a rabbit.
There is also a rabbit deity, Macabo.
Macabo created the world and could create life when he
wished. He gave life to dead rabbits,
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leading many Algonquins to claimthe rabbit as an ancestor
spirit. Moving to the southwest, the
rabbit, also known as the deserthare, embodied fertility,
predicted rainfall, and attracted prosperity.
Again, many stories show this rabbit as a rogue with a
(18:11):
pocketful of tricks. None had harmful intent.
The most prominent of these was Cocopelli, A flute playing
rabbit. Cocopelli appears in rituals,
dances, and many folk tales. Cocopelli can bring fertilizing
rain and guide brave hunters. Native American tribes with
(18:32):
rabbit clans include the Shawneeand the Hopi.
So some rabbit colors and their meanings.
According to whatismyspiritanimal.com, the
White rabbit is supposed to be the most fortunate.
They aren't. They are an omen of having great
choices ahead. Any of them can boost your inner
power, sense of love, and overall compassion.
(18:53):
In Europe, saying white rabbit or rabbit rabbit on the first
day of a new month brings blessings, but you must be
diligent and put forth honest effort for things to move ahead
successfully. Dreaming of a white rabbit
usually has some tie to your love life.
Why indicates you are in a happy, peaceful space.
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Your spiritual connection continues to grow without one
overshadowing another. Also, just as it appears out of
a hat, the White Rabbit portendsa pleasant surprise.
Meanwhile, the Black Rabbit signifies a state of stress,
anxiety, fear, depression, and feeling as if you are stuck with
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no way out. You must determine the source of
these feelings and figure out a resolution.
It is right in front of you. You've been over thinking.
Because the Black Rabbit can represent stillness, perhaps you
must still your mind in meditation for that ha ha
moment. Alternatively, perhaps you have
swallowed your words for too long.
Let them out. Dreaming of a black rabbit
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speaks about your fear of being intimate.
The reason may vary, but for most it's a feeling of not being
good enough. It's time to re say it.
Reassess yourself and see the beauty within.
Gray rabbits represent uncertainties and things that
hide between the proverbial lines in a dream.
It reveals someone close to you as being dishonest and
(20:20):
manipulative. Before making a decision, make
sure it's your decision and not a contrived 1.
Brown is the color of rich soil.When you plant the right seeds,
they begin to grow. Something big starts, so don't
overlook the little things. If you follow the signs given to
you by animal spirits and the teachers, like the brown rabbit,
(20:42):
you will discover something wondrous.
In particular, your magical lifeexpands along with your psychic
talents. Now, it's very interesting with
these colors of the rabbits because the white rabbit and the
brown rabbit, although I supposea mixture of Gray and brown,
depending on how you look at it,have been the ones that have
kind of been have come up the most and strange for things.
(21:04):
Now, I know that we've never seen a white rabbit on screen,
but as I'll talk a little bit about later in this episode, we
have seen references, you know, in displayed in and the set
design with the white rabbit andin the show.
And whereas with the brown rabbit, we have seen brown
(21:26):
rabbits on screen and they've been being murdered.
And yeah, I, I think you know what they, what the, the article
says about the brown rabbit. Well, let's just say I feel
like, based on that, I feel likethis is so, you know, so geared
towards maybe Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, but definitely Nancy and
(21:49):
Jonathan who, who do tend to overlook the little things, if
you hadn't noticed, especially Nancy, she loves to get right
there at the heart of the story,but sometimes she can't always
see the forest for the trees. She just overlooks the little
things. And so a big a big work that the
rabbit, specifically the right the White Rabbit has been in,
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which is also a big influence and inspiration for Stranger
Things is Alice in Wonderland, the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit.
So most of you are aware of Alice in Wonderland and the
Rabbit that's in there. The author of that book, Lewis
Carroll, carefully wove the source the story of Alice's
(22:35):
Adventures in Wonderland in 1865.
The Rabbit is the first character Alice meets.
She followed it down the hole into Wonderland Rabbit.
The rabbit always seems to be ina hurry and nervous, which is
curious since he was a herald ofthe Queen of Hearts court.
Whenever the rabbit appears in the story, you know something is
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about to happen. Throughout the book, the rabbit
is continuously late. Nonetheless, he finds himself in
the middle of fanciful and curious circumstances.
He acts as a foreshadowing. Without giving anything away,
the white rabbit unwittingly becomes Alice's guide.
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There are moments when life presents you with something
outlandish and mystifying. You may wish to follow Alice's
example and embrace the moment to see where the rabbit hole
takes you. Now, you know, as it relates to
Stranger Things, and we're talking about rabbits here and
specifically to this, the rabbitand Alice in Wonderland.
Will is the first one we see in this instance.
(23:41):
We see him basically go down therabbit hole.
He gets taken to another world, the Upside Down.
But then, you know, we also see 11, you know, we're first
introduced to her and the pilot episode and the song White
Rabbit is playing and one of those scenes.
And you know, I think as it relates to 11 and her being
(24:06):
paralleled here with Alice in Wonderland, I think of at the
end of the pilot episode when Mike, Dustin and Lucas come upon
11 in the woods as pouring rain.I think this is for Mike.
This is this was something outlandish and mystifying.
And maybe he did go down a rabbit hole himself with 11.
(24:26):
It didn't because, you know, rabbit holes, they symbolized
like distraction. And he got distracted initially
from the mission, which was to go find Will.
