WEBVTT 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:18.179 Welcome to Fandom Shmandom, the fandom podcast 00:00:18.179 --> 00:00:22.839 that covers everything you love and more. I'm 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.519 Sam Williams. And I'm Sierra Obermark. Today's 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:29.539 episode, we will be flippantly factualizing about 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:33.920 Stranger Things Season 2, Episode 9. And without 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:38.219 further ado, we will, as Roger Smith says, dive 00:00:38.219 --> 00:00:41.479 on in. So get up to 88, because it's time to 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:45.689 travel back to our story recap. Of the finale 00:00:45.689 --> 00:00:51.329 of season two, Elle is here. She's alive, and 00:00:51.329 --> 00:00:55.030 call him Mike Tyson, because he's ready to rip 00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:59.609 off Hopper's ears if he could reach. But never 00:00:59.609 --> 00:01:02.750 fear, Billy is here. Dressed almost precisely 00:01:02.750 --> 00:01:06.329 like one of her romance novel covers, Billy confronts 00:01:06.329 --> 00:01:08.790 Mrs. Wheeler with charm, grace, and pure animal 00:01:08.790 --> 00:01:11.349 magnetism. Considering what we know about her 00:01:11.349 --> 00:01:13.629 husband, Ted, have your moment of admiration, 00:01:13.930 --> 00:01:17.359 girl. But, considering his age and what we generally 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:20.180 know about Billy, leave it at this one moment 00:01:20.180 --> 00:01:24.099 and run. And or someone should potentially call 00:01:24.099 --> 00:01:29.239 the cops on her. Mike, once again, miraculously 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:34.280 has the perfect plan. He has literally no other 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:37.579 talents but Plan Man, but sure, he comes up with 00:01:37.579 --> 00:01:40.459 a great strategy again. Kill the Mind Flayer 00:01:40.459 --> 00:01:43.700 and Will is dead, so save Will, then close the 00:01:43.700 --> 00:01:46.859 gate. Which is actually super right and super 00:01:46.859 --> 00:01:50.620 what they all do. The team splits. Joyce, Jonathan, 00:01:50.859 --> 00:01:54.159 and Nancy, who definitely belongs there, and 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.700 is just as invested in Will as the other two. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:00.680 They need to burn the Mind Flayer out of Will. 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:03.760 El and Hop head off to close the gate, and on 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.400 the way, Hopper explains why he has been so protective 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.840 of El. Let me tell you, folks, a grown man coming 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:13.580 to terms with his faults, expressing his thoughts 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:17.960 and emotions, apologizing for his effect on others. 00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:23.479 We at Fandom Shmandum love to see it. Steve and 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:26.340 the Babysitter's Club. new band name, I'm calling 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:30.520 it now, are called upon by one Mr. Billy, not 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:33.580 Gene, not Eilish, and not Boyd, Billy Hargrove, 00:02:33.580 --> 00:02:37.020 and it's mullet versus quaff. And Steve the Hare 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:41.120 Harrington loses. Ring the bells, end of round, 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:45.759 Steve is 0 for 2 in fights. But Max stabs Billy 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.300 with drugs and threatens his manhood with Steve's 00:02:48.300 --> 00:02:51.000 bat. And on top of that, steals his car. She 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.360 really is the best. Mind Flayer Will decides 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:57.259 to choke out Joyce, and Jonathan can't do squat 00:02:57.259 --> 00:03:01.400 about it. But Nancy can. Pumping the room with 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:05.020 heat and fire, Nancy stabs Will with a fire poker, 00:03:05.219 --> 00:03:08.340 and then the Mind Flayer shoots out of him. Safe 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:12.400 at last. Waking up to Mad Max driving, the most 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:14.939 obvious reference to that actual movie franchise, 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:18.020 how did I not see it coming and how did I not 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:20.680 notice until this watch through, the kids have 00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:23.539 driven Steve to the hole that Hopper dug, book 00:03:23.539 --> 00:03:26.979 title, and are en route to burn the tunnel. The 00:03:26.979 --> 00:03:31.479 babies have a plan. Burn at Vine HQ and the Demodogs 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:34.599 will come. which works and lures the dog away 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.400 for Hopper and Elle to close the gate. Hopper 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:39.020 plays sniper against the demo dogs, which do 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:40.780 happen to be close enough to run back towards 00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:42.939 them after Elle starts to close the gate, and 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:46.639 Elle realizes she can use two hands to make her 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:52.960 power double in strength. We're never going to 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:57.020 get through it without laughing. Dustin proves 00:03:57.020 --> 00:04:00.020 that he and Dart have a connection, using three 00:04:00.020 --> 00:04:03.479 musketeers to help them all escape. In a hugely 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:07.039 satisfying moment, it levitates and screams, 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:11.139 tapping into the horrors of her past. She shuts 00:04:11.139 --> 00:04:14.240 the gate, managing not to burn up in the process. 00:04:14.780 --> 00:04:18.600 One month later. The lab has been condemned. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:22.139 Murray is high on his success from the explosive 00:04:22.139 --> 00:04:24.540 reveal of the danger in Hawkins, and Barbara 00:04:24.540 --> 00:04:27.759 is finally put to rest. Sam comes through for 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.339 Hopper and Elle in a real way, providing Jane 00:04:30.339 --> 00:04:33.220 Hopper a birth certificate. Everyone is getting 00:04:33.220 --> 00:04:36.040 ready for the snowball. Will dancing in the living 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:38.639 room with Joyce. Mike dealing with embarrassing 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.839 photos. Lucas trying to figure out how to ask 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:44.720 Max to dance. Max having her hair done while 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:47.379 threatening Billy with her glare, and Dustin 00:04:47.379 --> 00:04:50.959 using Steve's secret hair tips. At the dance, 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:56.779 the dreaded slow song comes on. Let the coupling 00:04:56.779 --> 00:05:03.120 begin! Max and Lucas, Will with some random girl 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:05.740 that rudely calls him zombie boy, and he's like, 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:09.620 okay, fine, I guess. Dustin, who tries to ask 00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:14.220 multiple girls. Before Nancy sees him and gives 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:17.939 him the street cred he needs. Which leaves Mike, 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:23.639 to my very great pleasure, alone. Enter Elle, 00:05:23.860 --> 00:05:27.019 looking adorable. And they have a great moment. 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:30.040 Want to dance? I don't know how. I don't either. 00:05:30.339 --> 00:05:35.680 Want to figure it out together? Max and Lucas 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:39.360 share a small kiss. Elle and Mike share a small 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.720 kiss. Out in the parking lot, Joyce and Hopper 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:46.079 share, you guessed it, a cigarette and a hug. 00:05:46.540 --> 00:05:51.000 Everything seems right in the world. This world, 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:57.579 but upside down. The mind flayer remains. Roll 00:05:57.579 --> 00:06:01.300 credits! Find your donut holes? It is time for 00:06:01.300 --> 00:06:04.639 our Knives Out category, where we sleuth out 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:07.920 which three storylines are the most vital to 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:11.519 pay attention to. Number one, burning of the 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:15.480 tunnels, Steve and the kids. Number two, closing 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:19.000 of the gate, Hopper and Elle. And number three, 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:23.019 smoking out the shadow, Nancy and the Byers. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:26.339 Number one, burning of the tunnels, Steve and 00:06:26.339 --> 00:06:28.120 the kids. So everyone separated up. We've got 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:30.939 Nancy with the Byers. We've got Hop and Elle 00:06:30.939 --> 00:06:33.040 going to close the gate. And we've got Steve 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:37.410 babysitting all the little wee kiddos. Steve 00:06:37.410 --> 00:06:39.790 is basically saying, we've been benched. And 00:06:39.790 --> 00:06:41.290 they're like, no, we're not even in the game. 00:06:41.370 --> 00:06:43.509 And he's like, right, well, we're on the side. 00:06:43.649 --> 00:06:44.689 And they're like, they're not going to call us 00:06:44.689 --> 00:06:46.029 in for a play. And he's like, right, you just 00:06:46.029 --> 00:06:47.850 stick with the plan. We're not doing anything. 00:06:48.689 --> 00:06:51.189 And the kids can't put up with that. They come 00:06:51.189 --> 00:06:54.870 up with this plan, okay, that the demo dogs can 00:06:54.870 --> 00:06:58.769 be distracted away from where Hopper and L are 00:06:58.769 --> 00:07:00.889 to close the gate. And they can use the hive 00:07:00.889 --> 00:07:05.449 mind. And before Steve can shut it down, Billy 00:07:05.449 --> 00:07:09.110 shows up. One Mr. Billy Hargroves. Shut it down. 00:07:09.350 --> 00:07:15.230 Shut it down. So Billy shows up and beats Steve 00:07:15.230 --> 00:07:18.089 to a pulp, which had been coming all season. 00:07:19.170 --> 00:07:21.889 You know, they'd been facing off in basketball 00:07:21.889 --> 00:07:24.230 and in the showers and now at a random person's 00:07:24.230 --> 00:07:28.110 house. And to be fair, Max and the kids are not 00:07:28.110 --> 00:07:31.269 hiding well at all. So Steve's like, I don't 00:07:31.269 --> 00:07:32.810 know. She's not here. And Billy's like, she's 00:07:32.810 --> 00:07:36.069 literally in the window, bud. And so they fight. 