Stranger Things True Story: The CIA’s Real Project MKUltra Explained

Here’s the true story behind Project MKUltra, a CIA operation that serves as a subplot in Stranger Things. The sci-fi series, created by the Duffer Brothers, first debuted in 2016. After emerging as a sleeper hit, the viewership grew, making it one of Netflix’s most popular series in the streamer’s history. The cast and crew are currently working on the show’s fourth season but due to the coronavirus pandemic delays, a release date is still unknown.

When Stranger Things began, the story was set in 1983 and followed the disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers. At the center of the series, however, was Eleven, a mysterious girl with psychokinetic abilities. As time went on, more about Eleven’s past was uncovered, including her connection to a local lab partaking in dangerous experiments. Their actions would go on to open a breach, threatening the lives of the town’s residents for years to come.

The Duffer Brothers may have taken a fictional approach with Stranger Things but there are certain aspects of history mixed into the narrative. Aside from the supernatural elements, there’s a lingering conflict with Russia as well as U.S. government cover-ups. The presence of Project MKUltra might be the most compelling historical element interweaved in the plot. Even though the operation might seem bizarre, it has very real connections to the CIA and some of the government’s biggest secrets.

Project MKUltra Explained

Project MKUltra, or MK-Ultra, was essentially a secret mind control program conducted by the CIA. The covert operation started in 1953 as a way to develop techniques to get the upper hand on enemies during the Cold War. Through human experimentation, the CIA was trying to find ways to weaken enemies in order to force out information through mind control methods. Many aspects of Project MKUltra were illegal including the use of unwitting test subjects from the U.S. and Canada. The experimentation was done at over 80 institutions across the country including universities, hospitals, and prisons. Some of the operation’s files were destroyed by the CIA director in the midst of Watergate but key information was made public by 2001.

Project MKUltra was a continuation of experiments that first started during WWII in Japanese institutions and Nazi concentration camps. According to CIA documents, the operation focused chemical, biological, and radiological methods of mind control. To test the subjects’ mental states and brain functions, they were exposed to high doses of psychoactive drugs like LSD. Many participants were even dosed without their knowledge and then interrogated to see whether they would reveal secrets. The test subjects also went through sensory deprivation, hypnosis, electroshock, abuse, and other forms of torture. Widespread drug experimentation carried special code names such as Project Bluebird and Operation Midnight Climax.

How MKUltra Fits Into Stranger Things

Project MKUltra lasted decades, allowing the secret operation to be a major focus of Stranger Things and the show’s tie-in novels and comic books. Hawkins National Laboratory was one of the institutions that took part in the project under the leadership of Dr. Martin Brenner. Based on flashbacks in the series, Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, volunteered to participate in Project MKUltra. During the experimentation, Terry was subjected to psychedelic drugs and sensory deprivation, just like the real-life members of the program. She was unknowingly pregnant at the time but Dr. Brenner kidnapped her child and the birth was covered up.

The child, Jane, was born with telepathic and telekinetic abilities due to her mother’s exposure to LSD. Jane was renamed “011” (Eleven) and became a member of a new operation, Project Indigo. Dr. Brenner took full control over the children born from Project MKUltra test subjects, as well as other kids exhibiting special powers, to train them with their abilities. These other test subjects were also exposed to a sensory deprivation tank and other forms of abuse. At one point, Jane returned to the lab to retrieve her daughter but the woman was put through electroshock therapy, leaving her in a catatonic state.

During Eleven’s training, she came into contact with the Demogorgon. Her experimentation ended up opening the Gate to the Upside Down, bringing the Demogorgon into the human dimension. Like Stranger Things‘ other test subjects, Eleven managed to escape but the Upside Down and threats from the other dimension remain a threat in Stranger Things.

What Happened To MKUltra

Project MKUltra lasted 20 years before officially coming to an end in 1973. Aspects of the operation were made public two years later but with so many documents destroyed, it was impossible to learn the full scope of the project. The existence of Project MKUltra became the focus of a Senate hearing in 1977 when the CIA uncovered nearly 20,000 pages of documents that weren’t destroyed. The documents revealed financial information but there were few details regarding the actual project.

During the height of Project MKUltra, thousands of people were used for experimentation. Some of which died as a result but the CIA reportedly covered up any type of connections. Due to the lack of record-keeping and follow-up research, it was never known how many people may have died following their participation. Even though the project halted in the early ’70s, some investigators that the CIA continued their mind control efforts under a new program. There’s even some belief that similar experiments continue to this day.

Stranger Things Theory: Why The Demogorgon Took Will

The Other Real-Life Event That Inspired Stranger Things

When developing Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers used a handful of real conspiracy theories and secret government experiments as inspiration. Other than Project MKUltra, the duo did a lot of research on the Montauk Project, a conspiracy theory that suggested certain government projects took place in Montauk, New York. The projects were meant to develop psychological warfare methods and research into time travel, teleportation, and mind control.

When Stranger Things was still in the early stages, the working title was Montauk. Rather than fictional Hawkins, Indiana, the series was going to be set in Montauk with a focus on supernatural elements in 1980. The creators later altered their setting but kept the main theme intact with a heavy inclusion of questionable scientific experimentation. Though the Duffer Brothers were influenced by some of the greatest storytellers in history, such as Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, some of the creepiest aspects of the series are rooted in real-life history.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1744 Articles Published)

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Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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