'Stranger Things' All 9 of Eleven's Powers, Ranked

'Stranger Things' All 9 of Eleven's Powers, Ranked Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in a sensory deprivation suit in Stranger Things Season 4.Image via Netflix By  Ilana Davis Published 33 minutes ago

Ilana is a Lists Trainer and Editor at Collider since 2021. She has previously written for digital publications covering lifestyle and culture (Glitter Magazine, VinePair, etc.), but her passion lies in entertainment.  She studied journalism and philosophy at The George Washington University and, despite being a political program, managed to connect every assignment to entertainment. Whether it’s a podcast about Contagion and the pandemic or The Wizard of Oz as an American fairytale, she is interested in the connection between entertainment and culture.   

Ilana enjoys analyzing movies and TV shows on her blog in her free time, entertainmental.co. Her Film & Philosophy posts have reached thousands of readers - Ratatouille & Karl Marx, Soul & Aristotle, Inglorious Basterds & Machiavelli, etc.). Clearly, she enjoys a wide range of genres and subject matter.   

As a native New Yorker, Ilana is always searching for nearby film sets and celebrity spottings. She is in the hub of entertainment and culture which continues to inspire her writing, editing, and storytelling. 

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Eleven. El. Jane. Whatever name she goes by, one thing remains the same: Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is the most powerful character in Stranger Things. Her abilities surpass those of the other test subjects at Hawkins Lab, shocking even the scientists who subjected her to years of experimentation. These powers are categorized in two ways: telepathic and psychokinetic. No two are alike, yet each one serves a purpose.

With each season, Eleven gains more powers that she must harness to protect her friends — and the town — from harm by spies, scientists, and, ultimately, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Will she discover new powers in Season 5? Learn to control the existing ones once and for all? For now, Eleven has proven to use each ability to her advantage. From telepathy to portal creation, how do Eleven's powers rank in Stranger Things?

9 Binding

Dacre Montgomery's Billy sacrificing himself to the Mind Flayer in Season 3 of 'Stranger Things'.Image via Netflix

A subcategory of telekinesis, Eleven can stop her enemies in place by restraining them with her mind. This is similar to her levitation powers but derives from a less tangible state. In doing so, her enemies are suspended in place with little freedom to move.

As with her other telekinetic abilities, binding takes a significant toll on Eleven, causing nosebleeds and fainting. Most notably, Eleven uses her binding power while fighting the Mind Flayer in Season 3. This dramatic moment is when the characters in Stranger Things take down their greatest foe yet.

8 Memory Reading

Dacre Montgomery as Billy sits on his bed after being possessed by the Mind Flayer in Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

Not only can she walk through others' minds, but she can also access their memories. This does aid mind walking, though it's a power unto itself. With this, she can transport herself back to the past by focusing on the memories of an individual while in the Void. This is beneficial not only for finding someone but also for understanding them. It's a method of humanizing those around her. Particularly in Season 3, when she enters Billy's (Dacre Montgomery) memories to try and save him from the Mind Flayer.

However, this power does not work within her, as we have little information about her past within Hawkins Lab. Eleven's memories of that time are forgotten, for the most part. It's not until Season 4 that these memories resurface through intensive experimentation in Project Nina, which finally reveals what happened in the Rainbow Room all those years ago. In doing so, Eleven unlocks the full potential of this power — and her history.

7 Levitation

Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) uses her psychic ability to crush a soda can in Season 1 of 'Stranger Things.'Image via Netflix

Another component of her telekinetic powers, levitation, enables Eleven to lift and suspend objects and people. This proves helpful on numerous occasions, whether she is saving others, battling enemies, or simply for entertainment. This power is heavily rooted in Eleven's emotional state, which she learns to control over time.

The power of levitation has saved many lives, most notably in Season 1, when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) jumps off the cliff while running away from his classmates. It was an objectively stupid move, but in some part, he knew that Eleven would save him. Still, the risk paid off, and his trust in Eleven developed further. Other examples of this power include suspending heavy objects that no human could otherwise lift, and gaining an advantage while in battle.

6 Biokinesis

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven staring intently with blood coming from her nose in Stranger Things Season 1.Image via Netflix

Again, Eleven's powers are divided into two distinct categories; one can consider these to be mental and physical. As such, the power of biokinesis rests somewhere in the middle. Biokinesis is used for destruction, resurrection, or even petty folly. It’s a power that represents not only Eleven’s mental strength, but physical, too.

While not as frequently, Eleven uses her biokinetic abilities in both minor and significant ways. Something as simple as making her classmate pee himself as humiliation. She is a young teenager, after all. In a much more significant moment, Eleven resurrects Max (Sadie Sink) after returning from Vecna's control. She can resurrect life just as easily as ending it, too (in the case of disintegrating the Demogorgon in Season 1).