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:40.519 And it doesn't go well for Steve. But Max is 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.500 there. She spots the sedating will drugs and 00:07:43.500 --> 00:07:46.939 stabs Billy in the neck, takes Steve's bat, and 00:07:46.939 --> 00:07:48.920 then threatens Billy's manhood. And he's like, 00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:51.279 great, I'll leave you alone. Which, like, yeah, 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:53.199 to be fair, if I got stabbed in the neck by my 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:56.259 little sister and then my jewels had been threatened, 00:07:56.379 --> 00:08:00.220 I'd be like, you got it. That's how that goes. 00:08:00.949 --> 00:08:03.009 Here's the keys. Here's the keys. Here's the 00:08:03.009 --> 00:08:05.370 keys. And speaking of, she definitely takes the 00:08:05.370 --> 00:08:07.750 car with little blocks on her feet, and they 00:08:07.750 --> 00:08:11.209 drive out to Hopper's Hole. They drop down in 00:08:11.209 --> 00:08:12.589 the vines, they go to Grand Central Station, 00:08:12.810 --> 00:08:18.050 and they burn it where all the vines meet, which 00:08:18.050 --> 00:08:20.730 gets the demo dogs to come running up to them, 00:08:20.850 --> 00:08:26.110 where Dustin is able to then distract Dart, who's 00:08:26.110 --> 00:08:28.750 sort of guarding their way, with some nougat. 00:08:29.100 --> 00:08:31.680 proving that they have a connection which is 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:35.039 awfully confusing uh what do we think is important 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:39.480 about this one sierra i think well first of all 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:43.860 from a story standpoint this is needed because 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:48.850 if the demo dogs were not distracted at all it 00:08:48.850 --> 00:08:51.250 would make things a lot more difficult for ellen 00:08:51.250 --> 00:08:53.769 hopper yeah hopper is already having a very difficult 00:08:53.769 --> 00:08:58.009 time with the dogs when they do show up so thinking 00:08:58.009 --> 00:09:01.649 about how overwhelmed they would be had the dogs 00:09:01.649 --> 00:09:04.970 been there the whole time would be they probably 00:09:04.970 --> 00:09:08.490 wouldn't have made it out so from a story standpoint 00:09:08.490 --> 00:09:13.250 that's the importance i think from a general 00:09:13.250 --> 00:09:15.990 standpoint i think the most important thing is 00:09:17.599 --> 00:09:21.539 Steve's growth in his character. This is really 00:09:21.539 --> 00:09:25.899 where he is fully, fully in babysitter mode and 00:09:25.899 --> 00:09:28.840 really taking all these kids under his wing. 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:31.639 It further cements the connection between Steve 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:35.019 and Dustin. And then also, we do have a little 00:09:35.019 --> 00:09:39.580 bit of the Dustin and Dart connection to explore, 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:44.549 but I feel like it's not explored further. After 00:09:44.549 --> 00:09:47.490 this. So it's one of those things that could 00:09:47.490 --> 00:09:50.429 have potentially spiraled into a much more interesting 00:09:50.429 --> 00:09:53.250 storyline, plotline type of thing. So unless 00:09:53.250 --> 00:09:55.970 that's going to come up again in season five, 00:09:56.169 --> 00:10:00.570 it kind of has gone nowhere so far. But it could 00:10:00.570 --> 00:10:02.950 be something very interesting if they wanted 00:10:02.950 --> 00:10:05.549 to bring that back in. So Steve's character growth 00:10:05.549 --> 00:10:07.509 here obviously is a huge deal, like you were 00:10:07.509 --> 00:10:10.730 saying. But I, on this watch through, knowing 00:10:10.730 --> 00:10:13.429 where Steve and Dustin's relationship is heading 00:10:13.429 --> 00:10:16.929 for next season and how Steve and Nancy's relationship 00:10:16.929 --> 00:10:19.509 will happen in season four, I was like, oh, good. 00:10:19.549 --> 00:10:21.710 I like to see this. This is a nice moment for 00:10:21.710 --> 00:10:23.529 him. His character growth continues to be great. 00:10:23.610 --> 00:10:25.330 It seems like the writers really like his character, 00:10:25.470 --> 00:10:29.110 et cetera, et cetera. The dart thing was brand 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:32.049 new, sort of thinking -wise for me, where I'm 00:10:32.049 --> 00:10:35.990 like, wait, dart? Does have a connection with 00:10:35.990 --> 00:10:40.429 Dustin. Yeah. He's not innately evil. And he's 00:10:40.429 --> 00:10:42.950 connected to the hive mind. But is he connected 00:10:42.950 --> 00:10:45.169 to the hive mind because that's how all creatures 00:10:45.169 --> 00:10:48.110 are in the Upside Down? Or has it been infected 00:10:48.110 --> 00:10:50.429 and these are actually creatures that could be 00:10:50.429 --> 00:10:53.730 nurtured? Could be intelligent? Could be all 00:10:53.730 --> 00:10:55.590 sorts of different things. And it just made me 00:10:55.590 --> 00:10:58.210 be like, why haven't we gotten more of this? 00:10:58.250 --> 00:11:01.769 This idea of, like, everybody's corruptible but 00:11:01.769 --> 00:11:04.100 not everything is corrupted? And that's just 00:11:04.100 --> 00:11:08.000 mind -boggling for me in this rewatch. Yeah, 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.820 I think it's a little bit of a missed opportunity. 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:15.000 Yeah. Because this could be a very fascinating 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.480 plotline to follow, especially with where we 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:22.240 end up with Hopper coming across these again. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:27.179 And it's still not really explored. They're just, 00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:30.679 you know, he's just using his... ability is to 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.840 get out of there and his knowledge of having 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.279 fought them in the past but it doesn't really 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:40.159 explore that they can form a connection or that 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:43.779 they have any sort of critical thinking or emotional 00:11:43.779 --> 00:11:49.210 in intelligence so i really think that I mean, 00:11:49.210 --> 00:11:51.470 maybe they'll bring it back in season five. Maybe. 00:11:51.509 --> 00:11:54.029 That's my hope, that they wouldn't have introduced 00:11:54.029 --> 00:11:57.129 something this interesting without having some 00:11:57.129 --> 00:11:59.850 sort of a connection again. Yeah, totally. To 00:11:59.850 --> 00:12:02.730 wrap it all up, but who knows? And given the 00:12:02.730 --> 00:12:04.590 fact that they do have a connection, it makes 00:12:04.590 --> 00:12:06.909 me feel even worse about the previous hockey 00:12:06.909 --> 00:12:09.950 stick throw that Dustin does. Oh, so much. Which 00:12:09.950 --> 00:12:12.330 I, like, ugh. I just, it's so heartbreaking. 00:12:12.389 --> 00:12:15.370 And now that we know that like, hey, I felt bad 00:12:15.370 --> 00:12:18.029 and like Dustin goes and apologizes to him about 00:12:18.029 --> 00:12:20.470 it. Yeah. And so he starts, he stops growling. 00:12:20.470 --> 00:12:22.470 It's just like, wait, there's so much intelligence 00:12:22.470 --> 00:12:24.929 here. The lack of aggression, the backing off, 00:12:24.929 --> 00:12:27.529 the letting them pass, the, all of it's just 00:12:27.529 --> 00:12:30.210 so good. And it makes me wonder like. I know 00:12:30.210 --> 00:12:31.470 that they probably don't want to do something 00:12:31.470 --> 00:12:33.629 as cliche as, like, you can break the hive mind 00:12:33.629 --> 00:12:36.070 connection through love. But I'm sort of like, 00:12:36.149 --> 00:12:38.009 but is there anything there that they can do? 00:12:38.509 --> 00:12:41.730 Like, are we going to, like, for how Star Wars 00:12:41.730 --> 00:12:44.490 Rise of Skywalker was initially a duel of fates 00:12:44.490 --> 00:12:47.330 and they had a whole storm trooper uprising and 00:12:47.330 --> 00:12:50.649 revolt written in that script. I'm like, are 00:12:50.649 --> 00:12:53.769 we going to, for season five, have a Demogorgon 00:12:53.769 --> 00:12:56.210 slash Demodog revolt? That would be awesome. 00:12:56.330 --> 00:13:00.269 But we'll see. Oh, that would be. Very interesting. 00:13:00.690 --> 00:13:04.870 I like it. Well, the next plot line that we should 00:13:04.870 --> 00:13:07.370 be really focusing on is the closing of the gate, 00:13:07.409 --> 00:13:11.049 which is Hopper and Elle's storyline. So Elle 00:13:11.049 --> 00:13:14.090 sees the note with Will saying to close the gate, 00:13:14.149 --> 00:13:18.450 and then Hopper and Elle set off to do this. 00:13:18.490 --> 00:13:20.490 On the way, they have this really, really sweet 00:13:20.490 --> 00:13:25.419 heart -to -heart hop. explains his feelings and 00:13:25.419 --> 00:13:28.639 his emotions and all of these things able to 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.620 set boundaries it's amazing why he cares about 00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:37.299 her and why it's hard that he cares about her 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:40.720 and what he's gone through in the past and how 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:43.279 he hopes they can have this connection and it's 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:46.860 all very very sweet and definitely feels like 00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:50.100 he thinks maybe one of them is not going to make 00:13:50.100 --> 00:13:54.889 it out of this and which is all the more nice 00:13:54.889 --> 00:14:00.950 that they do. Hopper then, when they get to the 00:14:00.950 --> 00:14:06.610 lab, finds Sam, who is still alive and still 00:14:06.610 --> 00:14:10.990 there hanging out, and gives him a gun. Says, 00:14:11.330 --> 00:14:14.490 all right, you just continue to stay here. Don't 00:14:14.490 --> 00:14:17.610 go anywhere. Don't go anywhere. We'll be back. 00:14:17.690 --> 00:14:23.509 Yeah, bye. Which is really... A nice little lighthearted 00:14:23.509 --> 00:14:27.950 moment right before they go to potentially certain 00:14:27.950 --> 00:14:32.629 doom. And then when they get down, I just I love 00:14:32.629 --> 00:14:36.009 the this is a kind of a side, but I love the 00:14:36.009 --> 00:14:40.149 visuals of the gate itself and lowering down 00:14:40.149 --> 00:14:44.669 as they're descending to get midway through the 00:14:44.669 --> 00:14:47.509 gate so she can get. I don't know, central access 00:14:47.509 --> 00:14:50.789 or something like that. I'm not exactly sure 00:14:50.789 --> 00:14:55.950 why they have to descend, but they do. So after 00:14:55.950 --> 00:14:59.009 they descend, she starts to close the gate. As 00:14:59.009 --> 00:15:00.850 soon as she starts to close the gate, all the 00:15:00.850 --> 00:15:03.750 demodogs that have been distracted are now called 00:15:03.750 --> 00:15:07.110 back. So now they're all rushing. Hopper is just 00:15:07.110 --> 00:15:09.769 trying to keep them away from Elle as long as 00:15:09.769 --> 00:15:11.889 possible so that she can keep closing the gate. 00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:16.940 She uses two hands and starts levitating in the 00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:22.100 air and screaming and bleeding and all of these 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:25.159 things. But she does close the gate and Hopper 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:29.600 is able to carry her out of there, which is excellent. