WEBVTT 00:00:15.689 --> 00:00:18.510 Welcome to Fandom Shmandom, the fandom podcast 00:00:18.510 --> 00:00:21.750 that covers everything you love and more. I'm 00:00:21.750 --> 00:00:25.769 Sierra Obermark. And I'm Sam Williams. Today's 00:00:25.769 --> 00:00:29.269 episode, we will be annoyingly articulating about 00:00:29.269 --> 00:00:33.609 Stranger Things, Season 3, Episodes 5 through 00:00:33.609 --> 00:00:38.130 7. Without further ado, we will, as Roger Smith 00:00:38.130 --> 00:00:43.049 says, dive on in. So get up to 88, because it's 00:00:43.049 --> 00:00:48.500 time to travel back. To our story recap. The 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:50.979 mall crew, Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Erica, are 00:00:50.979 --> 00:00:55.380 stuck at the bottom of a very deep elevator shaft. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:59.500 But now they have company, allowing them to escape 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:04.200 into a Russian underground base, no less. The 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.280 same base where the gate -opening machine lives. 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:12.459 Joyce and Hoop have kidnapped the Russian scientist, 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:16.939 Alexei. and are trying to outrun the muscle Gregory, 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:21.500 and make it to Illinois to visit Hooper's friend, 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:27.260 who turns out to be Murray. Aha, Murray! Nancy 00:01:27.260 --> 00:01:29.780 and Jonathan have gone to find the kids to make 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:32.239 sure Will is safe and figure out how to get the 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:37.840 Flayed free of the Mind Flayer's clutches. Too 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.859 bad if you fight and kill a flayed, they just 00:01:39.859 --> 00:01:43.439 turn into a really disgusting gelatinous blob. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.140 That when formed together, creates a horrifying 00:01:46.140 --> 00:01:50.579 monster. Episode 6. Steve and Robin are caught 00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:53.480 by the Russians, who torture Steve into finding 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.799 out who he's working for. Nancy narrowly escapes 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.659 the goo form of the monster, thanks to Elle. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:04.540 And Billy and Heather say it is time. Time for 00:02:04.540 --> 00:02:07.019 what? We don't know. because the monsters and 00:02:07.019 --> 00:02:09.719 Flayed have vanished. And while fighting his 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:12.639 friends about Elle searching for them, Mike reveals 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:17.340 he loves Elle. Elle dives into the in -between 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:21.520 and Billy's memories to locate the source. Hopper, 00:02:21.539 --> 00:02:24.039 Joyce, and Murray are trying to get answers out 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:25.979 of Alexi, who is being purposefully difficult, 00:02:26.259 --> 00:02:29.219 but eventually explains about how they have opened 00:02:29.219 --> 00:02:32.439 the gate. They call to tip off Owens and head 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:35.789 back to Hawkins. Dustin and Erica to the rescue. 00:02:36.030 --> 00:02:39.490 They save Steve and Robin, but Elle is in danger. 00:02:39.629 --> 00:02:42.330 She tries to leave the memories, but gets stuck 00:02:42.330 --> 00:02:45.050 in the middle with Billy. While the rest of the 00:02:45.050 --> 00:02:48.129 Flayed leave the fireworks festivities and join 00:02:48.129 --> 00:02:53.009 the creature. Literally. Episode 7. But guys, 00:02:53.090 --> 00:02:58.110 don't worry about everything that has just happened. 00:02:58.530 --> 00:03:04.409 It's fun, fair time. Well, for some people. But 00:03:04.409 --> 00:03:07.550 for L and company, the Shadow Monster is on its 00:03:07.550 --> 00:03:10.710 way, and they must prepare themselves as best 00:03:10.710 --> 00:03:14.590 they can. Both L and the Shadow Monster are injured 00:03:14.590 --> 00:03:16.930 in the fight, but the group manages to escape. 00:03:17.650 --> 00:03:20.550 Max comes in clutch with first aid knowledge, 00:03:20.710 --> 00:03:24.870 and Lucas gets the idea to help L by using fireworks 00:03:24.870 --> 00:03:29.550 on the Shadow Monster. Mike! Uses the downtime 00:03:29.550 --> 00:03:32.569 to awkwardly stumble around, professing his Louvre. 00:03:33.009 --> 00:03:35.710 Nailed it! Well, it's Mike, so he didn't, but 00:03:35.710 --> 00:03:39.090 that's fine. The mall crew exit the base. Pursued 00:03:39.090 --> 00:03:41.389 by a bear. Nope, this isn't Shakespeare. Pursued 00:03:41.389 --> 00:03:44.990 by Russians! It doesn't help anyone that Steve 00:03:44.990 --> 00:03:47.849 and Robin were drugged out of their minds. But 00:03:47.849 --> 00:03:51.770 they are trapped in the mall. Joyce and Hoop 00:03:51.770 --> 00:03:54.939 rush! to save their kids, accompanied by Alexei 00:03:54.939 --> 00:03:57.979 and Murray, who give the non -couple a hilarious 00:03:57.979 --> 00:04:00.740 talking to. They begin the search at the fair, 00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:04.560 where the mayor calls in the Russians. Alexei 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:07.919 is finally enjoying himself in America's capitalistic 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:10.860 movement, and looking forward to becoming a capitalistic 00:04:10.860 --> 00:04:13.840 American, when he is killed by a non -capitalistic 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:19.620 The Muscle. I know, Sierra, I'm sorry. Cue the 00:04:19.620 --> 00:04:25.939 overmark, sad overmark. Dun, dun, dun. Also, 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.240 cue everyone meeting up in penultimate fashion. 00:04:28.540 --> 00:04:33.379 The adults here, we have kids. They are stealing 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:35.800 them all over the radio, which that's not a Russian 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:38.420 accent at all, but thank you for being here and 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:41.339 still listening, everyone. The mall crew in question 00:04:41.339 --> 00:04:46.079 are hiding and saved by the kid kids. Sam, find 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.839 your donut holes. It's time for our Knives Out 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:52.420 category, where we sleuth out which three storylines 00:04:52.420 --> 00:04:55.980 are the most vital to pay attention to. Number 00:04:55.980 --> 00:05:01.019 one, The Gate. Number two, The Scientist. And 00:05:01.019 --> 00:05:04.699 number three, The Flayed. Okay, so this first 00:05:04.699 --> 00:05:10.420 one, The Gate. So, run everyone! Steven. Dear 00:05:10.420 --> 00:05:14.550 Steven. And Ruben. Dear Robin. They sacrifice 00:05:14.550 --> 00:05:16.829 their safety to let Dustin and Erica find some 00:05:16.829 --> 00:05:19.850 help. So Steve is then interrogated. Robin and 00:05:19.850 --> 00:05:22.189 Steve are then drugged. Dustin and Erica find 00:05:22.189 --> 00:05:24.990 deadly weapons. One of the best parts. One of 00:05:24.990 --> 00:05:27.329 the best lines. We'll get there. They distract 00:05:27.329 --> 00:05:29.949 the guards. They shocked the evil, druggie scientist. 00:05:30.329 --> 00:05:31.949 And then they escape to the movies where they 00:05:31.949 --> 00:05:36.329 witness back to the future. Dustin calls Mike 00:05:36.329 --> 00:05:38.129 for help because they're all stranded at the 00:05:38.129 --> 00:05:40.829 mall and they need a ride to escape the Russians. 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:43.680 Drugged out Steve and Robin escape the movie 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:45.980 theater to the bathroom where they vomit and 00:05:45.980 --> 00:05:51.439 Steve confesses his love. But Robin doesn't like 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.500 men, so they are the best of friends but not 00:05:54.500 --> 00:05:58.759 lovers. Baby turned babysitter Dustin finds them, 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.160 is super cross that they're having a great time, 00:06:01.220 --> 00:06:03.680 and then Russians start crawling over them all 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:07.600 and they cannot escape. So, Sierra, what are 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:11.439 your feelings about why this is important? This 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:15.579 just really, first of all, keeps them stuck in 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:21.680 the mall, which is the whole crux of, you know, 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:24.620 I feel like a theme throughout the different 00:06:24.620 --> 00:06:28.000 seasons is wherever we end up spending time in 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:31.980 the very first episode is often where the big 00:06:31.980 --> 00:06:35.379 battle will take place in the last episode. There's 00:06:35.379 --> 00:06:40.569 the school, and now here we have the mall. I 00:06:40.569 --> 00:06:42.990 think partially it's to set up the location. 00:06:43.449 --> 00:06:47.569 Also, it's so that we get an insider's look into 00:06:47.569 --> 00:06:49.990 what this base actually looks like when it is 00:06:49.990 --> 00:06:52.430 operating, because we're going to need to go 00:06:52.430 --> 00:06:55.930 back into it. So in order for them to actually 00:06:55.930 --> 00:06:58.689 make it into the base, per Alexei's instructions, 00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:04.069 we also need to have had eyes in there as well, 00:07:04.069 --> 00:07:08.980 not just a crudely drawn map. It's very, very 00:07:08.980 --> 00:07:12.680 helpful that Dustin and Erica, with their wits 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:15.220 about them, have been crawling literally all 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:19.319 over this base and therefore know what's going 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:23.180 on in there. Yeah, I mean, I think this – it 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:25.740 certainly helps to give more stakes to what the 00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:28.959 Russians are like as people. Like, you know, 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:31.740 we're seeing them – it's not just, oh, this is 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:35.500 the 1980s, the Cold War is still going on. Right. