The season finale of Stranger Things 3 didn't disappoint at all but left some questions and grabbing the tissues. Here's a recap!
As El is in severe pain from the mind flayer, Johnathan uses a knife to cut it out, but El can't take any more of that pain and uses her powers to pull it out and throw it where the appearance of Joyce, Murray, and Hopper stomps on the sucker.
The gang develops a plan; the kids run to Murray's place while the grown-ups stop the machine. But they will need someone who knows where to go, which leads to Dustin using his Cerebro to stay connected when Hopper, Joyce, and Murray are underground. But just as things go to plan, Billy and the Mind Flayer come to the mall.
Hiding from the Mind Flayer, the team split up as El, Mike and Max go one way and the others go to another. When Johnathan and Nancy fix the car, Billy is charging with his to ram, but Steve stops him just in time, and the rest drive away with the Mind Flayer chasing after them.
When El, Mike, and Max get outside, they spot Billy and make a run for it. But they couldn't stop Billy and took out Max and Mike but a powerless El and took her to the middle of the mall for the Mind Flayer.
Just when the Mind Flayer gets back and is about to take El, Nancy, Lucas, and the rest of the high-power fireworks to hurt the creature. Billy holds on to El, but El figures out the key to stop him and bring the honest Billy back, memories of his mother soon after Billy sacrifices himself to save El and dies.
As Hopper and Joyce await Murray to shut down the power, Joyce sets up a date night with Hopper. When Murray shuts down the power, Joyce and Hopper try to get the keys from the safe, but the codes aren't accurate. That's where Dustin's girlfriend comes into play, but before reaching the code that they need, Dustin and Suzie must sing their song. They got the code and the keys, and just when they were about to shut down the machine, the biker came in, and they two went at it.
They fight near the machine; he stops the biker and tosses him into the machine. There, Hopper is stuck, and Joyce turns both keys and stops the machine that explodes, taking not only the people who came in, the mind flayer, but also Hopper.
Just as everything is over, Dr. Owens returns with reinforcements, but it is too damn late. As Joyce reunites with Will, El is looking for Hopper and sees Joyce and knows that he didn't make it. Three months later, Joyce, Johnathan, Will, and El leave, making some emotional and funny moments. El tells Mike that she knows what he said to Max and that she loves him, too. Dustin gets made fun and Mike and Will not only forgive one another but will not play D&D with anyone else.
But the most complex scene comes when Joyce finds Hopper's speech, and El sees her reading. El reads the speech about how to grow up and all but how she has helped him see the light through the darkened tunnel. As soon as she's done reading the message, everyone gives their tearful and laughable goodbyes.
Steve and Robin get a job at Family Videos, but Steve needs some help from Robin to get the position. Back to the Future is not about a son going back in time to sleep with his mother.
The episode ends with a mid-credit scene in a Russian prison and two guards who take someone else to battle with the Demogorgon. But also they have an American too! HOLY SHIT!!!! Could Hopper be alive? Who's the American prison in Russia?
The season finale was every bit amazing with its intense and emotional writing and performances. The moments shine with Billy sacrificing himself to Joyce and Hopper and even El, Mike, and Joyce. That speech that El reads was the tearjerking moment of the season. I had to grab a coke cola. Not only does Millie Bobby Brown give an outstanding performance, but also Wynona Ryder and David Harbour. This episode was the best season finale scene in Season One and probably the best season so far.
This finale leads me to my next question: will a season four exist? Netflix has a horrible track record for canceling shows after three seasons. I do believe that Netflix will give Stranger Things a season four, and this could be the final season, with what the Duffer Brothers have mentioned about a four-season plan. To all the fans out there, we must keep the renewal hopes alive.
Overall, I give this episode a 10/10. And the Season is a 9.5/10.
You can catch Stranger Things 1, 2 and 3 on Netflix now.