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.360 Yeah. So there's a couple of different really 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:35.779 important things in here. But one of the sort 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:39.559 of oddities of this moment is the fact that... 00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:42.559 sam has been attacked dr sam the psychiatrist 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:46.759 has been attacked and not eaten unlike bob uh 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.159 and so i i imagine the like they might have even 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:52.120 shot an explanation for this or at least written 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:56.320 one but i imagine that it was sort of like hey 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.440 uh the demo dogs ran away for this other time 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.460 right when i was leaving because the hive mind 00:16:01.460 --> 00:16:05.039 happened to call them away and that's why he's 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:08.159 alive there Because otherwise, anyone who's been 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:10.460 attacked, fully attacked by a Demo Dog or a Demogorgon, 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:13.440 that's not one of the main people, has been killed. 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:18.480 So... Yeah. That's certainly... Especially somebody 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:21.000 who's been, like, hurt enough to just stay still. 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:24.759 So unless he, like, choked out the Demo Dog, 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:29.940 I'm not exactly sure how he's alive. But in terms 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:31.820 of the actual important things, to your point, 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:35.879 doubling down on, like, L's need for... physical 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:39.929 proximity to be close. And we'll see this in 00:16:39.929 --> 00:16:41.950 like season three when she like explodes Soda 00:16:41.950 --> 00:16:44.029 at a mall, right? Like the closer she is, it 00:16:44.029 --> 00:16:46.330 seems like the more she can focus her power and 00:16:46.330 --> 00:16:48.590 the stronger it gets. So sort of lowering down. 00:16:48.669 --> 00:16:50.210 I know it's also there for the visual. Like the 00:16:50.210 --> 00:16:51.889 visual is great. You've got this, you know, this 00:16:51.889 --> 00:16:54.809 little girl against this huge gate. And they're 00:16:54.809 --> 00:16:56.649 trying to sort of recreate that moment of when 00:16:56.649 --> 00:16:59.090 Millie Bobby Brown is really tiny in the first 00:16:59.090 --> 00:17:02.429 season going up against the Demogorgon. But it 00:17:02.429 --> 00:17:04.589 works really well here. But it also establishes 00:17:04.589 --> 00:17:06.670 a bit more of like, okay, she really needs to 00:17:06.670 --> 00:17:09.200 be out in front of the thing in order. To maximize 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:13.920 her power there. That. And also like a little 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.740 bit of Sarah stuff. That we get with Hopper's. 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:22.240 You know past daughter. And that sort of. Comparison 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.460 with Elle's situation. And him being really concerned 00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:26.079 for her. And wanting to do everything he possibly 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:29.059 can. To keep her safe is really nice. But also 00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:31.640 this is one of my favorite moments. In Stranger 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:34.640 Things. Is the moment of Hopper playing Sniper. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:38.119 The first time watching it. Just being. on the 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:39.680 edge of your seat being like, is he going to 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.000 get it? What's happening here? And then he has 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.240 to switch guns to a shotgun. And it's just like 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:47.740 the constant movement and stress that occurs 00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:52.680 and just how awesome Jim Hopper's actor, David 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:56.799 Harbour, just how great David Harbour's physical 00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:59.700 acting and movement is as she shifts over to 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:01.759 a side and over to another side, over to this 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.460 side. It's like the most intense, violent version 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:10.779 of whack -a -mole. And it's just so great. that's 00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:16.079 a great comparison and i do really enjoy the 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:19.400 this sounds weird but i really enjoy the stressful 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:22.920 situations in stranger things because i feel 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:28.099 like there is often a little bit of a lag in 00:18:28.099 --> 00:18:32.519 terms of stakes because you're not anticipating 00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:36.480 any of the main characters to die really and 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:41.660 so You kind of have this expectation that on 00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:43.720 some level, they're all going to make it through. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:48.180 However, there are those moments, I feel, you 00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:51.339 know, maybe once or twice a season or so, when 00:18:51.339 --> 00:18:54.019 you really do start to feel for at least one 00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:56.519 main character's life. And this is one of those 00:18:56.519 --> 00:19:00.059 moments. And I do very much enjoy the edge of 00:19:00.059 --> 00:19:04.839 your seat quality that it brings. Obviously, 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:07.799 the... importance of closing the gate to the 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:11.799 overall story speaks for itself yeah so i think 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:16.059 apart from that just the connection between hopper 00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:20.720 and l is so key yeah because it really sets up 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:26.099 from here on with him being her father yes on 00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:30.059 paper i mean and and in practice as well so you 00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:32.519 know at the end of this episode he becomes her 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:39.400 father and so It's a nice change from Hoppa being 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:43.920 the dad that she knows. Yeah. And now it's Hop 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:49.240 and he might not know much. Exactly. He might 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:52.019 not know much about parenting a teenager, but 00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:55.299 he'll learn. He will. He will absolutely learn. 00:19:55.579 --> 00:19:59.559 Well, and to your point about main characters 00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:02.589 dying, you know, we went through. all of season 00:20:02.589 --> 00:20:06.089 one and the entire main group doesn't die. We've 00:20:06.089 --> 00:20:08.190 get side characters who die, but the entire group 00:20:08.190 --> 00:20:10.950 doesn't die. And so it's a really good effective 00:20:10.950 --> 00:20:13.470 use of killing off Bob earlier in this season 00:20:13.470 --> 00:20:17.230 to make you think, oh man, like Bob is a main 00:20:17.230 --> 00:20:20.170 character. Maybe somebody in here is actually 00:20:20.170 --> 00:20:23.029 going to die. And eventually, you know, they 00:20:23.029 --> 00:20:25.950 play with this idea throughout season three. 00:20:26.210 --> 00:20:30.309 And then of course with Max in season four. Right. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:35.440 So, you know, it's a really requisite idea to 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:38.140 have to kill off somebody major in season two, 00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:39.640 and it happens to be the character that you've 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:43.660 introduced, Bob. Yeah. Yeah, it's a good effective 00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:46.059 use of that. So the third one, smoking out the 00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:49.319 shadow, Nancy and the Byers. Okay, so this is 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:51.599 where Mike realizes closing the gate will kill 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:55.359 Will. Joyce realizes they need to stop appeasing 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:59.309 it, and instead of... It likes it cold. Okay, 00:20:59.410 --> 00:21:02.549 well, then I'm gonna make it hot. The whole idea 00:21:02.549 --> 00:21:06.589 is that Will is the host to a virus of the Mind 00:21:06.589 --> 00:21:08.950 Flayer. So Jonathan's like, we gotta make the 00:21:08.950 --> 00:21:11.769 host uninhabitable. So they go to this little 00:21:11.769 --> 00:21:15.869 shack. They heat up the house as much as possible. