I often like to joke that Matilda is just Carrie for kids, but Stranger Things takes this to a whole new level. What are Eleven's powers on Stranger Things ? The mysterious girl who appears in the Netflix series' pilot will remind you of a lot of your favorite characters. Warning, there are spoilers for Stranger Things ahead — ride your retro bike out of here if you don't want to know!
Mike, Dustin, and Lucas find Eleven in the woods near the spot where their friend Will disappeared. She's running away from some dangerous people, and doesn't seem to have much knowledge of the outside world. However, she is already powerful. We learn pretty early on that Eleven, or Elle for short, can primarily move things with her mind. She's telekinetic. This power ranges from turning electronics on and off, to breaking glass, throwing large objects, and even affecting the bones and bodily functions of other humans.
So she's a little bit Carrie after prom, a little bit Matilda Wormwood, and a little bit Jedi. While her origin story feels a little bit like River from Firefly or even Magneto, Eleven should definitely remind you of Jean Grey from the X-Men. Not only is Eleven's real name Jane, but the mutant's "Dark Pheonix" arc is referenced in the pilot. She can't read minds, not yet, but I would not be surprised if she did some day.
Eleven's origin story is just as mysterious and spooky. It appears that she was born with these powers, despite having been experimented on in a facility. Later on in the series, Joyce and Hopper track down her mother and aunt. We learn that whoever took Eleven faked that her mother had miscarried — but the mom somehow knew that she had powers and was taken for that reason.
Eleven also has the ability, with some help, to access alternative realms or realities. It appears that this is what she and her "papa," a doctor, have been working towards using sensory deprivation baths. It's possible that the extent of Eleven's abilities are still unfolding. They do, however, give her nosebleeds. Hero or not, Eleven could be hurting herself, which may end up being really bad for her.
Images: Netflix (2)
