Many characters have helped Eleven on her Stranger Things journey, but one hero in particular has been completely forgotten about. Stranger Things season 1 saw Eleven escape from Hawkins Lab and find herself seeking refuge with a group of young boys, fighting alongside them against creatures from the Upside Down. Stranger Things will soon be heading into its fifth and final season, which will tie up any loose ends and bring closure to Eleven’s story and the attacks on Hawkins from the Upside Down and Vecna.
Since her initial escape from Hawkins Lab, Eleven has been at risk of being recaptured and subjected to further experimentation because of her remarkable psychokinetic abilities. This means that Eleven has always needed the help and protection of others, including both the young characters and characters such as Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper. Before any of the core group of protagonists came into Eleven’s life, however, one man helped her in the immediate aftermath of her escape from Hawkins Lab, though he seems to have been completely forgotten in seasons since.
Benny Was Eleven’s Savior Before Hopper
Hopper, portrayed by David Harbour, has perhaps been Eleven’s most steadfast hero, becoming her father figure during Stranger Things seasons 2 and 3, but he wasn’t the first man to show protection for the mysterious girl. When she was first introduced in Stranger Things season 1, episode 1, “The Vanishing of Will Byers,” Eleven happened upon Benny’s Burgers, a restaurant owned by Benny Hammond, played by Chris Sullivan. Despite the fact that Eleven stole French fries, Benny soon realized that Eleven was in trouble and decided to feed and protect her when staff from Stranger Things’ Hawkins Lab showed up, leading to his unfortunate death.
Stranger Things Has Forgotten Other Heroes
Though Benny might be one of the most formative characters that Eleven has forgotten during her Stranger Things journey, there are several other fan-favorite characters that seem to have been swept completely under the rug. Perhaps one of the most notable is Barb, a character who quickly stole audiences’ hearts after being tragically killed in the Upside Down in season 1, episode 2, “The Weirdo on Maple Street.” Her death sprouted the “Justice for Barb” movement and led to Stranger Things storylines featuring Nancy and Jonathan trying to find out what happened to their friend. Even so, Barb hasn’t been mentioned in a while, and Nancy’s investigation has basically stopped.
Stranger Things season 2 saw Bob, Joyce’s new partner, sacrifice himself to Demodogs in order to save his new family, and while his death did have a clear effect on Joyce, she seems to have moved on pretty quickly and has thrown herself into a new relationship with Hopper. It seems that Stranger Things has a knack for introducing heroic characters who help move the storylines of key characters along but then simply forgets them and moves on. Since Eddie sacrificed himself during the Stranger Things season 4 finale, “The Piggyback,” many are hoping that he doesn’t become the next forgotten casualty of the series.