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:21.240 fireplace uh actual space heaters 1980s space 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:23.619 heaters so that awful sound when you turn it 00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:26.880 on so good uh it's awesome it really makes everything 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:31.500 so eerie and then really brings it back brings 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:36.460 me back brings me back oh gosh and then uh mind 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:38.970 flayer sort of fully takes over will starts Killing 00:21:38.970 --> 00:21:41.210 Joyce. Jonathan can't do a single thing about 00:21:41.210 --> 00:21:44.210 it. And Nancy, of all people, weirdly in this 00:21:44.210 --> 00:21:46.970 buyer's only story, is like, I'll be the one 00:21:46.970 --> 00:21:49.910 to save it. And she grabs this hot poker. Now, 00:21:49.990 --> 00:21:52.890 when she's doing this hot poker is also when 00:21:52.890 --> 00:21:55.349 Steve has just lit Grand Central Station on fire. 00:21:55.470 --> 00:21:57.329 So there's probably a bit of two forces coming 00:21:57.329 --> 00:22:00.890 here. Where the Mind Flayer's been hurt majorly 00:22:00.890 --> 00:22:04.539 at its central location. And also will... is 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:06.900 uninhabitable and then hit with a fire poker 00:22:06.900 --> 00:22:11.359 um and that releases the shadow monster so sierra 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:13.720 what is important why are we going over this 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:17.200 particular storyline i think that the key here 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:22.180 is the host to virus or shadow monster whatever 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:26.720 that key whatever that is that relationship so 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:31.140 the relationship between shadow monster and host 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:34.880 Obviously such a very, very, very key factor 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:39.160 of season three. So this is really bringing it 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:44.660 along of, okay, the monster has been ejected 00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:48.539 from Will. We are burning the vines. Elle is 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:51.220 closing the gate. Where's the shadow monster 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:55.500 going? It's out of Will, but we don't see it 00:22:55.500 --> 00:23:01.390 go through the gate. So, this moment is really 00:23:01.390 --> 00:23:05.289 what sets up season three. And, you know, yes, 00:23:05.710 --> 00:23:09.750 Elle closing the gate closes season two, but 00:23:09.750 --> 00:23:12.190 this is what sets up season three. Yeah. So, 00:23:12.210 --> 00:23:16.269 the fact that it does not leave, it is out of 00:23:16.269 --> 00:23:19.950 will, it has been rejected by the host, it still 00:23:19.950 --> 00:23:24.019 needs to go somewhere. Yeah. So... That's the 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:27.660 key part, is just this is how the story continues. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:33.380 And the other... I don't know that there is too 00:23:33.380 --> 00:23:36.900 much in terms of the relationships between these 00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:39.400 particular characters that develops the way that 00:23:39.400 --> 00:23:43.680 the other two storylines have. So this storyline, 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:48.680 to me, feels very much plot -focused and plot 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:51.160 -heavy. Yes, oh, I totally agree. It's really, 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:55.019 really... Amping that up. And just how it weaves 00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:56.920 in with the other two. Because they have to have 00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:59.599 the timing right. In order for this all to work 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:02.460 out. And those scenes are so short. Like they're 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:06.759 so. Like you're saying. Those scenes set up the 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:09.500 tempo of the show. They set up the plot points. 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:12.200 Of let's save Will. And how do we move to season 00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:15.220 three. But also they include. They really set 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:17.339 the tone in sort of horror elements. Before you 00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:19.500 get to Hopper and his sniper moments. Because 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:23.819 you've got Will. In his bedroom. just you know 00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:26.240 and then like choking and it's all of these like 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:31.039 very classic horror moments yeah it really sets 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:36.279 the tone and the stage and it's i mean the acting 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:41.140 is really phenomenal i will say yeah i will say 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:50.000 i hate you leave you love me i do i do yeah no 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:53.259 i think um You're right on the money there. It 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:55.339 doesn't really do anything for the characters 00:24:55.339 --> 00:24:59.400 that much, right? It wraps up the Joyce Will 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.920 story. Jonathan and Nancy have already wrapped 00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:06.799 up sort of as soon as they reach everybody. But 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:09.859 also at the beginning of this, Steve is the one 00:25:09.859 --> 00:25:13.920 that tells Nancy to go with Jonathan. Right. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.220 And he's accepting of his sort of role of no 00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:18.539 longer being her boyfriend. He's like, you know, 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:21.440 I may have been a shitty boyfriend, but I'm one 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:24.099 hell of a babysitter. That's his quote. It's 00:25:24.099 --> 00:25:27.759 an awesome line that he has. And that really 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.619 sort of wraps up that Steve and Nancy moment. 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:33.059 But that's it. And then the rest of the episode 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:34.900 is just sort of like, all right, well, let's 00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:38.259 have this occur and figure out how we save Will. 00:25:38.990 --> 00:25:40.910 So that everybody who cares about that kid knows 00:25:40.910 --> 00:25:43.049 what happens. But it really is sort of devoid 00:25:43.049 --> 00:25:45.329 of any sort of character moment, unlike Hop and 00:25:45.329 --> 00:25:49.230 Elle. Or Steve and the kids sort of solidifying 00:25:49.230 --> 00:25:51.529 more of how this relationship is going to work 00:25:51.529 --> 00:25:55.950 in the future. Right. Yeah, exactly. Well, keep 00:25:55.950 --> 00:25:59.509 your finger on the pause button. And rewind that 00:25:59.509 --> 00:26:02.329 tape, Sierra. It's time for the prestige category. 00:26:02.829 --> 00:26:07.890 What did we notice on this watch through? Mike? 00:26:08.029 --> 00:26:13.109 and Nancy are highly intelligent and good at 00:26:13.109 --> 00:26:16.630 thinking on their feet for having the parents 00:26:16.630 --> 00:26:21.650 that they do. Yes, this is a diss on their parents. 00:26:21.890 --> 00:26:26.490 I don't know what Ted does for a job. We only 00:26:26.490 --> 00:26:29.670 ever see him sleeping on the couch or the chair 00:26:29.670 --> 00:26:32.789 and watching TV and not answering the door or 00:26:32.789 --> 00:26:39.339 the phone. And Mrs. Wheeler, seems to be very 00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:45.720 much a kind of valium mom yeah absolutely she's 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.279 not quite really there she doesn't really know 00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:51.359 where her kids are at all times she's there she's 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.380 doing stuff she's tolerating everybody she's 00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:57.000 trying to keep the family in one piece as much 00:26:57.000 --> 00:27:02.099 as she can but neither of them seem all that 00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:06.769 put together mentally and so the fact that Two 00:27:06.769 --> 00:27:08.849 of their three children, which we don't know 00:27:08.849 --> 00:27:11.609 much about the youngest girl other than somehow 00:27:11.609 --> 00:27:16.230 she's connected to the Upside Down because she 00:27:16.230 --> 00:27:20.269 can have these kind of moments with it that are 00:27:20.269 --> 00:27:23.509 not explained. But other than that, we don't 00:27:23.509 --> 00:27:25.450 really know anything about her. But Mike and 00:27:25.450 --> 00:27:27.869 Nancy are very smart people who come up with 00:27:27.869 --> 00:27:30.990 these brilliant plans who are able to rally people 00:27:30.990 --> 00:27:35.859 to whatever their plot is going to be. Where 00:27:35.859 --> 00:27:39.400 do they get it from? Yeah, absolutely. Where 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:42.160 do they get it from? To your point, both parents 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:44.140 have no idea what's going on. I don't understand 00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:47.380 it, but good on them. Like, I guess good on them. 00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:50.299 This speaks to being absentee parents. You let 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:53.420 your kids flourish. I guess the moral of the 00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:55.619 lesson is just don't pay attention and then they'll 00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:59.799 be okay. Or if you're being a little bit more 00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:03.839 optimistic, let go and let God. sure yeah yeah 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:06.279 we'll go with that totally so it seems a little 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:13.140 malcolm in the middle oh man so speaking of nancy 00:28:13.140 --> 00:28:15.380 i think i might have answered this question in 00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:18.619 my head but i still kind of like on the first 00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:20.759 watch it's like yeah nancy's with jonathan of 00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:22.220 course she's been with jonathan the whole time 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:25.299 and then i'm also kind of like why the heck is 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:31.180 nancy with the buyers And then, you know, you 00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:33.400 go back and you watch Steve being like, hey, 00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:34.980 you should go with him. And it's clear that she 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:37.640 and Jonathan are an item now. And it's clear 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:40.380 that she wants to go and support her man. And 00:28:40.380 --> 00:28:43.259 so I think that's fine enough. But it is still 00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:47.000 kind of weird to just have Nancy there. Yeah, 00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:50.519 I was thinking about that because of your question 00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:53.920 here. And I guess it just doesn't make sense 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:56.920 for her to be anywhere else. She wouldn't be 00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:59.410 with Alan Hopper. That doesn't make any sense 00:28:59.410 --> 00:29:02.410 at all. That makes less sense than this. Going 00:29:02.410 --> 00:29:05.390 with Steve and the kids only makes sense if you 00:29:05.390 --> 00:29:09.569 think that she and Mike are kind of a collective 00:29:09.569 --> 00:29:13.150 that would be paired up in this instance. Yeah. 00:29:13.170 --> 00:29:15.069 But then that means that she's with Steve and 00:29:15.069 --> 00:29:17.650 not with Jonathan. Right. Which would be weird 00:29:17.650 --> 00:29:19.769 as well. They're very much trying to transition 00:29:19.769 --> 00:29:24.259 her away from Steve to Jonathan. Exactly. I think 00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:26.180 this is really just the only place that Nancy 00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:30.819 somewhat fits in this particular set of plots. 