Stranger Things: Eleven’s Heroic Journey

Emily and Cam break down the character arc of Eleven in Stranger Things and argue that she is on a “heroic journey” like that of Herakles.Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email:https://havetogawilltravel.com/For more information about Herakles and about “heroes” in Ancient Greece, listen to our previous episode:https://havetogawilltravel.com/episode/holding-out-for-a-hero-in-ancient-greeceKey literature mentioned in this episode:Joseph Campbell, The Hero with A Thousand FacesDavid Adams Leeming, Mythology: The Voyage of the HeroMaureen Murdock, The Heroine’s JourneyValerie Estelle Frankel, From Girl to Goddess—————00:11 - Introduction01:28 - Reprise: The Hero’s Journey01:47 - Campbell’s “Everyman” model04:06 - Leeming’s “Chosen One” model06:04 - Herakles and Eleven as Leeming-style, “Chosen One” Heroes08:24 - Gender and the Hero’s Journey: Maureen Murdock and Valerie Estelle Frankel11:29 - Eleven’s Heroic Journey so far: Eleven as Herakles with a Gendered Twist11:59 - Stranger Things: An Overview13:10 - Season One: Eleven as a character in the model of Obi Wan?16:54 - Season Two: Eleven emerges as a Hero on a Leeming-style journey, with elements of Murdock’s and Frankel’s models25:11 - Season Three: the (metaphorical) death of the hero, Eleven28:21 - Season Four: Eleven descends to the underworld, and is reborn?33:28 - Recap: Leeming’s model and the stages of Eleven’s Heroic Journey37:30 - Predictions for Season Five: How will Eleven’s Heroic Journey end?38:14 - The three basic possibilities: (1) Eleven as superhero; (2) Eleven as Campbell-style “Everyman” hero; (3) Eleven as a “Chosen One” hero41:52 - What Herakles’ journey tells us about Eleven and about Stranger Things43:26 - Wrap-up