Stranger Things 3 – Chapter: Two: The Mall Rats recap: Winners and losers

In our recap of “Chapter Two: The Mall Rats” of Stranger Things 3, we picked a few winners and losers from the episode. Eleven is definitely the big winner, while Heather is clearly the biggest loser.

Stranger Things 3 brought us to the summer of 1985, and it’s really starting to heat up in Hawkins.

For those taking a break between episodes, we recapped the second episode of Stranger Things 3, “Chapter Two: The Mall Rats,” and we picked a few winners and losers from the episode and moving forward.

We shared a few winners and losers the second episode of Stranger Things 3!

Winner: Eleven

Eleven is clearly the big winner of the second episode of Stranger Things 3! After Hopper gets to Mike and Mike panics, Eleven knows something is up and enlists the help of Max to get to the bottom of it.

Instead of worrying about Eleven’s problems with Mike, Max shows Eleven a great time at the mall and proves there are much better things in life than “stupid boys.” After having a fun time at the mall getting ice cream and upgrading her wardrobe, Eleven runs into Mike outside the mall. There, after calling out his lies, Eleven dumps him!

It’s one of Eleven’s best moments in the whole series so far. She is growing up before our eyes.

Loser: Mike

With Eleven being a big winner of the episode, that makes Mike one of the biggest losers.

I was shocked that Mike gave into Hopper’s demands. I think, after everything they have been through, Mike would not be affected by the Sheriff. But, teenage boys make dumb mistakes, and this clearly one of Mike’s low moments in the series so far.

Friends don’t lie, and Mike of all people should know that. Luckily, I have a feeling this not the end of their relationship. Mike’s going to need to do a lot of work to get out of the dog house, though.

Winner: Nancy

All these characters are so strong for what they continue to go through in this series, but Nancy is clearly one of the strongest characters in the whole show. The crap that she’s forced to put up with as an intern at the Hawkins Post is awful. Sadly, it’s a reality that many women faced back then and continue to face today.

Nancy has great instincts, and she acts on those instincts when a tip comes into the Hawkins Post about rats eating fertilizer and acting crazy.

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Nancy and Jonathan visit Mrs. Driscoll, an old woman, after she calls in the tip about the rats. They see a rat acting crazy, and shortly after they leave, the rat explodes, turns to sludge, and then slides off out of the cage before it somehow evolves and scurries off. What?!

Nancy knew something was up, and she acted on those instincts. That’s why she’s a winner of “The Mall Rats.”

Loser: Billy

After the first episode, it was clear Billy was in trouble, and now, it’s clear how much trouble Billy is in. It looks like he’s been infected by the Mind Flayer, though not the same way that Will was, or so it appears.

The Mind Flayer revealed himself to Will and then possessed him by infiltrating his mouth, nose and eyes. Billy, on the other hand, looks to have been attacked by something from the Upside Down. We see, from a flashback, a long tentacle thing over Billy’s face.

Later, it seems the Mind Flayer has taken over his mind, and he sees this vision, similar to the ones Will used to have, where it appears he’s in the Upside Down with red lightning all around. He sees himself, but it’s definitely the Mind Flayer instructing him to “build.”

Billy doesn’t understand what he means, but after suffering through his stint at the lifeguard stand, he quickly finds out. Bad, bad, bad things are happening to Billy.

And, that leads me to my next loser…

Loser: Heather

Poor Heather, we barely knew you.

Heather, the other lifeguard, played by Francesca Reale, tries to help Billy, and Billy sees her saying “Take me to him.” Shortly after, Billy knocks her out in the shower and then takes her to the Brimborn warehouse where the monster does something to her.

Does it eat her? We haven’t seen the Mind Flayer do that, but I don’t think so. Billy says something like, “it will be over soon.” And, that makes me think that she is still alive. Plus, if it wanted her dead, Billy would have just killed her at the pool.

Heather has a part to play yet, but what?

Winner: Hopper before dinner

Hopper was feeling pretty awesome after Mike bailed on Eleven. That scene when he’s driving to work and listening to “You don’t mess around with Jim” by Jim Croce. He’s having a great day! He tells Joyce it’s the first day they haven’t hung out for six months, and he even asks her out on a date, although he claims it’s not a date.

Hopper breaks up a protest at the Mayor’s office. The Hawkins townsfolk are not happy about the Starcourt Mall and rising property taxes.

Then, Hopper goes to dinner, and it all hits the fan.

Loser: Hopper after dinner

Joyce doesn’t show up for dinner with Hopper at Enzo’s, and Hopper continues to get really drunk. He leaves in a fuss, and he runs into the big Russian who killed the scientist in the first episode. The Russians are in Hawkins!

Hopper is clearly upset, and I don’t think it’s going to help his relationship with Joyce or his mental health.

Winner: Mr. Clarke

Mr. Clarke is back! Played by Randy Havens, Mr. Clarke is the science teacher at Hawkins Middle School, and he’s basically the reason the kids know anything about how the Upside Down works at all. And, he’s back!

I wasn’t sure if Mr. Clarke would be in the new season, but I’m really glad he’s making an appearance. Joyce goes to him with her magnet questions, and she realizes that there’s probably a machine de-magnetizing her magnets.

I think we all know what this means…

Loser: Will

Will just wants to play Dungeons and Dragons, and instead, he’s getting dragged all around Hawkins setting up radio towers and helping Mike with girl problems. I don’t have the official count, but I’m pretty sure he’s mentioned playing D&D like five times in two episodes.

Hopefully, he gets his wish soon!

Winner: Steve and Robin

Robin and Steve, the awesome pair from Scoops Ahoy, works with Dustin to solve the Russian message. Robin proves to be much better at cracking the code than Dustin and Steve, and she even translates the first line: “The week is long.” What does it mean?

Steve, on the other hand, comes up in the clutch, and he realizes the music from the tape is coming from the Starcourt Mall. The music matches the music on the Indiana Flyer rocking horse in the mall.

In the next scene, we see Hopper run into the big Russian at Enzo’s. The Russians have arrived in Hawkins!

And, that takes us to the third episode!