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:35.160 So sorry, you were just kind of thrown into it. 00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:36.980 Well, I'm like, they write the scene of Steve 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.539 telling her to go, which I think was them being 00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:40.660 like, how do we get Nancy to go with the buyers 00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:43.619 and have buy -in from the audience? And it's 00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:45.759 a little contrived, but because we get that awesome 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:49.660 babysitter line, I'm okay with it. Yeah. Yeah. 00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:52.990 I would agree. I would agree. And then. What 00:29:52.990 --> 00:29:57.109 we also have that I was realizing more of just 00:29:57.109 --> 00:30:02.329 the depth of it. So Steve and Dustin. Steve becomes 00:30:02.329 --> 00:30:06.470 the sibling that Dustin doesn't have. Everyone 00:30:06.470 --> 00:30:11.609 else has at least one sibling. And except for 00:30:11.609 --> 00:30:16.690 Lucas, nobody's the oldest as well. So Will's 00:30:16.690 --> 00:30:19.509 the younger brother. Mike's the younger brother. 00:30:20.130 --> 00:30:24.220 Then... Dustin is an only child, and then Lucas 00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:26.119 is the older brother. Without a dad. And he's 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:28.680 without a dad. Without a dad. Yeah. Yeah, so 00:30:28.680 --> 00:30:32.960 Dustin doesn't have a dad. You know, Will doesn't 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:37.859 really either. Yeah. Not a present one. He's 00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:41.480 got Jonathan as dad brother. Brother. Right. 00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:43.740 If you would. Yeah, so Jonathan is filling kind 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:46.799 of both of those roles for him. But Dustin doesn't 00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:52.059 have a male figure in his life. Or a sibling 00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:56.039 in his life at all, which is partially why I 00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:58.700 think he's so attached to his friends and why 00:30:58.700 --> 00:31:03.220 season three hits him so hard because he's not 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:07.079 with them anymore. And he doesn't have anybody 00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:09.740 really to fall back on. And Steve really steps 00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:14.339 into that role of being that brother, that dad 00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:18.079 figure, all of the above that he just doesn't 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:24.450 have. And I'm like, my... My baby boy. My boy. 00:31:27.369 --> 00:31:34.289 Sorry for everybody who just had to listen through 00:31:34.289 --> 00:31:40.589 that. My apologies. Anyway, I just, it really 00:31:40.589 --> 00:31:44.109 hit me on this watch through. Just how much he 00:31:44.109 --> 00:31:46.980 is. How much they are forming that relationship 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:49.539 and that bond. Which is great. And what a great 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:51.619 moment for Dustin to be like, hey man, you don't 00:31:51.619 --> 00:31:54.119 understand how the party's going to work. You 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:56.660 have to be a good party member and we need protection. 00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:59.480 Which is essentially Steve's initiation into 00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:01.819 this party. Again, without Mike's permission. 00:32:02.380 --> 00:32:04.880 But nobody needs to have Mike's permission because 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:09.559 Mike sucks! And also, this is a democracy. Yeah. 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:14.480 Another thing that I really... thought of on 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:18.660 this watch through because I had thought this 00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:23.279 a little bit in the past, but when Elle is closing 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:26.240 the gate, she's focusing with all of her might 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:29.359 and she's doing the hand outstretched and everything. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:32.619 And then she does the two hands. I just kept 00:32:32.619 --> 00:32:36.680 waiting for Elle to tap into love instead of 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:39.039 hate here. I feel like I said this in the last 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:43.910 episode too, but it really hit me. in this moment 00:32:43.910 --> 00:32:48.289 because I feel like it may be a conditioned cliche 00:32:48.289 --> 00:32:52.410 response to other media, whatever, but it did 00:32:52.410 --> 00:32:55.349 really feel like a good moment to go from upsetting 00:32:55.349 --> 00:32:58.750 memories of whatever is going on in her life 00:32:58.750 --> 00:33:03.430 to then seeing, you know, Hop, Mike's face, smiling. 00:33:03.430 --> 00:33:06.609 You wanted your expected patronum. You wanted 00:33:06.609 --> 00:33:10.390 your patronus. I did. I really did. And we don't 00:33:10.390 --> 00:33:13.809 get that here. And I'm not sure if I'm happy 00:33:13.809 --> 00:33:16.549 that we don't get it because it's not the same 00:33:16.549 --> 00:33:21.829 as other things. Or if I'm upset because it feels 00:33:21.829 --> 00:33:23.849 as though it would have been right in the moment. 00:33:24.809 --> 00:33:29.089 So I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to me... I have 00:33:29.089 --> 00:33:35.049 a hard time with Elle's two hands thing. Because 00:33:35.049 --> 00:33:39.579 it... What is she finding more horrible memories 00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:43.900 from her time? What is she tapping into to get 00:33:43.900 --> 00:33:50.319 more power? We need more. More power. Unlimited 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:58.279 power. Unlimited power. Yeah. Okay. Where is 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:02.059 she getting it from? It felt like that transition 00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:05.240 was missing for me. And if we go from hate to 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:07.359 love. Yeah, yeah. You've got it. You have tapped 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:09.599 into a wonderful, weird little thing. We've been 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:11.440 talking about Elle's powers so much in every 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:13.500 episode, being like, how does this really work? 00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:16.760 And this is a huge moment, because we have only 00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:20.019 ever seen Elle use powers with hate, with fury, 00:34:20.260 --> 00:34:24.199 with anger. And I think this is why people are 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:26.619 talking about, like, is Elle going to be turned 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:29.739 dark and need to be killed in season five? And, 00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:31.780 you know, is Vector going to get, you know, killed 00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:34.139 halfway through is the mid -season finale. And 00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:36.659 then Elle becomes the real enemy because she's 00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:38.840 the one using hatred. Or are we going to have 00:34:38.840 --> 00:34:42.300 a switch over to love? So that's one thing. But 00:34:42.300 --> 00:34:44.059 the other thing, too, is, like, to your point, 00:34:44.139 --> 00:34:48.280 is she, like, hating more when the second hand 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:50.679 comes out? Or is she just realizing then that, 00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:53.800 like, the second hand helps with the psychic 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:55.780 movement? That there's a link between, like, 00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:59.099 amount of physical effort exerted? To the psychic? 00:34:59.219 --> 00:35:05.219 It's really unclear. Go for it. I'm just thinking 00:35:05.219 --> 00:35:10.000 now, potentially, it could be a psychosomatic 00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:14.239 thing. Yeah. Where she's not actually drawing 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:19.900 any more power. She's just so exhausted by that 00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:23.820 point. that she has to do something to continue 00:35:23.820 --> 00:35:27.539 to push that power through. Like trying to hit 00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:31.039 your second wind. Exactly. When she hits that 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:33.239 second handout, it's not like the gate starts 00:35:33.239 --> 00:35:36.320 closing faster or anything like that. It just 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:40.260 continues to close. So I almost feel like it 00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:44.539 is that physical representation of the pushing 00:35:44.539 --> 00:35:49.599 through of the exhaustion and everything. Yeah, 00:35:49.699 --> 00:35:53.960 I just think it's an odd thing because then it 00:35:53.960 --> 00:35:56.199 also does prompt the whole levitation situation, 00:35:56.420 --> 00:36:02.639 which could again be she's just focusing so hard 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:08.099 and really pushing through her limits, which 00:36:08.099 --> 00:36:20.630 also causes a physical reaction. that is also 00:36:20.630 --> 00:36:24.889 now moving through her. I will say also, this 00:36:24.889 --> 00:36:27.690 whole secondhand thing, I just can't help but 00:36:27.690 --> 00:36:31.050 laugh of it because it's just such a silly gimmick 00:36:31.050 --> 00:36:33.889 to be like, there's always more power behind 00:36:33.889 --> 00:36:37.349 what's going on. So there's this awesome Family 00:36:37.349 --> 00:36:39.909 Guy bit where they're making fun of Star Trek 00:36:39.909 --> 00:36:43.769 and they're trying to outrun something in Family 00:36:43.769 --> 00:36:46.130 Guy style. They switch over to the characters. 