Eleven Hopper (Equestria Falls AU Profile)

Species: Yak (with rare telekinetic magic powers)
Age: 12 (Season 1), grows into mid-teens in later seasons
Cutie Mark / Magical Trait: Yaks do not usually have cutie marks, but El radiates a unique aura of faint glowing sparks around her horns when she uses her powers. Some describe it as “fractured starlight” — chaotic but brilliant.
Family: Adopted by Jim Hopper (earth pony, Hawkins sheriff). Estranged “father figure” role of Dr. Brenner (unicorn elder who experimented on her).
Close Friends: Mike Wheeler (unicorn pony), Will Byers (changeling), Max Mayfield (griffin), Dustin Henderson (hippogriff), Lucas Sinclair (dragon).
Appearance:
• Sturdy and shaggy like other yaks, but smaller since she is still young.
• Dark brown fur with a lighter underbelly.
• She often braids her mane to keep it out of her eyes (sometimes with colorful ribbons Max or Mike gives her).
• When channeling her telekinesis, her horns glow with an unnatural, crystalline shimmer — almost like a unicorn’s aura but jagged and raw.
• Small scars on her hooves from experiments in her early life, though she hides them well.

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Backstory

El was not born into a normal yak herd. Instead, she was taken as a calf by Dr. Brenner, a manipulative unicorn elder who sought to create a living weapon by fusing natural yak strength with dangerous magical experiments. He discovered that her innate magical pathways were unusually sensitive and twisted them to manifest in telekinetic force rather than physical might.

El grew up in the sterile walls of Brenner’s magical facility, trained and tested like a tool. Her childhood was one of isolation, with only fleeting glimpses of kindness from some ponies who pitied her. She rarely spoke, as words were discouraged; instead, she learned to channel her feelings into explosive outbursts of power.

Her escape into Hawkins (Equestria version) brought her into the care of Mike Wheeler, who saw past her brokenness. Slowly, she found friendship with the others and, eventually, a true father figure in Sheriff Hopper.

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Personality
• Quiet but Intense: El doesn’t waste words. When she speaks, it’s direct, sometimes blunt, but filled with weight.
• Innocent Curiosity: Having been denied a normal childhood, she marvels at small things — flowers, games, food. This makes her moments of joy feel fragile but genuine.
• Protective and Fierce: She defends her friends with her entire being, her powers often flaring strongest when someone she loves is in danger.
• Emotional Core: El’s magic is tied directly to her emotions. Fear, anger, or sadness can amplify her strength — but also risk pushing her into instability.

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Powers and Abilities

Unlike most yaks, El wields telekinetic magic fueled by her horn-channel pathways. It’s not as refined as unicorn spellcasting; instead, it’s raw force ripped from the magical fabric around her.
• Telekinesis: She can shove, lift, crush, or fling objects and creatures. At her strongest, she can splinter stone or hurl beasts like timberwolves.
• Mind Sight: With focus (often bleeding from the strain), she can extend her senses into the “Between Realm” (the Equestrian mirror of the Upside Down). There she tracks creatures, ponies, or sources of dark magic.
• Barrier Creation: With effort, she can shield herself or her friends from magical blasts or crushing blows. These barriers flicker like shattered glass.
• Empathy Link: While not trained, she sometimes slips into the feelings of others, sensing when her friends are in pain or danger.

Limitations:
• Every use drains her. Nosebleeds, headaches, and exhaustion are common. If she pushes too far, she risks collapsing.
• Her powers can surge uncontrollably with emotion, creating dangerous shockwaves.
• Because she is not a unicorn, she has no formal spell structure — her magic is instinctual, making it unpredictable.

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Role in the Group

El acts as both the group’s secret weapon and its most vulnerable member. Her friends often remind her she doesn’t need to be only a weapon — she is also a friend, a daughter, a sister figure.
• Mike (Unicorn Pony): Her closest bond. He grounds her, encouraging her to see herself as more than her powers. Their relationship grows into a heartfelt young romance.
• Will (Changeling): She connects deeply with Will because both have felt like outsiders used or corrupted by forces beyond their control.
• Max (Griffin): Becomes El’s first true female friend; Max encourages her to try new things, to laugh, and to embrace freedom.
• Dustin (Hippogriff): Brings humor and creativity into her world. He’s one of the first to treat her like a normal filly.
• Lucas (Dragon): Initially distrustful, but grows to respect her resilience. Their bond becomes one of mutual trust forged in battle.

With Hopper, her bond is that of a stubborn but fiercely loving father and daughter. Hopper struggles with his own grief while raising her, but ultimately he gives her the family she was denied.

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Character Arc
• Season 1: The frightened, sheltered experiment who escapes Brenner and learns the meaning of friendship and sacrifice.
• Season 2: Struggles with identity — balancing her desire for normalcy with the reality of her powers. Begins to see Hopper as her true father.
• Season 3: Embraces her strength, fights the Shadow Dragon (Mind Flayer), but pays the price when her magic begins to drain from her body.
• Season 4: Her telekinetic pathways fracture. She must rebuild herself, learning not just raw force but control. Confronts Vecna (Lich Unicorn) as the ultimate test of her growth.
• Later Seasons (AU): Grows into a proud young yak who redefines what it means to wield magic outside the unicorn mold. She becomes a protector of both worlds, symbolizing the harmony between raw strength and heartfelt compassion.

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Fun Slice-of-Life Notes
• El has a deep love for sweets, with Eggo waffles existing in Equestria as enchanted syrup-filled pastry squares. Dustin introduced them to her.
• She smashes through doors more often than she opens them gently — a very “yak” thing she never quite grows out of.
• Max once gave her roller skates, which she tried… but her yak hooves made her roll straight into a haystack. She still insists on practicing.
• She finds festivals overwhelming at first, but with friends at her side, she begins to embrace music, laughter, and dance.