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:38.540 Reagan has not told Gorbachev to tear down the 00:07:38.540 --> 00:07:41.300 wall yet, so therefore they must be evil. No, 00:07:41.339 --> 00:07:43.600 we're seeing them be evil in their governmental 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.180 pursuits and in two different factions, right? 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:50.860 We'll also see it with the muscle, but also right 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:54.920 here where they're drugging teenagers and don't 00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:56.959 believe the story of what's happening or any 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:59.779 of that nature. So that's important. And then, 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:02.779 like you're saying, The fact that we've got two 00:08:02.779 --> 00:08:04.639 people with their wits about them crawling around 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.860 who are able to then give instructions to Hopper, 00:08:07.860 --> 00:08:10.279 Murray, and Joyce when they descend next our 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:17.040 episode, but the finale of the show, that's also 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:20.579 hugely, hugely important for closing the gate, 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:23.800 which is the only thing that will take out this 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:27.579 no longer shadow monster, the meat monster. Gross 00:08:27.579 --> 00:08:32.620 blob. Gross indeed. I think the other reason 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:36.740 why this storyline is important as well is because 00:08:36.740 --> 00:08:41.240 of the levity that it brings with Steve and Robin, 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:46.500 both being highly comedic, their entire being 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:50.159 drugged with truth serum or whatever they give 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:55.460 them. you know, rolling around on the floor and 00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:58.360 giggling at the movie and eating the popcorn. 00:08:58.419 --> 00:09:01.059 And then they end up having this really nice 00:09:01.059 --> 00:09:04.899 heart to heart, which is just so sweet. And so 00:09:04.899 --> 00:09:07.980 I feel like it brings the comedy, but then also 00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:11.899 just the sincerity and really seeing what a great 00:09:11.899 --> 00:09:16.799 friendship looks like. So it's fun. Plus we get 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:19.860 Erica. And her sassiness. Oh, my gosh. Erica 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:20.960 and her sassiness is just – Thrown into everything. 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:25.000 Is she – you know, she was so annoying for both 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:27.519 of us for so long. And then this episode, she's 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:32.320 so endearing to me. Mm -hmm. Which I just love. 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.639 She's very fun. And also, I think, thirdly, the 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:36.320 other thing that's really important here is both 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.019 for what this does for Steve's character, but 00:09:38.019 --> 00:09:40.179 also the overall story of this show and the way 00:09:40.179 --> 00:09:44.220 it's presenting to the audience that it is. We've 00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:49.059 got Steve. Who is able, with a couple blinks, 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:52.659 but no more hesitation, to accept Robin for who 00:09:52.659 --> 00:09:56.340 she is. Showing us how incredible of a human 00:09:56.340 --> 00:09:59.879 being Steve is. Definitely, you know, a huge 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:02.059 turnabout from what you would assume about his 00:10:02.059 --> 00:10:05.179 character at the beginning of season one. And 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:07.320 setting him up more as this empathetic, understanding, 00:10:07.659 --> 00:10:11.409 intellectual. uh, an intellectually thoughtful, 00:10:11.509 --> 00:10:14.529 at least person that Nancy will kind of come 00:10:14.529 --> 00:10:17.649 to revitalize her, her love for in season four. 00:10:18.210 --> 00:10:22.289 Um, but also like, you know, we've, the, the 00:10:22.289 --> 00:10:25.730 fact that like, it, it wasn't just when gay marriage 00:10:25.730 --> 00:10:27.889 was passed that suddenly gay people existed, 00:10:27.909 --> 00:10:31.190 gay people existed throughout all time. And we 00:10:31.190 --> 00:10:35.860 get a glance to see that. in uh in season three 00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:38.039 here with robin and i think you know bringing 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:39.659 in those characters which we already know there's 00:10:39.659 --> 00:10:41.840 maybe a little bit about will but but really 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.000 showing the audience okay this is happening this 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:45.899 is real and we are covering this topic i think 00:10:45.899 --> 00:10:50.820 is very important for the show overall so storyline 00:10:50.820 --> 00:10:56.120 number two the scientist alexi is here joyce 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:59.259 and hopper find two russians working on machinery 00:11:00.299 --> 00:11:02.940 And after a gunfight with Arnold the Motorcycle 00:11:02.940 --> 00:11:05.580 Terminator, they go off into the woods. They 00:11:05.580 --> 00:11:09.000 commandeer a convertible, which is a very fun 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:12.000 scene, and they drive to Illinois, where they 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.159 bring Alexei to Murray. Hopper then proves his 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.840 experience with interrogation skills, and Alexei 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.740 reveals that the Russians are trying to open 00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:25.899 a gate to another dimension. But they had to 00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:28.159 come to where the gate had been opened before. 00:11:29.179 --> 00:11:31.659 Hopper calls Dr. Sam and gets the army there. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:34.700 Joyce doubles down and they realize that they 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:37.399 should drive back to Hawkins to save their children. 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:41.059 Murray gives an expose on how repressed Joyce 00:11:41.059 --> 00:11:44.799 and Hopper are about each other. Alexi and Murray 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.519 laugh about the stagnation in Hopper and Joyce's 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:50.879 relationship. Once they get there, Murray and 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:53.159 Alexi stay in the car while Hopper and Joyce 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:55.799 go to find their kids at the fair. But Mayor 00:11:55.799 --> 00:12:03.659 Klein sees them and calls the Boo. Boo. Schwarzenegger 00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:07.639 man shows up and murders Alexei in cold blood. 00:12:08.059 --> 00:12:14.379 Sorry. But not before Hopper and Joyce hold hands 00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:18.039 on a ride. Hopper fights Russians all over the 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:22.100 fair. Grigory is shot, but he is wearing Kevlar. 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:25.580 Cue Russians calling for backup in the mall. 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:31.080 Yeah. So, this is important for a couple of different 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:35.000 reasons. Mainly, though, Alexei disseminates 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:37.240 the information to Murray about how to turn off 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:39.419 the machine, or how to blow up the machine that 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:43.840 is opening the gate. Which is what we're going 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:46.320 to need, because the mind flayer is gross and 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:56.870 is coming for you. And even L's two hands might 00:12:56.870 --> 00:13:00.269 not be able to stop it, which is unfortunate. 00:13:01.730 --> 00:13:06.350 So here we are with Alexei giving all that information 00:13:06.350 --> 00:13:08.730 out. More face -offs with Grigori, which I think 00:13:08.730 --> 00:13:11.409 is really fun. Just how much he looks like Arnold 00:13:11.409 --> 00:13:14.309 Schwarzenegger, but is Russian. It's just so 00:13:14.309 --> 00:13:18.570 fun. And then, of course, we get this huge tension. 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:22.519 With Joyce and Hopper, where we're leaning more 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:25.419 and more and more up to them getting together. 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:27.960 But also, Murray is kind of lecturing them in 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:31.080 the same way that he lectures Jonathan and Nancy 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:33.980 the previous season. But because these are adults, 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:37.240 they're way more stubborn. There's way more risk 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.919 for them. They're not as easily malleable as 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.860 just being like, children, children, I have a 00:13:42.860 --> 00:13:47.279 pull -out couch. Although he does children, children 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:49.679 them. He does children, children them, but it 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:51.940 doesn't work immediately. No, it doesn't. Because 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:54.659 it's not like they have Murray drive back with 00:13:54.659 --> 00:13:58.879 Alexei in the front seat. So, no, it's, you know, 00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:00.740 there's some levity there as well, but there's 00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:02.360 this romantic tension that everyone's kind of 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.360 building for. And then, of course, the tension 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:08.620 of... More Russian stuff, and Grigori, this whole 00:14:08.620 --> 00:14:11.259 setup with Grigori and Hopper that we've been 00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:13.919 having, trying to finally have a great face -off. 00:14:13.940 --> 00:14:16.519 And of course, it's in a maze of mirrors, and 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:18.919 it's just really fun with the fair. But I'll 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:20.840 also point out two other things here. Mayor Klein 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:24.220 gets to make a return, which I just love him, 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:27.799 period. But the most important thing, other than 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:32.299 Alexei telling us the information, is the wonderful 00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:36.539 writing skills. Of humanizing Alexi, giving us 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:39.679 like such empathy and immediate build into this 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.620 character where we're like, yeah, I buy in. I 00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:43.500 see what's going on with him. And then killing 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:47.200 him. It's horrible. Wildly impactful. I think. 