He got distracted by 11. Now, the good thing is that they
did find or they stumbled upon 11 because she did lead them to
Will and eventually was able to,you know, get him out.
(24:50):
But yeah, and I'm not saying like I think that Mike and 11's
relationship is all a lot of BS.I don't, I think that I think
they generally do care about each other and do love each
other. I mean, I, I know Mike hasn't
said it, but I do think he lovesher.
He's just just has a hard time saying it is all.
(25:12):
And I would hate for 11 to end up being his rabbit hole and
something go bad that like that's, that's one of my biggest
fears going into season 5, especially with with Mike and
11:00. So, you know, I talked about a
little bit about dead rabbits a little bit.
So what does it mean when you see a dead rabbit?
(25:34):
So coming across a dead creatureis always disconcerting,
concerning, but it can be a message to you from the
spiritual world. Most obviously, seeing a dead
rabbit acts as a reminder that life is short.
You should always be present andappreciate every moment.
Finding a dead rabbit speaks of transformation.
(25:54):
You must leave the past behind and become ready for the next
adventure. If your discovery was in the
oddest of places, you've strayedsomehow and need to return to
the well trodden path in order to initiate change.
A dead rabbit can reflect your own fears of mortality, or any
fear really. No earthly representative of
(26:15):
animal spirits can live forever.It is simply life circle coming
around again. Put your past life, past
negativity and past insecurity behind you.
Start something wholly unexpected.
Wonders await. If someone you know died
recently, The Dead Rabbit might be a way of telling you
everything's fine. Treasure your memories, but move
(26:36):
on. When you take positive steps
forward, the universe applause the progress.
Have you been overly pessimisticas of late?
The Dead Rabbit advises you to turn your frown upward.
Try seeing the brighter side of life.
When you do, you'll see many details that otherwise deluded
you. Now's the time to get your
(26:57):
answers. When you see a dead rabbit,
pause and think about those things to which you give your
time and energy. Do they add value?
If not, it's time to reconsider your priorities.
Sometimes a dead rabbit implies you've let creative creativity
stall out. Find something that inspires
you. No one expects perfection.
(27:17):
Perfection overnight. Work on the very human flaws you
have when it comes to originality and innovation.
Take a pilgrimage inward and turn your perceived weaknesses
into strengths in your career. Encountering a dead rabbit means
you've missed some opportunitiesthat would have helped you
greatly. To avoid playing financial catch
(27:37):
up all the time. Keep your eyes keen.
Don't let your productivity dropor become complacent.
Renew your sense of purpose. Something's gone wrong and
seeing a dead rabbit only confirms that reality.
Figure out where the problems began.
Ponder the key buttons that leadthat led to disruption.
There is a way to fix things, just don't be afraid to return
(27:59):
to the drawing table if necessary.
Dreaming of a sick rabbit employs you to pay more
attention to self-care. Rabbits are prone to all manners
of sickness and can become I'll without warning.
Pay attention to your health. That includes mental start
making steps that support well-being.
So in that I think of Nancy in Season 4 when Vecna, you know,
(28:26):
gives her his flashbacks and shesees him as a young child
killing the rabbit. I mean, I know at that moment he
was just showing her things thathad happened in his past.
But I think maybe from the show's perspective, from the
writers perspective there, maybethat was, you know, to let Nancy
and the audience maybe, you know, as a foreshadowing thing
(28:49):
of, you know, what's to come. And Hawkins, maybe not for Nancy
specifically, but you know, what's to come.
But also, I think of what the article says about a dead rabbit
can reflect your own fears and morality or any fear.
And we have to go back and like we've been doing our script
series, our script breakdown series.
And in Chapter 7, the massacre at Hawkins Lab, when the episode
(29:11):
in which this this all transpires, you know what
happens before Magnet completelytakes Nancy in?
He pulls her down into that, into Steve's pool on the Upside
Down and gives her a glimpse of dad Barb, who we've kind of been
made to fill since, you know, Season 3 and throughout Season
4. Like, you know, that's the thing
(29:34):
of Nancy's past. But clearly, Nancy still very
much thinks of Barb and still lives the guilt.
And so I think this is reflecting Nancy's, you know,
this rabbit also extended reflection of Nancy's fears,
maybe of mortality, but maybe her fears of what happened in
(29:57):
the past and not being able to let go and move on.
So rabbits a scene in Stranger Things.
So we're going to finally get into it.
So in Season 1, in our first ever encounter with 11, the song
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplanes is playing in the
background. And when she's in Benny's Diner
or Benny's Burgers, the lyrics play it.
(30:17):
And if you go chasing rabbits and you know, you're going to
fall. Now, this in terms of Season 1
context, could have been like basically telling Brenner
because this when the this needle drive happens, when
Brenner and his squad are comingto get her, but she's already,
you know, left. I mean, well, she she kills some
(30:38):
of the squad and then she leaves.
You know, this could be like, you know, laughing at Brenner
and don't like, yeah, you know, look, look, what's going to
happen to you? Keep chasing rabbits, you know,
But it's also been talked about how this song is about drugs in
the 60s and particularly psycho psychedelic drugs which were
(31:04):
heavily used in MK Ultra experiments, which is what 11
came, you know, spawned from. And then while visiting the room
intended for 11, her mother's house, the White Rabbit from
Alice in Wonderland is prominently displayed according
(31:25):
to an article on the vigilantcitizen.com, which side
note this article, I'll link it in the show description for this
episode. You need to read this article.
