Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown has revealed that Joyce and Eleven will form a mother/daughter relationship in the series' upcoming season 4. Stranger Things is one of Netflix's most successful original series. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the series tells the tale of a group of friends who must navigate the various strange and dangerous supernatural events that plague their town of Hawkins, Indiana during the 1980s. Since its release in 2016, Stranger Things has become a massive hit and has so far released three seasons, which as well as delivering an exciting story, serve as somewhat of a love letter to the classic horror and sci-fi movies of the 80s.
Unsurprisingly, Stranger Things was one of the many, many television shows and films which found themselves repeatedly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been nearly three years since the release of Stranger Things season 3, and as such, fans are more than ready to return to the series' world to see what has become of their favorite characters, particularly as the last season ended with a significant amount of change for the gang. Chief Hopper (David Harbour) was presumed dead (though season 4 trailers have confirmed this is not the case), and Eleven (Brown) moved away from Hawkins to California with the Byers family. This certainly has set up Stranger Things season 4 to begin differently than previous installments, and fans are eager to see how the changes have affected the characters.
Back in June 2021, Screen Rant took part in a virtual visit to the set of Stranger Things season 4. While there, actor Brown opened up about how her character Eleven's relationship with Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) has changed now that they live together in California. According to Brown, Joyce will become a mother figure for Eleven in the coming season. Brown has gone on to point out how this kind of relationship is something "Eleven hasn't had yet" on the show, and she has stated that audiences will get to see the relationship "take its natural progression." See her full quote below:
"Well, as you know, she moves away with Joyce, Jonathan, and Will, and naturally, when a woman is in your life, you’re inspired by her, especially a mother figure. That’s something that Eleven hasn’t had yet. So you’re going to see that relationship take its natural progression, for sure."
Brown is, of course, correct that Eleven hasn't yet truly had a mother figure on Stranger Things. Her biological mother was left brain damaged after being subjected to experiments, and Eleven herself has mostly been raised in the Hawkins lab by the evil Dr. Brenner, or in the woods by Chief Hopper. The choice to pair her with Joyce certainly makes a lot of sense, as Joyce has proven herself over the past three seasons to be an incredibly caring mother, and is also one of the only parents shown in the show to have knowledge of the "Upside Down."
While Brown has been somewhat vague about exactly how this relationship will grow between the two characters, it will no doubt be excited to see it progress. Both Eleven and Joyce in particular have been put through the wringer over the previous seasons, though have ultimately not shared much screen time until closer to the end of season 3. It will definitely be a treat to watch them grow closer, and see Eleven finally find the mother she has been looking for for so long. Stranger Things season 4 is to be released in two parts, with part one arriving on May 27th, and part 2 arriving on July 1st.