Episode 8 of Season 4 of "Stranger Things" begins with Nancy being plunged into a nightmarish vision. Vecna has invaded her mind, and she finds herself wandering through the bloodstained corridors of the Hawkins lab. Suddenly, Vecna appears, pinning her down with a menacing gaze.
"I want you to tell Eleven everything you see," he rasps, and with that, a flood of memories pours through Nancy's mind. She's released from Vecna's grasp and finds herself back in Steve's arms.
Her visions are harrowing, revealing a dark cloud hovering over Hawkins and a gargantuan creature with a gaping maw, accompanied by an army of monsters descending upon the town. This foreboding glimpse of the future suggests dire consequences if Vecna succeeds in his plan.
Moreover, Nancy mentions the existence of Four Gates - one for each kill. This echoes the motif of four chimes from Vecna's clock, hinting at the intricate nature of his scheme. The group realizes that they must stop the next intended victim to thwart Vecna's plans.
Meanwhile, in Russia, the Demogorgon continues its rampage unchecked. Joyce rushes to patch up Hopper, praising him as the hero of Hawkins, especially considering the turnout at his supposed funeral. However, the situation worsens when they discover that the Demogorgon can climb, posing a significant threat. It scales the balconies and slaughters the Russian soldiers inside the prison, shrugging off a hail of bullets with ease.
Hopper hears screams and notices a Demodog inside the lab, apparently a victim of experiments and strapped tightly to a stretcher. After ending its suffering, Hopper ventures deeper into the lab, revealing numerous other creatures housed in separate chambers. There's even a cell containing the same strange, swirling particles seen previously.
Their escape is interrupted by Antonov, who seems to have found an escape route out of the prison - a vent leading down and out. Scrambling into a van, they flee the prison, smashing through the gates in a desperate search for a plane to take them back to the States. To achieve this, they must rely on Yuri once again, despite his untrustworthy nature.
However, Yuri's proposed escape method - a helicopter named Katinka - seems far from ideal. They're back to square one, and Joyce decides to use Owens' contacts to bring in reinforcements for their extraction.
In the lab, Eleven was miraculously brought back from the brink of oblivion. As a result, her abilities returned, stronger and more formidable than ever before. However, she still struggled with frequent nosebleeds, a reminder of her fragile state. Brenner confessed to her that he had always had a hunch that Henry was still at large, and now they knew for certain.
Brenner gravely warned El that Henry was causing cracks to form in the dam, the metaphorical barrier between their world and Vecna's domain. If these cracks were to widen, Hawkins would crumble. Eleven was resolute, insisting that she must help her friends and prevent this catastrophe from unfolding. Utilizing her powers, she projected her consciousness to the gang, where Nancy and the others were discussing their plan to defeat Vecna.
Max made a decisive choice, opting to abandon Kate Bush's lyrics and instead of fleeing up the hill, she would lure Vecna towards her, using herself as bait. Just beyond the outskirts of Hawkins, a store called "Warzone" stood, stocked with an arsenal of guns. They intended to arm themselves to the teeth before engaging in the upcoming battle.
Hopping into a van they had hotwired, they embarked on their journey. As they did so, El communicated with Brenner, who cautioned her about the perilous nature of Vecna and the trap her friends were unwittingly walking into. He didn't believe El should act impulsively in her current state, but Owens sided with Eleven, insisting that she should make her own decisions. If she wanted to join them, then that was her prerogative.
Unfortunately, Brenner abused his position, imprisoning her within the confining walls of the laboratory and thwarting Owens' valiant attempts to intervene. With bold arrogance, he declared that there was only one escape route, and his intention was to escort Eleven to Hawkins, albeit at a time that suited him. However, El remained skeptical, well aware of Brenner's duplicitous nature. She suspected that he was merely exploiting her abilities to delve into the depths of darkness and search for Henry.