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.080 And one of my most memorable parts of the season. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:55.860 Yeah. Yes. It's so good in that I hate it. I 00:14:55.860 --> 00:15:00.759 feel like once again, they introduced a character 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:04.490 that. Very, very, very quickly, I was all in 00:15:04.490 --> 00:15:08.029 on. And then they kill him. Yeah. It's just Bob 00:15:08.029 --> 00:15:13.629 part two. Bob the sequel. Bob. I'm so upset about 00:15:13.629 --> 00:15:19.429 it. As soon as on this watch through, I definitely 00:15:19.429 --> 00:15:24.750 was dreading it the whole time. knew you know 00:15:24.750 --> 00:15:27.070 you know it's coming you know when it's going 00:15:27.070 --> 00:15:31.370 to be and how and how upsetting it is and it 00:15:31.370 --> 00:15:34.289 was still just as upsetting we literally canceled 00:15:34.289 --> 00:15:36.169 a podcast recording because you were too sad 00:15:36.169 --> 00:15:43.129 i was so sad no i was able to make it through 00:15:43.129 --> 00:15:47.549 but no we did do it we did do it we did But I 00:15:47.549 --> 00:15:49.450 had a warning ahead of time that I was going 00:15:49.450 --> 00:15:53.529 to be sad about. I'd seen the episode before, 00:15:53.629 --> 00:15:59.889 so I knew. Yeah, it's really effective. I love 00:15:59.889 --> 00:16:02.070 everything to do with that. And I just love that 00:16:02.070 --> 00:16:04.090 storyline. As soon as they have Alexei, I'm like 00:16:04.090 --> 00:16:09.129 instantly entertained. Yes. He says it's just 00:16:09.129 --> 00:16:12.090 strawberry. It's not cherry. It's strawberry. 00:16:12.809 --> 00:16:18.149 It's all the same. It's not the same. He respectfully 00:16:18.149 --> 00:16:22.230 tells you that it's not the same. It's a great 00:16:22.230 --> 00:16:25.309 scene. Oh, I absolutely love it. But then we 00:16:25.309 --> 00:16:30.309 have the Flayed storyline. Yes. So, at the hospital, 00:16:30.549 --> 00:16:36.269 Tom, the Hawkins Post boss, and blonde wig terrible 00:16:36.269 --> 00:16:40.190 Post journalist man, try to kill Nancy and Jonathan 00:16:40.190 --> 00:16:44.190 in their human forms, right? they are killed 00:16:44.190 --> 00:16:49.570 in turn by then nancy and jonathan uh showing 00:16:49.570 --> 00:16:52.090 but also they show that if you heard one flayed 00:16:52.090 --> 00:16:54.649 you hurt all of them which is something that 00:16:54.649 --> 00:16:56.409 we'll talk about later in terms of information 00:16:56.409 --> 00:16:59.830 being disseminated because like one guy gets 00:16:59.830 --> 00:17:01.549 hit and then the other guy in the other room 00:17:01.549 --> 00:17:04.430 was like ow it was like oh has that always been 00:17:04.430 --> 00:17:08.519 the case After they're killed, they turn into 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:11.380 mini flesh shadow monster, meat monster thing. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.240 And Elle eventually attacks it and saves Nancy 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.079 and Jonathan. But it's a great horror sequence. 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:18.519 It's, I think, my favorite horror sequence of 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:23.079 this season. Just the empty hospital, creepy 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.259 monsters, you know, running down, all of that 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:29.380 stuff. After that, the Flayed have disappeared 00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:31.940 off the face of the earth. But Mike wants people 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:33.660 to be careful with Elle, as we said, because 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:36.779 he loves her. And they can't – he's constantly 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:38.859 saying you can't just use her like an unlimited 00:17:38.859 --> 00:17:41.740 source of power. He's kind of worried about her 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:43.980 becoming a dead battery, right? If you let a 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:46.799 battery flatline for too long, it will not recharge, 00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:50.920 which may have some consequences in the next 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:57.160 episode. TBD. TBD indeed. Jonathan and Nancy 00:17:57.160 --> 00:18:00.500 are now with babies minus Dustin. And they realize 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:02.940 they really need to find Billy because if they 00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:06.200 find Billy, they might find the flayed. And Elle 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:09.359 finds them all right, but with huge consequences. 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:11.920 So Eleven gets to peer into Billy's past and 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.859 watches his memories, which instantly humanizes 00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:16.680 him and gives Elle an understanding of who she 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:20.740 is. Yes. But also the audience. The audience 00:18:20.740 --> 00:18:23.279 really needs to know who he is at this point. 00:18:24.509 --> 00:18:29.049 Billy goes full Mind Flayer takeover and reveals 00:18:29.049 --> 00:18:32.430 that the army of humans has been built specifically 00:18:32.430 --> 00:18:35.029 for Eleven, and now he knows where Eleven is, 00:18:35.309 --> 00:18:40.089 and all the other non -Billy flayed disintegrate 00:18:40.089 --> 00:18:44.250 just like Tom and Blonde Wig Dude. He's found 00:18:44.250 --> 00:18:47.349 alright, but with huge consequences. So, after 00:18:47.349 --> 00:18:50.690 Eleven peers into Billy's past and watches his 00:18:50.690 --> 00:18:55.240 memories, which humanizes him both to L and the 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:58.220 audience, Billy goes full mind flayer on her 00:18:58.220 --> 00:19:01.160 and reveals that the army of humans is for 11 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:05.220 specifically. Now he knows where 11 is and all 00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:08.279 the other non -Billy flayed disintegrate and 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:11.420 form a giant, like a giant flesh monster, way 00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:13.819 bigger than the one that Tom, the post boss and 00:19:13.819 --> 00:19:15.759 blonde wig man formed when they were killed. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:22.759 This monster attacks and bites 11. depositing 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:26.720 a bit of itself into Eleven's leg. Nancy, the 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:29.000 babies and company, minus Dustin, all go to a 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:31.839 local grocery store to tend to Eleven's wound, 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:33.819 which is where Max kicks in with that awesome 00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:36.420 knowledge. And they have a nostalgic argument 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:41.819 about new Coke for some reason while Elle searches 00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:44.779 for Dustin in her weird little in -between world. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:49.039 But you see, Elle's wound is infected. And they 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.970 leave. for them all to go save people once they 00:19:51.970 --> 00:19:53.890 know where Dustin is and arrive just in time 00:19:53.890 --> 00:19:58.650 to save Dustin, Erica, Robin, and Steve. But, 00:19:58.650 --> 00:20:03.509 Sierra, there's something in hell's leg. Dun, 00:20:03.509 --> 00:20:07.309 dun, dun! Yes. So tell me, why is the storyline 00:20:07.309 --> 00:20:09.250 important, other than it being the main storyline 00:20:09.250 --> 00:20:12.569 that everyone needs to know? Other than it being 00:20:12.569 --> 00:20:14.430 the main storyline that everybody needs to know, 00:20:14.509 --> 00:20:18.910 I would say there is a whole lot of information. 00:20:19.849 --> 00:20:25.369 About how the upside down creatures and Mind 00:20:25.369 --> 00:20:29.190 Flayer in particular work. So how does the Mind 00:20:29.190 --> 00:20:31.970 Flayer interact with others? It's possession 00:20:31.970 --> 00:20:36.349 of an individual. It's turning into Flayed. It's 00:20:36.349 --> 00:20:43.089 creation of itself. And as a larger, huger grossness. 00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:48.940 That is absolutely terrifying with way too many 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:57.059 teeth. And there is a lot of also figuring out 00:20:57.059 --> 00:21:01.680 how all of that interacts with Eleven. So that 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:05.500 specifically she's being targeted, that specifically 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:09.720 the Mind Flayer knows about her and is interested 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:14.720 in her and wants to beat her slash potentially 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:20.660 sway her. Sway, absorb, kill. It's unclear. It's 00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:23.759 very unclear. I thought that that was an interesting 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:29.319 thing to leave open because it seems when Billy 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:33.779 says, this is all for you, it almost seems like 00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:38.500 I'm gifting you this army. Yeah. In my initial 00:21:38.500 --> 00:21:41.470 read of it. Now, obviously, I'm gifting you this 00:21:41.470 --> 00:21:43.670 army, but I'm also going to try to kill you with 00:21:43.670 --> 00:21:47.910 it. Kind of doesn't track. Right. However, I 00:21:47.910 --> 00:21:50.410 do think that there is kind of that option here 00:21:50.410 --> 00:21:55.490 of you can turn and control it or you can be 00:21:55.490 --> 00:21:59.769 killed by it. Yeah. So that is, I think, the 00:21:59.769 --> 00:22:02.670 most interesting. And I still think it's a little 00:22:02.670 --> 00:22:07.670 up for question with the way that season four 00:22:07.670 --> 00:22:11.450 goes. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I find this storyline 00:22:11.450 --> 00:22:15.069 exceedingly impactful in terms of the overall 00:22:15.069 --> 00:22:18.430 messaging of the story. As we get to the conclusion 00:22:18.430 --> 00:22:21.230 of the Mind Flayer storyline in the next episode, 00:22:21.250 --> 00:22:23.869 it's even more so, specifically around L's powers. 00:22:24.250 --> 00:22:28.529 But there's these huge moments of Mind Flayer 00:22:28.529 --> 00:22:31.130 directly communicating with L to be like, this 00:22:31.130 --> 00:22:34.460 is for you. yeah and and in season three you 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:37.460 have no idea what that means it right and and 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:40.180 that's it was such a chilling moment i mean stranger 00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:44.819 things is moving to this like uh half a season 00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:47.259 then half a season then a finale over the the 00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:49.900 major holidays because they kept losing out on 00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:54.420 um media time essentially like what we're doing 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:57.660 right now people reacting to it and so you would 00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:59.059 have stranger things and it would be amazing 00:22:59.059 --> 00:23:01.599 for a week and for that week for season three 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.240 i remember how big this moment was it was a lot 00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:08.980 like when in game of thrones when john snow fights 00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:11.500 the white walker sort of command for the first 00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:15.380 time and that head white walker as john is sailing 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:19.670 away at him and lifts his hands to the air and 00:23:19.670 --> 00:23:21.529 is directly looking at John. And everyone was 00:23:21.529 --> 00:23:27.109 like, what does that mean? Now that one moment 00:23:27.109 --> 00:23:30.690 raged for a week and, and sort of, you know, 00:23:30.710 --> 00:23:32.549 stranger things kind of lost out because they 00:23:32.549 --> 00:23:35.230 had everything all at once. Um, but this moment 00:23:35.230 --> 00:23:37.190 I think is the main thing that I remember other 00:23:37.190 --> 00:23:40.630 than Dustin singing, uh, from the finale. This 00:23:40.630 --> 00:23:42.250 is the, this is the one moment that I remember 00:23:42.250 --> 00:23:44.799 people talking about the most, which is. It's 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.559 made for who? By what's design? Also, is the 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:51.599 person that Heather was being taken over by a 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:54.539 part of this? And it turns out, yes. So it's 00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:57.319 just huge. It's enormous. It's something to watch 00:23:57.319 --> 00:24:00.779 for, y 'all. And that's going to be that on that 00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:03.619 little section. So keep your finger on the pause 00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:06.279 button and rewind the tape. We're going to be 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:08.920 reviewing our prestige category for what did 00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:12.079 we notice on this watch through. Episode five. 00:24:12.619 --> 00:24:16.579 Tell me about it. So, kind of a good thing that 00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:19.359 Nancy and Jonathan already hated the guys from 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:23.220 the office. They had to end up fighting as the 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:26.140 Flayed because otherwise that would have been 00:24:26.140 --> 00:24:30.000 really crazy on their psyche. Yeah. Can you imagine 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:32.920 if it was just, you know, a friend from school? 00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:36.259 Right. Or someone that they enjoyed hanging out 00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:40.180 with. It's Mike and Will. A family member. Yeah. 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:43.470 Exactly. So. That would have been pretty brutal. 00:24:43.490 --> 00:24:46.509 So kind of convenient that they already were 00:24:46.509 --> 00:24:49.329 not fans and Nancy got to take out all of her 00:24:49.329 --> 00:24:52.609 great aggression on them. So this is a total 00:24:52.609 --> 00:24:55.549 joke for anybody that's listening, but they have 00:24:55.549 --> 00:25:01.549 PTSD still, but it's a better PTSD. Yeah. We 00:25:01.549 --> 00:25:04.069 did have to kill people we know, but at least 00:25:04.069 --> 00:25:11.359 it was people we did not. We ate. Yes. My. The 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.220 next thing that I brought up is still in the 00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:17.539 hospital. How exactly is the hospital empty, 00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:20.660 but the lady at the front desk is still there 00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:23.279 trying to keep people from going back? It's really 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.980 late at night. We know that. It's one of the 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:28.680 reasons. Number two, they do run through a bunch 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:31.880 of people who have already been killed by those 00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:35.000 two men. Yeah, but it didn't seem like there 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:38.369 was a bunch of patients. Well, yeah. There were 00:25:38.369 --> 00:25:40.710 some people that were attached to bags and stuff 00:25:40.710 --> 00:25:43.170 and in hospital gowns that they killed. But number 00:25:43.170 --> 00:25:45.910 three, the most important one, where they have 00:25:45.910 --> 00:25:49.750 the main fight is in a construction zone. There's 00:25:49.750 --> 00:25:52.549 a little sign that says it. So the hospital's 00:25:52.549 --> 00:25:55.410 not empty. It's just like that floor is completely 00:25:55.410 --> 00:25:58.069 under construction, I guess. They just happen 00:25:58.069 --> 00:26:03.500 to... Yeah, it's contrived, certainly. Yes. But 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:05.759 it just it just struck me as so odd because they 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:07.779 go up there and there's basically nobody there. 00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:10.119 I know. And yet this lady at the front desk is 00:26:10.119 --> 00:26:12.980 like only two people at once. That's her job. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.680 She's doing a great job. Other than being on 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.019 the phone while people are trying to be like, 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:20.700 please save us. Call the cops. Yeah. Other than 00:26:20.700 --> 00:26:24.200 not doing her job, she's doing a great job. I 00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:27.420 think that this is a very small aside, but I 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:30.400 think that when. They're all gathering together 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.720 to kind of discuss what the next steps are going 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:35.339 to be and finding the source, all the kids. Lucas 00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:38.579 calls their chat a family meeting. And I think 00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:41.900 that that's so cute, especially since they're 00:26:41.900 --> 00:26:45.680 all kids. And it's all of the kids except for 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:49.099 Dustin. But it's just so adorable. They're like, 00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:52.059 we are a family. Yeah, it's really. Family meeting. 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:57.079 It's really cute. For Hopper and Joyce's storyline 00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:59.880 in episode five, I just find Hopper's instincts 00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:03.119 are so incredible. And I just admire the way 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.480 that they've written that character to make me 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:08.420 believe it. Yeah. Joyce's ferociousness is also 00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:13.119 great. But is their story just a little too campy? 00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:19.440 Maybe a little. I kind of have a hard time when... 00:27:20.089 --> 00:27:24.450 A storyline breaks off so much from the rest 00:27:24.450 --> 00:27:28.589 of everything else. And it almost feels like 00:27:28.589 --> 00:27:34.130 potentially all of the them not being in Hawkins 00:27:34.130 --> 00:27:37.390 could have been done in a quarter of an episode 00:27:37.390 --> 00:27:40.509 where they go and they talk to Murray and they 00:27:40.509 --> 00:27:43.789 have Alexi and they interrogate him on the way 00:27:43.789 --> 00:27:47.710 back. Yeah. And it didn't need to be a whole. 