In the Netflix original series Stranger Things, “001” is not a specific character, but rather a reference to the initial test subject in a program run by the fictional Hawkins National Laboratory. The program, known as “MKUltra,” was a real-life CIA project that aimed to develop methods of mind control using drugs, hypnosis, and other techniques. In the world of Stranger Things, the program also involved experiments with psychic powers, including telekinesis and remote viewing.
The first season of Stranger Things introduces us to Eleven, a young girl who possesses telekinetic and telepathic abilities. It is revealed that she was taken from her mother by Hawkins National Laboratory when she was a baby and raised in captivity as part of the MKUltra program. It is implied that she was the 11th subject in the program, hence her name.
However, there are several references throughout the series to “001,” suggesting that there may have been other test subjects before Eleven. In Season 2, Episode 7, Eleven’s aunt Becky tells her that her mother, Terry Ives, was part of the program and was referred to as “001.” Terry had undergone experimental treatments that left her with severe brain damage, but she believed that her daughter was still alive and tried to communicate with her telepathically.
It is possible that Terry was the very first test subject in the MKUltra program, hence the designation “001.” However, it is also possible that there were other subjects before her that we have not yet been introduced to in the series. In Season 2, Episode 6, Eleven discovers a file in the lab that references a “Subject Six,” but we do not know anything about this character beyond their name.
It is also worth noting that the number “001” has symbolic significance in the context of the series. It suggests a beginning, a starting point for the experiments that would eventually lead to the creation of Eleven and the other psychic test subjects. It also implies a hierarchy or ranking system within the program, with each subject being assigned a number based on their level of importance or success.
In conclusion, while we do not know for certain who “001” was in Stranger Things, the designation likely refers to the first test subject in the MKUltra program. It is possible that this was Terry Ives, Eleven’s mother, but there may have been other subjects before her that we have not yet met in the series. Regardless of the specific identity of “001,” the number has symbolic significance as a starting point for the experiments that would have far-reaching consequences for the characters in the series.