Stranger Things Season 3, Episode 5: The 5 best moments from The Flayed

The fifth episode of Stranger Things season 3 is titled “The Flayed,” and it signifies the recognition of a growing, evil army.

After Stranger Things unleashed “The Sauna Test,” on our collective souls, there is a sudden, impending doom about to hit our favorite tweens like a tidal wave. After all, if one of the Mind Flayer’s soldiers could cause Eleven so much trouble, what could multiple do?

Caution: Huge spoilers ahead. Turn away now if you haven’t binge-watched the series.

1. Welcome to my underground lair

Dustin, Erica, Steve, and Robin were last seen dropping like a rock in the secret Russian elevator room tucked into the back of a mall. Highly unlikely, but OK. Once the elevator stops, there is some talk of climbing out like they’re in the movie Speed, and Erica ignorantly starts to bang one of the green containers in case she gets thirsty.

More importantly, however, when they all finally escape the security locked elevator, they make a huge discovery: an underground lair that’s quite familiar.

Aside from the elevator shaft spanning roughly fifty floors that would have taken forever to build secretively, there are elevator doors strong enough to crush one of the vials (incidentally, the green goo melts the floor much like face-hugger juice).

Once the group finally reaches the end of an impossibly long tunnel which much stretch the entire length of the mall at the very least, they finally see the rest of Dr. Evil’s volcano headquarters, except this version is being manned by Russians holding AKs.

What’s more, the fearsome foursome discovers the room where the Russians are trying to reopen the Gate.