A tense, highly involving chapter of Stranger Things with some amazing moments. The young leads step out of comfort zones to take on powers well over their heads. We learn the true effects of Eleven's more frightening ones, particularly when she had managed to flee from Hawkins Lab.
Nancy finds herself up close and personal with the faceless predator, having crawled through another unlikely portal, and into the upside-down. With Jonathan's help she manages to get herself back over before being made into another victim. The two teens have been spending increasingly more time together, and while you would suspect a romantic link-up, we find this is not the case.
It dawns upon Hopper that he may be following a trail which leads to another child. Accompanied by Joyce, he tracks down the address of Eleven's mother. They attempt to talk to her, yet it appears the woman has become a mute. The only facts gathered are from her sister, concerning trial experiments conducted by Brenner, as well as a supposed miscarriage.
While out looking for Eleven, Mike and Dustin find bullies seeking revenge. In a genuinely disturbing moment, they force Mike to jump off a cliff, threatening to cut out Dustin's teeth with a knife. What ensues is one of my personal favorite Stranger Things moments. Mike jumps off to find himself suspended midair. Eleven brings him back to the clifftop, and proceeds to break the arm of one of the horrified bullies.
She admits to the boys in a tearful confession that it was her fault the gate had been opened, and claims to be the monster herself. But Mike convinces her otherwise. They return back to Mike's basement, a caravan of Hawkins trucks in their wake.