Stranger Things 3X7: Chapter Seven: The Bite

So we start with the Mind Flayer attacking. El is able to sort of hold it off. But it's really relentless. Eventually, she manages to beat it into submission, but not before it gets a good chunk of her leg. Once El gets it away, they flee; and Nancy drives them to the store. Inside, they clean and bandage up El. While this is happening, Lucas and Will run into a fireworks display and think it's a good back-up plan to deal with the Mind Flayer if El is down.

Meanwhile, Dustin and Erica are trying to deal with a seriously drugged up Steve and Robin. They are super high and cannot understand the severity of what is going on. Dustin manages to get them out of the underground and back to mall. He sneaks them into a movie and tells Erica to watch them while he tries to contact Mike. However, his. batteries are low, and everything is cutting out. When he gets back, he and Erica realize Steve and Robin are missing.

Turns out, they are busy throwing up in the bathroom. Once they start to come down, Steve confesses his feelings for her. But she tells him he doesn't even know her. And if he did, he wouldn't even want to be friends with her. He's confused and she tells him she's gay. He's surprised, but takes it in stride. Not long after that, Dustin and Erica burst in and they try to escape in a crowd of people that are exiting the movie. They aren't so lucky though, as they get spotted by some Russians, and are forced to run for it. They end up hiding under some kind of food court stand.

While they are hiding, the Russians find them, and it seems like the end is near. However, a car that is on display starts blaring an alarm, and the soldiers turn to look at it. Once that happens, the car hurtles towards them and kills them. We look up to see El and Co. are here to save the day. Once the Russians are taken care of, they all embrace and explain what's been going on since they last saw each other. However, El is getting some sort of tunnel vision and collapses in pain. When they ask what's wrong, she says her leg, and we see something moving under her leg. Part of the Mind Flayer, perhaps?

During this time, the adults are headed to the fair looking for the kids. When they get there, Joyce and Hopper head out and tell Murray and Alexei to wait in the car. They don't, and Alexei gets shot and dies (but not before explaining to Murray the best way to deal with the gate and the machine). When hopper sees a bunch of Russians, he sends Joyce to the car and deals with them the best he can. He takes out one, but the next one has body armor one. After that, they descent on him and the best he can do is grab one of their walkie-talkies and get away.

Once he's back in the car with Joyce and Murray, they hear over the walkie that the kids are at the mall. So they head that way.

We are at the finale next week! I wish I felt confident in this show to make predictions. But I'm too scattered for that. I'm guessing that maybe Joyce and Hopper destroy the machine (and the gate in the process), while El and Billy come face to face and she's got to overcome whatever's going on with her leg to defeat him because he's the 'face' of the Mind Flayer- and that thing hates her. I'm also hoping that we get an epilog of sorts with the kids just getting to be normal kids for a bit like we did at the end of last season. And the beginning of this season. Plus, I know Russians have to be involved somehow, and I hope Dustin is the one who beats them.