In hindsight, here’s my take on Stranger Things 3’s “Chapter Seven: The Bite,” which I watched on Tuesday, July 16, 2019th at around 1 am in the morning. To begin, It’s the fall of Rome in Hawkins. Also, Robin and Steve hang out in the theater bathroom while high as kites. Plus, Murray discusses the failure of the American dream. Further, Also, Dr. Alexei is shot. Finally, everyone meets up at the Starcourt mall for a battle. These are just some story lines I liked in Stranger Things 3 in the wee hours of the night.
With the start of “Chapter Seven: The Bite,” it’s the fall of Rome in Hawkins. Mayor Kline is hosting his “Fun Fair” on the 4th of July to make the people forget about their lost jobs due to the opening of the Starcourt mall, which is owned by the Russians. It’s the fall of western civilization in Hawkins.
In regards to it being late in the season, the Stranger Things kids just realize that the Mind Flayer wants to kill them. El tells the kids, “He said he was building something. And it was all for me.”
Mike, too, believes in El. He adds, “Yeah, but he’s not building this army to spread.”
Besides, Will backs up Eleven. He comments, “He’s building it to stop Eleven.”
Finally, El tells everyone the master plan of the Mind Flayer. “He also said he was going to kill all of you.”
In this segment, the part about Oswald and JFK was interesting. While watching Back To the Future” in the Hawkins theater, Dustin explains to Erica about Oswald, saying, “We’re laying low, cooling off, like Oswald.” With that, Erica replies, “Oswald was found in a theater and shot to death.” Dustin adds, “A week later. Erica says, “The point is, his plan didn’t work.” Dustin continues, “Only because it was a set up… He was just a patsy.” It turns out that Erica has some knowledge about Oswald and JFK.
Meanwhile, it’s “Chapter Seven: The Bite” where Chief Hopper clues in Joyce that help isn’t coming. Joyce tells Hopper, “There has to be a way in.” Hopper tells her, “Yeah, there is. Our military” Joyce replies, “Who are coming.” Finally, Hopper explains the whole thing to Joyce, saying, “We don’t know that anymore because you yelled at them like it was a parent-teacher conference than you hung up on them. So we don’t know what the hell is going on because now we’re weak, weak.” Now, they got to help themselves.
With this segment, Murray Bauman, the crazy, eccentric journalist, breaks up the Joyce and Chief Hopper spat in the car on the way to the 4th of July fair.
“Children! Children! Children! This interminable bickering was amusing at first, but it’s getting very stale and we’ve still got a long drive ahead of us. So, why don’t you two cut the horseshit and get to the part where you admit your sexual feelings for one another… Oh, spare me, spare me, spare me! Yes, yes, he’s a brute. I know. Probably reminds you of a bad relationship, and, gosh, you’d really like a nice man to settle down with, but, admit it, you’re real curious to know what he’s like in the sack. And you. Ha! Well, you’re just a big manbaby who’d rather act tough than show his true feelings, because the last time you opened your heart, you got hurt. Owie. And now, rather than admit these feelings, you’re dancing around one another with this mind-numbing and frankly boorish mating ritual. So, please, for my sake, either quit your bickering, or pull over, tear off those clothes, and get it over with already!”
Because of Murray’s words, Chief Hopper is mad at Murray for talking about Joyce and his relationship, which he tells to Joyce.
“I am sorry about him. No, Murray. He’s a sick individual that likes to get under people’s skin. So lets not let him, you know, get under our skin.”
Meanwhile, the Stranger Things kids figure out that they need to kill the Mind Flayer. Nancy tells the group, “I don’t know how we are going to kill this thing, but if we do, we end this. Maybe.”
Moreover, Jonathan realizes that they need to kill the Flayed, too. Jonathan adds, “We kill all the Flayed.”
Elsewhere, back at the theater, Robin drops some knowledge on Steve. She explains to him about not thinking straight, saying, “I think he’s [Steve] on drugs. And he’s not thinking straight… He’s not. Look! He doesn’t even know this girl. And if he did know her, like he really did know her, I don’t think he’d want to be her friend.” This happens in the bathrooms stalls of the Hawkins local theater.
While a love struck Steve listens, Robin expresses her present feelings about Steve. “Listen to me, Steve. It shocked me to my core, but I like you. I really like you, but I am not like your other friends.”
At the fair, Alexei asks about the fair, so Murray tells him the underlying meaning of the fair. Murray says, “It doesn’t get more American than this, my friend. Fatty foods, ugly decadence, rigged games. That’s just it, my dear Alexei. They have been designed to present the illusion of fairness! But it’s all a scam, a trick. to put your money in the rich man’s pocket. That, my dear friend, is America. But hey, knock yourself out.” In reality, Murray is telling Alexei about the failure of the American dream.
Shockingly, in “Chapter Seven: The Bite,” Alexei is murdered. When he goes to see Murray with his prize, the stuffed Woody Woodpecker toy, he smiles and says to Murray, “It’s not rigged,” However, right before Alexei gets to Murray with the corndogs, Gregori comes out of the crowd and shoots him with a silencer, saying, “Traitor!”
In the scene where Alexei is shot for being a traitor, some darker meanings about the American dream are suggested. First, if a foreigner obtains the American dream, they will be killed. Second, foreigners can’t obtain the America dream when so many Americans never achieve this dream. This scene suggests foreigners will be veiwed as traitors and killed by other foreigners.
At the end, The Stranger Things kids hardly have a clue about what’s happening at the Starcourt mall. Max blurts out to everyone, saying, “Those were Russians?” Erica adds, “Some of them.”
in conclusion, this episode ties up some loose ends from past episode of Stranger Things. First, this episode cleared up the status of Steve and Robin: Robin is gay, so she won’t be dating Steve. Also, Dr. Alexei died, and it was heartbreaking. “Chapter Six: The Bite” cleared up some story lines as we enter the finale of Stranger Things 3.