Stranger Things Recap: Episode 7 “The Bathtub”

Recapping the episode 7 “The Bathtub” of the Netflix Original series Stranger Things.

Eleven and the boys flee from the Wheeler home before Brenner and his crew can apprehend their asset. After getting free, Lucas and Eleven apologize to each other. Brenner talks to the Wheeler parents to find out if they’ve hidden Eleven and he pressures Karen to trust Brenner when he says he’s trying to protect them and not let anyone else get hurt.

She’s pretty skeptical but Mr. Wheeler says they work for the government and they’re on their side. He was also clueless to the notion that Mike was hiding Eleven in the basement for a week.

Jonathan and Nancy tell Hopper and Joyce they were going after the monster before Jonathan was arrested for beating up Steve. Later in the police station, school bully Troy tells Hopper about a girl with a shaved head and special powers. He has to find Eleven and the boys before Brenner does and delivers that message to Mike via walkie-talkie so he can come rescue them before Brenner’s people get to them.

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Now that everyone is together, they need Eleven to locate Will and Barb with her special powers, but she can’t do it until she gets the idea that she can do it in the bathtub she used to be forced into to.

The boys find out how to build a sensory deprivation chamber from their science teacher Mr. Clark. It’s basically a little pool with 1,500 pounds of salt and science goggles with black tape over the eyes.

Joyce comforts Eleven and tells her how brave she’s being and displayed some real maternal instincts. A stark contrast Eleven was used to under Brenner’s rule.

Credit: Stranger Things - Netflix (screengrab) — Credit: Stranger Things – Netflix (screengrab)

She sees Barb who is covered in what looks like a black, slimy, decaying web or cocoon. Looks like she’s dead. But then Eleven finds Will who was hiding in Castle Byers, the fort he would frequent “on the other side.” before he was taken.

He looks rough. His skin is a shade of blue and he looks near death. Joyce tells Eleven to tell him she’s coming for him and he needs to hold on a little longer. Suddenly, smoke envelops the room and he disappears.

Now, Joyce and Hopper know where the gate is and how they can get to Will. They just need to break into Hawkins Lab to get there.

The episode closes with Will quietly singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” when the monster crashes through his hideout and the credits roll.