5 Mind Walking/Remote Viewing

Max and Eleven standing in darkness in Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

People often go missing in Hawkins. Whether they are physically trapped in the Upside Down or trapped somewhere in their minds, Eleven's ability to mind walk proves crucial for finding and bringing them back. This was not fostered accidentally, though; it was an intentional effort by scientists at Hawkins Lab to be used as a means of spying on the Soviets. But this clairvoyant skill took on a life of its own.

The Void is a powerful place. One remiss of light or tangible life altogether. But when Eleven enters this liminal space, she is met with an individual beyond the veil of reality, in a sense. It's both a metaphor and a literal depiction through which Eleven can locate those who are lost, in danger, or in need of guidance. Much like her other powers, there are limits to this ability. As such, she must be blindfolded in the waking world, leaving her vulnerable to adversaries.

4 Telepathy

Eleven in a pool of water, blindfolded in the show Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

There are numerous ways in which Eleven's telepathic abilities present themselves. It's defined as an umbrella of powers labeled Extrasensory Perception (ESP) and Psychic Projection (mind walking, memory reading, etc.). Not everyone from the Hawkins Lab experiments possesses this trait; it signifies just how special Eleven is. For Eleven, these are a direct result of her mother's involvement in the experiments, which were passed down to her at birth.

It can be said that Eleven is an empath, of sorts. Not one by choice but rather design. At the start of Stranger Things, Eleven struggles to engage with the world outside the manufactured one she was raised in. But with guidance and support from her friends, she quickly comes to understand the individual's struggles and the complexities of those around her. This is a significant distinction between her and Vecna, who utilizes similar powers to disrupt order. As such, the love and support Eleven surrounds herself with are crucial to being a savior.

3 Telekinesis

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven with her arm outstretched in Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

It's clear from the start that Eleven is not "normal." She exhibits signs of telekinesis as early as Season 1 by flipping a car, levitating Mike, and even moving heavy machinery with her mind. It must be considered: Did she even know her capabilities so early on in the world outside of Hawkins Lab? She can move objects with her mind by simply holding her hand and focusing on that object.

Eleven relies on this power the most as it's relatively more straightforward in nature — but that doesn't mean it doesn't cause a strain. Not at all. However, like any of her abilities, telekinesis is not a surefire skill and is bound to fail her at times. She learns from it. In addition, telekinesis is one of the most critical powers she shares with Vecna, yet their uses serve as a foil to each other.

2 Dimensional Travel

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven stands with her back against a portal in Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

Aside from creating portals, Eleven can interact with them physically, finding herself traversing through unknown worlds. However, she does not have control over how, when, or why this happens. This often leads her and her friends into great danger. This came into play in Season 1 when the Demogorgon escaped the Upside Down and into Hawkins.

As such, Eleven went into the portal and garnered enough power to emerge unscathed. Moreover, Eleven's ability to access the Upside Down through dimensional travel is a direct consequence of her connection to Vecna, leaving her vulnerable to his intent to destroy her. Throughout Stranger Things, other characters have found themselves within these alternate dimensions, but it's Eleven who must save them (with the aid of each other).

1 Portal Manipulation

Henry/Vecna pinned against a wall in Stranger Things.Image via Netflix

Eleven's greatest strength is her ability to open portals. The rules and nature of this are often misunderstood and confusing. But it's a product of Eleven's intense emotional response and years of experimentation. As such, her ability to open mortals was driven by emotion and anger, expressed in two distinct yet connected ways.

We first learn about the Upside Down in Season 1 when the Demogorgon appears. But in Season 4, it's revealed that the greater Upside Down was formed to protect herself and others from Henry/Vecna and his evil intentions. So, while the portal to another world was not created on purpose, Eleven's growth throughout the series allowed her to find ways to manipulate and even close the portal — for now. It's unclear what will happen as a result, but this will surely come to fruition in Season 5.

Like Stranger Things TV-14 Drama Mystery Horror Science Fiction Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00 Network Netflix Showrunner Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Directors Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz

Cast

See All

• Millie Bobby Brown Jane 'Eleven' Hopper
• Finn Wolfhard Mike Wheeler

Writers Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock Genres Drama, Mystery, Horror, Science Fiction Main Genre Drama Seasons 5 Producers Rand Geiger, Justin Doble, Lampton Enochs Franchise Stranger Things Creator(s) Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Story By The Duffer Brothers Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Curtis Gwinn, Cindy Holland, Karl Gajdusek, Iain Paterson, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Powered by Expand Collapse

• TV
• Stranger Things
• Millie Bobby Brown

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