By Owen Quinn author Photos copyright Owen Quinn and Netflix
WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
The first thing that struck me was, that if I had to protect a kid as vile as Derek, I’d just throw him to the demogorgon and let Vecna do what he liked to the little shit. It’s nice to see Joyce’s good mom nature get kicked in the nuts by him. It brings humour to this very dangerous situation. We know the monster is on its way yet Derek is a brat. But he still needs protected.
These scenes are a beautiful dance of horror, comedy and action as they battle the monster. I loved Derek running from Erica. She isn’t in it nearly enough for me. One of the scariest things I have ever watched is Torchwood Children of Earth when the government took thousands of children to be handed over for food for the alien 456. It was done without parental consent and those that resisted were beaten and straggler kids hunted down.
It is a terrifying notion to all good parents so when the military take all kids aged 9 to 10 years old from their homes, away to the Big Mac complex to draw demogorgons out, Derek suddenly finds himself the hero. When one plan ends another begins. I love the character arc they did for Derek. One minute, he’s a brat in dire need of a kick in the backside, the next, he’s undercover saving other kids, calling out a snitch and fighting side by side with Mike and Will against a pack of demogorgons and soldiers shooting as they are massacred. He is now my favourite character. Such beautiful writing.
Dustin, Nancy, Jonathan and Steve are now in the Upside Down while Mike and the others devise a plan to get the kids out of the base with a wonderful sense of humour. And it’s all down to Robin declaring she loves dick. But not that kind of dick. It comes from her watching the Great Escape where they were three tunnels dug by the prisoners. Tom, Dick and Harry were the names of the tunnels. Derek must become the insider and organise the kids for their own great escape.
In the meantime, we finally get to see what happened to Max and why she is in the same place as Holly. Vecna is scared of the cave she has set up home in but why? More layers are peeled away as we discover that there are more kids missing, sparking the military taking the kids. The fact that Holly was not the first kid to be taken, just reinforces that time is running out. The kids are all in some sort of spire, a control tower perhaps that Vecna needs them to power?
But that is all i’m going to tell you. This is a sort of midseason finale, before the Boxing Day episodes, and we are on a rollercoaster. The demogorgons are coming for the kids, and everyone else is collateral damage. What you have seen in the trailer doesn’t even reflect a second of what is really going on. Just like the end of episode one, multiple cliffhangers are weaving and things are grim. Death is literally at the door and there is a massive secret in the chamber allegedly holding Vecna. Everyone is in danger. When Vecna finally appears and lifts Will into the air, you will not expect what happens next. From the lab scenes with Hopper and Elle facing Dr Kay to the final shot, it’s just nonstop. The rug was completely pulled out from under the audience.
Just as they did with the end of season four, we are left with our jaws hanging, as what we thought was happening escalates into something else.
This is story telling at its best. This is Stranger Things at its best and my heart is still pumping after the credits have rolled.
What do you want for Christmas? The next episodes please!
The Time Warriors and Beyond 