00:36:47.789 --> 00:36:50.570 Kirk is like, Scotty, we need more power. And 00:36:50.570 --> 00:36:52.750 Scotty's like, I'm literally giving it all she's 00:36:52.750 --> 00:36:55.829 got, Captain. Except in a Scottish accent. And 00:36:55.829 --> 00:36:58.889 then Scotty rings back in. He's like, actually, 00:36:58.929 --> 00:37:01.269 Captain, I just realized that the lever, I've 00:37:01.269 --> 00:37:03.309 only been pushing it halfway. Like, it can go 00:37:03.309 --> 00:37:06.869 all the way up. And it's like, oh, okay, great, 00:37:06.949 --> 00:37:09.789 Scotty. That's awesome. And then Scotty calls 00:37:09.789 --> 00:37:12.309 back in. What is it, Scotty? I'm so sorry, Captain. 00:37:12.909 --> 00:37:15.369 I just realized there's a whole nother lever 00:37:15.369 --> 00:37:18.210 that you can push that's right next to it to 00:37:18.210 --> 00:37:20.630 make it go double the speed that we're going 00:37:20.630 --> 00:37:22.929 now. That's great. Captain, I just, I really 00:37:22.929 --> 00:37:24.530 want to apologize. It's okay, Scotty. You don't 00:37:24.530 --> 00:37:27.449 know. Derek died because of this. I literally 00:37:27.449 --> 00:37:30.010 told his wife at the funeral, I was giving it 00:37:30.010 --> 00:37:32.329 all she's got, but I wasn't. I wasn't giving 00:37:32.329 --> 00:37:33.929 it all she's got. And that's kind of what this 00:37:33.929 --> 00:37:36.730 feels like to me, where it's like, oh, L, you 00:37:36.730 --> 00:37:39.369 didn't realize that your second arm was double 00:37:39.369 --> 00:37:50.010 the power. What the heck? Okay, Sierra, I have 00:37:50.010 --> 00:37:54.030 a contravency. Contravency, you say? A contravency. 00:37:54.610 --> 00:37:58.210 Wow. You will remember that beginning of the 00:37:58.210 --> 00:38:01.570 season was a great Halloween episode. Yes. And 00:38:01.570 --> 00:38:04.630 that not very many days have transpired by the 00:38:04.630 --> 00:38:06.130 time we get to the closing of the gate. You will 00:38:06.130 --> 00:38:08.929 agree? Yes. And then we have one month later. 00:38:09.190 --> 00:38:12.719 It comes up on the screen. Am I wrong? No, you 00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:16.780 are not wrong. Which means it's December in Indiana, 00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:21.659 and they're about to have the snowball, or whatever 00:38:21.659 --> 00:38:24.599 it's called. Everyone needs to go back and watch 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:30.059 this. When Hawkins Lab closes, there are way 00:38:30.059 --> 00:38:36.019 too many green leaves everywhere. What were they 00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:39.869 thinking? Why did they shoot it like this? It's 00:38:39.869 --> 00:38:43.070 winter! It's Christmas! It's the winter dance! 00:38:43.250 --> 00:38:46.969 It's, like, full blaring spring! Like, those 00:38:46.969 --> 00:38:50.510 are happy, gorgeous trees whose leaves have just 00:38:50.510 --> 00:38:54.269 stretched out. I do not understand why they did 00:38:54.269 --> 00:38:58.469 this. I just remember you texting me that, and 00:38:58.469 --> 00:39:08.289 I just lost it. It's too green! Why? Why is it 00:39:08.289 --> 00:39:11.170 green? Any of my like, this is really stupid 00:39:11.170 --> 00:39:15.349 or wait, this is in this. This was the mixture 00:39:15.349 --> 00:39:19.110 of those two. Oh my gosh. So funny. It was so 00:39:19.110 --> 00:39:25.309 stupid. But it's also awkward school dance time. 00:39:25.449 --> 00:39:31.809 Yes. Which just, I love it. The school dances 00:39:31.809 --> 00:39:36.409 in media, in real life. Always have been and 00:39:36.409 --> 00:39:41.409 always will be a universal bizarre mix of emotions 00:39:41.409 --> 00:39:51.230 and weird teenage craziness and hormones or lack 00:39:51.230 --> 00:39:58.329 thereof or awkwardness that abounds. I don't 00:39:58.329 --> 00:40:00.829 think there will ever be a middle school dance. 00:40:01.630 --> 00:40:04.070 That goes off without a hitch for everybody. 00:40:06.050 --> 00:40:10.710 And isn't just so awkward. I want to say. Don't 00:40:10.710 --> 00:40:12.969 get me wrong. I had great times at middle school 00:40:12.969 --> 00:40:15.309 dances. Terrible time for me. They're all awkward. 00:40:15.489 --> 00:40:17.650 They're terrible. They're all awkward. They're 00:40:17.650 --> 00:40:23.269 super terrible. I will say, Dustin, what an immaculately 00:40:23.269 --> 00:40:27.389 courageous human being. So good. He just, like, 00:40:27.510 --> 00:40:31.409 I could have never. asked three girls in a row 00:40:31.409 --> 00:40:35.070 with that level of rejection it was one and done 00:40:35.070 --> 00:40:38.150 like turn me to dust i'm and sweep me out the 00:40:38.150 --> 00:40:41.610 door i'm dead yeah with those when those two 00:40:41.610 --> 00:40:43.929 girls just like look at him give them that like 00:40:43.929 --> 00:40:47.389 look and then back now the heck out of there 00:40:47.389 --> 00:40:51.130 i was like nope what cruelty call cps they're 00:40:51.130 --> 00:40:54.710 not even the the parents this is cruelty to a 00:40:54.710 --> 00:40:58.559 minor yeah kids are mean In case you needed a 00:40:58.559 --> 00:41:03.199 reminder, teenagers are mean and they suck. Yeah. 00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:07.300 Oh my gosh. Okay, but speaking of somebody who's 00:41:07.300 --> 00:41:09.900 not that mean, Nancy, is she not the best here? 00:41:10.340 --> 00:41:13.920 She's pretty great. Like, seeing Dustin just 00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:17.039 look absolutely like a puddle in his wonderful 00:41:17.039 --> 00:41:19.320 hair, in his great suit, and she just goes over 00:41:19.320 --> 00:41:20.880 and she's like, let's dance. And then all of 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:22.460 these girls that are around Dustin's age are 00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:27.349 like, Nancy Wheeler. gorgeous goodness extraordinaire 00:41:27.349 --> 00:41:32.789 of hawkins is dancing with dusty buns craziness 00:41:32.789 --> 00:41:34.889 and then he gets the street credit and it's all 00:41:34.889 --> 00:41:36.869 good and also what a sweet line when she's like 00:41:36.869 --> 00:41:39.369 you know of all my brother's friends you're my 00:41:39.369 --> 00:41:42.690 favorite so cute and also like i fast forward 00:41:42.690 --> 00:41:45.889 to when they're like 32 and 30 and they get married 00:41:45.889 --> 00:41:48.909 because nancy has black widowed both steve and 00:41:48.909 --> 00:41:51.469 jonathan uh watch out dustin she's after you 00:41:55.480 --> 00:41:58.300 You don't always have to face down a horde of 00:41:58.300 --> 00:42:01.940 angry soldiers by yourself. Buckle up, Schmisseners. 00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:06.760 It is time for our Sansa is smarter than Jon 00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:10.760 category for what is the most important character 00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:15.019 moment this episode. We've talked about the important 00:42:15.019 --> 00:42:18.159 character moments. We have. It's time to determine 00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:22.340 the most important. Yeah. My argument, Hopper. 00:42:22.889 --> 00:42:25.769 Fessing up with Eleven, explaining his feelings, 00:42:26.130 --> 00:42:31.110 detailing his emotions, his whole thought process, 00:42:31.170 --> 00:42:36.329 and subconscious thought processes. What an amazing 00:42:36.329 --> 00:42:40.369 whole situation that he has put himself in. I 00:42:40.369 --> 00:42:43.530 love it. It's great. It also doesn't last very 00:42:43.530 --> 00:42:45.949 long. And this is the reason why I think my choice 00:42:45.949 --> 00:42:49.909 is the right one. Because Hopper starts off the 00:42:49.909 --> 00:42:52.519 next season. Not knowing how to do any of the 00:42:52.519 --> 00:42:56.199 things that he just did in this car. He is flabbergasted 00:42:56.199 --> 00:42:58.460 at the ability to create boundaries and talk 00:42:58.460 --> 00:43:00.320 about emotions and do all of these things that 00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:03.440 he literally just did. He's in the midst in this 00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:05.239 episode of having a heart to heart. And then 00:43:05.239 --> 00:43:07.679 Joyce is like, you should have a heart to heart 00:43:07.679 --> 00:43:09.639 in episode one of season three. And he goes, 00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:13.360 what's a heart to heart? What are you talking 00:43:13.360 --> 00:43:17.500 about? You just had one a couple months ago. 00:43:17.679 --> 00:43:21.519 Like six months ago. uh and so that's why i believe 00:43:21.519 --> 00:43:26.280 that my pick of steve saying no i'm leading give 00:43:26.280 --> 00:43:29.380 me the torch we're going through this tunnels 00:43:29.380 --> 00:43:31.579 with me in front and i'm making sure all of you 00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:33.940 stay safe and then when they do get to the exit 00:43:33.940 --> 00:43:36.440 the fact that he is the one boosting everybody 00:43:36.440 --> 00:43:38.039 out of there and doesn't try and save himself 00:43:39.259 --> 00:43:41.719 solidifying steve's complete character growth 00:43:41.719 --> 00:43:44.400 development and giving us the steve that does 00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:46.780 actually remain consistent for the next two seasons 00:43:46.780 --> 00:43:50.960 is uh is the winner here it you you cannot sway 00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:57.039 me fiend until he's drugged up in a movie theater 00:43:57.039 --> 00:44:01.099 shush that's not his fault that's really not 00:44:01.099 --> 00:44:10.969 those darn ruskies I'll give it to Steve. I will. 00:44:11.230 --> 00:44:14.110 I shall capitulate. Hopper gets a lot of great 00:44:14.110 --> 00:44:17.670 stuff and Steve's is so good in this one. That's 00:44:17.670 --> 00:44:19.929 true. I know you just lost that argument and 00:44:19.929 --> 00:44:23.449 that hand, Sierra. But listen up. For it's the 00:44:23.449 --> 00:44:28.409 I am your father category for most iconic character 00:44:28.409 --> 00:44:32.489 moment. So, we haven't talked that much about 00:44:32.489 --> 00:44:35.230 it in this episode. For most iconic character 00:44:35.230 --> 00:44:40.519 moment, Sierra. How is it not Billy and Mrs. 00:44:40.639 --> 00:44:45.980 Wheeler? For who? For Billy or for Mrs. Wheeler? 00:44:46.820 --> 00:44:51.400 For either. I would argue Mrs. Wheeler more than 00:44:51.400 --> 00:44:53.440 anybody because all we've seen her is be like 00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:56.679 in this sort of loveless marriage with not knowing 00:44:56.679 --> 00:45:00.730 where the kids are and just mad or sad or. And 00:45:00.730 --> 00:45:04.170 then here she is in this bathtub reading who's 00:45:04.170 --> 00:45:06.909 basically Billy Hargrove on the cover of her 00:45:06.909 --> 00:45:10.889 romance book. And then, you know, is it Ted? 00:45:11.070 --> 00:45:13.909 Ted won't get the door. He's asleep. And so she 00:45:13.909 --> 00:45:15.389 has to put on a robe and come down. She's all 00:45:15.389 --> 00:45:20.190 dolled out. And then there's Billy ready to seduce 00:45:20.190 --> 00:45:22.969 her, which we do not advocate for. They are minors 00:45:22.969 --> 00:45:25.889 and majors in this case, apparently. Minors and 00:45:25.889 --> 00:45:30.139 adults. But it's just such an iconic scene in 00:45:30.139 --> 00:45:32.079 this entire thing. It's like one of the things 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:34.840 that I remember most from this season. Really? 