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Hawkins National Laboratory

General Info

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Faction NameHawkins National Laboratory
Hawkins National Laboratory, a shadowy secret facility in the heart of Hawkins, Indiana, plays a central role in the events of the Stranger Things universe. Shrouded in secrecy and government manipulation, the lab is notorious for ethically dubious experiments on subjects with psychokinetic abilities. Actions taken outside the sign's walls have far-reaching consequences, opening an interdimensional gateway that connects our world to a turbulent parallel universe called Upward Legs. The structure consists of a team of scientists, security personnel and administrators, many of whom turn a blind eye to the illegal activities taking place. Hawkins National Laboratory is a reminder of the costs of unregulated scientific research, and its chilling presence becomes synonymous with danger, treachery, and the unforeseen threat of aliens.

Overview

Secretly located in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Hawkins National Laboratory is the central location for the creepy story of the Stranger Things universe. Under the guise of conducting scientific research for the US Department of Energy, the laboratory is a major center for supernatural experiments.
The lab, known for introducing the controversial Project MKUltra, secretly studied humans to develop procedures to manipulate people's mental states and alter brain function. A young girl, codenamed "Eleven", became the focus of these inhumane experiments in particular, which caused some shocks.
The labyrinthine building contains an interdimensional door accidentally opened by Eleven that serves as a portal to Feet Up, an eerie parallel universe inhospitable to the human world. Inverted creatures such as the ominous Demogorgon fly to terrorize the citizens of Hawkins, marking the start of a chilling series of events.
The lab's covert operations and their impact on Hawkins' peace and normalcy are an integral part of the compelling story of Stranger Things. Shrouded in secrecy, the Hawkins National Laboratory remains a symbol of the government paranoia that characterized the Cold War era in which the series is set.

History

Since its founding in the early 1950s, Hawkins National Laboratory has had an important but enigmatic location in Hawkins, Indiana. Led by the United States Department of Energy, the laboratory conducted confidential research into unusual scientific phenomena, mainly in the fields of extrasensory perception and interdimensional travel.
Known for its clinical, almost Orwellian character, the history of Hawkins National Laboratory overlaps with that of the town's most brilliant but despised and broken citizen, Dr. Martin Brenner. Dr. Brenner has conducted numerous experiments over the decades that were not only ethically questionable, but bordered on flagrant human rights violations.
One of the most important experiments involved testing the limits of the human mind using psychedelics such as LSD on unsuspecting participants. Brenner's best-known subject was an uneducated young woman known only as Terry Ives. The investigation revealed that Ives was pregnant and the chemicals had severely affected her unborn child, a girl named Jane, also known as Eleven.
Born with unique psychic abilities brought on by psychedelic-induced mutations, Eleven's life was spent not as a child but as an experiment, a fact that firmly implicates the laboratory in the supernatural events that would later befall Hawkins. The consequences of the lab's work have destroyed many innocent lives and caused untold trauma.
The highlight was the interdimensional tear-jerker "Foot Up" that quietly ravaged the town of Hawkins. This disturbing phenomenon led to the disappearance of young resident Will Byers, an event that ultimately revealed the darkest secrets still lurking within the lab's walls.
The strange and disturbing history of Hawkins National Laboratory will forever leave an indelible mark on the seemingly ordinary town of Hawkins. It is an eerie reminder of the mysterious depths to which people can descend in ignorance and lust for power. Little remains of the structure, but the effects of its presence still reverberate, a chilling testament to the sad work that took place within the cold concrete walls.

Notable Members

Member #
1
Dr. Martin Brenner
2
Dr. Sam Owens
3
Raymond Carroll
4
Elevens' Mother: Terry Ives

Geography

Hawkins National Laboratory, the infamous research facility in the Stranger Things universe, is interestingly located in the fictional town of Hawkins. Celebrated for its cutting-edge research, but also shrouded in disturbing mystery, the facility is located on a remote outskirts of the city. Where stormy experiments mingle with the quiet rustle of the surrounding forest.
Embracing the solitude of the Midwest, the site offers the peaceful seclusion necessary for the facility's stealthy operation. But it remains unsettlingly close to the residential heart of the city, offering a strange juxtaposition between the ordinary and the extraordinary. A vast expanse of forests emerges as a watchful sentinel of disturbing events.
A labyrinthine laboratory structure looms menacingly beneath this isolation, hidden from the prying eyes of Hawkins' residents. Underground tunnels, echoing chambers and fluorochrome-lit corridors suggest that the world is much less mundane than it appears on the surface. Allowing you to study and master the enigmatic alternate dimension of Upside Down, this geography contributes greatly to the chilling tension that the series masterfully assembles.
Thus, the geography of Hawkins National Laboratory is more than just physicality; He ebbs and flows, shapes and is shaped by the intense story, making him an unforgettable character in the Stranger Things universe.

Legacy and Impact

Once a menacing shadow, Hawkins National Laboratory has left an important mark on Hawkins and played a central role in the Stranger Things universe. His reckless exploits with aliens and immoral experiments, epitomized by the creation and misbehavior of characters like Eleven, inevitably made headlines for Hawkins, adding to the chaos and confusion. The collateral damage was devastating, but the labs inadvertently united a group of unsuspecting heroes who fought back. In the aftermath, Hawkins Lab remains a poignant symbol of unbridled scientific ambition, pushing the boundaries at great cost. The ruins represent the triumph of the ordinary over the extraordinary, a testament to the heart and courage of the citizens of Hawkins. The laboratory's gruesome legacy lives on and continues to haunt those who survived the rampage, a source of trauma and resilience, a reminder of their strength in unity and the power of friendship.