Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A word Eleven has just been taught becomes the coolest thing she can think of to say to an adult in her way, and the audience learns that she is learning. It is a fan-favourite in the show's early 1980s slang, a short, unexpected insult from a girl who has not yet got a vocabulary, and it still gets quoted as a comeback for anyone who gets in your way.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Stranger ThingsShow the scene
In 'Chapter Six: The Monster' (season 1, 2016), Eleven wanders into a Hawkins supermarket, Bradley's Big Buy, where a flashback to Dr. Brenner's sensory deprivation tank tangles with the present. She steals several boxes of Eggos, and when the manager catches her and asks whether she is lost, she says this word and uses her powers to stop him. She had learned the insult from Mike in 'Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly', when he explained that Troy, who tripped him at recess, is a 'mouth breather', meaning a dumb person.
Sources (3)
- The Monster (episode), Stranger Things WikiPlot section, Eleven in the supermarketReference checked
- Chapter Six transcript (Springfield! Springfield!)Supermarket sceneReference checked
- Chapter Three transcript (Springfield! Springfield!)Mike's explanationReference checked
Context reviewed