00:45:35.039 --> 00:45:37.820 Yeah, absolutely. Anytime I think of Billy and 00:45:37.820 --> 00:45:40.400 Mrs. Wheeler, I think of next season. Yes, I 00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:43.219 totally get that. But I went into season three 00:45:43.219 --> 00:45:45.260 being like, I'm so excited for this weird little 00:45:45.260 --> 00:45:49.599 side story of Billy and Mrs. Wheeler. And then, 00:45:49.639 --> 00:45:53.570 of course, it doesn't go anywhere. But I do like 00:45:53.570 --> 00:45:55.929 it. Okay, so it's probably not Billy and Mrs. 00:45:56.010 --> 00:45:58.329 Weaver. It's probably actually because of what 00:45:58.329 --> 00:46:00.869 we've talked about earlier, Dustin and Dart's 00:46:00.869 --> 00:46:02.929 Three Musketeers moment, because the implication 00:46:02.929 --> 00:46:07.250 of a demo What's It Not Being Evil is just so 00:46:07.250 --> 00:46:11.130 huge. Yeah, I also, I get behind this for sure, 00:46:11.210 --> 00:46:14.869 because it's also a really nice courageous moment 00:46:14.869 --> 00:46:18.710 for Dustin, which carries forward into the next 00:46:18.710 --> 00:46:21.900 season especially. Of him kind of leading the 00:46:21.900 --> 00:46:24.800 charge and doing investigating all on his own 00:46:24.800 --> 00:46:27.659 and all of those things. And so I feel like this 00:46:27.659 --> 00:46:31.699 is a really nice moment of courage for him to 00:46:31.699 --> 00:46:34.920 approach Dart, not knowing what's going to happen. 00:46:35.260 --> 00:46:39.000 Is the bond strong enough? We don't know. You 00:46:39.000 --> 00:46:43.500 know, an interdimensional creature or an alternate 00:46:43.500 --> 00:46:47.570 dimension creature. accepting the chocolate you're 00:46:47.570 --> 00:46:54.090 giving yeah it is a pretty far stretch so and 00:46:54.090 --> 00:46:59.789 it works it works but nobody would have bet on 00:46:59.789 --> 00:47:03.550 it nope so i think it's a really nice just dustin 00:47:03.550 --> 00:47:07.590 moment in general 100 agreed everybody sit down 00:47:07.590 --> 00:47:13.820 it's time for our i am iron man Most iconic and 00:47:13.820 --> 00:47:19.260 most important scene category. It's Eleven rising 00:47:19.260 --> 00:47:21.599 into the air while closing the gate. There's 00:47:21.599 --> 00:47:24.820 nothing else. It's that. It's, again, that iconic 00:47:24.820 --> 00:47:30.099 moment of her rising with the huge red gate while 00:47:30.099 --> 00:47:33.519 she's cast in shadows. It's awesome. It's cinematic. 00:47:34.219 --> 00:47:37.380 It's what it is. It's the winner. Certainly. 00:47:38.029 --> 00:47:40.530 Which means that we can just crack open our encyclopedia 00:47:40.530 --> 00:47:42.869 because it's time for, as Elijah Wood once said, 00:47:42.969 --> 00:47:47.369 no, how could we have known category where we 00:47:47.369 --> 00:47:49.690 discuss the most important information disseminated 00:47:49.690 --> 00:47:51.989 to the fandom in this episode, which I think 00:47:51.989 --> 00:47:55.690 is just like hammering down on Eleven's powers 00:47:55.690 --> 00:47:59.489 are emotions based. And it's not just like turned 00:47:59.489 --> 00:48:02.849 up by emotions. They are emotions based. It's 00:48:02.849 --> 00:48:05.329 sort of like there's not really a system of like 00:48:05.329 --> 00:48:09.260 you. You have to have a circle drawn in the sand 00:48:09.260 --> 00:48:12.519 and stars, or you need to constantly eat, like, 00:48:12.519 --> 00:48:14.619 this magical thing or draw on the power of these 00:48:14.619 --> 00:48:17.159 beasts over here. Like, the magical system for 00:48:17.159 --> 00:48:19.260 her powers is that they are emotions -based, 00:48:19.340 --> 00:48:22.239 and we know she gets physically drained by that. 00:48:22.360 --> 00:48:25.679 And so to tap into her emotions in order to do 00:48:25.679 --> 00:48:28.480 sensory deprivation, like, all of that, it all 00:48:28.480 --> 00:48:30.199 comes into a neat little package here where it's 00:48:30.199 --> 00:48:33.639 like, okay, the strength is fueled by emotions, 00:48:33.760 --> 00:48:37.510 specifically strong. And so I think back to the 00:48:37.510 --> 00:48:41.949 flashback of 8 basically saying, hate, let it 00:48:41.949 --> 00:48:45.670 flow through you, which is actually confirming 00:48:45.670 --> 00:48:47.809 Eleven's telekinesis isn't a different part of 00:48:47.809 --> 00:48:50.829 her, but directly intertwined to her brainwaves 00:48:50.829 --> 00:48:54.969 and emotions. No notes. No notes. Excellent. 00:48:55.789 --> 00:48:59.730 No notes. It really is the most important thing 00:48:59.730 --> 00:49:04.369 going into going. kind of prepping us for season 00:49:04.369 --> 00:49:08.389 five I think it's definitely the most important 00:49:08.389 --> 00:49:11.610 information that we get because we don't actually 00:49:11.610 --> 00:49:14.489 get a lot of stuff happens in this episode but 00:49:14.489 --> 00:49:16.989 there's not a lot of new or developing information 00:49:16.989 --> 00:49:21.889 besides the fact that potentially the shadow 00:49:21.889 --> 00:49:25.230 monster is not within the gate because it came 00:49:25.230 --> 00:49:27.650 out of will and we didn't see it again and also 00:49:27.650 --> 00:49:33.059 the L's powers are emotions so I think those 00:49:33.059 --> 00:49:36.619 are really the only two topics to discuss. Big 00:49:36.619 --> 00:49:38.380 moments. And also, it's interesting, too, because 00:49:38.380 --> 00:49:41.380 at the end of season three, we'll see Elle lose 00:49:41.380 --> 00:49:43.980 powers in what seems to be a physical injury 00:49:43.980 --> 00:49:46.139 problem. And then they kind of write themselves 00:49:46.139 --> 00:49:48.519 into a corner into season four, trying to explain 00:49:48.519 --> 00:49:52.219 how actually it is an emotions problem. So, that's 00:49:52.219 --> 00:49:53.920 an interesting component of what's coming up. 00:49:54.159 --> 00:49:55.940 And then in terms of season five, like you're 00:49:55.940 --> 00:49:58.739 saying, with the monster not being... In the 00:49:58.739 --> 00:50:01.440 gate, which is why season three does its whole 00:50:01.440 --> 00:50:05.639 thing. Very interesting here to note how similar 00:50:05.639 --> 00:50:07.860 it is to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 00:50:09.739 --> 00:50:13.400 Where you, and this is a spoiler, so skip the 00:50:13.400 --> 00:50:14.639 next ten seconds if you don't want to hear it. 00:50:14.880 --> 00:50:18.360 Where, like, the Obscurus in the first one just, 00:50:18.400 --> 00:50:20.860 like, survives somehow and is floating in the 00:50:20.860 --> 00:50:24.039 background and nobody notices. And then he's 00:50:24.039 --> 00:50:27.590 just in the second movie. So, that's fun. Keep 00:50:27.590 --> 00:50:30.889 your horses safe. It's the I'm going to make 00:50:30.889 --> 00:50:33.989 him an offer he can't refuse category of best 00:50:33.989 --> 00:50:37.889 lines. One day I will say it exactly like it's 00:50:37.889 --> 00:50:41.349 said in The Godfather and everyone will be shocked. 00:50:41.449 --> 00:50:43.730 But until then, you will enjoy my many voices 00:50:43.730 --> 00:50:45.670 because I will say it differently every single 00:50:45.670 --> 00:50:51.320 time. It's just who I am. Here it is. I may be 00:50:51.320 --> 00:50:53.840 a shitty boyfriend, but turns out I'm actually 00:50:53.840 --> 00:50:56.260 a damn good babysitter. Yep, it's great. No notes. 00:50:56.320 --> 00:50:58.900 Once again. Steve the Hare Harrington for the 00:50:58.900 --> 00:51:02.380 win. 100%. Best line of the episode. One of the 00:51:02.380 --> 00:51:06.300 best lines of the series. Incredible. Yep. Dust 00:51:06.300 --> 00:51:08.559 off that card deck and get ready to shuffle. 00:51:09.059 --> 00:51:14.300 It's our Joker category. For who is the MVP of 00:51:14.300 --> 00:51:18.480 this episode? It's Steve. It's Steve the Hare 00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:21.900 Harrington. And he keeps all the babies safe. 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:26.019 He leads the mission. He's the one that throws 00:51:26.019 --> 00:51:29.960 the stupid lighter on the flames and gets Hopper 00:51:29.960 --> 00:51:32.960 and Elle safe to close the gate. Like, without 00:51:32.960 --> 00:51:36.760 Steve, they do nothing. And also kind of with 00:51:36.760 --> 00:51:39.159 Steve, they almost don't do nothing. But when 00:51:39.159 --> 00:51:41.719 he gets on board... He does his job and he does 00:51:41.719 --> 00:51:43.880 his job well. He's got the best line. He's got 00:51:43.880 --> 00:51:46.920 the best sort of motivation. He, it's just, it's 00:51:46.920 --> 00:51:48.500 great. I love everything to do with Steve in 00:51:48.500 --> 00:51:52.360 this episode. Yes. I seconded, I don't even have 00:51:52.360 --> 00:51:55.119 an honorable mention for this one. I think it's 00:51:55.119 --> 00:51:57.500 out and out Steve. It's really interesting how 00:51:57.500 --> 00:51:58.920 that happened in this episode because there are 00:51:58.920 --> 00:52:01.800 great moments for Joyce and Will and Nancy and 00:52:01.800 --> 00:52:04.039 Jonathan. Like they have a great, they have awesome 00:52:04.039 --> 00:52:07.460 acting moments and great scenes. Elle and Hopper 00:52:07.460 --> 00:52:10.860 have awesome like heart to heart. And then these 00:52:10.860 --> 00:52:13.500 really cool moments. But, like, the charisma 00:52:13.500 --> 00:52:16.659 that Steve has, especially with Dustin, but in 00:52:16.659 --> 00:52:20.400 this role, his acting is just so phenomenal in 00:52:20.400 --> 00:52:23.159 a way that elevates his character for this episode. 00:52:23.260 --> 00:52:25.780 And even though they're not the main story, he's 00:52:25.780 --> 00:52:28.420 by far the best part of this episode. Oh, yeah. 00:52:28.480 --> 00:52:31.139 Definitely. Really comes out as the star. Yeah. 00:52:31.280 --> 00:52:37.840 He does. We dying over there? Pound for pound. 00:52:38.409 --> 00:52:45.550 Is it Sam? Okay. Okay. He's in this episode for 00:52:45.550 --> 00:52:48.829 approximately 30 seconds. Oh, Sierra, I love 00:52:48.829 --> 00:52:50.630 this. I love you bringing in a pound for pound 00:52:50.630 --> 00:52:54.090 argument. Okay. First of all, his name's Sam, 00:52:54.230 --> 00:52:56.909 so I will give him already a leg up. Because 00:52:56.909 --> 00:52:59.630 there are not that many Sams in the fictional 00:52:59.630 --> 00:53:03.329 universe that I'm, like, super behind. So, okay. 00:53:03.960 --> 00:53:06.320 And he also kind of fits into like the stereotypical 00:53:06.320 --> 00:53:09.019 Sam where it's like Samwise Gamgee and the Sam 00:53:09.019 --> 00:53:10.699 and like other ones that it's like, yeah, we're 00:53:10.699 --> 00:53:15.679 all portly short people. But. Not Sam Winchester. 