In Chapter Two: Vecna’s Curse, the second episode of Stranger Things’ fourth season, the characters of Hawkins start to unravel the mysteries of the enigmatic Vecna, a character from Dungeons & Dragons that they have encountered in a game played by Dustin’s girlfriend, Suzie.

As the episode opens, we see Eleven and the Byers family, now relocated to California, where they reside with their grandfather, played by Robert Englund. Here, Eleven discovers that her powers are returning, but they are uncomfortable and unreliable.

Meanwhile, back in Hawkins, Jim Hopper (believed to be dead) is seen held captive in a Soviet prison. Due to his past experiences, he has earned the respect of a Soviet general, who believes Hopper is his only hope to stop another powerful and supernatural threat.

In Hawkins, Dustin discovers strange and unusual signals coming from Russia via their ham radio. Suspecting that Hopper is reaching out to them, he enlists the help of Steve and Robin to try to decipher the messages. Suzie, who is still busy with school programs, helps him solve the code they have been sent.

The episode ends with Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Suzie finding out that the signals reveal Vecna’s curse, and they barely have time to comprehend its significance before a group of Russians arrives, prompting them to flee.

Chapter Two: Vecna’s Curse builds significantly on the show’s established mythology and sets up a tantalizing array of mysteries that must be solved. It contains thrilling action and suspense sequences, and the return of Jim Hopper ensures the viewers can expect to encounter deeper peril as the series continues to unfold. The performance of the well-written script and the excellent cinematography keeps us on the edge of our seats and wishing to see what comes next.