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<i>Stranger Things</i> – “Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer” Recap. Spy vs Spy.

Stranger Things Season 2 streaming on Netflix as of 10/27/17

Rating: ★★★★★

 

***WARNING: Spoilers Ahead***

 

 

“Respect and responsibility.” – Billy

 

As penultimate episodes go, “Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer” doesn’t disappoint. At times, penultimate episodes are better than the season finale because all the story lines converge into a pinnacle of chaos. People die, people cry, and people fight, and fight hard. “Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer” complements the season finale, “Chapter 9: The Gate,” but doesn’t overshadow it. It makes you anxious to see how everything will turn out and makes you wonder who will be left standing when the dust settles. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s dive into this exciting episode.

Demogorons are everywhere and the lab is locked down…things look bleak.

“Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer” picks up where “Chapter 6: The Spy” left off with ravenous monsters crawling up from the tunnels into the antechamber of the lab. Finally realizing Will (Noah Schnapp) is an unwitting spy for the “shadow monster,” Joyce (Winona Ryder) has no choice but to protect her son and everyone else. Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) carries a sedated Will while leading the rest of the gang, including Joyce, Bob (Sean Astin), Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard), to find their way out of the lab. The scenes inside the lab are absolutely riveting! I was on the edge of my seat watching as they quietly rush down corridors filled with screams of those who previously encountered the bloodthirsty demogoron creatures.

Bob knows computers and can get the power back up and running…so he bravely volunteers to go.

With the power outage, the lab is on lockdown leaving them all trapped, hiding inside the security room. In order to get out, Dr. Owens helps “Bob Newby, superhero” navigate through the corridors to the lower levels that house the main computers in order to switch the power back on. But just when the coast is clear, things take a tragic turn. The final scenes inside the lab are heart wrenching and ghastly to watch. Kudos to Astin for his amazing performance; the look of hope and love fills his eyes as they fall on Joyce waiting with open arms to greet him. Bob, you are the superhero of her story.

Steve, Dustin, Lucas, and Max run into Jonathan and Nancy in front of Hawkins Lab

Meanwhile, Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Max (Sadie Sink) head toward the lab after their strange encounter with the demogorons in the junk yard. As they make their way through the woods, they reach the outer gates of the lab and run into Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer), who are looking for Joyce and Will. This is quite an awkward moment, especially since the viewers know Jonathan and Nancy had a romantic evening the night before. As they all try to find a way inside the lab, not knowing what’s happening, the power comes back on and drive up to the lab just in the nick of time to help get Hopper, Joyce, Will, and Mike to safety.

The shadow monster underestimated Will’s ingenuity and knowledge of Morse code.

As they all head back to Joyce’s house, they brainstorm to find a way to stop the “shadow monster.” If Will knows where he is, the monster does too. They decide to do an interrogation in the shed outside by disguising the interior to ensure Will won’t know where he is. These scenes are emotionally charged as Joyce sits down to talk to Will but encounters resistance when the “shadow monster” loses its cool. Inside Will’s body, the monster makes Will lash out, screaming and yelling to be set free. Unable to break free of the bonds, Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike try desperately to reach Will. During the interrogation, Joyce, Jonathan, Hopper, and Mike all tell stories to try to help Will remember. The soft look of acceptance and acknowledgement in Will’s eyes turns out to be nothing. “Let me go,” the monster says in Will’s voice.

Observation

Billy, still a douche.

Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery), Hawkins’ new resident asshole, stares at himself in the mirror with such self-adoration while getting ready for a hot date. The cologne down his pants completely put me off. Do guys really do that? Put cologne on their junk? Anyway, viewers finally learn why Billy is such a bully. Let’s just say the apple doesn’t fall far from the asshole tree. I thought Billy was the biggest douche bag ever, but his father Neil (Will Chase) takes the prize. Neil is the bully who never grew up and learned his lesson. When Neil and his wife Susan (Jennifer Marshall) realize their daughter Max is missing, they ask Billy where his “sister” is. “She’s not my sister.” Well, that’s not what daddy wants to hear. Grabbing Billy by the shirt collar and smacking him around, Neil asks, “What did we talk about? What did we talk about?” Billy replies, “Respect and responsibility.”

Now that we know what makes Billy tick, does that make him more endearing or likeable? Billy doesn’t have to behave the way he does just because he’s treated horribly by his father. But Billy thinks his father’s method is the only way to get respect. I still think he’s a huge asshole, just maybe not as big as his dad.

El walks in like a bad ass!

I don’t know anything about Dungeons and Dragons so when Dustin says the shadow monster is like the “Mind Flayer,” I just kind of went with it. But I don’t think they’ll be able to get a “zombie army” together in time to defeat the shadow monster and his horde of demogoron minions. As the questioning continues, the phone rings. The distinctive tone provides the monster enough of a clue to send his creatures to Will’s house. As the demogorons surround the place, everyone inside gathers weapons to fight. Suddenly, they hear whimpering noises and sounds emanate from outside. As the body of a demogoron hurls through the window, slowly the front door creaks open and in walks El (Millie Bobby Brown) like a boss.

Final Thoughts

“Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer” sets up the season two finale, “Chapter 9: The Gate,” perfectly. Now that El has made her presence known, she can finally help her friends defeat the evil of the “upside down.” Will is able to get out a message via Morse code — “close gate” — while being questioned. The only person who is capable of doing that is El. Will she be powerful enough to seal the massive gaping hole beneath Hawkins once and for all? All I can say is dust off your dancing shoes!

What did you think of “Chapter 8: The Mind Flayer?” Leave me a comment below and tweet me @judybopp.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.