It is, it is fantastic. It's actually from 2016, like
right after season 1 dropped. So the writer doesn't know at
that time what's going to happenin the show, but is a fantastic
(31:47):
article. Highly recommend you read it has
a lot on there, especially aboutMK Ultra and government stuff
and the government side of the show.
Again, I'll link that for you soyou can read it.
But again, it's, it's, it's an incredible piece.
But but anyway, according to thearticle on the
(32:08):
vigilantcitizen.com it is an important symbol in the world of
mind control. The same way the White Rabbit
lures Alice into the looking class, MK handlers lure slaves
to the dark side of mind control.
So again, go read that article and you will know and learn what
an MK handler was and what the writer means there by slaves.
(32:32):
And then in episode 5, the fleetof the Acrobat Jonathan reveals
to Nancy that his dad had took him hunting once and told him to
shoot a rabbit but he couldn't do it.
Then the season 4 Alice Creel, her name is also Alice OK sees
dead rabbits and the front lawn of the crew house, which we
later learned was her brother Henry killing them using his
(32:55):
newly found powers and leaving them in the yard to scare her.
Fekna shows us this flashback toNancy in Chapter 7 the massacre
at the Hawkins Lab. Then I guess this isn't a direct
thing, but it's something I definitely picked up on that in
chapter 6, the dive, Dustin is hopping up and down.
(33:17):
He's excited to go going to Mordor.
He kind of hops up and down in that scene at Skull Rock, kind
of like a that resembles a Bunnyhop.
And then towards the end of Chapter 9, the piggyback Nancy
picks up a stuffed rabbit toy, Mr. Rabbit out of a donation
box. And when asked if she wants to
keep him, she says no, that he'll be better off in another
(33:39):
home. And it's just very interesting
that Nancy has two encounters, direct encounters with rabbits
in season 4. And like I mentioned earlier in
episode 1, in season 4 has the her on I'm late, I'm late, I'm
late moment. And then, you know, for season
5, sometime last year in 2024 during filming, Ross Duffer
(34:03):
posted on his Instagram a picture in which we've come to
the conclusion of the Krill house.
It was behind the scenes photo in the crew house.
There was a picture hanging on the wall featuring the Mad
Hatter's tea party from Alice inWonderland with the white Rabbit
in the picture. So definitely we're going back
into Wonderland in Season 5. And you know, I'll leave you
(34:27):
with this, you know, as I wrap up the Stranger Things portion
Hopper, you know, did you ever you ever think about the name
Hopper rabbits, Hopper, hop Hopper.
Do that what you will. So as we've explored in this
episode, the rabbit is far more than just a cute woodland
(34:47):
creature or seasonal Easter icon.
Across cultures and spiritual traditions, the rabbit holds
deep symbolic weight, representing everything from
sensitivity, cleverness and fertility to spiritual rebirth.
Shamanic journeying and the courage to face the unknown.
(35:08):
Whether it's the trickster talesof Native American lore, the
haunting rabbit imagery, the haunting rabbit imagery and
Stranger Things, or the eternal white rabbit of Alice in
Wonderland, this animal spirit invites us to stay alert,
grounded, and open to transformation.
So the next time you see a rabbit, real or symbolic, take a
(35:29):
moment to reflect. It just might be guiding you to
your next big leap. And I think Stranger Things in
itself maybe is its own self, ananimal spirit that invites us to
stay alert, grounded and open totransformation because that's
life. It's going to happen.
So thank you for listening to Part 1 of the Rabbit.
(35:50):
And like I said earlier at the at the beginning of today's
episode, I'll be back next week with Part 2 where I'll dive into
the vibrant and magical world ofworld of Rainbows.
Yes, I know it's been a long time coming.
We haven't really talked as muchon this show, on this podcast
about the rainbows in this show.Well, that's going to change
(36:11):
next week because that's what I'm going to be talking about.
So yeah, you won't want to miss it.
So until then, take care. And that's our show.
If you like what you heard today, be sure to subscribe and
tell your friends. Our theme music is provided by
Neon Nights. Thank you for listening to this
episode of Ham Radio, a StrangerThings podcast.
Please join us next time. Same dial, same time.
(36:34):
Over and out.
It's a ham radio, the Cadillac of ham radio.
Hello everyone, Welcome back to yet another episode of Ham Radio
(00:24):
as Stranger Things podcast. We've got a great episode for
you today as usual. But first, we have a little
housekeeping to take care of, and I'm going to turn it over to
Jasmine to let you know where you can find us on social media
and where you can listen to the podcast.
Thanks Ashley. You can find us on Instagram at
Ham Radio Media, all one word onTwitter, at Ham Through on
(00:48):
YouTube at Ham Radio Media, or using our handle Ham Radio 1983.
We also have a discord you can join which is linked to the
description of this episode. If you have a fan theory or
question you want to share, you can e-mail us at
hamradiomedia@gmail.com. Ashley also has a fanfic on AO3
entire Stranger Things College, which is also LinkedIn the
(01:08):
description. The podcast is available on all
major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts,
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If you like the show, please consider leaving us a rating or
review. We have a lot of totally tubular
stuff coming up, so be sure to follow us on social media to
keep up with the podcast and allof our new content.
Hey everyone and welcome back toanother episode of Ham Radio, a
(01:31):
Stranger Things podcast. Today I will be talking about a
prevalent piece of symbolism that has been through has been
in Stranger Things since season 1 and looks to be a key part of
season 5. So what what is that piece of
symbolism you may ask? The rabbit, of course,
everyone's favorite, the rabbit.And this is actually going to be
(01:52):
Part 1 of Part 2 because in Part2, I will be talking about
another big piece of symbolism that has been within Stranger
Things, especially in Season 4 and I believe in season 5 as
well. And that will be the rainbow.
