Netflix’s 2023 thriller series, A Nearly Normal Family, introduced Stella, a girl who had a lot on her plate. She was a girl with ambitions and a desire to travel the world. Unfortunately for Stella, life wasn’t easy, and she had to endure a lot. When Stella was a schoolgirl, she was raped by Robin. She did everything she could to fend him off but failed. This shook Stella to the core. Moreover, what further hollowed her trust in her parents was the fact that they didn’t want to press charges against Robin. They believed that if they took the matter any further, it would do them no good. Stella’s image would be vilified, and she would have trouble making friends. Stella didn’t argue, but she held them responsible in her heart, probably even more than Robin. Maybe this was why she transitioned from a joyous and lively girl to one who was always irked.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Stella Feel Adam and Ulrika Were Disappointed in Her?
Even though Stella was her parents’ world, she couldn’t help but see the disappointment in their eyes. Stella dropped out of school and refused to attend college. Thus, she started working at a local restaurant. Stella had admitted it on multiple occasions. In one instance, she told her best friend, Amina Besic, that her parents would love to have someone like her as a daughter. Unlike Stella, Amina was bright and was studying to become a lawyer, just like Ulrika, Stella’s mother. Even Ulrika had said many times that it would’ve been great if Amina was her daughter. However, it wasn’t only Ulrika who was disappointed in her daughter. Stella reciprocated her attitude as well. It could be because she realized that her parents no longer loved each other. Stella couldn’t fathom why her parents were even together anymore. They sleep in the same bed, but their love has died. Her father was doing whatever he could to save their marriage, while her mother was spending time with another man. Stella’s disappointment in her parents also stemmed from the fact that she believed they never listened to her. Stella was saving up so she could travel, and both Adam and Ulrika knew that. Yet, they chose to gift her a scooter rather than give her the money. Even though it was a birthday gift and a gesture of his parent’s love, she interpreted it as something else. She was annoyed the whole day until she met Chris.
Why Did Stella Kill Chris?
Stella was in love with Chris and wanted him to be her significant other, despite what Linda and Amina told her. Unlike her, Chris was an entrepreneur who had earned more money than he could ever spend. Maybe Stella was with Chris because he made her feel less disappointed in herself. For her, Chris was the perfect man—rich and classy—but soon, she realized she had entered the rabbit hole. Stella also became insecure whenever she saw Chris with another woman. In one instance, Stella even suspected her best friend to be dating Chris. Eventually, Stella was able to see through his farce and started to ignore or avoid him. Stella showed no interest when Chris asked her to move in with him in his new house. Stella had realized that Linda was right. The pills she found in Chris’s drawer were indeed used to drug girls. Stella saved Amina, stabbed Chris multiple times, and killed him. But why kill him when she had already saved Amina? In reality, Stella couldn’t stand to see Amina going through the same suffering. Stella hated it when Robin wasn’t punished for what he did. This made Stella lose her sense of the world. She dropped out of school and even started to blame herself for being raped. Up until meeting her therapist, Stella was convinced that being sexually abused was entirely her fault. Stella showed interest in Robin, and he took advantage of her; thus, it was entirely on her, she believed. Ulrika also said Robin would get out on a technicality if she ended up making a fuss. Therefore, Stella figured there wouldn’t be any point in filing a police report. Linda Lavender had tried but failed. Robin raped her and assaulted her, and when Linda filed a report, her case didn’t even go to trial. She was called a liar and shamed, while Robin moved on to another girl or target. Thus, Stella chooses to kill Chris.
Why Did Stella Believe She Did The Right Thing?
Even though Stella was a murderer in the eyes of the prosecutors, she was convinced that she had done the right thing. Had Stella not taken matters into her own hands, the legal system would have failed Amina. If Stella hadn’t killed Chris, Amina’s parents would’ve probably advised her to forget everything and move on. This would’ve shattered Amina’s self-confidence and trust in the world, just like it did to Stella. Amina would’ve also blamed herself. In the event that Dino and Alexandra had decided to take the matter further, it was highly probable that Chris would’ve been released on technicality. He could have said it was consensual and he didn’t drug Amina. Also, the fact that Amina was drunk could’ve also helped his case. Therefore, Stella was proud that she’d killed Chris. She didn’t even cry or ask the lawyer for his help. Stella didn’t even try to convince him that she wasn’t the killer. She knew about the knife and could’ve told her mother to hide it, but she didn’t.
The irony was that at the end of A Nearly Normal Family, Stella herself was released on a technicality. The prosecution pressed the judge for a maximum sentence, but in the absence of a murder weapon and direct evidence linking Stella to the murder, she was freed. If the judge hadn’t ruled in her favor, she still would’ve accepted her fate, knowing she’d saved a friend from a monster. A Nearly Normal Family showed Stella sticking to what she believed, even if it went against the law and what people expected. She was sure she did the right thing to protect Amina from more pain. Despite the irony of her own release, Stella stood by her choice.
