Fans can’t seem to get enough of this small-town sci-fi horror and its adorable heroes who stick together through thick and thin. There are so many speculations regarding what will happen in season 5 of Stranger Things, which will probably be released in late 2023 or 2024. It’s not just the plot or suspense that makes this story exceptional; the themes of love, family, friendship, nostalgia and well-developed relatable characters also add to its appeal. Among these phenomenal characters created by the Duffer brothers is El (Millie Bobby Brown), the story’s major hero and a fan favorite.
El encompasses several admirable qualities: loyalty, compassion, and protectiveness. However, she’s human and an erratic one at that. She’s emotionally immature and, though she often uses her power for good, sometimes she makes mistakes. But, after being snatched away from her mother at birth and raised in a lab where she was forced to tap into her emotions to unleash her psychokinetic and telepathic powers, can she be blamed for her unpredictable behaviors and childish outbursts? With the weight of saving humanity resting on this poor hero’s timid shoulders, no one knows when she’ll go off like a loaded canon.
El Violently Retaliates Against Her Bully
Jim is missing and El goes into Joyce’s care, leaving Hawkins and her only lover, Mike, behind. In a new town and school, she struggles to adapt, and to make matters worse, a group of mean girls constantly humiliate her. When Mike visits her school, she tries to act cool, but Angela won’t let her be - until El smashes her face.
El may have been pushed too far by Angela, but no one expected her to react violently by smashing Angela's face with a rollerskate. Though a lot of fans may cheer El for this, some may react to her violent display in the same way Mike did.
Vengeful Eleven wants to end Papa
El is stuck in a lab once more, trying to regain her power under the training of Papa since her friends are in dire need of her (again). But this time, Dr. Brenner assures her she can leave when she wants but when she does try to go, he stabs her neck with a sleeping drug. El loses her temper and attempts to kill him.
Nobody knows whether Eleven would have killed Dr. Brenner if the drug hadn’t knocked her out. But going by her vicious stare, shrill cry, and rising anger, she probably could have. Although her killing Dr. Brenner may be justifiable, it was still disturbing to see sweet El in the light of a cold killer.
There’s no stopping Eleven
Poor El is subjected to yet another experiment, in which she must strangle a helpless cat. As punishment for not completing the assignment, two guards drag her into solitary confinement. An enraged El lashes at the guards, slamming one into the wall and twisting the neck of the other.
Although the guards deserved the punishment, it was still astounding to behold her vicious side. El can be a little excessive in her bid to defend herself, but she’s just a traumatized little girl and can’t really be blamed. However, that doesn’t change the fact that what she does when she feels threatened can be outrageous.
A bit of Vecna in Eleven
The Mouth Breathers have attacked Mike and his friends, and just when Mike is about to jump off the cliff to save Dustin, Eleven arrives and uses her power to levitate him. Furiously she attacks the bullies, throwing one to the floor and twisting the arm of the other.
It’s hard not to see just a bit of Vecna in her as she unflinchingly tilts her head and snaps Troy’s arm. El is a hero who doesn’t murder for pleasure, but she also has a tendency to be as ruthless as Vecna, after all, they are both immensely powerful and also share a history. However, because Eleven uses her power for good reasons, many fans may excuse her vicious displays.
Max gets attacked by El
To keep Eleven safe from the government, Jim hides her in a cabin. But she soon grows tired of being isolated and goes in search of her friends. Upon her arrival, she sees Mike and Max bonding. Misinterpreting what she saw, El uses her telekinetic power to knock Max off her skateboard.
This brief display of jealousy may seem harmless since Max had no serious injuries, but it also demonstrates El’s overwhelming desire to hurt others. With such great power at her disposal, it’s frightening to imagine what El can do even to innocent people when provoked.
Is El a Monster?
The boys are on a mission to find the gate to the upside down and save their friend when Lucas realizes that El has been tampering with their compass. He openly calls her a monster, Mike defends her and a fight ensues. El breaks up the fight by hurling Lucas viciously into a Junked car.
Yet again, Eleven proves that she’s a dangerous girl with great power at her fingertips. She may not have intended to hurt Lucas, but when it comes to protecting those she cares about, she rarely considers the consequences of her actions. Poor Lucas could have died from that incident and just like Mike, it's hard not to wonder if El was truly a monster.
Jim Hopper’s Altercation With El
Eleven has been locked up in Jim Hopper’s cabin for nearly a year, and she desperately wants to see her friends. She breaks out of the house, but when she returns, Jim punishes her by forbidding her from watching TV or eating Eggo waffles. El’s rebellious side leaps out, spurring her to attack her father figure and slam the door in his face.
Without El’s power, her confrontation with Jim Hopper may have seemed pretty normal and harmless. But there's so much tension in that scene when she gets furious and uses her power to shatter all the cabin's glasses and shove a couch to Jim's side. There's no telling what El might do during one of her psychic tantrums, but it becomes rather clear that when upset, she can inflict pain - even on Jim.
Eleven Nearly Strangles Carroll
Eleven now bears the personality of ‘Bitching’ after joining her lost sister on a mission to hunt down and kill everyone who worked at the lab. After locating Carroll, they break into his apartment to murder him. Pinned down by Eleven, Carroll begs for his life which Eleven refuses to heed.
Carroll may have been the villain at one point, but El certainly became one when she continued to choke him to death while he begged for mercy. Right there, El is seen in her most ruthless moments, but thanks to the presence of Carroll's daughters, her good side wins over her impulsive desire to kill.
El Robs a Convenience Store
Eleven is seen at her worst when she joins Kali’s criminal crew and the little girl many have grown to love is hijacked by her new identity, ‘Bitching'. On their way to find Carroll, they rob a convenience store. El flings the poor store owner against the wall to demonstrate her savagery.
This very new disturbing personality El assumes shows that under the wrong guidance, El could become ruthless and use her powers for the wrong reasons. It is shocking to see El capable of harming an innocent person, which is so contrary to her true nature.
Eleven frightens a little girl and her mum
Eleven is determined to leave the cabin to reunite with Mike. On her way out, she stumbles upon a confused mum who questions her about her parents. In her usual creepy manner, she refuses to speak and instead responds by using her power to flip the swing multiple times, scaring the confused mum.
El isn’t fond of strangers and at that moment she meets that strange woman, it’s hard not to feel a pang of fear that she might hurt her. As the innocent woman continues to question El and her countenance changes to a vicious one, the fear grows, making everyone wonder if she is about to hurl the poor woman out of her way. However, much to the relief of many, El’s malevolent thoughts are kept at bay this time.