A while ago, Netflix brought Hawkins, Indiana back, darker than ever. The newest installment of this '80s nostalgia-fest, while somewhat contradictory toward its predecessors as far as tone goes, still brings everything that is to be loved about Stranger Things back for more binging. And whether it's more of Eleven being a little badass, Hopper being Hopper, secret Russian codes being transmitted from underneath a mall (yes, that's a thing now), or all new monsters for the gang to fend off, season three has plenty to offer. And this article has plenty of spoilers to offer, to those whom it may concern.
10. Nancy and Jonathan V The Flayed
This season starts out on the rocky side for Nancy and Jonathan's relationship, with Jonathan not buying into Nancy's suspicions about the rats. Nancy's theory is proven correct and the two reconcile on their way to visit Mrs Driscoll in the hospital, but things only escalate when they are trapped with Tom and Bruce, who are under the influence of the Mind Flayer. The pair are left with no way of alerting the others, forcing them to fight the Mind Flayer's superhuman lackeys alone. They are clearly outmatched during this intense showdown, but still manage to outsmart their adversaries and defeat them simultaneously.
9. The Mind Flayer's Plan
For those who love to fear and cheer the villain, the Mind Flayer's plan is a moment of awesome for showing how intelligent a creature it is. Upon getting its second chance to assault Hawkins, it immediately identifies Eleven as its biggest threat and reacts accordingly. It infects rats to more easily spread its infection, graduating to multiple humans to build a force of people bound to its will. Then it creates a physical avatar capable of breaking through walls, healing from attacks, infecting more victims, and moving at surprising speeds.
After this, it immediately moves to target El, planning to infect and control its most powerful enemy. And upon ending her, as it awesomely announced through Billy, it would end her friends and then everyone. If it weren't for Hopper's unforeseen involvement, this creature would have won.
8. Assaulting The Mayor (Every Time)
The sleazy Larry Kline topped every fan's hit list by using his authority as mayor to coerce Hopper into arresting multiple protesters. In a second meeting with Hopper, he outdoes himself by insulting the memory of Hopper’s deceased daughter. What results can't even be called a fistfight, as Hop throws Kline around with the cowardly bureaucrat too busy pathetically pleading to even throw a punch.
Not even his secretary can intervene; she can't call the police when their chief is the one doing the beating. Kline spends the rest of the season as the show's least sympathetic butt monkey, being choked out by Grigori, receiving a nasty sucker punch from Joyce, and finally being arrested in the season finale.
7. Mike And El Say Those Three Words
The relationship between Eleven and Mike is probably one of the purest relationships in fiction and continues to be the heart of the series.
Eleven dumps Mike after she catches him lying to her and he spends a good deal of the rest of the season trying to get her back. In the midst of this, Mike confesses aloud to the rest of the gang that he loves her, under the assumption that she can't hear him. But toward the end of the season finale, El steps up and tells Mike "I love you too."
Unfortunately, Joyce takes on the role of raising Eleven in the (apparently) late Hopper's place and the family is forced to leave Hawkins by the economic fallout resulting from Starcourt Mall opening. But given that Mike and Eleven didn't let a government conspiracy, the Upside Down, Hopper forcing her to fake her death for 353 days to protect her, or Soviet Russia keep them apart for good, this is likely to only be a minor inconvenience.
6. Erica Infiltrates A Russian Base
Lucas’s little sister Erica was little more than an anti-nerd punchline in the first two seasons. But in season three, she has a main role and some of the funniest bits of any character. Dustin, Steve, and Robin are forced to negotiate for her help, as she is the only one small enough to fit in the vent at the back of Scoops Ahoy that might lead to a Russian signal.
The girl drives a hard bargain, snatching a lifetime supply of free ice cream. The gang's newly acquired asset sneaks them into the Russian base and helps defeat the Soviet infiltrators with surprisingly quick wit and a vast reservoir of hilarious sass. Even during the Cold War, you can’t spell “America” without “Erica”.
5. El And Max's Shopping Spree
The '80s makeover montage Stranger Things was missing is finally here. Max and Eleven didn't initially warm to each other upon the former's introduction last season. Seeing the two girls get away from the boys to bond was refreshing, especially if involves a startlingly accurate '80s mall and "Material Girl" accompanying the shopping spree.
El buys herself brighter wardrobe and it sticks for the rest of the season along with the newfound friendship between the two girls. And what better way to end a girl's shopping spree than to have El triumphantly dump Mike for lying about his grandmother being sick? Puberty: the real monster of season three.
4. Hopper Takes On The Terminator
Every scene where Hopper goes up against Grigori, the Russians' answer to the Terminator, is epic. Out of shape and usually only having to deal with a crook or a protester, he still goes the distance with sheer courage. The first time, Hopper manages to get a few hits in despite being overpowered Grigori. The second time, Grigori still has the upper hand, but Hopper fares better, injuring the Russian's knee with a wrench and keeping him from effectively pursuing as Hop and Joyce escape a captive Alexei in tow.
The third time, Hopper is more prepared and gets the jump on him, managing to shoot him repeatedly and only stopping short of killing him because of Grigori's Kevlar. The final time is a complete beatdown in the front of the Gate to the Upside Down, ending with Hopper tossing Grigori into the spinning blades of the collider with an excellently delivered farewell: "I'll see you in Hell."
3. Robin Comes Out
Still somewhat heartbroken after things ending with Nancy, things seem to be looking up for Steve as he bonds with fellow Scoops Ahoy employee, Robin. Unfortunately, it's not to be; the crush Steve thought Robin had on him was directed toward a girl who couldn’t stop staring at him in high school.
After three seasons, there is finally a canon LGBTQ character, and unlike other newcomers, she survives for season four. It's a happy resolution for everyone, except for Steve, who’s now 0 for 7.
2. Billy Saves Eleven
Introduced in season two as the scary '80s bully, Billy’s a character fans can love to hate. Cruel and sadistic even before the Mind Flayer possesses him, he proves the deadliest of the Mind Flayer’s soldiers. He nearly kills the gang in episode four, including Eleven, and then gives away their position in episode seven, leading to the Mind Flayer finding them and destroying Hopper's house.
But in the darkest hour, about to die at his hand, El gets through to him. Moved by the memory of his mother, he sacrifices himself to save her and the rest of the gang. His sacrifice saved the day, redeemed his actions, and saved everyone, including Max.
1. Dustin And Suzie
It was questionable if Dustin’s “hotter-than-Phoebe-Cates” girlfriend existed. Proof to the contrary resulted in one of the purest scenes in the show. While their scene together broke the tension a bit, it was a happy calm before the storm got even worse. Their duet of "The Neverending Story" resulted in many YouTube searches and likely had many nostalgic people cheerfully singing along. The end of the world can wait. Dusty-bun and Suzie-poo are dropping their album.
