Warning: the following article contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4 episode 4 ‘The Monster and the Superhero’
In Stranger Things season four episode three, “The Monster and the Superhero”, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is forced to make a life-changing decision about her powers, friends and trauma as another beloved Hawkins gal learns she’s being haunted by hers.
P.S. If you skipped an ep you can read our recap of episode two, “Vecna’s Curse”, here.
Anyway, here’s what you missed on Stranger Things.
Eleven leaves her friends to be a superhero bc who has time for high school drama, Becky?
Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Argyle (Eduardo Franco) come to pick up Eleven, Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and Will (Noah Schnapp) after Eleven smashed Angela’s (Elodie Grace Orkin) face with a plastic skating shoe. Mike asks why Eleven lied to him. Our fave telekinetic gal then confronts her boo about his estranged feelings towards her, noting he hasn’t written “I love you” back in their letters. Mike tells her she’s a superhero but she says she’s not anymore.
The police then rock up and take Eleven away. FBI Inspector Girlboss intercepts them with Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) AKA the man who helped Eleven and the Byers go to California. He tells her Hawkins is in danger. A war is coming. He can help her get her powers back so she can save her friends, but she won’t be able to see them or tell them where she is until she finishes her training. She decides to go become the superhero Mike believes her to be.
Things get frosty
Joyce and Murray head to Alaska to meet Enzo’s mysterious associate. Hopper bribes a fellow prisoner with a loaf of bread to break the chains between his legs with the dude’s pickaxe. Absolutely don’t want to see the raw footage for that, thanks.
I am once again reminding you teenagers are the worst
Jason (Mason Dye), Patrick (Myles Truitt), and his other goons on the basketball team are still searching for Eddie (Joseph Quinn). They find the other members of the Hellfire Club jamming out like a garage… band. Jason threatens them into revealing Eddie’s location as one of the Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts say Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) was looking for him too.
Lucas, who is tagging along with his dribble squad, then leads them to the cabin where Hopper and Eleven stayed in season one to delay them. In the words of Fall Out Boy: “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs”.
The lesbians investigate
Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Robin (Maya Hawke) search for information about Victor Kreel at the local library. They find a news report from the archives claiming Victor thought he was being haunted by a demon when he allegedly murdered his family. He tried to hold an exorcism to remove the demon but it failed and apparently made the Boogieman cranky-wanky. Victor then said via the news report the “demon” killed his wife and two kids and spared him as punishment. Oof. That’s a lot to talk about at therapy.
Save her, Kate Bush, you’re her only hope
Max (Sadie Sink) visits the school counselor’s office after dark with Dustin, Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy, Robin and Lucas. She learns she’s suffering from the same symptoms Chrissy and Fred did before Vecna killed them: nosebleeds, nightmares and past trauma. She then hears Vecna call out to her. Her spirit follows the voice and she finds a wall clock buried into the wall in the school hallway. If she dies we riot.
Catch the recap to Stranger Things season four episode four, “Dear Billy”, here.