But that will be next week. But today I will be talking
(02:14):
about all things rabbits today and what they can tell us about
Stranger Things and why maybe Stranger Things, why the rabbit
is such a big part of the mythosand lore of the show.
Before I do that, I would again like to extend my thanks on
behalf of ham radio media to ourrecent guests that we've had on
(02:39):
for the past couple weeks. Aaron from the Lord of the Rings
podcast and then Haley from Haley's Funko Space Instagram
account. They were both very good to chat
with. And I hope you will go back and
listen to those episodes that I did with them.
(03:02):
If you haven't already or if youhave re listened to it, share it
to someone, a friend, a foe, a family member, whoever, and let
them know about it and let them know about all our episodes.
But again, thank you again, Aaron Haley, if you're listening
to this, thank you again for hopping on hopping.
(03:23):
Yeah, onto the show with me to talk about The Lord of the
Rings. And then Funko Pops again, had a
good time with both of them in our respective episodes.
So again, make sure you get those.
Listen. All right, so let's talk about
rabbits themselves first, shall we?
So just to give you some basic facts about the rabbit species,
(03:46):
there are over 30 species of rabbits.
The family that they are in, it's called the leper or Lipora
die. I know I'm not pronouncing that
correctly. Alongside hairs.
JREA habitat, grasslands, meadows, forests, deserts and
wetlands diets. They eat meat, obviously.
(04:10):
No no I'm kidding. They're herbivores.
They eat grass, leafy weeds, vegetables, bark, things like
that. As far as diet and digestion are
concerned, rabbits are hind gut fermenters, meaning that they
digest food in the large intestine and seek large
intestine and seek them. They eat their own soft
(04:31):
droppings called sisotropes to re digest nutrients traits.
They have long ears for detecting predators, strong hind
legs for hopping and kicking, and excellent vision.
Domesticated rabbits can be keptas pets and bred for meat, fur
or show and then common breeds of domesticated rabbits include
(04:54):
the Netherland dwarf, the Holland Lop and Flemish Giant.
They require a lot of space, a proper diet, mostly hay, and
regular social interaction. Differences between wild and
domestic rabbits Wild rabbits dig complex Burrows, also known
as Warrens and are more skittish, which makes sense.
(05:15):
Domestic rabbits can be litter trained and enjoy indoor living.
Which is true. You can you can litter box train
a rabbit. I had a great uncle one time who
he had he had rabbits that were litter box train like the cats.
So that that is that is true. The most adorable thing you'll
(05:35):
ever see too, by the way, like cats when cats do it.
And I love my cat, but you know,when he's taking a poo in the
litter box, you know, but but I don't know the bunnies seeing a
Bunny get into a litter box. I mean, come on.
OK, so you know, what do rabbits?
What do they symbolize? So, you know, I'm doing my
research. I mean, it became pretty clear a
(05:58):
lot of you're going to hear a lot of similar, similar things
that they symbolize here. And I'm going to only be talking
about the big ones. I mean, there's, there's so
there's actually so much that rabbits symbolize, but I'm only
going to be talking about a few of those, like the bigger ones
here. But according to
whatismyspiritanimal.com, the rabbit archetype is anything but
(06:23):
a fuzzy Bunny, lightweight in the world of animal symbolism.
In many myths and legends, rabbits act as guides between
heaven, the earth, and the underworld.
They're a potent emblem of shamanic journeys and may even
be called up to monitor those rituals.
In fact, when viewing the rabbit's physical attributes,
(06:45):
the creature represents a a prayerful life as it puts its
paws in a prayer position each time they wash their faces and
the earth plane. The rabbit is a sound navigator,
having perceptions that pilot him through the darkness.
Because of this, the rabbit represents sensitives and seers
and their psychic powers. It also reflects on those
(07:08):
moments when we must hop into unfamiliar surroundings using
our inner light for direction. Will Max.
Rabbits are creatures of the earth living close to the ground
where they can easily hide. The meaning here can be twofold.
Either you need camouflage or you've become under recognized
among peers. Beyond this, turn your attention
(07:30):
to communing with the earth element and getting grounded.
Rabbits are trickster. Rabbits are tricksters because
they know their enemy and remainaware of their adversaries
movements to outwit them when chased.
Rabbits are not predictable in their movements.
They are no straight lines. There are no straight lines.
(07:52):
Rather, they zip and zag, which aids in an escape If their
erratic movement doesn't work. The rabbit or hare, like a
skilled shapeshifter, disappearsas it blends into the
environment via camouflage. Otherwise, the rabbit slips into
a small hideaway for a tidy retreat.
(08:13):
So this crafty critter has the additional symbolism of
directional awareness, cleverness, planning and keen
senses. Rabbit spiritual meaning is
often associated with lunar energy.
From Celtic traditions to the lore of African cultures.
The man in the moon is a rabbit.So the attributes and energy of
the moon are similar to that of the rabbit spirit.
(08:35):
So in reading that I instantly think of Will and how he was
able to hide from the demagogue in in season 1.
Now, I know we did not get to see that take place on screen,
but I believe that we are going to see a good bit of that on
Season 5. Just hold through flashbacks.
