The Mind Flayer literally “grows” stronger in Stranger Things season 3 Chapter Six.
As we enter Strangers Things season 3 Chapter Six, Nancy is confronted by the Mind Flayer monster. Dustin, Robin, Steve and Erica are heading back to the storage room elevator after seeing the huge laser machine. The Russian transmitter rats them out and they have to make a run for it. Murray Bauman complies with Joyce’s translation demands.
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— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) July 4, 2019
A really close call
The monster stares down at Nancy at the hospital. She calls for Jonathan but there’s nothing he can do. The monster gets frighteningly close to her face but suddenly turns away. The younger teens have arrived and El is using her powers on the monster flinging him around the room. The Mind Flayer monster liquifies and escapes through the vents making its way back to Brimborn Steel Works. Filly and Feather are there as well and announce “It’s time”.
Let the games begin
Mayor Kline looks on with pride as other people do all the work work to prepare for the big 4th of July Carnival. He spies Grigori standing by one of the rides. Grigori wants to know where Hopper is. Kline says he has all his people looking for him and will let the Russian know when he hears anything.
Kline also insults Grigori suggesting he not let Hopper get away again. Grigori grabs Kline by the throat and the mayor begins pleading for forgiveness and blames his bad temper.
Grigori finally lets Kline go, but the mayor clearly gets the message.
A “Slurpee”-ry Slope
Murray Bauman agrees to translate for Joyce and Hopper, but Russian scientist Alexei has a few demands of his own before he will cooperate. Alexei wants a specific order from Burger King and a cherry Slurpee from 7-Eleven. When Hopper returns with strawberry instead of cherry, Alexei calls it quits and begins to leave.
Hopper calls Alexei’s bluff as the song “Neutron Dance” (by the Pointer Sisters) plays in the background. The nod to Beverly Hills Cop is perfection! Alexei begins to pull away from Murray’s house but then backs up slowly realizing he needs Hopper and crew to keep him safe.
“Should I Stay or Should I Go”?
The Russians are about to make it through the door. Robin and Steve put all their weight against the door and tell Dustin and Erica to go for help. Dustin does not want to leave Steve. He struggles with whether to stay or go like the Clash song Charlie shares with Will. Steve insists that the younger ones take their chance to get away and go for help.
Steve is beat up for information. Even though he is telling the truth, the Russians do not believe his story. They cannot imagine that they are really just two teenagers who work at an ice cream parlor. Then they bound Robin and Steve together back to back in the same room. The Russian Comrade-General is none too pleased when Robin spits in his face. The Russians leave the pair alone to go get the “doctor”.
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— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) July 8, 2019
Back at the cabin
El uses her powers to look for any of the hosts controlled by the Mind Flayer. It’s taking a long time and she is struggling to find anyone. In the other room, Nancy makes calls to find out if there are any more chemicals gone missing.
The gang argues over whether El should keep trying. Mike is worried for her well-being. Max says El should decide for herself. Mike surprises himself and the others when he professes his “love” for El. Just then El enters the room and says she has found Billy.
Captivity
Robin sees scissors on the table nearby. The pair tries to hop in their chairs to get close to the scissors. They only need one more good hop, but it goes wrong and the two fall over on the floor. They wax philosophical about their troubled situation. Robin shares a story about their sophomore year being in the same class. Steve does not even remember being in class with Robin. Robin, however, reveals that she was “obsessed” with Steve.
The doctor injects something into Steve’s neck, probably Robin’s, too. Maybe it’s a truth serum.
Meanwhile, Dustin and Erica are very slowly disengaging the electrical fans to get through the HVAC system and make the long walk back to the elevator storage room. Erica insists it will take too long to get any help and proves her point by solving a mathematical equation that confirms the time needed to get back. Dustin insists that Erica, too, is a nerd. She denies it, but Dustin makes a strong case.
Dustin and Erica keep moving and find one of the transport carts. Erica finds a shocker or taser tool that seems quite powerful. She suggests they go back and fight for Steve and Robin. Dustin says they need to stick with the plan to go for help.
Alexie talks shop
With Murray’s translation we learn that the large laser machine is called a key. They are trying to use it to access a different world. Keys in Russia did not work, so they built one in Hawkins because it had a recent opening which would make it easier to manipulate.
They need to figure out how to turn off the key. Hopper wants a drink. Joyce tries to call the kids. Alexei reminds them that the key room is impossible to infiltrate. Alexei doubts Hopper can handle it on his own and refers to him as “Fat Rambo”.
Hopper calls upon Dr. Sam Owens from last season using the secret code to reach him. Hopper asks the agent on the phone to tell Dr. Owens to send forces to Starcourt Mall. He hangs up and Joyce calls back and uses her “mom voice” to make sure the agent knows they mean business.
Exactly 12 hours to go until Stranger Things Season 3 premieres!
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— Netflix (@netflix) July 3, 2019
El “talks” to Billy
When El reveals that Billy is just sitting at home on July 4th, the gang suspects it’s a trap to lure them all there. El decides to “talk” to Billy like she did with her mom last season.
El puts on her blindfold and reaches out to Billy to “talk”. He grabs her arm in anger. She begins to fall backward physically and in time. El narrates what she sees to her friends. She ends up on a beach where a much younger version of Billy is surfing and celebrating his achievement with his mom.
She then sees flashes of Billy’s dad talking abusively to him. His dad is abusive to his mom and she has to get away from him. There are memories of Billy meeting his stepmom and stepsister, Max.
She finally sees the sequence of Billy ending up at Brimborn Steel Works.
El takes off her blindfold and her friends are gone. All of a sudden Billy appears in the cabin and tells El she is responsible for the Mind Flayer arriving in Hawkins and she needs to let him stay. He threatens to eliminate El, her friends and everyone.
El panics and finally takes off her blindfold for real this time. Her friends are there and she falls into Mike’s arms.
Time to talk, scoopers
Steve and Robin are feeling the effects of being drugged. They feel silly and relaxed. The Russians try to get them to reveal who they work for, but their story (the truth) remains the same – they work for Scoops Ahoy. The doctor threatens to cut Steve’s finger and Robin begins yelling about how easy their code was to crack. The Russians ask who else knows and Steve gives up Dustin’s full name.
Suddenly an alarm goes off and the captors run to find a large hole has been made. While the captors are distracted with the alarm, Dustin and Erica arrive and take down the doctor with the electric shocker. Erica and Dustin have saved Robin and Steve, at least for now. They need to run.
Sacrifice
In a completely eerie sequence, we see Hawkins residents who have been flayed making their way back to Brimborn Steel Works. They line up and approach the Mind Flayer, seizing and dropping to the ground as they get close, sacrificing themselves to the monster. The monster ingests them all and grows even larger.
Only two more chapters to go in Stranger Things season 3. Could we be any more stressed? Come back for observations on Chapter Seven.
Find reconnaissance for Chapter Five here.
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