00:27:48.650 --> 00:27:51.990 plot line i suppose however there is a lot of 00:27:51.990 --> 00:27:55.170 information that we get from it but it is a little 00:27:55.170 --> 00:27:59.250 i i think the reason it feels campy is just because 00:27:59.250 --> 00:28:03.109 it is so isolated and it's such a repeat of nancy 00:28:03.109 --> 00:28:05.170 and jonathan's like it's such a reflection a 00:28:05.170 --> 00:28:08.309 mirroring of it and i just like they have these 00:28:08.309 --> 00:28:11.130 sort of like melodramatic arguments that's clearly 00:28:11.130 --> 00:28:14.269 like you guys are gonna get together and i i 00:28:14.269 --> 00:28:16.930 just like there's there's just part because Hopper 00:28:16.930 --> 00:28:18.970 and Joyce's storylines have been so grounded 00:28:18.970 --> 00:28:21.430 and kind of the thing that makes all the adults 00:28:21.430 --> 00:28:25.450 willing, I think, to watch those episodes. Or 00:28:25.450 --> 00:28:27.009 at least a lot of adult viewers, not all the 00:28:27.009 --> 00:28:29.549 adults, clearly. And it's just such a switch 00:28:29.549 --> 00:28:32.190 to make them the sort of comic relief, romantic 00:28:32.190 --> 00:28:35.710 things. Maybe it actually isn't too campy, but 00:28:35.710 --> 00:28:38.150 in juxtaposition from the past two seasons, I'm 00:28:38.150 --> 00:28:41.089 kind of like, whoa. Especially while we've been 00:28:41.089 --> 00:28:44.289 watching at this rate back to back. It just feels 00:28:44.289 --> 00:28:49.599 a little whiplashy. Episode 6. This guy looks 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:52.759 like Gollum's uglier twin. Who are we talking 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:56.779 about? The Russian scientist who drugs them. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:00.140 Oh, absolutely. Yeah, you're totally right. Cheers 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:02.539 to him. I'm sure you're a wonderful person in 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.400 real life. I'm sorry. I'm sure you're great. 00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:08.259 That was just my initial thought. It's very Schmeagle 00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:14.240 coded. And even just the way he scrunches his 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:17.200 body up and gets in their face and everything. 00:29:17.380 --> 00:29:21.440 It just, oh gosh. Yep. It was just the first 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:23.519 thing that came to my mind and I had to write 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.460 it down. Well, you did. And now it's on a podcast 00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:32.279 and now everyone's heard it. It may be unusual 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:34.859 for me to do this on the pod, but I have some 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:40.920 Mike slander. I am shocked to my very core. To 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:44.019 my core. There's this whole conversation about, 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:47.859 like, oh, don't use Eleven too much. Like, you're 00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:49.640 going to run her battery out, that Mike's saying. 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:55.339 And they're like, no, we need her to find Billy 00:29:55.339 --> 00:29:59.079 and find Dustin. Like, we need to use her. And 00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:01.059 I will say, at the very beginning of that argument, 00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:04.539 Max is making excellent points where she's coming 00:30:04.539 --> 00:30:08.619 to bat for Elle, being like, Who knows Eleven's 00:30:08.619 --> 00:30:12.240 boundaries more than you? Her. Elle does, actually. 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:14.519 Elle gets to dictate who she is. And I'm, like, 00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:16.859 very much on Max's side in this argument. Oh, 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:19.740 yeah. And just an FYI, everybody, Mike actually 00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:21.440 doesn't get to dictate what Elle does, ever. 00:30:22.299 --> 00:30:31.059 Yeah. No. It is not his job. I want to discuss 00:30:31.059 --> 00:30:36.500 probably the biggest section of this episode. 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:41.440 Yeah. In terms of impact and acting and information, 00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:47.039 etc. Yeah. I would like to discuss how potentially 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:53.059 cliche, but also accurate and heartbreaking Billy's 00:30:53.059 --> 00:30:56.440 backstory is. All of it. His father's abusive. 00:30:56.480 --> 00:31:00.460 His mom leaves as a result, leaving Billy behind 00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:04.119 to continue being verbally and physically abused. 00:31:04.750 --> 00:31:07.829 And now he's also abandoned by the one parent 00:31:07.829 --> 00:31:12.390 who loves, loved him, loves him. I mean, none 00:31:12.390 --> 00:31:16.089 of this excuses his attempted murder of people 00:31:16.089 --> 00:31:21.069 repeatedly. Yeah. Or evident racism. Yeah. Or, 00:31:21.170 --> 00:31:24.289 or any of that. None of this excuses the attempting 00:31:24.289 --> 00:31:28.430 rundown of three kids on bikes and other horrible 00:31:28.430 --> 00:31:33.529 things that he's done. But holy heck, it's. It's 00:31:33.529 --> 00:31:36.789 very impactful. It's very well done. Yeah. I 00:31:36.789 --> 00:31:43.710 find it very sad. I find I'm almost a bit annoyed. 00:31:43.829 --> 00:31:46.450 And not because it's not good. I'm just a bit 00:31:46.450 --> 00:31:48.569 annoyed that we don't see the mother's reasoning 00:31:48.569 --> 00:31:52.549 ever. Because it must be such a difficult decision 00:31:52.549 --> 00:31:56.670 to be like, for my own safety, I'm leaving the 00:31:56.670 --> 00:31:59.470 man. That's not hard. But I'm leaving my kid 00:31:59.470 --> 00:32:03.240 with him. I do not understand the mom's reasoning. 00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:07.480 Right. Given what we are given. Yeah. It doesn't 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:11.440 make any sense to me. As a mom, if my husband's 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:13.660 great, so I'm not in this situation, guys. But 00:32:13.660 --> 00:32:17.200 if I was in this situation, there's no way I'm 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:20.339 leaving my kids behind. Yeah, totally. Even if 00:32:20.339 --> 00:32:23.539 they're not little, little like they are now, 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:27.779 it doesn't matter. I don't understand. The only 00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:31.849 thing that I can potentially think of. Is one 00:32:31.849 --> 00:32:35.509 of those, like, she had to run and she had to 00:32:35.509 --> 00:32:38.930 be by herself and she intended on coming back 00:32:38.930 --> 00:32:42.549 for him, but if she had taken him, it would have 00:32:42.549 --> 00:32:45.750 been considered kidnapping. Yeah, which it wouldn't. 00:32:45.769 --> 00:32:49.509 Like, I... No, I mean, yeah, this is, like, it's 00:32:49.509 --> 00:32:52.009 not that scenario. Like, that scenario is not 00:32:52.009 --> 00:32:54.650 accurate. And do we really think that the father 00:32:54.650 --> 00:32:58.220 would actually try to, like... sue her for custody. 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:01.420 Right, right. I don't think that he cares enough. 00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:06.940 This whole situation is so outside of the norm 00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:09.299 that we see in both media and in real life where 00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:14.019 you see mothers leave, certainly, but bring kids. 00:33:14.619 --> 00:33:18.319 And so I just, I think it's a very compelling 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:22.220 backstory and I think only seeing Billy's version 00:33:22.220 --> 00:33:24.180 of it, which is that she leaves, makes sense 00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:26.440 because we're in Billy's head. But I'm like, 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:29.680 It itches at me in the back of my head where 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:34.200 I'm like, I just want to know why she left Billy, 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:37.279 too. Yeah. I feel like there's a piece of the 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:40.299 story missing. Yeah, totally. And it's very frustrating 00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:45.460 because we don't get it. But coming back to Hawkins. 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:49.599 Yes. When Elle enters Billy's head, is Billy 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:52.119 trying to communicate with Elle? I'm not a bad 00:33:52.119 --> 00:33:53.980 person. This is what my background is. Or is 00:33:53.980 --> 00:33:56.819 he? Is he somehow protecting himself by trying 00:33:56.819 --> 00:34:01.460 to have happy thoughts? What is it that causes 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:05.019 her to go through and get a perfect montage of 00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:11.500 why he is who he is? So I think – here's my – 00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:14.360 because I was thinking about this as well. My 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:19.960 idea is that – I think it's a little bit of twofold. 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:23.570 On the one hand – I think that the beach memory 00:34:23.570 --> 00:34:30.530 in particular, the beach memory is kind of the 00:34:30.530 --> 00:34:34.469 closest thing that I can think of. I guess it's 00:34:34.469 --> 00:34:37.809 more on that he's protecting himself by having 00:34:37.809 --> 00:34:41.949 a happy thought. But I think that it's more just 00:34:41.949 --> 00:34:45.050 like the last happiness that he can remember. 00:34:45.150 --> 00:34:50.059 And that is what he's clinging to. As the rest 00:34:50.059 --> 00:34:53.019 of his personality and who he is becomes erased 00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:56.900 and replaced by the mind player. I think it's 00:34:56.900 --> 00:35:00.880 a little akin to in Supernatural when they fight 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:05.320 Jin. If the Jin gets you, it basically injects 00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:10.280 you with its venom and you live a very, very 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:13.619 happy life and it's feeding off of you the whole 00:35:13.619 --> 00:35:16.480 time. So I almost think that there's a little 00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:19.610 bit of an element of that where. It's the mind 00:35:19.610 --> 00:35:22.369 flare is almost keeping him complacent by allowing 00:35:22.369 --> 00:35:26.989 him these memories. But also when we then see 00:35:26.989 --> 00:35:31.409 the this is who I am. That's because she's trying 00:35:31.409 --> 00:35:33.670 to find the source and she's getting closer and 00:35:33.670 --> 00:35:37.250 closer to the source and the source of how the 00:35:37.250 --> 00:35:40.650 mind flare is able to get Billy is because of 00:35:40.650 --> 00:35:43.250 all these things. Okay. And so because of all 00:35:43.250 --> 00:35:45.050 these things, it's made him who he is, which 00:35:45.050 --> 00:35:47.889 has made him a candidate. to be taken over by 00:35:47.889 --> 00:35:52.050 the mind flayer yeah yeah and so billy is that 00:35:52.050 --> 00:35:55.170 like the source of billy's pain is the source 00:35:55.170 --> 00:35:57.170 yeah of the mind flayer okay that's what the 00:35:57.170 --> 00:35:59.170 mind flare is feeding i like that i like that 00:35:59.170 --> 00:36:03.550 a lot yeah excellent well stated continuing to 00:36:03.550 --> 00:36:08.909 discuss daycare montgomery i would like to have 00:36:08.909 --> 00:36:13.230 a moment to talk about his acting in general 00:36:13.230 --> 00:36:16.130 this season I know we talked about last episode 00:36:16.130 --> 00:36:19.710 as well, so we can move on specifically to when 00:36:19.710 --> 00:36:24.829 he's speaking to Elle as the mind flayer and 00:36:24.829 --> 00:36:29.869 the, quote, single man tear rolls down his face. 00:36:30.070 --> 00:36:36.710 It is expert level conflict and emotion being 00:36:36.710 --> 00:36:42.630 portrayed and the sheer acting in. The tiny details 00:36:42.630 --> 00:36:49.010 of his face is phenomenal. You see he is fully 00:36:49.010 --> 00:36:52.010 Mind Flayer and just that one tear is just the 00:36:52.010 --> 00:36:55.409 little bit of Billy that is still clinging and 00:36:55.409 --> 00:36:58.230 does not like what is happening. Yeah, I like 00:36:58.230 --> 00:37:02.730 that. Oh, my God. It's a brilliant moment. It's 00:37:02.730 --> 00:37:06.550 a brilliant moment to share that the person is 00:37:06.550 --> 00:37:09.210 still inside, which is enormously important. 