In the shadow of Hawkins Laboratory, Nancy and Jonathan follow a lead about Mrs. Driscoll, while Steve and Robin carry out a secret mission of vital importance.At the same time, Max and Eleven's shopping trip is full of unknowns and variables.Billy's panic foreshadows the coming storm, and his visions and painful experiences gradually reveal his close connection with the Mind Flayer.

Billy survives the Mind Flayer's attack, but his life is never what it once was.Reality is distorted, violence intertwines with illusions, and his inner biological fear of heat is revealed.His job as a lifeguard becomes dangerous, and skin burns from the sun become an external manifestation of his inner pain.However, Billy was not the only one to be controlled by the Mind Flayers, and his experience was only part of the secrets of Hawkins Lab.

Nancy, bored with her mission, takes Jonathan with her to explore Mrs. Driscoll's clues.They capture a crazy, sick rat in a cage, however, before they can study it, the rat explodes and escapes from the cage.This incident made the two more convinced that Mrs. Driscoll was inextricably linked to the secrets of Hawkins Laboratory.

On the other hand, the lives of Xiao Eleven and Max are also full of twists and turns.Eleven is confused by Mike's weird behavior, and Max tries to help her find answers through a shopping montage straight out of an '80s movie.However, Eleven was doubly disappointed by Mike's broken appointment, and she finally accepted Max's suggestion, broke up with Mike and chose to escape.

Hopper's romantic journey also suffered setbacks.Although he successfully persuaded Joyce to join him for dinner, he was ultimately let go.The frustrated Hopper was drunk in a bar, but on his way home, he accidentally bumped into a Terminator-like person.The appearance of this mysterious figure seems to indicate that the secrets of Hawkins Laboratory are about to be revealed.

Meanwhile, Steve and Dustin are trying to decode a message from Russia.However, Robin's intervention complicates things.She succeeds in deciphering the message, but Steve realizes it's a secret message not from Russia, but from Stargardt itself.This discovery made them even more convinced that there was some ulterior connection between Hawkins Laboratory and the Star Chamber.