6 unsung heroes of Stranger Things 3

Alexei

Anyone who knows me knows that I have such a soft spot for Alexei (Alec Utgoff) and I really think he deserved better. All he wanted was a cherry Slurpee from the local 7-11.

Anyways, I think we all knew that there would be some kind of foreign involvement in the Upside Down eventually, and that was made clear in the first five minutes of the first episode. That being said, I definitely didn’t expect to fall in love with one of the very people who is on the side we’re supposed to be against! It was Smirnoff himself (Hopper’s nickname for him, not mine)!

With Murray’s help, he explained what was going on with the lab and how they were creating a portal to the Upside Down all while longing for a cherry Slurpee (not strawberry!) and to watch Looney Tunes. He just wanted to live the “American Dream” and got a little taste of it at the Fun Fair. I mean, watching him play the balloon popping game with children supporting him and cheering him on was just the sweetest! He even didn’t want to believe Murray when he said the games were rigged, and put a little more happiness into Hawkins that day after winning the big prize.

Ultimately, he was able to win over Murray and the hearts of every Stranger Things fan watching at home. He even inspired some of the best memes from the new season! I mean, just check out this article from Buzzfeed.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: #justiceforAlexei.