00:37:09.949 --> 00:37:14.590 For next episode. Our next episode, the finale. 00:37:14.769 --> 00:37:17.530 Now we'll discuss the actual next episode, which 00:37:17.530 --> 00:37:19.409 is seven, which is not what I'm talking about. 00:37:20.469 --> 00:37:24.510 Episode seven, y 'all. Okay. Another moment where 00:37:24.510 --> 00:37:28.849 I seriously am. I continue to question if the 00:37:28.849 --> 00:37:31.610 Wheeler little sister is somehow connected to 00:37:31.610 --> 00:37:34.559 the upside down because. She's the only one who 00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:37.139 sees something in the wall in Will's room, except 00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:40.320 for Joyce. And now she's the only one who notices 00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:43.980 the monster in the trees during the fireworks. 00:37:44.699 --> 00:37:47.059 Everybody else, I know she's looking down instead 00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:49.619 of looking up, but there's other people and this 00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:53.579 monster is huge and the trees are moving. And 00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:58.199 she is still somehow the only one who can see 00:37:58.199 --> 00:38:03.329 it. Yeah. I don't think. that she has any connection 00:38:03.329 --> 00:38:07.010 to the upside down but it is odd and maybe at 00:38:07.010 --> 00:38:08.969 the end of this you know we'll we'll have this 00:38:08.969 --> 00:38:11.349 sort of like almost last jedi moment where at 00:38:11.349 --> 00:38:14.489 the end of season five like everybody with powers 00:38:14.489 --> 00:38:19.730 is dead and then she'll like you know use the 00:38:19.730 --> 00:38:21.469 force a little bit and we'll be like oh my gosh 00:38:21.469 --> 00:38:24.369 there's still people out there uh or or it'll 00:38:24.369 --> 00:38:26.530 be a little bit like magneto where he like moves 00:38:26.530 --> 00:38:29.789 the chess piece right at the end of x2 or x3 00:38:29.789 --> 00:38:34.219 i should say So, we'll see. Yeah. But it is, 00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:37.179 speaking of the shadow monster, though, or the 00:38:37.179 --> 00:38:42.940 goo body monster, the grossness. The grossness. 00:38:43.139 --> 00:38:46.579 It is crazy. The grossness. I shall label him 00:38:46.579 --> 00:38:51.840 the grossness. It is kind of crazy that Nancy 00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:55.920 hears the monster coming before Will's spidey 00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:58.170 sense goes off. I just think that's Will sort 00:38:58.170 --> 00:39:00.110 of being distracted by the fact that he's crushing 00:39:00.110 --> 00:39:02.489 on Mike and Mike is professing his love to Elle. 00:39:04.050 --> 00:39:08.730 But still, it just seems he always notices right 00:39:08.730 --> 00:39:10.789 away when the sense does go off. You know, he 00:39:10.789 --> 00:39:13.090 always touches his neck and we get the zoom in 00:39:13.090 --> 00:39:16.849 and everything. But it is weird that she hears 00:39:16.849 --> 00:39:21.309 it first. I do wonder if it is. I could be totally 00:39:21.309 --> 00:39:24.130 off base with this. This is definitely a shot 00:39:24.130 --> 00:39:27.619 in the dark. I do wonder if. There's more to 00:39:27.619 --> 00:39:34.179 Will than we see. Yeah. And maybe his loyalties 00:39:34.179 --> 00:39:37.980 aren't as with these people and against Vecna 00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:40.800 slash the Shadow Monster as we think, or there's 00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:42.840 still a bit of the Shadow Monster in him that 00:39:42.840 --> 00:39:45.719 can manipulate him into not realizing things, 00:39:45.880 --> 00:39:48.860 or if he's got extra powers that he's working 00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:51.539 through. And so I wonder if this will be a... 00:39:52.170 --> 00:39:55.389 what I will call sort of a Dumbledore flash of 00:39:55.389 --> 00:39:57.550 eyes moment where you remember Goblet of Fire. 00:39:57.929 --> 00:40:00.469 We find out that this is a spoiler for anybody 00:40:00.469 --> 00:40:02.030 who hasn't read Harry Potter. We find out that 00:40:02.030 --> 00:40:04.250 Voldemort uses Harry's blood and that ends up 00:40:04.250 --> 00:40:07.969 being a hugely important detail for book seven. 00:40:08.070 --> 00:40:11.570 I just wonder if that moment of Nancy hearing 00:40:11.570 --> 00:40:14.510 it before will is actually an important moment 00:40:14.510 --> 00:40:19.179 or if it's just like. Because Will does go, oh 00:40:19.179 --> 00:40:21.420 my gosh, oh yeah, it is here right afterwards. 00:40:21.679 --> 00:40:25.820 So we'll see. Right. We'll see. I have thoughts 00:40:25.820 --> 00:40:30.639 about sort of the brevity of this episode, which 00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:33.480 is both like, Robin and Steve are just so funny. 00:40:33.880 --> 00:40:37.860 And I find sort of being drugged out moments 00:40:37.860 --> 00:40:41.639 usually not very funny at all and cliche and 00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:45.559 the acting, you know, is uninteresting. But I 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:48.920 find it. Absolutely so funny. Additionally, I 00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:53.219 find Alexi's story so compelling. What is it 00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:57.199 that you think is so interesting about both Robin 00:40:57.199 --> 00:41:01.059 and Steve and Alexi's part? I think there's just 00:41:01.059 --> 00:41:04.699 a little bit, especially in, you know, speaking 00:41:04.699 --> 00:41:07.760 specifically to this episode, I think it's a 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:12.360 lot of the just truth and openness that's happening 00:41:12.360 --> 00:41:17.199 on both. In both cases, you know, Robin and Steve 00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:20.059 are kind of being forced to tell the truth and 00:41:20.059 --> 00:41:22.639 to just kind of say what's on their minds and 00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:26.760 whatever. And then Alexi is feeling more open 00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:30.360 and being able to actually just have a friend 00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:35.559 and pal around a little bit and joke, have inside 00:41:35.559 --> 00:41:38.820 jokes and everything. And I think that. There's 00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:41.340 a little bit of that going on with Robin and 00:41:41.340 --> 00:41:44.880 Steve and then also Alexi and Murray, where the 00:41:44.880 --> 00:41:47.000 characters are just so endearing. And there's 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:51.219 almost when characters are more open and honest 00:41:51.219 --> 00:41:56.099 and truthful, they become a little bit more innocent 00:41:56.099 --> 00:42:00.519 and endearing in that way. And really brings 00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:04.329 them back to kind of their basic. humanity and 00:42:04.329 --> 00:42:07.429 basics of who they are and so i think that that's 00:42:07.429 --> 00:42:11.570 really what draws me to all of them in this episode 00:42:11.570 --> 00:42:15.289 is they're just being who they are just pure 00:42:15.289 --> 00:42:18.449 plain and simple excellent excellent excellent 00:42:18.449 --> 00:42:23.289 excellent points well done and then you know 00:42:23.289 --> 00:42:26.070 knowing what's going to happen to alexi i was 00:42:26.070 --> 00:42:28.809 already crying when he goes off to play the games 00:42:28.809 --> 00:42:34.389 i was already crying It is sad. They do a really 00:42:34.389 --> 00:42:38.389 effective job with it. They do. But to distract 00:42:38.389 --> 00:42:42.570 myself from that, why does Elle bother distracting 00:42:42.570 --> 00:42:45.610 the Russians before just throwing the car at 00:42:45.610 --> 00:42:49.210 them? Because it would be just as effective to 00:42:49.210 --> 00:42:52.409 just throw the car at them. She doesn't have 00:42:52.409 --> 00:42:55.030 to make the alarms go off and make them look 00:42:55.030 --> 00:42:57.789 in the other direction. It's not like they moved 00:42:57.789 --> 00:43:00.550 at all. They didn't get into the path of the 00:43:00.550 --> 00:43:04.650 car. She could have just sent the car flying 00:43:04.650 --> 00:43:08.730 into them instead of the alarms going off and 00:43:08.730 --> 00:43:11.630 then send the car flying into them. It does feel 00:43:11.630 --> 00:43:16.250 like she needs Mike, who's already sort of trying 00:43:16.250 --> 00:43:18.050 to control what she's doing anyway, to just be 00:43:18.050 --> 00:43:20.489 like her first base coach and be like, okay, 00:43:20.550 --> 00:43:22.550 no, you don't need to do that. Think about efficiency 00:43:22.550 --> 00:43:25.510 and economy of motion. All we want to do is just 00:43:25.510 --> 00:43:27.210 smash them with the car. Don't bother with the 00:43:27.210 --> 00:43:31.590 theatrics. Yeah. I get that, you know, it's kind 00:43:31.590 --> 00:43:33.889 of like a reveal. Oh, what's going on with the 00:43:33.889 --> 00:43:36.590 car? Oh, she's done this before. Oh, it must 00:43:36.590 --> 00:43:39.710 be Elle. And then the car. But I feel like it's 00:43:39.710 --> 00:43:43.909 just as impactful as a reveal to just a car comes 00:43:43.909 --> 00:43:47.849 flying. Yeah. Maybe it's to remind us that the 00:43:47.849 --> 00:43:50.809 car is there and that she's not just bringing 00:43:50.809 --> 00:43:55.090 a car from outside. Hi, guys. I brought this 00:43:55.090 --> 00:43:59.170 with me. I brought my car from home. May I use 00:43:59.170 --> 00:44:02.570 it to kill you? B -Y -O -C. B -Y -O -C. It's 00:44:02.570 --> 00:44:05.110 like showing up with... Hi, this is my lizard. 