Despite the presence of numerous beloved characters, one fierce girl is at the core of Stranger Things. Eleven’s origins, supernatural powers, and relationships serve as the driving force behind the Netflix series.
In Stranger Things Season 5, our group of unexpected heroes in Hawkins will confront and defeat Vecna’s catastrophic hold on the town, bringing an end to her story.
In the fourth season of Stranger Things, Jane Hopper (now using her legal name) displayed her immense strength by defeating Henry Creel, desperately fighting to save Max’s life, and rushing back to her friends as time ran out.
The conclusion of the journey has been marked by meaningful victories, strong connections, and numerous instances of nosebleeds.
History of Origins
Eleven’s powers were acquired through the MKUltra government program, which took her away from her mother, Terry Ives, and used her as an experimental subject.
Early Life
Jane Ives was born to a mother who was unknowingly involved in a CIA operation. The CIA conducted experiments, including the use of psychedelic drugs and sleep deprivation, in order to develop abilities that could be used during the Cold War. These experiments had an impact on Jane while she was still in the womb.
As soon as she was born, she was separated from Terry and transferred to Hawkins Lab, where she became the eleventh of Dr. Martin Brenner’s (known as ‘Papa’ to her) young test subjects.
For years, he kept Eleven and the other children imprisoned in the lab while testing their abilities.
Meeting One
At the lab, Eleven displayed more potential than the other kids, winning dog fights that were initiated by Brenner. This caught the eye of an orderly, at least that’s what we believed…
Despite initially connecting with Brenner due to her resentment towards Papa, Henry Creel would eventually forget most of this until her memories were unlocked in Season 4.
Henry used manipulation to convince her to deactivate a power dampener inside his body and proceeded to slaughter the other children in the lab. Having spent his childhood in isolation, he had become twisted by his abilities and desired to team up with Eleven to revolutionize the world by rejecting the concepts and structures that non-gifted individuals relied on for understanding.
Although Eleven had the chance to escape, they chose not to.
Sealing One Away
Despite being significantly younger, Eleven was able to overpower him in a psychokinetic showdown at the lab. Their intense mental battle caused a rift in spacetime, ultimately leading to Eleven forcing Henry through the temporary gate.
As he fell through the crimson, dust-laden skies of the Upside Down, his physical form underwent a transformation due to the surroundings. The tales of Jane and Henry share many similarities, making this particular moment significant for both of them.
This event marks the beginning of potential future complications, as Vecna vows to seek vengeance and reclaim Hawkins with the power of another dimension within his grasp.
Escaping the Hawkins Lab
On November 6, 1983, Eleven made contact with a creature from the Upside Down while participating in a session led by Brenner. This interaction resulted in the opening of a second gateway within the lab.
The arrival of a creature caused chaos as Eleven emerged from a drain pipe. It was during this chaos that Mike, Dustin, and Lucas stumbled upon her in the woods in Season 1 Episode 1 while they were looking for the missing Will.
Powers
Eleven possesses psionic abilities such as telekinesis and biokinesis, as well as the power of dimensional travel.
It can be argued that she has the ability to revive individuals in specific situations, although the mechanism behind it remains unclear. An example of this occurred in the Season 4 finale when she was able to restart Max’s heart, but was unable to heal her injuries.
Most of Eleven’s abilities, including her telekinesis, were developed while in her mother’s womb. However, her psychic powers, which were nurtured by Papa at Hawkins Lab, are responsible for much of her connection to the Upside Down and its inhabitants.
- Telekinesis
- Levitation
- Binding
- Moving objects and creatures
- Biokinesis
- Disintegrating the bodies of some creatures
- Healing
- Dimensional travel
- Opening gates
- Closing gates
- Manipulating existing gates
- Psychic powers
- Telepathy
- Mind walking
- Memory reading
- Psychometry
- Technopathy
Her evolution throughout the seasons
Season 1
Eleven initially begins the series feeling fearful and isolated. Her main goal is to remain hidden in order to avoid being captured and returned to Hawkins Lab. However, upon meeting the other members of the group and learning about Will’s disappearance, her perspective begins to shift.
Despite Eleven’s reluctance, the other kids are able to convince her to use her powers in the search for Will. She also takes the opportunity to warn them about the perils of the Upside Down.
Despite her limited communication skills, as she has a small vocabulary and lacks understanding of ’80s culture due to being kept underground for a long time, there may be some challenges along the way. However, despite any disagreements, she always manages to come through for them in the end.
As the children search for Will and collaborate with Joyce Byers to rescue him, Eleven is pushed beyond her capabilities. By the end of Season 1, she plays a crucial role in saving Will and defeating the Demogorgon at Hawkins Middle School.
Season 2
In Season 2, both Hopper and Eleven experience parallel growth. However, for Eleven, her focus is on uncovering the truth about her mother’s past.
Pivotal moments in the story include meeting Terry in person, despite him being in a vegetative state, escaping from the cabin that Hopper had begged her to remain in, and coping with typical tween emotions.
Despite all of this happening, the Mind Flayer is gradually taking control of Will and attempting to enter our world by accessing a large gate located in Hawkins Lab.
Despite their fears, Hopper and El boldly approach the source. With all her strength, El manages to shut it just in time, as the menacing shadow of the Flayer appears in the distance.
The final episode highlights Eleven and Mike’s blossoming young romance. Throughout the season, Eleven’s struggle to lead a normal life culminates in a slow dance with Mike to the tune of ‘Time After Time’.
