Two things caught everyone’s attention when Stranger Things was first released: the mystery that enveloped Hawkins and the relationship between Mike and Eleven (played by Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown, respectively).
The two started off as curious partners. Mike is a nerd who likes to play Dungeons and Dragons in his house’s basement with his three friends, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo). Meanwhile, Eleven is a very strange girl with superpowers.
There is no denying that Mike and Eleven have impeccable chemistry. Now, they’re full-fledged boyfriend and girlfriend.
It definitely wasn’t a sweet ride, and they faced monster after monster – and Eleven’s dad, Jim Hopper (David Harbour) – to be with each other.
Season 1 – The First of Everything
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Mike and Eleven first set sight of each other out in the woods. Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were looking for Will, but they found her instead. The boys took her down to Mike’s basement and built her a small space where she could stay for the time being as they decided their next step.
At that moment, it was clear that they had an unspoken chemistry. As time progressed, the two learned more about each other, especially Mike, who discovered she loved Eggos and, more importantly, had superpowers. In fact, she unleashed that superpower when Mike and his friends were getting bullied by a boy named Troy.
Then, at one point, his sister Nancy (Natalie Dyer) teased him if he liked his new friend, but he quickly denied it. Despite his denial, it was clear that he had been getting a rush of feelings for Eleven, whom he adorably nicknamed El.
Their bond grew closer each day as they slowly uncovered the reality that a mysterious dimension existed alongside Hawkins (one that they would later find out was the Upside Down), filled with monsters called Demogorgons.
Not only that, but their relationship even got deeper when El faced the monsters through their DIY sensory deprivation tank. She trusted Mike through the whole process, and when she came out of it, she put her head on his shoulder.
Then, in the season finale, Mike leaned in for a kiss after he invited her to move in with them and to the Snowball dance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a happy “ending” for them because El disappeared.
Season 2 – Lost and then Found
Mike and Eleven were separated from each other for most of the second season. It was because Mike never knew that Hawkin’s sheriff, Jim Hopper, had adopted El and taken her in as his own daughter. Hopper prevented El from making outside contact to protect and hide her from harm.
In the meantime, she had to stay away from her friends, and El set herself on an adventure to find her biological mother. She eventually found her and the existence of others like her possessing supernatural powers. But as she connected with them, she heard the cry for help from her friends in Hawkins.
Without hesitation, she immediately returned to save them from the Mind Flayer. Mike was shocked when he finally saw her again. He had been contacting her to no avail for a long time, but he heard nothing back. So, he really believed that she was far gone.
Mike was ready to go and fight Hopper for keeping her from him, but they didn’t have time. (Fortunately for Mike because Hopper wouldn’t back out of a fight even with a kid. But maybe not so much because he had El.)
The season ended with Eleven and Mike sharing a romantic dance to the tune of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Oh, and a kiss, too.
Season 3 – Boyfriend & Girlfriend
The third season started with Mike and El officially as boyfriend and girlfriend, and they spent most of their free time flirting. Hopper, El’s dad, did not like this new setup; honestly, it drove him nuts.
The two were happy with each other for the most part, but as all teenage relationships went, Mike and El started to grow apart from each other. Well, mainly because Hopper threatened Mike, he complied with the sheriff’s instructions out of fear.
It led to him lying to El and making excuses about not spending time with her. So, she dumped him. But the two later reconciled after Mike admitted that it was Hopper who made him avoid her.
At the end of the season, the two were once again split apart. After El lost Hopper, she joined the Byers family and moved to California. But before she did, she embraced Mike and told him she loved him.
Season 4 – Through It All
El had a rough start in season 4. She had a difficult time dealing with the loss of her father, and not to mention that she had a lot of bullies in school. But she found comfort in Mike as they exchanged letters and stories. Then, Mike visited her, and they went to the local skating rink to hang out.
Unfortunately, their relationship took a turn at one point. El even confronted Mike that he didn’t love her anymore because he no longer signed his letters with “Love, Mike.”
While their relationship was on a not-so-good note, they again found themselves in danger and were forced to go on separate paths. But before El gets taken by the government, Mike promises to come and find her, which he does.
At the moment she needed him the most, he was there. It was a rollercoaster journey, and El almost died if not for Mike, who reminded her and reassured her that he truly loved her.
Mike and Eleven are ready to face the final battle in Season 5, and we hope they get their happy ending.
