Eleven Is So Mysterious On 'Stranger Things'

Although Will's abduction took center stage in the premiere episode of Netflix's new series Stranger Things, it looks like his disappearance is part of a much larger government conspiracy — and, to boot, there are seemingly supernatural forces at play. But, another mysterious child was introduced and it looks like she'll play a key role in the series. So, who is Eleven on Stranger Things? Well, for starters, that's not her real name and we haven't learned much about her yet because she's absolutely terrified to talk. But, she may have information that will be key to exposing the government conspiracy and saving Will's life.

The first time we see her, she's managed to escape from a government facility where it appears she's been held against her will and experiments have been performed on her. It's unclear when she was abducted, but it appears that Eleven has been separated from the outside world for quite some time. When she happens upon a restaurant, she sneaks into the kitchen and ravenously begins to eat the first food items she can find. The restaurant manager is initially furious and orders her to leave, but he quickly realizes that Eleven is in trouble so he cooks her a meal instead. She won't speak, but he spots a tattoo on her arm that simply reads "D11."

The restaurant manager calls social services and explains that the child is "scared to death" and he believes she's been either kidnapped or abused. He finally manages to get a smile out of her although she still won't speak, but a knock on the restaurant door changes everything. A woman claiming to be from social services arrives — but it's only after the manager lets her in that he realizes she's accompanied by a crew of gun-wielding individuals. He's shot, but Eleven manages to escape and she runs off into the rainy night. As the premiere episode comes to a close, she comes face-to-face with Will's three best friends who are out searching for him in the woods.

It's still unclear why Eleven was held captive, but apparently the reasons were compelling enough that a group of government officials were willing to kill someone in order to get her back. In an interview with POPSUGAR, Millie Bobby Brown (who portrays the young girl) revealed that her character has to deal with a monster and she possesses telekinetic powers. Although she didn't exhibit those powers in the premiere, it seems highly likely that they're the reason the government held her captive. It doesn't appear that Will has any supernatural abilities (that we know of), so it doesn't explain why he was taken — but it seems like their abductions must be related in some way.

In the below featurette, showrunners Matt and and Ross Duffer discuss the character:

Eleven is described as "scary because we don't know exactly what she's capable of." It certainly appears that she's a traumatized victim, but the Duffers hint that she could also be dangerous because of all the things she can do with her mind. As the series progresses, I can't wait to learn more of her backstory and see some of these telekinetic abilities in action.

Images: Netflix (2)