(08:55):
But yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing that still got to
me there is you, the rabbit slipping into a small hideaway
for a tidy retreat. I mean, that's what they do.
And I think that's absolutely what Will did.
You know, he even though we did not see him in the Upside Down
actually doing these things in Season 1, we do know that he
(09:17):
eventually found his way to castle buyers in the Upside Down
and he hid there, kept him safe.I mean, he also stayed in a long
time in the buyer's house in theUpside Down.
So we'll definitely a rabbit in season 1.
But, and also you know what Hopper says, or excuse me, what
Joyce says to Hopper in season 1is that Will is good at hiding.
(09:39):
So there you go, some more symbolism.
This is from americantarantulaandanimals.com
Rabbit symbolize sensitivity. Rabbits are sensitive animals,
and consistent with a study fromthe American Journal of
Physiology, they can process up to 20 times the sense humans
have. Additionally, their big ears are
(10:01):
designed to pick up various sounds, especially from
predators. Moreover, they have clear
visions, and their round eyes can see all the directions in
one look. Because of these features,
rabbits are considered symbols of sensitivity in real life.
This animal is encouraging you to not be too desensitized.
Instead, it reminds you to live culturally and use your senses
(10:25):
as well. If you are sensitive, use this
behavior to show empathy to others, especially to the lost.
Help others become connected in this world full of
disconnection. Rabbits also symbolizes
gentleness. Aside from being sensitive,
bunnies are also gentle. They remind you to handle your
life and other people around youwith care and compassion.
(10:49):
They try to tell you to help others fight their battles.
At the same time, rabbits also encourage you to be gentle with
yourself. If there are days when you feel
discouraged and you start to hate yourself for this, seek
help from help from others to avoid self harm.
Yeah, that's number one. That's really good advice #2 I
think of 11 here, especially 11 in season 1.
(11:13):
Now, I mean that, you know, I like 11.
I love 11. She's my favorite character.
But I mean, definitely as the show has progressed and she is a
person has progressed other thanI'd say maybe like in season 4,
but definitely in seasons two and three, we do kind of see her
not being that, you know, big doe eyed, gentle rabbit like
(11:38):
figure as she was in season 1. But nevertheless, I still think
that she's a very gentle character, you know, and I think
she still possesses those qualities.
And then they, the rabbits symbolize fertility.
I don't, I think that one's a very self-explanatory.
I mean, they love to love to have babies, The rabbits, the
rabbits do. And they also symbolize haste.
(12:02):
This is a big one in the movie Alice in Wonderland, when Alice
crossed paths with the rabbit, the latter reclaims that he's
late. You know, I'm late.
I'm late, I'm late. Eventually, the rabbit sprinted
as fast as he could to enter thehole he was trying to get to.
This behavior of the rabbit signifies haste.
It also represents quick thinking to resolve issues fast,
(12:23):
but in an accurate way. However, keep in mind that haste
can be negative too. And the story of the tortoise
and the hare. The former's haste abilities
made him lose the game. This means that being too
confident with your skills without being cautious can drag
you down. So always be careful because
(12:45):
your haste can go to waste when you do not use it accordingly.
Now this makes me think, you know, maybe of Mike and of
Nancy, like, I think I mean Mike, it's been on like
throughout the show. He's throughout the entirety of
the show. He like he's he's always late.
He's never on time to anything. And we see in episode 1 of
(13:06):
Season 4 that he is late for school.
He's not even dressed yet. And and Nancy comes in, you
know, hitting the hitting the wristband watch, you know, dirty
after, you know, and you know, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late,
you know, and again, very interesting these two with their
rabbits and their haste, just very, very interesting in the
(13:30):
show there. And then rabbits also represent
or symbolize new beginnings. During springtime, the earth is
renewed, meaning that it is fullof life.
According to a study from Italy,this period also is also the
breeding period for rabbits. Thus, they become associated
(13:52):
with new beginnings or rebirth in life.
If you feel that you do not knowwhere to start, always remember
that just like bunnies, there will always be a new day to
begin again. Again.
Another very interesting thing, Season 4 set in spring in 1986
and in the cruel flashbacks, those that the massacre of the
(14:13):
cruel family happened in the spring of 1986, I believe in
March. So, yeah, like 27 years prior to
when, you know, Henry slash fitness US1, you know, came and
started doing again the same things in 1986.
And we we see rabbits in in those some of those flashback
(14:35):
sequences as well. But yeah, I mean, it's, you
know, all this symbolism spraying.
But I do think like what I read there at the end, there always
be a new day to begin again. I think is at a core, you know,
a core part of the messaging of Stranger Things, the message
(14:55):
that it wants to send. And then we have some religious
symbolism. Now, I'm only going to be
talking about the Christian belief system and the Native
American system because I believe those are kind of the
two more prevalent that have been like on the show Stranger
Things. But, you know, you can go to
whatismyspiritanimal.com and getall of the religious symbols
(15:18):
that the rabbit symbolize. It's very fascinating to read.
But in the Christian belief system, the association with the
rabbit is more secular as a symbol they became that came to
be associated with Easter. This is not a direct result of
the observations of Jesus Christ, but of the later changes
(15:39):
in morphing that occurred between Pagan and Christian
cultures. To some, the connection between
Jesus and the rabbit can stem from the rabbit living
underground, similar to Jesus time spent in an underground
tomb. They are associated with
rebirth, infertility, an allusion to Christ.
Some accounts of early Christiancults describe a connection
(15:59):
between the rabbit and the Virgin Mary as well.
