The group is trying to get away from a mutant creature at school in the first scene of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85. They think they’re in the clear, but then they remember that Charlie is still missing. They turn back to try to save him, even though the danger is getting worse and they don’t want to leave him behind.
The storm outside, on the other hand, gets worse. Eleven is stuck at home with nothing to do until she decides to go after Mike. With a blindfold on to help her focus, she follows him with her powers. She knows he’s in danger, so she pushes through the bad weather and leaves. At one point, she even uses a street sign as a sled to get through the storm faster.
The group is spread out in other places. Lucas and Max get away through the sewer system, but Jeff runs away on his own. They climb a nearby water tower to try to reach the others and call for help because their signal isn’t working.
Dustin hides out in a Food Mart, where he learns more about Daniel Baxter. He finds out that Baxter used to be a scientist at Hawkins Lab and was one of the first members of the Scientific Progress Committee. But Baxter never had a lot of success and left the field with only a commemorative watch as a sign of his success.
At the school, things get worse. The creature catches Charlie, but the others get there in time to save him. Even though Charlie is saved, he goes into a strange trance, which makes it seem like he and the creature are connected in a deeper way.
The kids know they have to stop the threat, so they decide to fight back and get their walkie-talkie back. Nikki comes up with a plan. She makes a homemade device called the “Taser Tot” in her makeshift lab. Its job is to stop and kill the creature.
Eleven shows up at the school during the fight, but Nikki’s invention works and takes down the monster before El has to step in. Charlie eventually wakes up from his trance, and Nikki officially joins the group.
Eleven finally sees Mike again at school a little while later. But the danger isn’t over yet; more creatures are seen coming toward Dustin’s location at the Food Mart.
Review of the Episode
In Episode 7, Nikki’s role grows even more, and she once again becomes the most important person in the fight against the creatures. Her inventions are the best tools the group has, which shows how important she is to the story.
The subplot with Max and Lucas seems more like a transition, moving them from one place to another without much happening. At the same time, Dustin’s discovery about Daniel Baxter and his link to Hawkins Lab adds an interesting mystery that could be important later.
The episode ends on a tense note as new threats close in on Dustin. It looks like he might not make it, which makes for a great cliffhanger for the next episode.
