Nothing tragic actually befalls the Hawkins crew as they gather on a hillside, sharpening their spears (literal AND metaphorical!), but there’s something inherently heartbreaking about moments like these. Death is ominously looming over them, just by virtue of their insane, exceedingly dangerous plan. Going into the Upside Down? Distracting the demobats? Baiting Vecna?!
Making matters a million times worse, they have the audacity to share sweet moments of the “famous last words” variety. After wrestling in the grass, Eddie (Joseph Quinn) tells Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) to “never change,” and the kid’s face seems to gleam with admiration. Elsewhere, Erica (Priah Ferguson) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) share a sweet sibling moment (“you’re still my brother”) as they prepare to charge into battle.
Continuing to be the absolute best, Steve (Joe Kerry) and Robin (Maya Hawke) share some silly banter before bringing us back down to earth. “Not everything has a happy ending,” Robin says, taking a serious moment to brush aside all the romantic turmoil that continuously runs through the show. The stakes are so much higher than unrequited love. “I have this terrible, gnawing feeling that it might not work out for us this time.” Oh, Robin, you have no idea.
Despite the very legitimate fear that a bunch of teens won’t stand a chance against an interdimensional monster with a pretty sizable body count, Robin points out that if they don’t try to defeat Vecna, no one will. While she speaks, the camera pans over to where everyone is running through the field, engaged with target practice and slashing their homemade spears. They’re so crushingly vulnerable, but she’s right: these kids are, once again, the only ones who can save the world.