The Monster (episode)

This article is about the episode. For the creature, see The Monster. For other uses, see The Monster (disambiguation)

"Chapter Six: The Monster" is the sixth episode of Stranger Things and the sixth episode of the first season. It was written by Jessie Nickson-Lopez and directed by the Duffer Brothers. It premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2016 along with the rest of the season.

Synopsis

A frantic Jonathan looks for Nancy in the darkness, but Steve's looking for her, too. Hopper and Joyce uncover the truth about the lab's experiments.

Plot

Nancy follows Jonathan's voice and escapes the Upside Down, coming back through the portal in the tree and re-entering the human world. The two go back to Nancy's house, where Jonathan stays over for the night at the request of an afraid Nancy - she doesn't want to be alone. However, Steve sees them together through Nancy's bedroom window.

Meanwhile, Hopper describes to Joyce what he saw after he broke into Hawkins Lab. Hopper comes to the conclusion that he may have found another missing kid while searching for Will - he speculates this could be the allegedly kidnapped daughter of former test subject Terry Ives.

At the urging of Dustin, Mike tries to apologize to Lucas. Lucas says he'll accept the apology under the condition that they forget about Eleven. Mike refuses, and Lucas sets out to find Will on his own. In a flashback, Brenner is seen telling El to make contact with the monster. In real time, El goes into a grocery store and steals boxes of Eggo waffles. She uses her powers to break the sliding glass doors, which leaves a trail for Dustin and Mike to follow in hopes of tracking her down.

Elsewhere, Hopper and Joyce track down Terry Ives. They find Terry in a catatonic state, seemingly unable to talk. Terry's sister Becky explains that Terry's role in Project MKUltra; she would take psychedelics and be placed in a sensory deprivation tank in order to "expand the boundaries of the mind". Terry did not know it, but she was pregnant at the time and was told she had a miscarriage in her third trimester. However, Hopper speculates that the miscarriage could have been a cover-up.

Jonathan and Nancy purchase weapons for monster hunting before they can go back into the woods. Nancy sees a defaced movie marquee with derogatory messages about her spray-painted on top of it. Nancy and Jonathan find Steve and his friends in a nearby alley, continuing to create abusive messages. Steve confronts Jonathan and Nancy about the two of them sleeping together. Nancy tries to explain it is not what it looked like, but Steve refuses to listen. Steve taunts Jonathan and starts making crude remarks about his brother, ensuing a fist fight between the two which leads to the police arriving and arresting Jonathan.

While trying to find the Gate to the Upside Down, Lucas rides his bike and finds that the compass is pointing towards

Hawkins Laboratory. Meanwhile, Mike and Dustin continue searching for Eleven before they are ambushed by Troy and James and cornered on a cliff. Troy threatens Dustin with a switchblade, saying he will cut out

his teeth if Mike doesn't jump. Even though Dustin urges him not to, Mike jumps from the cliff, but before he hits the water he freezes in mid-air and miraculously levitates back to safety.

El, having saved Mike, then reappears on the road with Mike and Dustin becoming surprised to see her. She uses her powers to break Troy's arm and knock James to the ground. As El falls to the ground due to over-exertion, a flashback shows her succeeding in making contact with the Monster. Mike reaches out to El and asks her if she's okay. El apologizes, claiming she is the monster for having opened the gate. Mike comforts her, saying she isn't the monster because she saved him. Mike and El hug each other, and Dustin joins in.

As Mike, Dustin, and El are returning to Mike's house, an agent posed as a repairman spots them. He notifies the lab of their whereabouts.

Cast

• Joyce Byers - Winona Ryder
• Jim Hopper - David Harbour
• Mike Wheeler - Finn Wolfhard
• Eleven - Millie Bobby Brown
• Dustin Henderson - Gaten Matarazzo
• Lucas Sinclair - Caleb McLaughlin
• Nancy Wheeler - Natalia Dyer
• Jonathan Byers - Charlie Heaton
• Karen Wheeler - Cara Buono
• Dr. Martin Brenner - Matthew Modine
• Ted Wheeler - Joe Chrest
• Steve Harrington - Joe Keery
• Officer Powell - Rob Morgan
• Terry Ives - Aimee Mullins
• Officer Callahan - John Reynolds
• Mark Steger - The Monster
• Becky Ives - Amy Seimetz
• Nicole - Glennellon Anderson
• Elevator Scientist - Andrew Benator
• Hunting Store Owner - Adam Boyer
• Agent Connie Frazier - Catherine Dyer
• Mr. Clarke - Randy Havens
• Lead Scientist - Hugh Holub
• Lead Agent - Tobias Jelinek
• James - Cade Jones
• Unnamed Clerk - Linda Kang
• Robert - Kevin Patrick Murphy
• Holly Wheeler - Anniston and Tinsley Price
• Tommy H. - Chester Rushing
• Florence - Susan Shalhoub Larkin
• Reed - Chase Stokes
• Carol - Chelsea Talmadge
• Agent Repairman - Robert Walker Branchaud
• Troy - Peyton Wich

Music

Soundtrack

• Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart - Steve tries to sneak into Nancy's room.
• Violin Concerto in E Major BWV 1042: I. Allegro (Bach) by English Chamber Orchestra & Dmitry Sitkovetsky – Connie Frazer visits Scott Clarke at his home, telling him about a new AV club. 
• "I See the Future" by Andrew Pinching - Karen opens Nancy's bedroom door to find music blaring and the room empty. 
• "Happy José" by Kookie Freeman - Eleven steals Eggos from a grocery store. 
• Brahm's Lullaby by Johannes Brahms - Terry's sister tells Joyce and Hopper about Terry's involvement in the MKUltra experiments and her subsequent miscarriage. 
• The Bargain Store by Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers - Nancy and Jonathan go to the store to buy monster hunting supplies.
• Exit by Tangerine Dream - Steve and Jonathan fight in the alley.

Original Score

• "No Weapons"
• "Tribulations"
• "The Upside Down"
• "Making Contact"
• "Gearing Up"
• "Speak of the Devil"
• "Leap of Faith"
• "She'll Kill You"
• "Eleven is Gone"
• "Hawkins Lab"

Gallery

External Links

• FANDOM: 'Stranger Things' Watchalong: Chapter 6

Episodes of Stranger Things
Season 1	The Vanishing of Will Byers • The Weirdo on Maple Street • Holly, Jolly • The Body • The Flea and the Acrobat • The Monster • The Bathtub • The Upside Down
Season 2	MADMAX • Trick or Treat, Freak • The Pollywog • Will the Wise • Dig Dug • The Spy • The Lost Sister • The Mind Flayer • The Gate
Articles may contain spoilers