Stranger Things: Season 4/ Episode 6 “Chapter Six: The Dive” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Alongside seeing Suzie’s hectic household, we learn why El killed everyone at the facility, and the cops announce Eddie as a suspect in a Hawkins Town Hall.

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Aired (Netflix)	5/27/2022
Director(s)	Nimrod Antal
Writer(s)	Curtis Gwinn
Introduced This Episode
Two	Tristan Spohn
The Orderly	Jamie Campbell Bower
Eden	Audrey Holcomb

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

“Chapter Six: The Dive” Summary

In Russia, Joyce and Murray force Yuri to get them to his Church warehouse, and then within eyesight of the prison they believe Hopper is at. The plan is that Murray will pretend to be Yuri, thus allowing Joyce and him to remain in control, and then they’ll find Hopper and hopefully escape. This is a bit of wishful thinking since Hopper is within a day or so of being fed to a Demogorgon. Since at the prison he was moved to, they use prisoners to become food, if not just entertain, the Demogorgon, so it won’t become bored and docile.

Switching over to Salt Lake City, despite what you may have been led to think about Suzie’s home life, it isn’t that. Yes, she is a nerd who is religious, but her household is not tight, prim, and clean. She has severely siblings, who clearly run the house, and with her being the second eldest, and not pitching in? That upsets her assumed sister Eden. Someone who Argyle is in love with on sight.

However, this trip wasn’t about Argyle meeting the girl of his dreams, it was about finding Nina, and after creating a few distractions, Suzie gets the coordinates, and the boys find out they basically drove past Project Nina in Nevada. So with a thank you, a nod to Dustin’s compliments about Suzie, and a goodbye, off the boys go!

This brings us to what’s happening in Nevada. Basically, we learn El was bullied by Two and his minions for tapping into her strength. A strength she only discovered thanks to someone noted as an Orderly, whose interference was noted, and he was punished for what he did. But, with remembering him and Two bullying her, we see why El killed Two and three of his minions. Now, as for how everyone else ended up dead? That is a bit more confusing.

And now, what is going on in Hawkins? Officer Powell announces Eddie is a prime suspect, and with him saying that, Jason explodes since Officer Powell omits the satanic element he believes should be part of the conversation. So, once more, Jason plays Gaston and gets people riled up. Luckily though, by the time the cops catch on to what Dustin and the rest are doing, Steve, Nancy, Eddie, and Robin are heading to the Upside Down after Steve finds a portal and gets sucked in. As for the others? Lucas, Dustin, and Max seemingly will be interrogated until Eddie’s location is known – as their parents freak out.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Did Eden remind anyone else of the girl who Jonathan seemingly had a chance with before Nancy decided to date him?
2. Why is Stacy’s household so hectic?
3. If there is a potential portal in Eddie’s house and another where Patrick was taken, how come no one has seen the portal where Fred was killed?
4. All things considered, is this the first time the Hawkins gang had their parents interact with one another?

What Could Happen Next

1. Understanding what happened after Eleven likely killed Two and his minions
2. Getting to see the Upside Down beyond the bits and pieces we saw in the past
3. Suzie cluing in Dustin about what’s going on out West, at least with Mike, Will, and Jonathan
4. A bloodbath in Russia

Review

Highlights

Venturing Into Eleven’s Past

There is something immensely interesting about The Orderly person. He is kind, honest, and helps El tap into her power, yet he was wiped out in her memories. Why is that? He seemingly was the only person in any way kind to her that gave her tools and didn’t push her to the point of a nosebleed.

Also, taking note of Two and his minions, I still need to question what happened with the group that El met a few seasons ago, specifically Episode 1 and Episode 7 of season 2? The lack of follow-up regarding what happened with Kali and how she plays a part in this still confuses me. But maybe I’m missing something? It has been almost five years since the two episodes noted.

The Hunt For Vecna

Whether it is Jason having his Gaston moment or Dustin and crew looking for Vecna, the whole hunt is really holding this season down. Now, I will say, the young adults heading into the Upside Down is definitely of interest since no one has been close to it without El before. However, that is the kind of escalation that brings interest. Not villains getting stronger and stronger, but the hero not sticking to what they always do and diversifying. El isn’t around, so while it is the hard way, doing things without her is also the only way Eddie isn’t going to go down, and maybe Dustin and Lucas as accomplices.

I mean, yes, Eddie is seen as the head of this all, but let’s not pretend Lucas and Dustin may not be used in order for Officer Powell to get a win. Never mind, with the way Jason is riling people up and him feeling betrayed by Lucas? He is perhaps an even bigger threat than the cops.

On The Fence

Russia Perpetually Feeling Like A “Wait and See” Storyline

Have things happened in Hopper’s storyline and Joyce’s quest to rescue him? Yes. But the problem with that storyline is that you know Hopper will get out. It is just a question of when and how? Because it is inevitable, waiting nearly an entire season for it to happen is frustrating. Also, while Murray and Joyce make a surprisingly good duo, it doesn’t make up for the fact this storyline, like everyone else out west, doesn’t have the same level of oomph as what is going on in Hawkins.

So, I’m left wondering if these three, Hopper, Joyce, and Murray, won’t rejoin the other west siders, or even those in Hawkins, until the next season? Which, as of now, I respect for it allows the Russians to be seen as formidable and not simply pushovers. Yet, with Russians being the de facto villains for decades and not much being done to make Yuri or Enzo break molds/stereotypes? It often feels like we’re forced to watch a sidequest that could be summed up in one episode. Whether a usual hour or so length or a movie-length long one, like we’re getting for the end of part 1.

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