Stranger Things 4X2: Chapter Two: Vecna's Curse

HOPPER IS ALIVE. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Turns out, he somehow managed to survive the explosion and was immediately captured by Russians soldiers and taken back to Russia. After he is beaten and tortured for not giving them any information (but especially about Joyce who they have a picture of), he's put into a prison that is supposed to be hell. Turns out, the prison guard is the same person who contacted Joyce with the doll. She and Murray call the number and figure out what's going on. Joyce had to bring 40k to Alaska and this guy will get Hopper out of prison. Supposedly.

Mike goes to California to visit El, and it's kind of a disaster so far. She's been lying to him about how great her life is, and now it's all catching up with her. They going to a roller rink (which I had great nostalgia for), and El gets hardcore bullied by the assholes who hate her. Will finally lets Mike in on the fact that El's whole life is a ruse, and things are not good for her here. Bitch girl and her associates set El up in the middle of rink. They surround her and taunt her, until finally, they throw milkshake on her. She flees and hides.

Afterwards, she approaches head bitch and asks her to apologize to her and tell Mike that they are actually friends. Again, she gets laughed at and mocked. As the group is leaving, El finally loses her temper, grabs someone's roller skate and smashes her in the face with it. It's kind of great. (Even though, I wouldn't condone this in real life. But maybe in this situation, I would 😳).

Meanwhile, Max shows up to Dustin and tells him about what she saw with Eddie and Chrissy last night. Dustin is sure he didn't do it, so they set out to find him. Eventually, they do, but he's so freaked out, he almost kills Steve. He tells them they will never believe him if he tells them the truth, but does anyway. After everything they've seen, they obviously believe him. And they formulate a theory that this time it isn't the Mind Flayer, but some kind of dark wizard.

I'm enjoying this season. It seems much easier to follow then the previous seasons. Also, I really want everyone to be back in the same space. I don't like us being separated. I don't care where we all want to live, but it should be in the same space!