This episode is fantastic, using the introduction of a new creature to brilliantly ramp up the sense of impending horror. The innocence with which Dustin adopts the queer, tadpole-like Dart immediately becomes deeply eerie when Will realizes it’s an invader from the Upside Down. This sets a fantastic, unsettling biological threat for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, the character focus is incredibly strong. Eleven’s secret search for her past, fueled by the Eggo she uses as a homing device, is fascinating and promises a new emotional journey. Her loneliness and jealousy lead to a chilling, unexpected display of power against Max, proving her isolation is unsustainable.
Crucially, Will’s deepening trauma is handled with heartbreaking intensity, confirming his connection to the Shadow Monster is becoming dangerously intimate.