In the penultimate episode of “Stranger Things” season 2, “Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer” put our hero up against the wall as Hawkins Lab went into lockdown as monsters from the Upside Down attack. While Hopper prepares to defend, Joyce becomes convinced that she can save Will.
Fight for Survival | Picking up from the cliffhanger of Chapter Six, the mini Demogorgons make short work of the staff at Hawkins Lab. Hopper, Mike, Joyce, Bob, Owens and the drugged up Will take refuge in the security room, just as the power goes out. Bob ventures outside to reset the power, while Nancy and Jonathan arrive outside along with Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max. Also around this time, Billy is beat up by his equally evil father and is ordered to go find Max.
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Bob resets the power, but gets devoured by Demogorgons inches away from the door. Surprising character deaths always come down to the wire, don’t they? Everyone else escapes the lab, sans Owens, who is still locked in the lab.
It’s Always the Hive Mind | The gang hole up in the Byers house and work on a plan to stop the monsters. When in doubt, consult the D&D guide book! Mike and Dustin deduce that the monsters are all controlled by a hive mind- what else is new?- and if they kill the leader, all the monsters die. Everyone prepares for a worst case scenario, while Mike realizes that Will may be the key to everything.
This is Your Life, Will Byers | Will is bound in a black shed- if the monsters are spying through him, it’s best that Will doesn’t know where he is- as Joyce, Mike and Jonathan try to get him to remember his life in an emotional scene of everyone recalling their best memories of Will. Will uses Morse Code to communicate a message: “Close Gate.” But the phone in the house rings, giving everything away.
Monsters are heard outside and everyone is at the ready to fight or die. Then a Demogorgon is flung through the window before Eleven enters. Will she save the day? To be concluded in Chapter Nine!
“Stranger Things” is now streaming on Netflix.