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A Russian agent, portrayed by Andre Pushkin, was a minor character in the first season of Stranger Things. In 1983, he discussed with an unknown individual(s) about Russian spies on American soil. Unbeknownst to him, the American lab test subject Eleven was listening in, harnessing her psychic abilities as commanded by Hawkins National Laboratory.

History[]

1983 or earlier[]

Photo of Russian Agent

The photo of the agent

At some point prior to November 1983, the agent was photographed while walking in an unknown location, which was likely within the Soviet Union.

1983[]

The Cold War was at a new height in the early 1980s, with the United States and Soviet Union in conflict. By the 1970s, a scientist working for the American government, Dr. Martin Brenner, had created a number of child test subjects with psychokinetic abilities. At Hawkins National Laboratory, Brenner tested the limits of the test subjects' powers, with the federal government hoping to deploy them against the Soviets.

At some point, Brenner decided to use Eleven to spy on the aforementioned Russian agent. He showed her his photograph, before lowering her into a sensory deprivation tank, where she entered a deeper psychic state. Within this state, Eleven saw herself in an endless mental void. She looked around and heard a man speaking Russian. She wandered the void until she found a representation of the agent, who was in the middle of delivering sensitive intel to an unknown compatriot. Thanks to Eleven, the agent's words were transmitted and heard over the loudspeakers in Brenner's control booth. The agent, meanwhile, had no idea he was being observed, and continued talking.

However, moments later, Eleven heard an unearthly shriek of a creature somewhere far off in the distance; her attention shifted, and the mental apparition of the Russian agent faded away. Eleven panicked and the experiment was aborted, but Brenner was intrigued by the creature, and would later force her to re-enter the tank and 'make contact'.

1986[]

When Hawkins suffered a string of gruesome and unusual murders in March 1986, Lt. Colonel Sullivan believed Eleven was to blame, noting she had the ability to target individuals from a 'remote' distance.

Quotes[]

There are rumors that Americans have exposed few of our spies on American soil. We are checking it. Perhaps it was intentional disinformation in order to shift our focus from more important things. Contact Evgeniy, Sergey and Anatoliy, find out who made a contact (with them) and if someone didn't, report to me immediately... Actually no, bring Sergey to me right away. He was on duty when this information... Rumors, appeared first. I need to know where rumors came from... If this is not disinformation, but I am fairly certain, I don't want to think about the consequences. Go now, what are you waiting for? Hurry up, I need to know where the rumors came from.
— The agent's translated dialogue


Appearances[]

Season One appearances
The Vanishing of Will Byers The Weirdo on Maple Street Holly, Jolly The Body
The Flea and the Acrobat The Monster The Bathtub The Upside Down
Season Four appearances
The Hellfire Club Vecna's Curse The Monster and the Superhero*
Dear Billy The Nina Project The Dive
The Massacre at Hawkins Lab Papa The Piggyback

*The russian agent appears via flashbacks in a photograph in The Monster and the Superhero.

Behind the scenes[]

The character is credited as "Russian Man".

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