As the main and most powerful character in Stranger Things, Eleven (played by Millie Bobbie Brown) plays an integral part in the show’s storyline. However, right from the opening scene of Season 4 Volume 1, we get the feeling that her story is more important now than ever. Following Hopper’s presumed death at the end of season 3, Eleven moves to California with the Byers family and assumes the alias Jane. Between grieving her loss (of both her father and her powers), feeling distanced from Mike, and struggling to make friends at her new school, it’s evidently an emotional time for Eleven.
Moreover, as Vecna terrorizes Hawkins, we learn just how crucial her involvement in The Upside Down, and pretty much everything else, is. For Eleven, Stranger Things season 4 was about going back in order to move forward. She confronts her past traumas in order to unlock her powers, setting up the ultimate showdown in season 5. As we await the fifth and final season of the Netflix original series, here’s a look at Eleven’s best moments in Stranger Things season 4.
8 Reunion With Hopper
Netflix
Hopper and Eleven’s relationship in Stranger Things is truly one of a kind. The former police chief, played by David Harbour, took her under his care when everyone thought she was dead. Although at first the circumstances he kept her under resembled that of Papa’s prison, they managed to form a strong father-daughter bond. We know that Hopper lost his real daughter, so having Eleven in his life really helped him to cope and rediscover his purpose. It’s heartbreaking to think about how the last time they saw each other was during their big argument. In Stranger Things season 4, it turns out that Hopper was abducted by the Russians and Eleven was convinced her father is dead. Imagine how impatiently the audience was waiting for their big reunion. And oh, was it worth it.
7 Bringing Max Back from the Dead
Max was attacked by Vecna not once, but twice during Stranger Things season 4. The first time, she managed to escape with the help of her friends, but, during the second attack, she wasn’t as lucky. Although Eleven piggybacked into Max’s mind to fight Vecna and save her, she didn’t make it on time; Max was sacrificed the usual Vecna way: all of her bones broke and eyes plopped out. While we see Lucas screaming for his life, trying to find help, Eleven firmly says “No,” but we don’t get a view of what she really does. Can Eleven bring back people from dead now? Max’s heart stopped beating, but somehow she managed to survive because of Eleven. We hope that season five will explain the circumstances in more detail and also focus more on her and Max’s friendship.
6 Bringing Down the Helicopter
As we all know, season three ended with Eleven losing all of her powers. In Stranger Things season 4, she is separated from the rest of the group to nourish her powers back to life. Although she was reluctant to return to the same lifestyle she used to have with Papa, Eleven was ready to do everything that was needed to save her friends. In order to get her powers back, she had to relive her past with Henry/Vecna. Not even the scientists who developed the program expected the power would return with so much vigor. At the end of Volume 1, the army was out to capture Eleven. To show just how powerful she truly is and that they don’t stand a chance against her, Eleven brought down the helicopter they were shooting from.
5 “Angela! You ruined my day!”
Unfortunately, Eleven can’t catch a break from bullying throughout the entirety of Stranger Things season four. As a new addition to the Byers family, Eleven moved with them to California. Starting a new life at a new high school can be nerve-racking on its own. But with Eleven’s situation of trying to assimilate herself to normal teenage life while expanding her vocabulary and dealing with Hopper’s supposed death, it was even more challenging. Typically, high school kids aren’t the nicest, and Eleven becomes the target of Angela’s bullying. The peak is reached when Angela and her clique ruins Eleven’s date with Mike, and she embarrasses herself in front of the whole skating rink.
4 Piggyback to Max
For those unfamiliar with the concept, to piggyback is to basically fill something up with a large amount of water and salt, so Eleven can float and access people’s subconscious. She has done this in previous seasons: for example, when trying to locate Will and Barbara in the first season in The Upside Down. But, this time, a lot more was at stake: stopping Vecna from killing Max. They knew they couldn’t reach Hawkins on time in the real world, so piggybacking seemed like the best option. Leave it up to Eleven to save the world even when not being physically at the scene.
3 The Confrontation with Papa
Dr. Brenner, also known as Papa, and Eleven have a very twisted relationship in all aspects. Some fans are even split between understanding Banner’s point of view and straight-up hating him. Despite all the arguments, after the end of Stranger Things season 4, we know Eleven’s stance on their relationship. Dr. Brenner basically kidnapped all these children, kept them locked up, and experimented on them for his own sake; there’s really no question whether he’s a good or bad guy. Maybe he did care about Eleven in his own twisted way, but it all stemmed from his own needs. So, we were more than delighted to see Eleven finally stand up to him and her refusal to forgive him for everything he’s done.
2 Final Fight With Vecna
Eleven versus Vecna was the fight we had all been waiting for to happen by the end of Stranger Things season 4. Vecna seemed to be holding a personal grudge against Eleven, and it was even more apparent when he held her restrained in The Upside Down. He claimed that everything he had ever done was because of and for her. Although she somehow managed to infiltrate his mind, Vecna still had the upper hand at first. Before she realized that everything was basically an illusion, Vecna had already harmed Max pretty badly. Nonetheless, Eleven managed to break out and defeat him. It seems like Vecna’s time isn’t over, and he’ll still look for vengeance in the final season.
1 Sending Henry to The Upside Down
Our top spot goes to yet another moment between Henry and Eleven. Throughout Stranger Things season 4, we got glimpses of their relationship when he worked at the lab as staff. He nourished and paid attention to her. At first, it appeared that Henry was going to help El escape Papa’s horrible conditions. The big reveal of Volume 1 let us know, however, that Henry was Vecna all along. The fact that Eleven managed to defeat him at such a young age tells us a lot about her superpowers. She was the one to open the gate to The Upside Down and send Henry down there.