Season 3
In Hopper’s opinion, the love of youth often transforms into unappealing love.
As the children grow into their mid-to-late teenage years, their interpersonal conflicts continue to play a significant role in shaping the character development.
In Stranger Things Season 3, El is granted some time away from the male influences in her life. This ultimately proves to be a positive experience as she forms a strong bond with newcomer Max and becomes one of the few individuals to recognize the demonic nature of Billy Hargrove.
Thankfully for any villains from the Upside Down, the situation is currently in your favor. With the citizens of Hawkins preoccupied with envy and personal struggles, the Russians on the outskirts are successfully using a device referred to as the ‘key’ to open the gate.
Hopper and Joyce are responsible for managing the gate this time, as Eleven is preoccupied with protecting her friends at Starcourt Mall. Sadly, El does not have a happy ending in Season 3 as Hopper is presumed deceased following the explosion of the key.
Season 4
In Season 4, Eleven becomes an official member of the Byers troupe. In search of a new beginning, they relocate to California, where Joyce, acting as an angel-on-Earth, treats Eleven as if they were her own child.
Despite already facing the heartache of losing her adoptive father, Eleven also endures constant bullying at school and struggles to feel connected to Mike, who is having difficulty expressing his feelings for her.
Soon enough, Eleven finds herself once again in harm’s way. Papa abducts her, claiming that she is crucial in averting a catastrophe. Though Papa’s manipulative ways remain unchanged, there is truth to his words. Vecna’s plans are reaching a critical point, and Eleven is the only one who has proven capable of defeating him.
Her friends’ pleas are even more persuasive than Papa’s. Upon discovering Max, and subsequently everyone else, is in jeopardy, the urgency to return to Hawkins begins.
Despite barely hanging on by a thread after Vecna’s attack, El manages to arrive just in time to save Max. This is a gut-wrenching moment for her, as she has always been able to save the day with minimal losses.
Despite the attempts on his life, Vecna manages to survive and his gates tear through the town in the finale of Season 4. In a previous encounter, she reunites with Mike who finally confesses his feelings for her. The last shot shows her gazing at the destruction caused in Hawkins, her expression determined and unwavering.
Relationships
Mike
In later seasons, Eleven and Mike became a couple, but their bond was initially formed in Season 1 when Mike showed trust and protection towards her.
Although Eleven did not have full control of her powers, it took other characters much longer to warm up to her. However, with the help of Mike, Eleven was able to become a part of their friend group.
From the beginning, the seeds of young love were evident, but their relationship truly flourished in Season 3 as they grew older.
After Hopper’s ‘death’ in the Season 3 finale, Joyce takes in Eleven and the couple is separated. As a result, they have limited screen time together in Season 4. However, with the battle against Vecna underway, they have reunited and are fighting side by side once again.
Hopper
Hopper became Eleven’s adoptive father after the events of the Season 1 finale when she destroyed the monster at Hawkins Middle School. He took her in and faked her death, keeping her hidden in a remote cabin.
The parental aspect of their relationship holds immense significance for both Eleven and Hopper. Having lost her mother and father at a young age, Eleven was subjected to Papa’s harsh upbringing. Similarly, Hopper’s daughter passed away prior to the events of the series.
Hopper’s main struggle in his relationship with Eleven is his hesitation to allow her the freedom to explore on her own. He fears the possibility of losing another daughter, but after being kept confined in Hawkins for so long, Eleven craves the feeling of being unrestrained.
Though Hopper initially has difficulties connecting with her, she ultimately inspires him and they form a heartwarming chosen family.
In Season 3, they manage to overcome their struggles before Hopper’s untimely separation by the Russians in the finale.
Despite the belief that Hopper is deceased in Season 4, he is actually struggling to make his way back home to her.
Board
Papa served as a father figure to Eleven during her time at the lab. Despite his role as a villain in the show, their relationship remained complex until his passing.
Jane relied solely on Brenner for validation and praise, and he held complete authority over rewards and punishments at the lab. Eleven’s bond with Papa developed from feelings of trauma and isolation.
As Eleven grows older and learns about how he abducted her, her sentiments towards him remain complex.
Despite the fact that there is no redemption for him, she still makes the difficult decision to let him go when he perishes in Season 4, although it brings her no joy. In his own twisted manner, Brennen did care for her, but he ultimately prioritized his research and caused lasting harm to the children in the lab.
How old is Eleven in Stranger Things?
Netflix has confirmed that Eleven’s age is 12 in Season 1 of Stranger Things and 18 in Season 4.
At the same age as her character Eleven in Season 1, 12-year-old actor Millie Bobby Brown has now exceeded Eleven’s age as she is currently 20 years old (as of July 2024).
- 1974 flashback: 2 or 3 years old
- 1979 flashback: 8 years old
- Season 1: 12 years old
- Season 2: 13 years old
- Season 3: 14 years old
- Season 4: 18 years old
Why She’s Called Eleven
Brenner gave her the name Eleven because she was the eleventh child to undergo testing at Hawkins Lab.
Renaming the children with numbers rather than their proper names was most likely an attempt to strip them of their humanity. By depriving them of their individual identities in small ways like this, Brenner and the lab employees were less likely to acknowledge their personhood.
To further delve into the show, check out the release date of Stranger Things, learn about the Stranger Things actors, find out how to acquire Stranger Things skins in Fortnite, and discover where to purchase LEGO Stranger Things sets.
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