{"id":155548,"date":"2025-11-27T11:10:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T11:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/155548\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T11:10:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T11:10:10","slug":"a-kidnapping-and-spoilers-big-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/155548\/","title":{"rendered":"A kidnapping and (SPOILER)’s big return"},"content":{"rendered":"

At this point in Stranger Things<\/a> 5 after the thrilling conclusion of episode 2<\/a>, we officially know that Mr. Whatsit is Vecna<\/a>, he\u2019s taken Holly, and more kids are in danger. The stakes are higher than ever going into episode 3, titled \u201cThe Turnbow Trap.\u201d And somehow, this one takes things up a notch again, improving from the last episode to answer some questions and still thicken a few mysteries. We are more than ready for the conclusion of Volume 1 now. But first…<\/p>\n

We recapped and reviewed episode 3 live right here.<\/p>\n

Eleven\u2019s kryptonite\"David<\/p>\n

David Harbour as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things: Season 5. | Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX \u00a9 2025<\/p>\n

Episode 3 opens up with Eleven and Hopper at the wall in the Upside Down, trying to figure out what it could be. Eleven is adamant that they have to get through it, while Hopper doesn\u2019t want to risk hurting her. Suddenly, electric shockwaves create a warped, then soon very painful, feeling for Eleven as the military gets closer.<\/p>\n

Joyce finally finds Will and Robin, understandably angry with them. But there\u2019s no time for scolding; Will explains that Vecna is going after children, and they need to stop him. Cut to Vecna\u2019s next victim: a kid named Derek Turnbow.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Henry tells Holly that Derek will be visiting them at Creel House soon during a conversation at breakfast. Holly has no idea she\u2019s in danger, as Henry, or Mr. Whatsit, convinces her he\u2019s the one keeping her from danger. Plus, he gives her gifts. He also makes Holly promise him that she\u2019ll never go out into the woods because that\u2019s where the monsters are. Hm, I wonder what\u2019s really in the woods.<\/p>\n

The military reaches the wall in the Upside Down, and while Eleven and Hopper hide, it\u2019s evident they\u2019re not alone. They use their electric device to try and find Eleven, which causes her to scream out. This is what she and Hopper refer to as her kryptonite, and unfortunately for El, it\u2019s not the last time we\u2019ll be seeing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The soldiers find Hopper, and a shootout begins, complete with Hopper\u2019s grenades\u2014which Murray smuggled for the group\u2014which destroys the electric device. Because of this, Eleven is ready to go again, and she and Hopper take down the remaining men.<\/p>\n

The plan to save Derek Turnbow\"<\/p>\n

Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow in Stranger Things: Season 5. | Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX \u00a9 2025<\/p>\n

The rest of the Hawkins crew meets up at the radio station to relay what they\u2019ve learned. Dustin lies about how he got injured, while Will delivers the news about Derek being the next target. Mike and Nancy explain that Vecna has been stalking Holly as Mr. Whatsit, questioning why he took the time to build up her trust.<\/p>\n

Together, the group forms a plan to save Derek\u2014but the only catch is that it involves kidnapping. Not the smartest plan, but it\u2019s the best thing they can think of quickly. There\u2019s doubt that saving Derek will even help them get closer to Vecna, but Mike has an idea. If they\u2019re able to get closer to a Demogorgon, they can shoot it with a telemetry tracker and follow where it goes. Theoretically, this would take them to Vecna.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And so, the plan is decided: They\u2019ll have to recruit someone that the Turnbow family trusts to go into their home and knock them out. Vecna would then send in a Demogorgon to take Derek, but he won\u2019t be there any longer. Instead, the group will be, and they\u2019ll ensure a tracking device gets inside the Demo. Simple? No. Easy? Absolutely not. But this is Stranger Things, so we can rest assured something will work\u2014even if it\u2019s not in the way they\u2019re initially planning.<\/p>\n

The big soundtrack moment in episode 3 is \u201cI Think We\u2019re Alone Now\u201d by Tiffany\u2014also used in a memorable scene<\/a> from Netflix\u2019s The Umbrella Academy\u2014during a scene where Holly explores Creel House while Henry is out. She bakes, watches TV, and looks through Henry\u2019s things, having a great time. That is, until someone repeatedly rings the doorbell, scaring her. When she opens the door, no one\u2019s there, but someone\u2019s left something for her in the mailbox. There\u2019s a note, which she assumes is from Henry, telling her that they need her help. There are directions to meet her, complete with a map and a compass.<\/p>\n

Back to Hopper and Eleven, they\u2019ve now captured one of the soldiers, hoping he can help them. Hopper assumes he\u2019ll know the convoy schedule so they can get back to the real world, while Eleven thinks he might know something about the wall. Clearly, Eleven isn\u2019t ready to leave the Upside Down without answers\u2014or killing Vecna\u2014but Hopper is prioritizing her safety.<\/p>\n

\"Millie<\/p>\n

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things: Season 5. | Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX \u00a9 2025<\/p>\n