00:44:05.190 --> 00:44:11.309 I brought him from home. This is my car. B -Y 00:44:11.309 --> 00:44:14.849 -O -C. Bang. Yeah, I mean, it's probably for 00:44:14.849 --> 00:44:18.210 several, like, show reasons, not writing reasons. 00:44:18.929 --> 00:44:22.309 Yeah. It still bothers me, though. Yeah, of course. 00:44:23.210 --> 00:44:26.159 But... You don't always have to face down a horde 00:44:26.159 --> 00:44:30.800 of angry Russian soldiers by yourself, L. Buckle 00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:33.960 up, Schmisseners, because it's time for our Sansa 00:44:33.960 --> 00:44:37.860 is smarter than John category. What is the most 00:44:37.860 --> 00:44:41.500 important character moment in this set of episodes? 00:44:42.039 --> 00:44:45.280 There's one answer. There's one answer. Robin 00:44:45.280 --> 00:44:48.300 admitting her interest in Tammy Thompson and 00:44:48.300 --> 00:44:50.940 Steve immediately accepting her. Yep, it's huge. 00:44:51.219 --> 00:44:54.340 Immediately. The floor is yours, Sierra. Yes, 00:44:54.340 --> 00:44:57.300 it is the most important character moment, both 00:44:57.300 --> 00:45:01.840 for Robin and for Steve. But I do believe mostly 00:45:01.840 --> 00:45:06.380 for Steve. Yeah. On Robin's side, it is huge 00:45:06.380 --> 00:45:09.900 for her to trust somebody with this secret. It 00:45:09.900 --> 00:45:13.840 is absolutely huge. She has seen what has happened 00:45:13.840 --> 00:45:17.320 to other people in her situation. It is not great. 00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:20.360 She is afraid of being judged. She's already 00:45:20.360 --> 00:45:26.630 not. super popular and she is going out on a 00:45:26.630 --> 00:45:30.469 limb to admit this to somebody who has really 00:45:30.469 --> 00:45:34.150 only been her friend for a month maybe something 00:45:34.150 --> 00:45:38.309 like that and but it is the most important thing 00:45:38.309 --> 00:45:41.030 for steve because kind of as you were saying 00:45:41.030 --> 00:45:48.349 before it really really uh hits home how good 00:45:48.349 --> 00:45:54.900 of a person steve is and how He is with everyone 00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:58.019 around him and accepting. And hey, you're a little 00:45:58.019 --> 00:46:00.099 weird. You're a little weird. You've got a difference 00:46:00.099 --> 00:46:03.599 here. You've got a difference there. I may have 00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:06.139 been most popular in high school for a long time 00:46:06.139 --> 00:46:09.940 until that darn Billy showed up. But I will accept 00:46:09.940 --> 00:46:12.559 all of you. I've already adopted a horde of small 00:46:12.559 --> 00:46:15.179 children. I will now accept you as my best friend. 00:46:15.260 --> 00:46:24.469 It's all fine. Oh, that's so funny. I know you 00:46:24.469 --> 00:46:26.909 just lost a hand, Sierra, but listen up. It's 00:46:26.909 --> 00:46:30.730 the I am your father category for most iconic 00:46:30.730 --> 00:46:34.110 character moment. What you got? Elle flipping 00:46:34.110 --> 00:46:37.489 yet another car. Guys, don't let her around vehicles 00:46:37.489 --> 00:46:40.590 that you care about. Unless she likes you, then 00:46:40.590 --> 00:46:44.710 your car might work. But if she doesn't like 00:46:44.710 --> 00:46:47.210 you, keep your... your wife your children and 00:46:47.210 --> 00:46:51.269 your cars away from her um i entirely disagree 00:46:51.269 --> 00:46:53.989 i think that this is extremely way less iconic 00:46:53.989 --> 00:46:58.130 than her car flipping season one i have an honorable 00:46:58.130 --> 00:47:00.250 mention and then the actual thing that i think 00:47:00.250 --> 00:47:02.489 it is the honorable mention is alexi being shot 00:47:02.489 --> 00:47:06.489 just because of how well the sequencing is done 00:47:06.489 --> 00:47:09.570 uh we've talked a lot about him already but so 00:47:09.570 --> 00:47:12.090 it should be no surprise that the honorable mention 00:47:12.090 --> 00:47:15.090 goes to alexi being shot in reality i think it's 00:47:15.090 --> 00:47:18.969 the house of mirrors fight which i think is you 00:47:18.969 --> 00:47:22.230 know it's been done 10 000 times but i think 00:47:22.230 --> 00:47:26.750 it's so well done here uh and it's it's one of 00:47:26.750 --> 00:47:29.010 the one times that like hop isn't being forced 00:47:29.010 --> 00:47:31.510 into his uh like harrison ford reference time 00:47:32.420 --> 00:47:39.300 Yeah. Grigori's total not understanding of how 00:47:39.300 --> 00:47:41.539 it works versus Hop's mastery over it, I think 00:47:41.539 --> 00:47:44.639 is really neat and cool. There's so little dialogue 00:47:44.639 --> 00:47:46.619 in the moment. I think you can really feel the 00:47:46.619 --> 00:47:49.840 stakes as it plays out. Then you see this great 00:47:49.840 --> 00:47:53.139 moment of triumph with Hop killing him. Grigori, 00:47:53.159 --> 00:47:56.780 you think. And then he's wearing Kevlar. So he 00:47:56.780 --> 00:48:00.139 survives and he runs after Hop and Hop sees him. 00:48:00.639 --> 00:48:04.179 And then in this hilarious moment, he goes down 00:48:04.179 --> 00:48:06.780 a slide. And like any adult who's ever been down 00:48:06.780 --> 00:48:09.659 a slide ever, you realize how much they hurt 00:48:09.659 --> 00:48:12.840 an adult body. And he just swears the entire 00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:16.300 way down. It's the best. It's the one that we 00:48:16.300 --> 00:48:18.820 should definitely nominate and vote for. And 00:48:18.820 --> 00:48:21.840 it wins. Yes, that's fine. I accept that. Excellent, 00:48:21.840 --> 00:48:24.260 thank you. Elle already won for flipping a car. 00:48:24.320 --> 00:48:26.079 She doesn't need a second one. Yeah, yeah, totally. 00:48:26.139 --> 00:48:28.760 Same trick. What are you, a one trick pony? Yep. 00:48:28.760 --> 00:48:34.349 Come on. Correct. Everybody, sit down. It's time 00:48:34.349 --> 00:48:40.269 for our I am Iron Man. Most iconic and most important 00:48:40.269 --> 00:48:44.809 scene category. One answer again. One answer. 00:48:44.829 --> 00:48:48.650 And it's this quote. All this time, we've been 00:48:48.650 --> 00:48:52.309 building it. Building it for you. Billy says 00:48:52.309 --> 00:48:55.889 with the mind flares voice while one tear rolls 00:48:55.889 --> 00:48:59.989 down his face. Yeah, it's it's. All the things. 00:49:00.050 --> 00:49:01.530 It's the most important thing to the episode. 00:49:01.590 --> 00:49:04.289 It's the most iconic and most important scene. 00:49:05.369 --> 00:49:09.269 It's huge. It's hugely important in every single 00:49:09.269 --> 00:49:13.650 possible way. Yeah. Which leads us to our Elijah 00:49:13.650 --> 00:49:17.389 Wood, no, how could we have known category, where 00:49:17.389 --> 00:49:19.570 we crack open an encyclopedia and discuss the 00:49:19.570 --> 00:49:21.289 most important information disseminated to the 00:49:21.289 --> 00:49:25.309 fandom over these last three episodes. The Shadow 00:49:25.309 --> 00:49:28.480 Monster is more than a match for Elle. Yep. uh 00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:32.480 yeah that's it that's it that's it y 'all that's 00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:34.840 what we've got has met her match and it is the 00:49:34.840 --> 00:49:37.280 shadow monster and even maybe more than her match 00:49:37.280 --> 00:49:41.179 yeah as we go into the finale yeah i think in 00:49:41.179 --> 00:49:44.239 kind of um this almost makes me think this is 00:49:44.239 --> 00:49:45.900 a weird poll but it almost makes me think of 00:49:45.900 --> 00:49:49.300 the incredibles how syndrome has been building 00:49:49.300 --> 00:49:55.219 these robots specifically to kill supers and 00:49:55.219 --> 00:50:00.510 this is This is Elle's syndrome robot. Yeah, 00:50:00.590 --> 00:50:02.969 totally. Is the shadow monster. Yeah, absolutely. 00:50:02.969 --> 00:50:07.090 Not shadowy meat grossness. The grossness himself. 00:50:07.269 --> 00:50:10.530 The grossness himself is definitely a match for 00:50:10.530 --> 00:50:16.170 her. Yes. Time to keep your horses safe. It's 00:50:16.170 --> 00:50:19.289 the, I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. 00:50:19.369 --> 00:50:21.989 Hey, that was close. That was a good one. Thank 00:50:21.989 --> 00:50:24.329 you. I liked that one. I know. I was like, I 00:50:24.329 --> 00:50:26.530 forgot about the lip. That's what I've been missing. 00:50:26.570 --> 00:50:36.030 It's the lip. Best lines. Yes. Ready? These are 00:50:36.030 --> 00:50:40.690 my family. Extended. What's the context on that 00:50:40.690 --> 00:50:44.010 one? When they're going into the hospital and 00:50:44.010 --> 00:50:48.289 they say only family members are allowed. And 00:50:48.289 --> 00:50:51.710 Nancy says, these are my family. And then the 00:50:51.710 --> 00:50:54.389 woman basically just looks at Lucas and how he's. 00:50:54.650 --> 00:50:58.650 Black. And then she goes, extended. Yeah, yeah. 00:50:58.750 --> 00:51:01.829 Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right. So good. It really 00:51:01.829 --> 00:51:04.449 perfectly ties in, too, with family meetings. 00:51:04.449 --> 00:51:08.989 Family conversation. Yeah. Yeah. Cute. He says 00:51:08.989 --> 00:51:11.989 you remind him of a fat Rambo. That's Murray, 00:51:12.230 --> 00:51:14.769 right? Talking about Hopper and what Alexi said. 00:51:15.570 --> 00:51:20.630 Yes. Would now be a good time to tell you that 00:51:20.630 --> 00:51:25.510 I don't like doctors? I can't remember if it's 00:51:25.510 --> 00:51:28.070 Steve or Robin, but it's when they're dosed with 00:51:28.070 --> 00:51:30.630 the syrup. I think it's Steve. I think it's Steve, 00:51:30.730 --> 00:51:36.429 too. Yeah. Yeah. All right. In a less lighthearted 00:51:36.429 --> 00:51:39.489 note, you shouldn't have looked for me because 00:51:39.489 --> 00:51:43.630 now I see you. Now we can all see you. What's 00:51:43.630 --> 00:51:47.389 up, Billy? That's Billy to Elle. Chilling. Good 00:51:47.389 --> 00:51:50.530 line. Yes. Okay, that's it. I'm never having 00:51:50.530 --> 00:51:54.670 kids. Dustin, right? Dustin. Completely done 00:51:54.670 --> 00:51:59.349 with Robin and Steve. And having to babysit them. 00:51:59.929 --> 00:52:04.150 Sierra, those are all incredible lines that you've 00:52:04.150 --> 00:52:08.349 selected. Yes. They do a phenomenal job of going 00:52:08.349 --> 00:52:10.250 over many of the wonderful things that Stranger 00:52:10.250 --> 00:52:14.989 Things can do. Be funny, be about family, be 00:52:14.989 --> 00:52:18.010 a terrible monster speaking through humans. But 00:52:18.010 --> 00:52:22.530 there is only one line. That can win this episode. 