'It doesn’t seem to need Eleven to live or die.' 'The Phoenix uses Jean Grey as a host, while Stranger Things’ monster is more independent,' writes Santos. The story line centers on the psychic Jean Grey and her battle with the Phoenix, an evil force that drains Grey of her powers and threatens to destroy the universe. As writer Alex Abad Santos at Vox carefully explains, that specific issue, which was published in 1980, marks the beginning of the comic's iconic Dark Phoenix saga. But it's not just any comic: Will asks for X-Men 134.įor superhero junkies, that number set a fire in their brains - and it's safe to assume the Duffer Brothers wanted comics-savvy viewers to make that connection. (The show's detractors would say a little too packed.) For the 'Eleven is the monster' theory, the most important allusion occurs early in the first episode, when Will and Dustin get in a bike race in which the winner gets a comic.

In addition to its killer '80s soundtrack, Stranger Things is packed with references and allusions to beloved science-fiction stories, from John Carpenter movies to Stephen King novels. The X-Men and Dungeons and Dragons factor And when Chief Hopper leaves a care package in the woods at the end of the finale, he's not just providing comfort to our favorite Mad Max: Fury Road cosplayer if the theory is true, he's sustaining the enemy. If true, her powers connect her to the monster because they are, in fact, one and the same. As fans on Reddit have pointed out, the theory would also help explain why Eleven is able to recognize Will and Barb in photos without ever having met them. This theory could explain why she disappears into a cloud of ash following the big throw-down: in order for the monster to leave, she must also sacrifice herself. What if the monster is the Upside Down version of Eleven? Of course, it's possible that she's speaking metaphorically - like many science-fiction and fantasy heroes, Eleven is inextricably linked to her nemesis - but for the purposes of this crazy theory, let's take her comment literally. As many fans have noticed, she even says, 'I am the monster,' echoing an idea that Lucas raises at various points in the show.

Then there's the climatic showdown between Eleven and the monster, which takes place in the show's final episode. The tank scenes are an important part of the puzzle.

When we see Eleven in the blank nothingness space, which resembles the place Scarlett Johansson took her victims to in Under the Skin, we are watching her create the monster in her mind, possibly as a side effect of her telekinetic powers and the drug-testing inflicted on her by Matthew Modine's twisted father figure. When Eleven first encounters the blood-loving monster, she's in a sensory deprivation tank - not in the alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. The theory asks a simple question: what if Eleven is actually the monster?Ĭrazy, right? Or is it? Let's take a closer look at the theory and see if it would hold up to Chief Jim Hopper's dogged investigative skills - of if it would break into a million pieces like Jonathan's cool camera after it gets smashed by the bullies.Īs the above video from Uproxx helpfully explains, this theory is all about duality. So, it only makes sense that Eleven would get her own mind-blowing theory.

With her psychic powers, strong fashion sense, and E.T.-like love of Eggos, Eleven is the show's most beloved character (sorry, Barb), capable of inspiring intricate fan art on brick walls and human flesh in equal measure. But one theory involving Eleven, the show's resident telekinetic badass, has emerged as a possible key to unlocking the whole series. As giddy viewers of Netflix's breakout summer hit continue to pick apart the show's many unanswered questions - and propose some surprising Parks and Recreation connections along the way - it has become harder to separate reasonable conjecture from speculation that makes about as much sense as shotgunning a beer can with a knife. Soon every character on Stranger Things will have its own fan theory.

11 stranger things