Eleven’s Stranger Things Story Can’t End Until The Show Explains The Original Villain’s Big Mystery

Stranger Things is ending after season 5 (which will hopefully premiere sooner rather than later), but the story can’t conclude without answering questions concerning the season 1 villain’s mysterious background and how it ties to Eleven. The Netflix science fiction horror television series, created by the Duffer Brothers, premiered in 2016 and became an instant phenomenon. Consequently, the streaming service continued renewing Stranger Things for four more seasons until the Duffers decided it was time to end the show with season 5, meaning fans will soon have to say goodbye to Hawkins, Indiana, and all who inhabit it.

The ending of Stranger Things season 4 set up the story for season 5, as the finale featured the Upside Down converging with Hawkins as Vecna’s devious plan came to fruition. Max Mayfield’s life also hangs in the balance after finally facing Vecna, and some of the show’s relationships are teetering on the edge of destruction. So, when Stranger Things season 5 releases, many questions regarding the previous season’s finale should be answered. However, the Netflix series also had to address some queries that date back to season 1.

Stranger Things Season 5 Needs Dr. Brenner To Finish Eleven’s Story

One of the most significant questions hanging over Stranger Things is Dr. Martin Brenner’s origins and motivations (and how Eleven factors in). Dr. Brenner was introduced in season 1 as the man behind the experiments at Hawkins Lab, making him one of the show’s earliest antagonists. However, the Netflix science fiction series never truly explained why Dr. Brenner was motivated to perform experiments on children, including Eleven. Dr. Brenner’s surprise return in season 4 (following his assumed death in season 1) did little to connect the dots regarding his past.

Even though Dr. Brenner died in Stranger Things season 4, episode 8, Matthew Modine must reprise his role as the villain to bring closure to his and Eleven’s stories. The good news is that the Duffers and Modine teased that Dr. Brenner has a role in season 5, meaning that he might appear in flashbacks in the upcoming episodes. Hopefully, Dr. Brenner’s presence in season 5 answers the questions surrounding his character, and fans won’t be left wondering about his past. Stranger Things: The First Shadow supposedly addresses Dr. Brenner’s background, but it’s unclear if that’s canon in the show’s universe.

Could Dr. Brenner Really Be 000 In Stranger Things?

One of the most popular theories regarding Dr. Brenner’s origin story is that he was 000 (the first test subject in his trials) and possessed powers himself. If he had similar abilities to Vecna and Eleven, it would make sense how Dr. Brenner survived the Demogorgon attack in the season 1 finale and maintained control over his subjects at Hawkins Labs. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until Stranger Things season 5 to (hopefully) get answers to questions still swirling around season 1’s villain, which would contribute to Eleven’s closure by the show’s end.