00:53:15.780 --> 00:53:20.239 That's so true. That's so true. And not Sam Obasanya 00:53:20.239 --> 00:53:25.719 either from Ted Lasso. But listen, pound for 00:53:25.719 --> 00:53:27.199 pound, you're right. He's in the episodes for 00:53:27.199 --> 00:53:30.900 like maybe three minutes total. He's injured, 00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:35.420 but he lives. He lives a demo dog when so many 00:53:35.420 --> 00:53:38.199 other people haven't. He's handed a gun. He laughs 00:53:38.199 --> 00:53:42.880 about it. And then he gets Hopper and Elle the 00:53:42.880 --> 00:53:44.860 birth certificate. You're so right. This is a 00:53:44.860 --> 00:53:47.079 pound for pound for the amount of minutes that 00:53:47.079 --> 00:53:52.179 he's in this episode. He works. He works. I'm 00:53:52.179 --> 00:53:54.519 just saying. He also portion controls in this 00:53:54.519 --> 00:54:01.019 episode. He. He. Is a great man for the three 00:54:01.019 --> 00:54:04.980 minutes that he is on screen. He makes the most 00:54:04.980 --> 00:54:08.639 of every second. There is no wasted time with 00:54:08.639 --> 00:54:11.320 this man. In all honesty, that actor really does 00:54:11.320 --> 00:54:14.539 pull, and not in a bad way, he really does draw 00:54:14.539 --> 00:54:17.920 attention and really kills in every scene that 00:54:17.920 --> 00:54:21.699 he's in in this season. He really does. Just 00:54:21.699 --> 00:54:24.360 saying. You don't have me quite so convinced, 00:54:24.539 --> 00:54:28.289 but man, it's close. Yeah. He doesn't have to 00:54:28.289 --> 00:54:31.530 be the MVP. He's the pound -for -pound MVP. There's 00:54:31.530 --> 00:54:33.670 no argument when it comes to that kind of going. 00:54:33.670 --> 00:54:35.309 Pound -for -pound, no. Oh, my gosh. Pound -for 00:54:35.309 --> 00:54:38.389 -pound MVP. But he's, like, I'm almost tempted 00:54:38.389 --> 00:54:43.269 to call him the actual MVP. Yes. I'm so happy 00:54:43.269 --> 00:54:46.269 right now. Well done. Thank you. Usually that's 00:54:46.269 --> 00:54:47.989 my corner. Thank you, thank you. Well done. I 00:54:47.989 --> 00:54:51.570 know. Okay, moving on. Occasionally a brainwave. 00:54:54.550 --> 00:54:59.059 Clean your... evil air and get ready for our 00:54:59.059 --> 00:55:05.219 i was the turkey all along category four what 00:55:05.219 --> 00:55:07.840 is the biggest takeaway viewers should leave 00:55:07.840 --> 00:55:11.699 with in preparation for season five my biggest 00:55:11.699 --> 00:55:14.320 takeaway fire is your friend when it comes to 00:55:14.320 --> 00:55:18.559 the upside down it sounds like a joke however 00:55:18.559 --> 00:55:22.940 it's really not It helps in season three, too. 00:55:23.239 --> 00:55:26.380 It does. Man, why don't they take... When Max 00:55:26.380 --> 00:55:28.719 is getting hunted by Vecna, why doesn't she bring 00:55:28.719 --> 00:55:32.260 fire with her? They know it works. We will... 00:55:32.260 --> 00:55:34.420 The world will never know. The world will never 00:55:34.420 --> 00:55:37.880 know. Okay. Because she brings her Walkman with 00:55:37.880 --> 00:55:39.940 her. Anyways, we'll get there when we get to 00:55:39.940 --> 00:55:44.500 season four. The one that I have in here is that 00:55:44.500 --> 00:55:48.840 it's 100 % that Vecna took Will in season one. 00:55:49.340 --> 00:55:54.050 There's an... Awesome little moment where when 00:55:54.050 --> 00:55:56.570 Eleven uses two hands and starts to levitate, 00:55:56.750 --> 00:56:00.650 the entire electromagnetic field in Hawkins changes. 00:56:01.050 --> 00:56:05.449 And it's when the same exact sound of light flickering 00:56:05.449 --> 00:56:09.829 in the buyer's house happens. That happens in 00:56:09.829 --> 00:56:12.269 the buyer's shed when Will is hiding in there 00:56:12.269 --> 00:56:15.329 at the beginning of season one. That's not Demogorgon 00:56:15.329 --> 00:56:18.369 stuff. That's not what Demogorgons can do. Now, 00:56:18.369 --> 00:56:20.469 there is some electricity outages and stuff when 00:56:20.469 --> 00:56:23.369 weird stuff is happening. And, like, clearly 00:56:23.369 --> 00:56:26.369 you can interact with lights to attract monsters 00:56:26.369 --> 00:56:31.250 and attract people. But that sound, I think, 00:56:31.250 --> 00:56:33.809 is, to me, one of the biggest proofs that Vecna 00:56:33.809 --> 00:56:37.889 took Will in Season 1. So there we go. I like 00:56:37.889 --> 00:56:39.969 it. Thank you. Let's keep building that folder. 00:56:40.190 --> 00:56:44.489 Yeah, absolutely. You are such a person that 00:56:44.489 --> 00:56:50.039 works for a financial company. Let's keep building 00:56:50.039 --> 00:56:52.199 that folder. What other business jargon you got 00:56:52.199 --> 00:56:56.820 for me? No, my next one was going to be, I see 00:56:56.820 --> 00:56:58.739 you have a cork board in the background there. 00:56:58.780 --> 00:57:02.039 Get out your red string. Absolutely. I am 100 00:57:02.039 --> 00:57:06.420 % Charlie Day when it comes to this. Okay, for 00:57:06.420 --> 00:57:09.900 today's public service announcement, please note 00:57:09.900 --> 00:57:13.659 all eligible middle schoolers and high schoolers, 00:57:13.719 --> 00:57:18.739 always have a backup option for a date. No one 00:57:18.739 --> 00:57:22.519 wants to see you alone at a dance and throw an 00:57:22.519 --> 00:57:25.000 older sister pity party for your little twerp's 00:57:25.000 --> 00:57:27.699 brother's friend. Get yourself a backup option 00:57:27.699 --> 00:57:30.199 and make sure you come with a date to the dance. 00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:35.480 End of PSA. And on that lovely note, thank you 00:57:35.480 --> 00:57:38.840 listener schmissners for listening to this episode 00:57:38.840 --> 00:57:41.780 of Fandom Schmandom. If you'd like to discuss 00:57:41.780 --> 00:57:44.840 this episode or any other episode we've done, 00:57:45.309 --> 00:57:47.610 please hit us up on our social media channels. 00:57:47.829 --> 00:57:52.389 You can find us on TikTok and Instagram at fandomshmandumpod 00:57:52.389 --> 00:57:56.969 and on X at fandom underscore shmandum. Please 00:57:56.969 --> 00:57:59.369 don't forget to rate and review us if you liked 00:57:59.369 --> 00:58:01.750 the episode. It really helps with the algorithm 00:58:01.750 --> 00:58:04.449 placing us in front of other like -minded schmissners 00:58:04.449 --> 00:58:07.110 out there. And with that, we're out, y 'all. 00:58:07.389 --> 00:58:10.230 Don't forget to tip your middle school chaperones. 00:58:10.409 --> 00:58:15.360 And fare thee well! Whatever our outro is, it 00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:19.320 goes right here. This sounds like a Christian 00:58:19.320 --> 00:58:27.440 science hymn. Onward, klishners, mishners, marching 00:58:27.440 --> 00:58:35.400 to nerd out. With the hand of Vecna going on 00:58:35.400 --> 00:58:41.210 before. Fandom Schmandum was created by Sam Williams 00:58:41.210 --> 00:58:44.130 and Ciara Obermark. The show is produced by Aurelia 00:58:44.130 --> 00:58:47.309 Lieb. The editor is Brittany Fisher. The music 00:58:47.309 --> 00:59:08.690 is by Jeremiah Alves. Fandom, fandom, fandom, 00:59:08.829 --> 00:59:24.269 fandom. That's me recording. Britt. Britt. Britt. 00:59:24.510 --> 00:59:26.909 Britt. Britt. Oh, I'm so sorry, Britt. That's 00:59:26.909 --> 00:59:28.670 going to look like Sierra and I sunk up like 00:59:28.670 --> 00:59:33.769 85 ,000 different times. Okay, here we go. Oh, 00:59:33.809 --> 00:59:49.960 well. Fandom. Fandom. Fandom. Yo. Yo. Yo. Fandom. 00:59:52.619 --> 00:59:55.460 You've never had so many fandoms. Fandom. Fandom. 00:59:55.579 --> 01:00:03.110 Fandom. Great. Clap for me, Sierra. Send me into 01:00:03.110 --> 01:00:09.110 the void with your spanky hands. Send me into 01:00:09.110 --> 01:00:15.090 the shadow realm. Yes? No? Okay. Yes, I loved 01:00:15.090 --> 01:00:18.590 it. I was laughing. Thank you. Thank you. The 01:00:18.590 --> 01:00:23.900 shadow realm. Alright. Spanky hands. Did you 01:00:23.900 --> 01:00:27.760 just realize what I said? No, I just, I tried 01:00:27.760 --> 01:00:30.340 to move on from it, and then I thought about 01:00:30.340 --> 01:00:31.559 it again. And then you got pulled back in by 01:00:31.559 --> 01:00:36.280 me saying spanky hands? Yes. Yeah. Ring the bells. 01:00:36.400 --> 01:00:39.840 End of round. Steve is 0 for 2 in fights. No, 01:00:39.880 --> 01:00:43.079 no, Sierra. Stop. Wait. It's 0 for 2. It's 0 01:00:43.079 --> 01:00:46.300 for 2 and you can't say 0 for 2. My God. Did 01:00:46.300 --> 01:00:50.820 I say 0? I read it in my head as 0. You said 01:00:50.820 --> 01:00:53.199 0 for 2 and I'm like, no one in the history of 01:00:53.199 --> 01:00:55.179 sports in the English language has ever said 01:00:55.179 --> 01:01:00.840 0 for 2. 0 for 2. Yeah, I know. Okay. And then 01:01:00.840 --> 01:01:04.860 Elle realizes she can use two hands to make her 01:01:04.860 --> 01:01:16.719 power double in strength. I know we're in the 01:01:16.719 --> 01:01:18.559 middle of a story recap, but I've got to tell 01:01:18.559 --> 01:01:21.260 you, when I was writing that bit, Sierra, God, 01:01:21.360 --> 01:01:25.920 that really got me. It's so funny. So there's 01:01:25.920 --> 01:01:29.639 this great... Put this at the end, Britt, because 01:01:29.639 --> 01:01:33.480 I really shouldn't interrupt here right now, 01:01:33.579 --> 01:01:42.010 but... Sorry, I'm really... He's crying. I just, 01:01:42.050 --> 01:01:46.210 I really got myself with my own writing on my 01:01:46.210 --> 01:01:54.949 own. Can use two hands. Okay. God, can use two 01:01:54.949 --> 01:02:05.150 hands. Two slappy hands. Two spanky hands. Two 01:02:05.150 --> 01:02:11.269 spanky hands. Okay. Hopper plays sniper against 01:02:11.269 --> 01:02:13.789 the Demi -Dogs, who, Demi -Dogs, it's Demo. I 01:02:13.789 --> 01:02:16.570 keep writing Demi. I didn't know until I was 01:02:16.570 --> 01:02:19.650 reading subtitles it was Demo, to be fair. One 01:02:19.650 --> 01:02:25.949 month later. I gotta do it again. Hold on. Like 01:02:25.949 --> 01:02:30.030 the SpongeBob. Yeah, yeah. One month later. Yes. 01:02:30.250 --> 01:02:33.889 Find your donut holes. It is time for our Knives 01:02:33.889 --> 01:02:42.980 Out category, where we... We didn't fix it. Sleuth. 01:02:42.980 --> 01:02:52.219 It's sleuth. Sleuth. Sleuth. The pause of both 01:02:52.219 --> 01:02:55.980 of us being like, wait, what's the word? The 01:02:55.980 --> 01:02:57.840 like, the like glaze in our eyes. I know it's 01:02:57.840 --> 01:03:00.119 not either of the ones that we wrote. Sleuth? 01:03:00.199 --> 01:03:05.599 Sus? Sleuth? Sleuth. We've been sleuth saying 01:03:05.599 --> 01:03:08.179 this all day. We've been sleuth, sleuth saying, 01:03:08.300 --> 01:03:12.769 sleuth saying. Uh, we've been sleuth -slaying. 01:03:13.489 --> 01:03:15.789 Sleuth -slaying? She wants to go on support. 01:03:16.230 --> 01:03:20.710 Support. Support. Support a moon. Uh, and it's 01:03:20.710 --> 01:03:24.070 - Support him. The, like, movement helps with 01:03:24.070 --> 01:03:27.150 the psychotic movements in some way, shape, or 01:03:27.150 --> 01:03:29.750 form. The psychotic movements. What the f*** 01:03:29.750 --> 01:03:33.769 am I talking about? But how is - Oh my gosh. 01:03:33.769 --> 01:03:42.679 Wow. Way too long of a pause. Oh. Is it? Melon. 01:03:42.880 --> 01:03:45.239 Yeah, for real. It's what brings us. It's what 01:03:45.239 --> 01:03:48.139 brings us. It's what brings your hands together 01:03:48.139 --> 01:03:54.699 today. Keep your horses safe because it is time. 01:03:56.219 --> 01:04:00.139 Going back. Sorry. Wow. We're flubbing a lot 01:04:00.139 --> 01:04:04.500 today. Please note, all edgeable. Oh, gosh. All 01:04:04.500 --> 01:04:06.980 edgeable. Nope. Definitely not what I'm trying 01:04:06.980 --> 01:04:12.320 to say. No. And on that lovely note, thank you 01:04:12.320 --> 01:04:17.519 for... Oh, my God. I, like, lost it. I've been 01:04:17.519 --> 01:04:20.300 right there. Thank you for... And I'm done. I 01:04:20.300 --> 01:04:24.760 have hit eject on this sentence. There's an escape 01:04:24.760 --> 01:04:26.619 pod going through there where the Empire's like, 01:04:26.760 --> 01:04:29.059 nah, there's no life forms on board. Definitely 01:04:29.059 --> 01:04:31.500 no brainwaves, I'll tell you that much. Yep.