In reading In reading the New Testament, there are no rabbits.
In the Old Testament, the rabbitis incorrectly labeled as a
ruminant and considered unclean,though in more recent factions
of Christianity, the rabbit rabbit's significance shifts to
positive attributes like purity,innocence, and gentleness, and
(16:21):
is therefore associated with Christ or being Christ like.
Meanwhile, Native American rabbit symbolic meanings portray
the rabbit as an ingenious and often humorous trickster known
as manabazo or great hare. This character shows up in many
legends, sometimes with the additional symbolism of a hero.
(16:43):
Some stories relate that the great Hare created the world,
brought humans fire, and even taught shamans how to enact
sacred rites. The hare spirit is a good animal
ally when learning ritual forms.An additional association with
the rabbit is that of a fear caller.
Lore suggests when when a rabbitfears something, it calls out to
(17:07):
that thing until noticed in nature, the rabbit lives in
fear. Here the Native American lesson
is that calling or focusing on whatever frightens you can
foster attracting that very thing in your life.
The Algonquin tribes had a hero named Nana Bazo who named all
(17:29):
the plants and animals of creation.
His duty was to be a practical teacher and a spiritual mentor.
He could shapeshift into the form of a rabbit.
There is also a rabbit deity, Macabo.
Macabo created the world and could create life when he
wished. He gave life to dead rabbits,
(17:51):
leading many Algonquins to claimthe rabbit as an ancestor
spirit. Moving to the southwest, the
rabbit, also known as the deserthare, embodied fertility,
predicted rainfall, and attracted prosperity.
Again, many stories show this rabbit as a rogue with a
(18:11):
pocketful of tricks. None had harmful intent.
The most prominent of these was Cocopelli, A flute playing
rabbit. Cocopelli appears in rituals,
dances, and many folk tales. Cocopelli can bring fertilizing
rain and guide brave hunters. Native American tribes with
(18:32):
rabbit clans include the Shawneeand the Hopi.
So some rabbit colors and their meanings.
According to whatismyspiritanimal.com, the
White rabbit is supposed to be the most fortunate.
They aren't. They are an omen of having great
choices ahead. Any of them can boost your inner
power, sense of love, and overall compassion.
(18:53):
In Europe, saying white rabbit or rabbit rabbit on the first
day of a new month brings blessings, but you must be
diligent and put forth honest effort for things to move ahead
successfully. Dreaming of a white rabbit
usually has some tie to your love life.
Why indicates you are in a happy, peaceful space.
(19:15):
Your spiritual connection continues to grow without one
overshadowing another. Also, just as it appears out of
a hat, the White Rabbit portendsa pleasant surprise.
Meanwhile, the Black Rabbit signifies a state of stress,
anxiety, fear, depression, and feeling as if you are stuck with
(19:36):
no way out. You must determine the source of
these feelings and figure out a resolution.
It is right in front of you. You've been over thinking.
Because the Black Rabbit can represent stillness, perhaps you
must still your mind in meditation for that ha ha
moment. Alternatively, perhaps you have
swallowed your words for too long.
Let them out. Dreaming of a black rabbit
(19:58):
speaks about your fear of being intimate.
The reason may vary, but for most it's a feeling of not being
good enough. It's time to re say it.
Reassess yourself and see the beauty within.
Gray rabbits represent uncertainties and things that
hide between the proverbial lines in a dream.
It reveals someone close to you as being dishonest and
(20:20):
manipulative. Before making a decision, make
sure it's your decision and not a contrived 1.
Brown is the color of rich soil.When you plant the right seeds,
they begin to grow. Something big starts, so don't
overlook the little things. If you follow the signs given to
you by animal spirits and the teachers, like the brown rabbit,
(20:42):
you will discover something wondrous.
In particular, your magical lifeexpands along with your psychic
talents. Now, it's very interesting with
these colors of the rabbits because the white rabbit and the
brown rabbit, although I supposea mixture of Gray and brown,
depending on how you look at it,have been the ones that have
kind of been have come up the most and strange for things.
(21:04):
Now, I know that we've never seen a white rabbit on screen,
but as I'll talk a little bit about later in this episode, we
have seen references, you know, in displayed in and the set
design with the white rabbit andin the show.
And whereas with the brown rabbit, we have seen brown
(21:26):
rabbits on screen and they've been being murdered.
And yeah, I, I think you know what they, what the, the article
says about the brown rabbit. Well, let's just say I feel
like, based on that, I feel likethis is so, you know, so geared
towards maybe Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, but definitely Nancy and
(21:49):
Jonathan who, who do tend to overlook the little things, if
you hadn't noticed, especially Nancy, she loves to get right
there at the heart of the story,but sometimes she can't always
see the forest for the trees. She just overlooks the little
things. And so a big a big work that the
rabbit, specifically the right the White Rabbit has been in,
(22:13):
which is also a big influence and inspiration for Stranger
Things is Alice in Wonderland, the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit.
So most of you are aware of Alice in Wonderland and the
Rabbit that's in there. The author of that book, Lewis
Carroll, carefully wove the source the story of Alice's
(22:35):
Adventures in Wonderland in 1865.
The Rabbit is the first character Alice meets.
She followed it down the hole into Wonderland Rabbit.
The rabbit always seems to be ina hurry and nervous, which is
curious since he was a herald ofthe Queen of Hearts court.