This revelation shed light on the true purpose behind all the experiments. Brenner's ultimate ambition was to harness Eleven's incredible power to unlock a gateway, allowing him to return from the banishment he had suffered. "You are the monster," El hissed, vowing to eliminate him if he dared to thwart her plans. Nevertheless, in a moment of distraction, she turned her back, and Brenner seized the opportunity to inject a sedative into her neck, rendering her unconscious.
When El regained consciousness, she found herself chained in her room, a shackle tightly clasped around her neck. The alarms screamed overhead as Brenner received urgent news from his subordinates that Sullivan and the rest of the military personnel had discovered their hideout.
Meanwhile, Jonathan, Mike, Will, and Argyle embarked on a perilous mission to locate the laboratory, navigating to the coordinates provided by Suzie. As they traveled, Mike's resolve began to falter, but Will rallied the troops with a drawing of a valiant battle between a three-headed dragon and the boys. Mike took the lead, brandishing a shield adorned with a heart, symbolizing the unity and strength derived from his unwavering leadership. However, Will couldn't help but project his own emotions as he turned to the window, struggling to suppress his tears.
On the road, Lucas and Max debated their next move. Lucas advocated for investigating who Vecna's next target might be, but Max firmly rejected the idea, insisting that it was a futile pursuit. Instead, they resolved to stick to their original plan, which involved Max confronting Vecna and "running toward the light." If things didn't go as planned, they had a backup plan: falling back on the comfort and inspiration provided by the enchanting music of Kate Bush.
At the Warzone, the gang arrived and hurriedly began collecting an arsenal of weapons. However, their mission was complicated by the unwelcome presence of the basketball bullies, who quickly turned the situation sour. Nancy and the others realized they were surrounded, and the tense encounter escalated when Jason confronted Nancy, inquiring about Hellfire. But Nancy managed to evade his grasp, and the gang made a hasty escape in their van, heading back to Hawkins, determined to face whatever challenges awaited them.
Meanwhile, Mike and his compatriots embarked on a mission, heading straight to the designated coordinates. To their surprise, they spied tyre tracks leading deep into the untamed wilderness. Not just ordinary tyre tracks, but the distinctive "fatties" that were unmistakably left by military personnel. With renewed determination, they pressed onward, intent on tracking down their quarry.
As it turned out, their quarry was hiding at Hawkins Lab. Without hesitation, they blasted through the front door, storming into the compound. The soldiers stationed in the basement valiantly attempted to hold their ground, but they were no match for the army's riot shields and superior firepower.
In the midst of the firefight, Brenner quickly snatched up Eleven and made a dash for safety. Alas, Owens was not so lucky and was left handcuffed to the wall, just in time for Sullivan to arrive and begin interrogating her.
Outside, a helicopter suddenly appeared on the horizon. The sniper aboard took aim and fired, striking Sullivan in the leg and back. As he lay bleeding profusely, Eleven was left chained helplessly on the floor. The sniper's gaze then shifted towards El, his next target.
Owens intervened, insisting that they should put El into a medically induced coma. His theory was that Eleven was not the killer and that a much more powerful supernatural force was at play. However, Sullivan refused to listen and allowed the sniper to take the shot.
Just before the fatal blow could be delivered, Jonathan and the others arrived on the scene, honking their horn loudly. The distraction was enough for El to stand up and unleash her powers, even with the neck brace still in place. She turned the helicopter upside down and slammed it into the ground, standing tall in front of the raging inferno that consumed the metal wreckage.
Jonathan and the rest of the gang arrived just in time. In his final act, Brenner unlocked Eleven's collar, before succumbing to his injuries. Mike and Will reunited with their old friend, and together, they raced off before Sullivan could stop them. Their destination was Hawkins, over 2000 miles away, but Eleven warned that everyone was in grave danger if they didn't reach there soon.
As the episode drew to a close, a tense montage unfolded, showing our Hawkins kids banding together and preparing for a showdown with Vecna. But were they walking into a trap? The suspense was palpable as the fate of the group hung in the balance.