Erica to the rescue<\/p>\n

Great news for all of you Erica fans, because episode 3 is finally when she enters. Mike and Lucas try to recruit her to help them kidnap Derek, knowing she\u2019s friends with his older sister. Erica is angry that she hasn\u2019t been included in the crawls, but she\u2019s eventually convinced to join them.<\/p>\n

The most questionable part of the plan is how they\u2019ll be able to knock out a whole family. Well, of course, they have an idea for that. Because Vickie works at the hospital, Robin knows a way to steal Benzos. Will accompanies her, and at the hospital, he admits to seeing Robin and Vickie kissing. He has questions for her, like how she knew that Vickie would want to date her, and Robin explains the signs.<\/p>\n

Dustin and Steve are back on speaking terms\u2014though barely\u2014as they prepare Steve\u2019s car for the plan. Just as they tracked Hopper during the crawls, they\u2019ll be tracking the Demogorgon once they get the tracking device inside of it. But this time, they\u2019ll be using Steve\u2019s car instead of the radio station van, and to Steve\u2019s horror, Dustin drills a hole into the roof for their satellite.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When Murray delivers more supplies to the group, he notices Nancy and Jonathan inserting the transmitter trackers into their guns and doubts their plan will work. Nancy is even more fiesty this season, which I love, and has a few really great one-liners. They end up putting the theory to the test, and, of course, it works. The tracker makes it out unscathed when being shot from a gun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When he\u2019s alone, Jonathan pulls out an engagement ring, clearly unsure of how or if he should pop the question. But there\u2019s not a lot of time for thinking.<\/p>\n

The military is keeping something like Eleven\"Millie<\/p>\n

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things: Season 5. | Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX \u00a9 2025<\/p>\n

In the Upside Down, Hopper begins interrogating the soldier, who we learn is named Akers (played by one of the actors in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Alex Breaux). He won\u2019t budge at first, but fortunately for them, Eleven can enter his mind. She follows one of his memories, which leads her to a metal vault down a hallway, and she realizes there\u2019s something\u2014or someone\u2013being kept locked away. She tells Hopper that the military is keeping someone powerful like her, and she thinks it\u2019s Vecna.<\/p>\n

The group is ready to carry out the plan to save Derek, and phase one is for Erica to visit the Turnbows. She\u2019s invited inside for dinner and offers them a pie with the drugs inside. But while the rest of the family enjoys the dessert, Derek\u2019s brother Tina refuses, saying she\u2019s watching her calories. Suddenly, the family members begin acting strangely and pass out, and Erica is left with no choice but to stick Tina with a needle containing the drugs. Definitely a full-on crime; let\u2019s hope Erica doesn\u2019t get caught!<\/p>\n

While waiting for the Demogorgon to arrive, Joyce and Will talk outside and have a really great conversation. Joyce feels regretful for not being there the night Will was taken, admitting to drinking wine and passing out\u2014not realizing he was gone for a full eight hours. They share another sweet moment here, and again, I love scenes between them. A lot of their conversations have been long overdue.<\/p>\n

Before long, Steve and Dustin notice the street lights flickering from Steve\u2019s car, and the Demogorgon appears in Derek\u2019s room looking for him. But of course, Derek isn\u2019t there. The group goes full Home Alone with traps here, a fun homage for the holidays, and Nancy and Jonathan begin shooting and throwing grenades at the Demo. It runs back through the portal to the Upside Down, and the group attempts to track the signal from Steve\u2019s car. But Will doesn\u2019t think it\u2019ll work because he feels that Vecna is watching them.<\/p>\n

\"Stranger<\/p>\n

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in STRANGER THINGS. | Cr. Courtesy of Netflix \u00a9\u00a02025<\/p>\n

Max is back\u2026 sort of!<\/p>\n

Now, are you ready for this cliffhanger ending, Stranger Things fans? We\u2019re finally about to get answers about Max. After receiving the note, Holly decides to go out into the woods to follow the instructions to, as she assumes, find Henry. But what she finds is the farthest thing from what she\u2019s expecting. Yes, it\u2019s Max! We don\u2019t get any details here, but you can bet we\u2019ll be getting an explanation in episode 4.<\/p>\n

The plot tightens up in episode 3, and I really think it\u2019s because the Hawkins crew is largely together this time, instead of being split apart. All in all, it\u2019s a solid episode that flows nicely, and if nothing else, it sets up exciting things to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Episode Grade: B+<\/p>\n

You can now stream the first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 on Netflix<\/a> and read all of our coverage right here at Winter is Coming. The next three episodes of the season will be released on December 25, and the finale drops on December 31.<\/p>\n

More Stranger Things 5 recaps\/reviews:Stranger Things season 5 episode 1 recap and review: Looking for Vecna and meeting Mr. Whatsit<\/a>Stranger Things season 5 episode 2 recap and review: Eleven’s Upside Down journey and Mr. Whatsit revealed<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At this point in Stranger Things 5 after the thrilling conclusion of episode 2, we officially know that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":155549,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[146,85,46,411],"class_list":["post-155548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-entertainment","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155548"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155548\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}