Whenever the rabbit appears in the story, you know something is
(22:57):
about to happen. Throughout the book, the rabbit
is continuously late. Nonetheless, he finds himself in
the middle of fanciful and curious circumstances.
He acts as a foreshadowing. Without giving anything away,
the white rabbit unwittingly becomes Alice's guide.
(23:18):
There are moments when life presents you with something
outlandish and mystifying. You may wish to follow Alice's
example and embrace the moment to see where the rabbit hole
takes you. Now, you know, as it relates to
Stranger Things, and we're talking about rabbits here and
specifically to this, the rabbitand Alice in Wonderland.
Will is the first one we see in this instance.
(23:41):
We see him basically go down therabbit hole.
He gets taken to another world, the Upside Down.
But then, you know, we also see 11, you know, we're first
introduced to her and the pilot episode and the song White
Rabbit is playing and one of those scenes.
And you know, I think as it relates to 11 and her being
(24:06):
paralleled here with Alice in Wonderland, I think of at the
end of the pilot episode when Mike, Dustin and Lucas come upon
11 in the woods as pouring rain.I think this is for Mike.
This is this was something outlandish and mystifying.
And maybe he did go down a rabbit hole himself with 11.
(24:26):
It didn't because, you know, rabbit holes, they symbolized
like distraction. And he got distracted initially
from the mission, which was to go find Will.
He got distracted by 11. Now, the good thing is that they
did find or they stumbled upon 11 because she did lead them to
Will and eventually was able to,you know, get him out.
(24:50):
But yeah, and I'm not saying like I think that Mike and 11's
relationship is all a lot of BS.I don't, I think that I think
they generally do care about each other and do love each
other. I mean, I, I know Mike hasn't
said it, but I do think he lovesher.
He's just just has a hard time saying it is all.
(25:12):
And I would hate for 11 to end up being his rabbit hole and
something go bad that like that's, that's one of my biggest
fears going into season 5, especially with with Mike and
11:00. So, you know, I talked about a
little bit about dead rabbits a little bit.
So what does it mean when you see a dead rabbit?
(25:34):
So coming across a dead creatureis always disconcerting,
concerning, but it can be a message to you from the
spiritual world. Most obviously, seeing a dead
rabbit acts as a reminder that life is short.
You should always be present andappreciate every moment.
Finding a dead rabbit speaks of transformation.
(25:54):
You must leave the past behind and become ready for the next
adventure. If your discovery was in the
oddest of places, you've strayedsomehow and need to return to
the well trodden path in order to initiate change.
A dead rabbit can reflect your own fears of mortality, or any
fear really. No earthly representative of
(26:15):
animal spirits can live forever.It is simply life circle coming
around again. Put your past life, past
negativity and past insecurity behind you.
Start something wholly unexpected.
Wonders await. If someone you know died
recently, The Dead Rabbit might be a way of telling you
everything's fine. Treasure your memories, but move
(26:36):
on. When you take positive steps
forward, the universe applause the progress.
Have you been overly pessimisticas of late?
The Dead Rabbit advises you to turn your frown upward.
Try seeing the brighter side of life.
When you do, you'll see many details that otherwise deluded
you. Now's the time to get your
(26:57):
answers. When you see a dead rabbit,
pause and think about those things to which you give your
time and energy. Do they add value?
If not, it's time to reconsider your priorities.
Sometimes a dead rabbit implies you've let creative creativity
stall out. Find something that inspires
you. No one expects perfection.
(27:17):
Perfection overnight. Work on the very human flaws you
have when it comes to originality and innovation.
Take a pilgrimage inward and turn your perceived weaknesses
into strengths in your career. Encountering a dead rabbit means
you've missed some opportunitiesthat would have helped you
greatly. To avoid playing financial catch
(27:37):
up all the time. Keep your eyes keen.
Don't let your productivity dropor become complacent.
Renew your sense of purpose. Something's gone wrong and
seeing a dead rabbit only confirms that reality.
Figure out where the problems began.
Ponder the key buttons that leadthat led to disruption.
There is a way to fix things, just don't be afraid to return
(27:59):
to the drawing table if necessary.
Dreaming of a sick rabbit employs you to pay more
attention to self-care. Rabbits are prone to all manners
of sickness and can become I'll without warning.
Pay attention to your health. That includes mental start
making steps that support well-being.
So in that I think of Nancy in Season 4 when Vecna, you know,
(28:26):
gives her his flashbacks and shesees him as a young child
killing the rabbit. I mean, I know at that moment he
was just showing her things thathad happened in his past.
But I think maybe from the show's perspective, from the
writers perspective there, maybethat was, you know, to let Nancy
and the audience maybe, you know, as a foreshadowing thing
(28:49):
of, you know, what's to come. And Hawkins, maybe not for Nancy
specifically, but you know, what's to come.
But also, I think of what the article says about a dead rabbit
can reflect your own fears and morality or any fear.
And we have to go back and like we've been doing our script
series, our script breakdown series.
And in Chapter 7, the massacre at Hawkins Lab, when the episode
(29:11):
in which this this all transpires, you know what
happens before Magnet completelytakes Nancy in?
He pulls her down into that, into Steve's pool on the Upside
Down and gives her a glimpse of dad Barb, who we've kind of been
made to fill since, you know, Season 3 and throughout Season
4. Like, you know, that's the thing
(29:34):
of Nancy's past. But clearly, Nancy still very
much thinks of Barb and still lives the guilt.
