In Season One of the Netflix global phenomenon Stranger Things, Matthew Modine portrayed Dr. Martin Brenner who allegedly worked for the US Department of Energy, as a senior research scientist and the director of Hawkins National Laboratory. Controversial experiment aside, including Project MKUltra, Brenner was motivated by a desire to expand the scientific knowledge of the US Government, which gave them the upper hand in the Cold War against the Soviet Union.
Following MKUltra, Brenner raised a number of test subjects at Hawkins Lab, including Eleven, who possessed psychokinetic abilities. Brenner mentors the limits of Eleven's abilities through various experiments. In one such experiment, Brenner indirectly unleashed a monster from another dimension into Hawkins, allowing Eleven to escape the lab. In the following week, Brenner and his team searched for Eleven while investigating the newly opened gateway to the other dimension.
In 1969, Brenner was brought in to overhaul the MKUtra testing at Hawkins National Laboratory, where he became the director. Brenner fired previous test subjects and implemented a shift from subjects from mental asylums and other facilities to college students. He set up facilities at college campuses in Indiana, including at Indiana University, Bloomington, where college student Terry Ives attended, designed to scan for potential subjects.
After proving capable, Terry was brought to Hawkins Lab to begin regular tests, often overseen by Brenner. Through blood testing, Brenner discovered that Terry became pregnant during the program. In June of 1970, She gave birth to a daughter named Jane, which Brenner and his staff abducted due to the child's dormant psychokinetic abilities, brought on upon her as a result of the experimentation on her mother.
After Project MKUltra was shut down, Terry filed a lawsuit against Brenner, but it was dismissed citing lack of evidence. When the details of MKUltra became public knowledge, Hawkins Lab managed to block inquiries despite their legal obligation.
In 1974, Terry attempted to retrieve Jane, breaking into Hawkins Lab with a gun. However, Terry was quickly apprehended and brought to Brenner. Brenner forced Terry to be subjected to electroshock therapy, which left her in a seemingly permanent catatonic state for years after. Dr. Brenner raised Jane under the "name" Eleven. Brenner built himself up as a father figure in the mind of Eleven, making her refer to him as "Papa".
In 1983, Brenner trained and developed her psychic abilities. One of these abilities was the use of remote viewing aided by a sensory deprivation tank, used to spy on a Russian agent at a distance far away.
As Eleven was spying on the agent, she encountered a monster which was heard over the loudspeakers in Brenner's control booth. Though Eleven was terrified, Dr. Brenner was intrigued and told her to make contact with the creature. However, upon this moment, a Gate to an alternate dimension cracked open in the wall of the tank room, through which the monster passed before killing one of Brenner's co-workers.
Brenner scans for an "extraordinary" energy signature in the Byers shed, finding evidence of a portal. In the commotion caused by the Gate's opening, Eleven managed to escape from the lab. Brenner and other scientists investigated the lab's underground subsystem where they discovered that strange tendrils and toxic biologic growth native to the other dimension was beginning to spread through the corridors. Brenner and his team of agents began searching for Eleven and the Monster. The monster kidnapped a boy named Will Byers, which Brenner worked to cover up by placing a fake corpse in the local quarry. Brenner investigated the Byers' shed, finding traces of some bizarre, supernatural energy.
Brenner discovered Eleven was staying with Will's friends, and sent agents to capture her - however, with the help of Eleven, they managed to evade them. Jim Hopper and Will's mother Joyce attempted to break into the lab, but were almost immediately apprehended and brought to Brenner. In exchange for access to the Gate and the chance to save Will, Hopper disclosed that Eleven was located in Hawkins Middle School. Brenner, assisted by agents, traveled to the school and attempted to take her back to the laboratory. Although Eleven killed some of the agents using her telekinetic powers, she was drained of strength and collapsed. Brenner cradled her and tried to convince her that he would fix everything and she would be brought back home, but Eleven saw through his facade and rejected him, crying out to reach Mike. In the meantime, the blood spilt from dead bodies attracted the Demogorgon, which distracted the surviving agents, allowing Eleven and her friends to escape. Brenner was attacked by the Demogorgon shortly after their escape. It was unknown whether Brenner survived the attack.
In 1984, Ray Carroll, a former agent for the Department of Energy, claimed to Eleven and Kali that Brenner was still alive, and that he knew of his whereabouts.
