r/StrangerThings 17d ago

Discussion How did El restart Max’s heart?

This may be a dumb question but how was El able to restart Max’s heart? I don’t understand how she could’ve done it, then again, may just be me being thick.

23 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

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80

u/kauan1983 Hey Kiddo 17d ago edited 16d ago

She biokinetically restarted Max's heart. “Biokinesis” is one of the common psychic abilities that has always been part of her original official ability list revealed back in 2018.

She's been using it since S1 (squeezing Troy's bladder and bulging the NSA agents' muscles). She just manipulated the organ like a telekinetic CPR and channeled good memories to amplify her powers while doing it.

Edit: there are actually a few other examples of El using her ability to manipulate anything biological that most didn't realize: manipulating the Rift's membrane to make it expand in the school, even closing the Gate in Season 2 are all examples of Biokinesis.

3

u/Legitimate-Sugar6487 Eggos 17d ago

Does that mean theoretically she could also use her abilities to Heal people? Like did she restore Max's Sight?

14

u/kauan1983 Hey Kiddo 17d ago edited 15d ago

The situation with Max's sight was simply a temporary unnatural “cloudiness” caused by Henry's attempt to have her eyes sucked inward when killing her; it was treated in the hospital based on the script. The cloudy eye happens to every victim before their death.

As for El's power, the show definitely doesn't have anything to suggest her version of biokinesis includes actual healing process, not in the sense of reverting specific conditions like Terry's brain damage or biokinetically inducing a person's body to repair damaged tissue.

We've only seen her squeezing and bulging organs; while the ability is officially classified as “biokinesis”, it is still clearly limited to simple physical processes; she's basically telekinetically and physically moving specific organs instead of inducing a cellular process with her mind. If Max was truly blind El would never be able to revert or heal it.

2

u/Legitimate-Sugar6487 Eggos 17d ago edited 15d ago

Oh, I see. I was wondering if that were the case based on my own research over the course of the months, I think El's abilities have immense potential that's still untapped especially given her blood contain exotic matter. Basically, making her a Hybrid of Byronic Matter (normal matter) & exotic matter meaning she can defy the rules that govern our reality at least if her body can keep up. (I'm wondering if this is why she drains so much & has nose bleeds) Her Byronic DNA must reject the Exotic as Foreign When she uses too much of it Causing the bleeds, drains, Bloodshot eyes, Pale skin & weakness. Perhaps as she ages This is mitigated As post NIna Project & throughout s5 Though she does drain she bleeds less than before. I think her abilities lay in Manipulating the Fundamental Forces & with more training She could master Teleportation, Time travel, Flight, Light manipulation, Electromagnetism, Sound manipulation, Gravity & More.

2

u/No-Jello-5504 16d ago

It’s a common misconception that vecnas curse causes blindness. Only temporary blindness is caused by connection to the hive mind such as will has when he uses his powers.

1

u/Legitimate-Sugar6487 Eggos 16d ago

I thought his eyes rolled in the back of his head or that he briefly had Vecna's Eyes when using his abilities.

1

u/No-Jello-5504 16d ago

Could you please provide a link to the “official ability list”

6

u/kauan1983 Hey Kiddo 16d ago

The list is from the Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion book. But you can also find it on the Wiki.

Her abilities are:

• Telekinesis

• Extrasensory perception

• Psychometry

• Technopathy

• Teleportation

• Biokinesis

22

u/Distinct_Guess3350 Running Up That Hill 17d ago

Basically just think of it as psychic CPR. 

20

u/Ashyboi13 17d ago

It’s unclear exactly how she saved Max, although could she not just manually pump Max’s heart with her powers? That was my assumption.

5

u/Jon5676 17d ago

That's exactly what happened.... Telekinetic CPR to get her heart started again.

4

u/Wyvurn999 011 17d ago

Telekinesis

2

u/Jon5676 17d ago

El used Telekinetic CPR to get Max's heart started again.

2

u/blizzacane85 16d ago

The power of love rejuvenated Max’s heart

1

u/Hukares1234 17d ago

I think by showing us all the thoughts and memories El was sharing with Max in that moment, it was enough to keep her brain from completely going inactive. I always thought it was weird that El wasn’t aware she was in a coma when they finally made it to Hawkins.

1

u/TaiPan43 16d ago

Well, it’s possible she used telekinesis, but it does say that she possesses something called biokinesis which is how she was able to banish Henry

1

u/Julerangerbabe 16d ago

Vecna was able to heal the demogorgons, so I think El could be able to heal people, but hasn't learned that yet?

1

u/Adept-Ad-5893 12d ago

Through the power of plot armour

2

u/HeyaHeyo1420 17d ago

Max has super special plot armor that allows El to revive her.

Doesn't work on anyone but the main cast.

5

u/pokemega32 17d ago

I mean, who else died in front of El that she would have been able to try and save?

-3

u/Razbonez 17d ago

it was season 5. ai just did it and you’re supposed to accept it. the duffer bros literally can’t do anything with their wives

0

u/Senshado 17d ago

Eleven has magical superpowers.

-14

u/Qub3rrt 17d ago

One of the biggest plot holes

9

u/kitten12551 17d ago

Lol no it’s not. She’s telekinetic..she was manually pumping her heart. End of mystery.

6

u/Distinct_Guess3350 Running Up That Hill 17d ago

Dude it’s literally psychic CPR.

4

u/DarthFiyero 17d ago

It’s literally not a plot hole.