Fans of Stranger Things are waiting in anticipation for the next and final season, whose story and setting the Duffer Brothers have revealed. There’s still a long way to go until Stranger Things 5 premieres, but the show’s characters are well-known already. Although the cast is an ensemble, Eleven is the main protagonist.
While she doesn’t speak much, Eleven’s quotes tend to be very introspective. In essence, her words can sum up her entire personality in various ways, ranging from her fears to her strengths. Millie Bobby Brown’s star-making role can be seen in a different light with these lines, and these moments allow the audience to understand Eleven better.
When Eleven Was Empathetic Even To Dr. Brenner
"Goodbye, Papa."
While Dr. Brenner is easily one of Stranger Things’ most hated villains, Eleven still saw him as the first paternal figure in her life. Brenner may have been crooked, but he still chose to save Eleven’s life during the military attack and even undid the collar that kept her under control.
Eleven didn’t forgive Brenner for what he did to her in his last moments, yet fans got to see her empathetic side with this simple quote. Rather than pursue revenge or be petty toward the dying Brenner, Eleven’s words acknowledged the connection she and Brenner had, with the former having the decency to let a dying man pass away.
Eleven Finds Solace In Joyce's Words
"Joyce Says Time Is Funny Like That. Emotions Can Make It Speed Up Or Slow Down. We Are All Time Travelers If You Think About It."
Eleven has always been a work in progress because she was never in the real world, learning things that people do at a young age. For that reason, words of advice remain deep with her, perfectly exemplified when she interpreted Joyce’s advice in a way most others wouldn’t.
Her excitement at wanting to see Mike again seeped into her letters to him, where she voiced her belief that everyone is a time traveler since people perceive time in relative terms. It went to show that Eleven has a deeper thought process and she looks for meaning behind everything she hears.
Eleven's Attempt To Regain Her Spirit
"I Have Gone To Be A Superhero Again."
It’s difficult to blame Eleven for realigning herself with Dr. Brenner since she didn’t know a life before she gained her powerful abilities. As a result, she felt lost and confused when she went through her powerless spell, not fully understanding what Mike’s inspirational Stranger Things quote about Eleven being a superhero actually meant.
Eleven made the decision to go with Dr. Owens to try and get her powers back, writing a note to Mike that she’d left to be a superhero again. She needed to go through with this to get over the identity crisis she had because of the bullying she suffered at Angela’s hands, and Eleven eventually learned that her powers were actually her inner spirit.
When Eleven Confessed Her Feelings
"Mike, I Love You Too."
Many fans think of this as one of Eleven’s best quotes in Stranger Things for the way she confidently said it. Mike was having difficulties in actually saying that he loved Eleven, which she interrupted by summing up how she felt about him and that she knew of his feelings as well.
Although Mike’s reluctance to say the words became a plot point in the fourth season, Eleven’s words did a good job in finishing up her and Mike’s arc in Stranger Things 3 by confirming to audiences that Mike is her true love. It also showed that Eleven had become comfortable in saying what she’d earlier been nervous about.
When Eleven Took Charge
"I Make My Own Rules."
Eleven used to be someone who needed others to tell her what to do due to her inexperience. However, she developed into a thinker on her own and wasn’t happy when she learned that Mike had purposefully avoided her out of fear of Hopper.
Eleven wasn’t convinced by Mike’s excuses and told him that she made her own rules now. Although she’s been nervous since then, Eleven has still gone on to make choices by herself. She doesn’t need Mike or anyone else to dictate her life, even if it means making mistakes.
When Eleven Chose To Be A Savior
"I Can Save Them."
Eleven went on a journey to find herself in the second season and came across her “sister” with similar powers. While Kali believed that people didn’t deserve to be helped after the terrible experience she had to undergo with being tested upon, Eleven took a different viewpoint.
Eleven argued that she had the power to save others, choosing to do good despite how she had been treated. It was one of the first steps she took to becoming a true protagonist, learning to put someone other than herself first and going against what Brenner’s teachings were.
The Doubts That Constantly Plague Eleven
"What If I'm Not Good? What If I'm Not Good?"
Fans have seen many destructive Stranger Things villains so far, with Eleven having the potential to be more powerful than them. After she attacked Angela for bullying her, Eleven gave in to the conflict in her mind over if she really was the monster all along.
The show has never tried to paint her as the bad guy, but it’s part of Eleven’s characterization to doubt herself before she can be certain of her worth. She questioned Dr. Owens over the idea that she was the problem all along and was assured by the latter that she most definitely was not.
The Mantra Eleven Lives With
"Friends Don't Lie."
This is the biggest mantra Eleven follows, she can count on her friends to be honest with her and vice versa. The quote showed up in the first season and Eleven has continued to hold it close. She doesn’t appreciate it when she’s being lied to, even if her friends don’t mean to hurt her.
Eleven spent her childhood in a lab where Dr. Brenner constantly lied to her, which is why she hates it if the people she loves do the same. Eleven would rather face a harsh truth than deal with a lie because she values honesty above all else when it comes to friendship.
When Eleven Kept Her Promise To Hopper
"I Kept The Door Open Three Inches. I Never Stopped Believing"
Eleven’s true parent has always been Jim Hopper, who molded her into the person she is now. She didn’t start out being as optimistic, and it was having a parental figure that helped her. After reuniting with Hopper when he came back from his captivity, an emotional Eleven said these words.
She revealed that she’d never stopped believing that her adoptive father was still alive, putting to rest the sadness that had tormented her for being separated from him. Moreover, the quote shows how Eleven keeps things to heart, as she ensured her promise to Hopper remained true.
When Eleven Finally Found Herself
"It Is Not Me. It Is You. You Are The Monster."
Eleven was once a scared child who didn’t have it in her to stand up for herself. However, she found her self-worth after going through with Dr. Brenner’s experimentation, realizing that Brenner was the one who had cast the doubts in her mind.
Eleven knew she had it in her to be good, with Brenner being the real monster for his brutal methods. Eleven found the courage she had within her but needed to be pushed out to confront Brenner. She also became braver overall and returned to Hawkins with a renewed mindset.