Kali later created an illusion of Brenner in front of Eleven, who still believed that Brenner was dead. The illusionary Brenner taunted Eleven, telling her that she was afraid of confronting her pain and had "a terrible wound".
Following MKUltra, Brenner raised a number of test subjects at Hawkins Lab, including Eleven, who possessed psychokinetic abilities. Brenner mentors the limits of Eleven's abilities through various experiments. In one such experiment, Brenner indirectly unleashed a monster from another dimension into Hawkins, allowing Eleven to escape the lab. In the following week, Brenner and his team searched for Eleven while investigating the newly opened gateway to the other dimension.
In 1969, Brenner was brought in to overhaul the MKUtra testing at Hawkins National Laboratory, where he became the director. Brenner fired previous test subjects and implemented a shift from subjects from mental asylums and other facilities to college students. He set up facilities at college campuses in Indiana, including at Indiana University, Bloomington, where college student Terry Ives attended, designed to scan for potential subjects.
After proving capable, Terry was brought to Hawkins Lab to begin regular tests, often overseen by Brenner. Through blood testing, Brenner discovered that Terry became pregnant during the program. In June of 1970, She gave birth to a daughter named Jane, which Brenner and his staff abducted due to the child's dormant psychokinetic abilities, brought on upon her as a result of the experimentation on her mother.
After Project MKUltra was shut down, Terry filed a lawsuit against Brenner, but it was dismissed citing lack of evidence. When the details of MKUltra became public knowledge, Hawkins Lab managed to block inquiries despite their legal obligation.
In 1974, Terry attempted to retrieve Jane, breaking into Hawkins Lab with a gun. However, Terry was quickly apprehended and brought to Brenner. Brenner forced Terry to be subjected to electroshock therapy, which left her in a seemingly permanent catatonic state for years after. Dr. Brenner raised Jane under the "name" Eleven. Brenner built himself up as a father figure in the mind of Eleven, making her refer to him as "Papa".
In 1983, Brenner trained and developed her psychic abilities. One of these abilities was the use of remote viewing aided by a sensory deprivation tank, used to spy on a Russian agent at a distance far away.
As Eleven was spying on the agent, she encountered a monster which was heard over the loudspeakers in Brenner's control booth. Though Eleven was terrified, Dr. Brenner was intrigued and told her to make contact with the creature. However, upon this moment, a Gate to an alternate dimension cracked open in the wall of the tank room, through which the monster passed before killing one of Brenner's co-workers.
Brenner scans for an "extraordinary" energy signature in the Byers shed, finding evidence of a portal. In the commotion caused by the Gate's opening, Eleven managed to escape from the lab. Brenner and other scientists investigated the lab's underground subsystem where they discovered that strange tendrils and toxic biologic growth native to the other dimension was beginning to spread through the corridors. Brenner and his team of agents began searching for Eleven and the Monster. The monster kidnapped a boy named Will Byers, which Brenner worked to cover up by placing a fake corpse in the local quarry. Brenner investigated the Byers' shed, finding traces of some bizarre, supernatural energy.
Brenner discovered Eleven was staying with Will's friends, and sent agents to capture her - however, with the help of Eleven, they managed to evade them. Jim Hopper and Will's mother Joyce attempted to break into the lab, but were almost immediately apprehended and brought to Brenner. In exchange for access to the Gate and the chance to save Will, Hopper disclosed that Eleven was located in Hawkins Middle School. Brenner, assisted by agents, traveled to the school and attempted to take her back to the laboratory. Although Eleven killed some of the agents using her telekinetic powers, she was drained of strength and collapsed. Brenner cradled her and tried to convince her that he would fix everything and she would be brought back home, but Eleven saw through his facade and rejected him, crying out to reach Mike. In the meantime, the blood spilt from dead bodies attracted the Demogorgon, which distracted the surviving agents, allowing Eleven and her friends to escape. Brenner was attacked by the Demogorgon shortly after their escape. It was unknown whether Brenner survived the attack.
In 1984, Ray Carroll, a former agent for the Department of Energy, claimed to Eleven and Kali that Brenner was still alive, and that he knew of his whereabouts.
Kali later created an illusion of Brenner in front of Eleven, who still believed that Brenner was dead. The illusionary Brenner taunted Eleven, telling her that she was afraid of confronting her pain and had "a terrible wound".