Netflix's Stranger Things season 3, episode 7 recap: The Bite

Stranger Things 3 begins all out war between The Party, the Mind Flayer, Jopper, and the Russians in “The Bite.” Will Eleven survive? We’ve got the recap!

“The Bite” was written and directed by the Duffer Brothers. All of the arcs that have been running since “The Sauna Test” finally come to a close. The endgame of Stranger Things 3 begins. Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) is at the height of her powers, but her connection to the Mind Flayer may neutralize them. By the end of the episode, everyone will be headed for Star Court Mall.

The Trees are Moving

Mayor Kline (Cary Elwes) opens his holiday fair to thunderous enthusiasm. Karen (Car Buono) slips the Ferris Wheel operator a fiver to get him to stop the wheel at the peak. She wants Ted (Joe Chrest) and Holly (Anniston Price and Tinsley Price) to have the perfect view of the fireworks display. It’s adorable and romantic. Karen really does love her family. Ted is freaked out. Holly is having fun poking fun at her dad with her mom. But she also notices the trees are moving.

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It’s the totally corporeal Mind Flayer. He’s stalkin’ in Hawkins. The Party prepares as best as they can with danger barreling down on them. Nancy (Natalia Dyer) gets a shotgun. Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) gets an ax. Eleven focuses her brain. Will (Noah Schnapp) gets a tingle and shortly after, Mind Flayer arms are coming through the walls. El is able to hold them off. She looks like Spider-Man pulling his trademark hold-a-structure-together feat. But, El is repelling the arms.

The shotgun has an effect, but it’s not a golden gun. Eventually, the Mind Flayer grabs a hold of El’s left leg and bites down. El is nearly swallowed whole by the Mind Flayer. Nancy shoots and Lucas hacks at the arm. The arm is yanked off El, which leaves deep gashes in her leg. She turns around, looks up, and splits the Mind Flayer’s head in half. But, it doesn’t seem to be dead. Just extremely dazed. I mean, it’s wig just got split.

Carnivals are Dangerous

Have you seen Us, yet? Carnivals are dark and scary places. Sometimes there are dark forces at work. Sometimes the money hungry mayor of your down calls in a Soviet death squad to the carnival he organized. Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), Murray (Brett Gelman), and Dr. Alexi (Alec Utgoff) all arrive at said carnival.

Stranger Things — Credit: Netflix

Jopper looks for the kids, Murray and Dr. Alexi go looking for America. Alexi wins a big prize that looks like Woody Woodpecker. He goes to tell Murray, who’s buying them hotdogs on sticks. But, Terminator Grigori (Andrey Ivchenko) walks up in front of Alexi and shoots him in the chest. RIP Smirnoff.

Murray is crestfallen. Joyce roughs up the mayor. Hopper has an Enter the Dragon fight with Grigori. Hopper gets the upper hand and shoots Grigori at least four times in the chest. But, he’s wearing Teflon. Hopper manages to get away with Joyce and Murray in the Todd Father. Hopper has one of the Russian’s walkie talkies. The overhear that the Russians have located “the kids” in the mall. Team Jopper floors it.

Chest-Bumping the Shark

Team Scoops Ahoy gets away from the Russians and hides in a screening of Back to the Future. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) radios Mike (Finn Wolfhard). They connect! But, the transmission quickly cuts out because the walkie’s batteries are low. Erica (Priah Ferguson) doesn’t have any. What’s worse? Steve (Joe Kerry) and Robin (Maya Hawke) have disappeared.

Steve and Robin are still really high from the drugs the Russians gave them. They see cool stuff but have to vomit. In the bathroom, Steve confesses that he actually has feelings for Robin. We knew that was coming because this is technically a Young Adult show. But Robin looks misunderstood. She was mad at Steve in high school. But, not for ignoring her. But for drawing the attention of her crush away from her. The two share a knowing look. Robin is gay.

Stranger Things — Credit: Netflix

Steve’s reaction is to process and then immediately start making fun of Robin’s crush. The two laugh it up. On the one hand, showing a CIS-gendered white guy hear and accept someone who comes out to them is important. But, I can’t help but see this as more character development for Steve. Like, wow, look at how cool he is. There’s just no limitation to his coolness. That’s a major miss-use of someone coming out. Especially since this is taking place in the mid-80s in America’s Heartland. That’s not the safest place to come out. Again, I think this is positive for the storytelling. But, it’s also like Stranger Things is saying, ‘Hey! We have a gay character! We’re not going to acknowledge their struggle and have the fact they’re gay completely serve a straight white male character’s arc. But. We’re cool!’

Dustin and Erica reunite with Steve and Robin. They plan to blend in with the crowd exiting the theater. It works until they notice Russian guards stopping people at checkpoints on the way out of the theater. They try to escape but are found and about to be shot to death.

Pass the Germs

Eleven and Mike talk at a supermarket. The Party has broken in to get supplies to treat El’s wounds. Mike all but says the word love to El. It’s clear that she is receiving a good part of what he’s trying to say. This is when Dustin radios Mike.

In another aisle, Lucas and Will (Noah Schnapp) are looking for bowls. They find fireworks, instead. Although Max (Sadie Sink) thinks it’s ridiculous, Lucas packs up the whole display for use against the Mind Flayer’s next attack. The group heads out before Billy (Dacre Montgomery gets there. El’s blood is on the ground. It looks flayed! Oh, no!

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The Party heads for the mall and sees that Team Scoops Ahoy about to be killed. El creates a diversion by setting off a car alarm. Then she throws the car at the Russians, seemingly killing all of them. The two groups reunite. Erica and Lucas can’t believe they’re both involved in any of this. Erica is excited to meet El. But, El falls down in pain. Her leg is pulsating flayed pus.

Are you enjoying Stranger Things 3? Has Eleven turned into a plot device? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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