And so I think this is reflecting Nancy's, you know,
this rabbit also extended reflection of Nancy's fears,
maybe of mortality, but maybe her fears of what happened in
(29:57):
the past and not being able to let go and move on.
So rabbits a scene in Stranger Things.
So we're going to finally get into it.
So in Season 1, in our first ever encounter with 11, the song
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplanes is playing in the
background. And when she's in Benny's Diner
or Benny's Burgers, the lyrics play it.
(30:17):
And if you go chasing rabbits and you know, you're going to
fall. Now, this in terms of Season 1
context, could have been like basically telling Brenner
because this when the this needle drive happens, when
Brenner and his squad are comingto get her, but she's already,
you know, left. I mean, well, she she kills some
(30:38):
of the squad and then she leaves.
You know, this could be like, you know, laughing at Brenner
and don't like, yeah, you know, look, look, what's going to
happen to you? Keep chasing rabbits, you know,
But it's also been talked about how this song is about drugs in
the 60s and particularly psycho psychedelic drugs which were
(31:04):
heavily used in MK Ultra experiments, which is what 11
came, you know, spawned from. And then while visiting the room
intended for 11, her mother's house, the White Rabbit from
Alice in Wonderland is prominently displayed according
(31:25):
to an article on the vigilantcitizen.com, which side
note this article, I'll link it in the show description for this
episode. You need to read this article.
It is, it is fantastic. It's actually from 2016, like
right after season 1 dropped. So the writer doesn't know at
that time what's going to happenin the show, but is a fantastic
(31:47):
article. Highly recommend you read it has
a lot on there, especially aboutMK Ultra and government stuff
and the government side of the show.
Again, I'll link that for you soyou can read it.
But again, it's, it's, it's an incredible piece.
But but anyway, according to thearticle on the
(32:08):
vigilantcitizen.com it is an important symbol in the world of
mind control. The same way the White Rabbit
lures Alice into the looking class, MK handlers lure slaves
to the dark side of mind control.
So again, go read that article and you will know and learn what
an MK handler was and what the writer means there by slaves.
(32:32):
And then in episode 5, the fleetof the Acrobat Jonathan reveals
to Nancy that his dad had took him hunting once and told him to
shoot a rabbit but he couldn't do it.
Then the season 4 Alice Creel, her name is also Alice OK sees
dead rabbits and the front lawn of the crew house, which we
later learned was her brother Henry killing them using his
(32:55):
newly found powers and leaving them in the yard to scare her.
Fekna shows us this flashback toNancy in Chapter 7 the massacre
at the Hawkins Lab. Then I guess this isn't a direct
thing, but it's something I definitely picked up on that in
chapter 6, the dive, Dustin is hopping up and down.
(33:17):
He's excited to go going to Mordor.
He kind of hops up and down in that scene at Skull Rock, kind
of like a that resembles a Bunnyhop.
And then towards the end of Chapter 9, the piggyback Nancy
picks up a stuffed rabbit toy, Mr. Rabbit out of a donation
box. And when asked if she wants to
keep him, she says no, that he'll be better off in another
(33:39):
home. And it's just very interesting
that Nancy has two encounters, direct encounters with rabbits
in season 4. And like I mentioned earlier in
episode 1, in season 4 has the her on I'm late, I'm late, I'm
late moment. And then, you know, for season
5, sometime last year in 2024 during filming, Ross Duffer
(34:03):
posted on his Instagram a picture in which we've come to
the conclusion of the Krill house.
It was behind the scenes photo in the crew house.
There was a picture hanging on the wall featuring the Mad
Hatter's tea party from Alice inWonderland with the white Rabbit
in the picture. So definitely we're going back
into Wonderland in Season 5. And you know, I'll leave you
(34:27):
with this, you know, as I wrap up the Stranger Things portion
Hopper, you know, did you ever you ever think about the name
Hopper rabbits, Hopper, hop Hopper.
Do that what you will. So as we've explored in this
episode, the rabbit is far more than just a cute woodland
(34:47):
creature or seasonal Easter icon.
Across cultures and spiritual traditions, the rabbit holds
deep symbolic weight, representing everything from
sensitivity, cleverness and fertility to spiritual rebirth.
Shamanic journeying and the courage to face the unknown.
(35:08):
Whether it's the trickster talesof Native American lore, the
haunting rabbit imagery, the haunting rabbit imagery and
Stranger Things, or the eternal white rabbit of Alice in
Wonderland, this animal spirit invites us to stay alert,
grounded, and open to transformation.
So the next time you see a rabbit, real or symbolic, take a
(35:29):
moment to reflect. It just might be guiding you to
your next big leap. And I think Stranger Things in
itself maybe is its own self, ananimal spirit that invites us to
stay alert, grounded and open totransformation because that's
life. It's going to happen.
So thank you for listening to Part 1 of the Rabbit.
(35:50):
And like I said earlier at the at the beginning of today's
episode, I'll be back next week with Part 2 where I'll dive into
the vibrant and magical world ofworld of Rainbows.
Yes, I know it's been a long time coming.
We haven't really talked as muchon this show, on this podcast
about the rainbows in this show.Well, that's going to change
(36:11):
next week because that's what I'm going to be talking about.
So yeah, you won't want to miss it.
So until then, take care. And that's our show.
If you like what you heard today, be sure to subscribe and
tell your friends. Our theme music is provided by
Neon Nights. Thank you for listening to this
episode of Ham Radio, a StrangerThings podcast.
Please join us next time. Same dial, same time.
(36:34):
Over and out.
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