00:52:22.929 --> 00:52:27.130 You see, when Dustin and Erica are free because 00:52:27.130 --> 00:52:32.590 of Stephen, dear Steve, and Robin, they are able 00:52:32.590 --> 00:52:35.630 to look for distractions and methods to procure 00:52:35.630 --> 00:52:40.090 the rescue of their two friends. And Dustin looks 00:52:40.090 --> 00:52:43.309 at Erica holding this wonderful piece of metal. 00:52:43.469 --> 00:52:46.909 And he says, what's that? And Erica lights it. 00:52:47.289 --> 00:52:50.760 It's a shock stick. And she goes. A deadly weapon. 00:52:52.860 --> 00:52:58.940 And that's the best line of all of these. The 00:52:58.940 --> 00:53:02.579 delivery on it is hilarious. The delivery is 00:53:02.579 --> 00:53:08.579 so key. A deadly weapon. A deadly weapon. She's 00:53:08.579 --> 00:53:16.760 so, like, little stinker. It's so good. It's 00:53:16.760 --> 00:53:20.130 so funny. Dust off that car deck and get ready 00:53:20.130 --> 00:53:23.329 to shuffle. It's our Joker category. For who 00:53:23.329 --> 00:53:29.190 is the MVP of these episodes? Hear me out. Hear 00:53:29.190 --> 00:53:36.429 me out. It's Murray. Mostly because of the car 00:53:36.429 --> 00:53:39.690 scene in episode seven when he yells at Hop and 00:53:39.690 --> 00:53:42.409 Joyce and tells them they need to stop bickering 00:53:42.409 --> 00:53:44.929 or just do it already. He's certainly speaking 00:53:44.929 --> 00:53:47.989 for the audience right there, I think. He really 00:53:47.989 --> 00:53:50.110 is. You've reached directly into the heart of 00:53:50.110 --> 00:53:52.449 the audience and been like, we're done with your 00:53:52.449 --> 00:53:55.949 bickering. Please just hook up. Yes. Please, 00:53:56.050 --> 00:54:00.010 please, please. And because it's Murray, he does 00:54:00.010 --> 00:54:03.650 it in a most excellent way, which both shames, 00:54:03.650 --> 00:54:09.909 embarrasses, and encourages all at once. The 00:54:09.909 --> 00:54:22.050 trifecta of being a pet parent. Okay, so I'm 00:54:22.050 --> 00:54:25.329 not in disagreement, but I will give you an honorable 00:54:25.329 --> 00:54:29.610 mention and then a secondary case. Okay. First 00:54:29.610 --> 00:54:31.929 of all, honorable mention to Jonathan and Nancy 00:54:31.929 --> 00:54:34.550 just for surviving. I feel like that was one 00:54:34.550 --> 00:54:37.050 of the more tough things to survive. It was a 00:54:37.050 --> 00:54:39.929 really rough time. An honorable mention, too, 00:54:40.070 --> 00:54:42.429 for Lucas for being like, hey, look, fireworks. 00:54:43.369 --> 00:54:46.329 Although I think he doesn't enter into the actual 00:54:46.329 --> 00:54:49.369 category for MVP simply because he's... Ooh, 00:54:49.510 --> 00:54:54.610 shiny doesn't win you the MVP. A bigger honorable 00:54:54.610 --> 00:54:57.730 - Wait, it doesn't? Do you know how many times 00:54:57.730 --> 00:55:02.909 I should have won the MVP? Ooh, shiny. Ooh, shiny. 00:55:03.230 --> 00:55:06.650 Ooh, she's a candy. Another honorable mention 00:55:06.650 --> 00:55:10.230 to Max for the first aid stuff. Just knowing 00:55:10.230 --> 00:55:12.710 a lot about that, getting Elle what she needs. 00:55:13.510 --> 00:55:18.280 Not an MVP for - Lucas also not finding the bowl 00:55:18.280 --> 00:55:22.639 with Will and seeing the fireworks. That's what 00:55:22.639 --> 00:55:26.000 made him almost the LVP, least valuable player, 00:55:26.059 --> 00:55:27.139 in case you guys don't know what that means. 00:55:27.539 --> 00:55:30.500 But pound for pound, and this is an actual pound 00:55:30.500 --> 00:55:33.519 for pound argument, I do think he will win. Pound 00:55:33.519 --> 00:55:38.619 for pound, it's Alexi. True. Right? Yeah. Yeah. 00:55:38.920 --> 00:55:42.360 Because... Go for it. You list. Yeah. He gives 00:55:42.360 --> 00:55:47.389 all of the information. about how to shut down 00:55:47.389 --> 00:55:52.110 the gate opener machine yeah he gives all the 00:55:52.110 --> 00:55:56.289 information he gives handwritten schematics for 00:55:56.289 --> 00:56:01.690 the location which are pretty good he gives the 00:56:01.690 --> 00:56:06.110 codes he gives step -by -step instructions on 00:56:06.110 --> 00:56:08.250 how to get down there what to do when they're 00:56:08.250 --> 00:56:09.949 down there where they need to go what they need 00:56:09.949 --> 00:56:14.250 to get what they need to do yeah nothing would 00:56:14.250 --> 00:56:19.239 happen Or occur or continue. Without him. Without 00:56:19.239 --> 00:56:22.280 him. He is the reason why the finale can happen. 00:56:22.500 --> 00:56:25.940 Yeah. That's why Pound for Pound. And also just. 00:56:26.000 --> 00:56:27.860 Why season four happens too. Yeah, literally 00:56:27.860 --> 00:56:31.239 the reason why season four happens. Quite in 00:56:31.239 --> 00:56:35.340 a couple of scenes in episodes five, six, and 00:56:35.340 --> 00:56:40.099 seven, we meet him. We love him. He turns sides 00:56:40.099 --> 00:56:42.719 to the Americans and joins the right side in 00:56:42.719 --> 00:56:46.869 this particular case. He. shows a love of fun 00:56:46.869 --> 00:56:48.849 and enjoyment that we don't really get to see 00:56:48.849 --> 00:56:52.210 a lot from the adults. We buy in and have empathy 00:56:52.210 --> 00:56:55.889 and care for him. He gives all the information 00:56:55.889 --> 00:56:59.170 that one could possibly need, and then he dies. 00:56:59.530 --> 00:57:02.909 And with that death, we shall honor him for MVP. 00:57:03.289 --> 00:57:09.090 We shall. We shall. Excellent. Well done. It's 00:57:09.090 --> 00:57:12.130 time to clean up your evil lair and get ready 00:57:12.130 --> 00:57:17.820 for our... the turkey all along category for 00:57:17.820 --> 00:57:22.179 what is the biggest takeaway viewers should leave 00:57:22.179 --> 00:57:26.800 with in preparation for season five tell us sam 00:57:26.800 --> 00:57:28.840 yeah it's everything that we've already mentioned 00:57:28.840 --> 00:57:34.599 with billy the the grossness and l um essentially 00:57:34.599 --> 00:57:36.719 to whittle it down for what we need to know for 00:57:36.719 --> 00:57:41.559 season five a l is not Too powerful that she 00:57:41.559 --> 00:57:43.139 can just take out everything that she faces. 00:57:43.320 --> 00:57:45.820 The meat monster, the shadow monster, the grossness, 00:57:45.860 --> 00:57:47.659 whatever you want to call it, is a match for 00:57:47.659 --> 00:57:50.900 her. But also, Billy, with the shadow monster's 00:57:50.900 --> 00:57:53.840 voice, conveys the fact that this army has been 00:57:53.840 --> 00:57:56.980 built for her. What that means in terms of, like, 00:57:57.019 --> 00:57:59.119 is the shadow monster actually thinks that she's 00:57:59.119 --> 00:58:00.920 stronger and wants to give her the army over 00:58:00.920 --> 00:58:03.739 Vecna? Is she trying to double -cross Vecna? 00:58:04.400 --> 00:58:06.739 Or is it really I'm building it for you to try 00:58:06.739 --> 00:58:09.099 and kill you, which is kind of what he does moving 00:58:09.099 --> 00:58:13.139 forward with it. All of that information is extremely 00:58:13.139 --> 00:58:17.119 important to hold on to because of Vecna's storyline 00:58:17.119 --> 00:58:20.019 and trying to see like Vecna is also trying to 00:58:20.019 --> 00:58:25.239 kill or bring L to him or what. So those are 00:58:25.239 --> 00:58:27.360 the really big things that we've got to think 00:58:27.360 --> 00:58:29.059 about in terms of getting ready for season five. 00:58:29.719 --> 00:58:32.630 Today's public service announcement. Always make 00:58:32.630 --> 00:58:35.210 sure to debate New Coke versus Coca -Cola while 00:58:35.210 --> 00:58:37.289 digging squiggly things out of your friend's 00:58:37.289 --> 00:58:40.210 leg. It really helps the process and isn't blatant 00:58:40.210 --> 00:58:42.710 product placement at all. Never. Never once been 00:58:42.710 --> 00:58:44.510 product placement. TV shows have never run on 00:58:44.510 --> 00:58:47.050 product placement. Never happens. Ever. Nope. 00:58:47.110 --> 00:58:50.409 Oh, I would like some Eggos right now. And New 00:58:50.409 --> 00:58:59.130 Coke. And Slurpees from 7 -Eleven. And Slurpees 00:58:59.130 --> 00:59:04.449 from 7 -Eleven. Well, thank you, listener schmissiners, 00:59:04.449 --> 00:59:07.690 for listening to this episode of Fandom Schmandom. 00:59:07.730 --> 00:59:10.170 If you would like to discuss this episode or 00:59:10.170 --> 00:59:12.809 any other episode we've done, please hit us up 00:59:12.809 --> 00:59:15.449 on our social media channels. You can find us 00:59:15.449 --> 00:59:18.769 on TikTok and Instagram at fandomschmandompod 00:59:18.769 --> 00:59:23.269 and on X at fandom underscore schmandom. Please 00:59:23.269 --> 00:59:24.969 don't forget to rate and review us if you liked 00:59:24.969 --> 00:59:27.050 the episode. It really helps with the algorithm 00:59:27.050 --> 00:59:30.170 placing us in front of other like -minded schmissioners 00:59:30.170 --> 00:59:32.590 out there. And with that, we're out, y 'all. 00:59:32.929 --> 00:59:35.949 Don't forget to tip those darn rooskies. And 00:59:35.949 --> 01:00:09.690 fare thee well. Nancy narrowly escapes the goo 01:00:09.690 --> 01:00:11.969 monster. Oh, wait. No, that's not what I said. 01:00:12.050 --> 01:00:16.469 Goo form of the monster. Nancy. Sam, it's time 01:00:16.469 --> 01:00:18.510 to find your donut holes. Excellent. It's time 01:00:18.510 --> 01:00:22.090 for our knives out category. Pause again. Pause 01:00:22.090 --> 01:00:24.170 again. Pause again. You said, Sam, it's time 01:00:24.170 --> 01:00:26.489 to find your donut holes. It's time for our knives 01:00:26.489 --> 01:00:29.489 out category. You're right. Did I say it's time 01:00:29.489 --> 01:00:31.750 to find? I did. You did. Yeah. Because I'm looking 01:00:31.750 --> 01:00:36.780 at it's time. Okay. Got this. We got this. We 01:00:36.780 --> 01:00:39.019 got this. You know, the fact that we do 1030 01:00:39.019 --> 01:00:41.820 almost every time is not at all an indication 01:00:41.820 --> 01:00:45.360 of why we struggle so much. No, not at all. But 01:00:45.360 --> 01:00:46.679 it's literally the only time that we can do this. 01:00:46.739 --> 01:00:53.679 So here we go. Woohoo! I wish that for season 01:00:53.679 --> 01:00:57.119 two finale, Sierra, we had made the MVP Elle's 01:00:57.119 --> 01:01:03.960 second hand. Pound for pound, is it not Elle's 01:01:03.960 --> 01:01:08.139 second hand? That's so funny. It does nothing 01:01:08.139 --> 01:01:10.260 for two seasons and then suddenly comes out of 01:01:10.260 --> 01:01:14.559 nowhere. And none of, none, none of anything, 01:01:14.659 --> 01:01:17.219 none of anything else. Oh my gosh. None shall 01:01:17.219 --> 01:01:21.719 pass. None, none words shall pass through this 01:01:21.719 --> 01:01:26.460 mouth. Being, while being vetted by a brain, 01:01:26.699 --> 01:01:31.329 they shall just continue. Okay. It is time. To 01:01:31.329 --> 01:01:35.530 clean up your evil air. Evil air. Your evil air. 01:01:37.090 --> 01:01:46.269 It is time. We're so close. Okay. Evil air. My 01:01:46.269 --> 01:01:48.630 thing froze. Oh, there you are. Okay. Evil air. 01:01:49.809 --> 01:01:53.250 Your evil air. All right. Please don't forget 01:01:53.250 --> 01:01:53.929 to rate and review.