Stranger Things 4 has a ton of things going on. Max and Nancy are at the mercy of Vecna, who is also Henry Creel and One, by the way. Wow. Eleven is back on her superhero tip, Robin is a pure delight, and there’s far too many questions that need answers in Volume Two. But in the midst of ever-present danger, Satanic Panic, and great escapes, there’s one thing that we cannot stop thinking about. What the hell is happening at the chaotic home of Suzie in Stranger Things 4? Her return reveals her surprisingly weird living situation.
It’s not a surprise to us that Suzie is back. An official image sort of gave it away with Mike, Argyle, Jonathan, and Will sitting in a room with very detailed and distinct wallpaper and BYU flag. Anyway, we finally get confirmation in Stranger Things 4, specifically episode five, that Suzie indeed returns. The California crew find the number that the dearly departed Agent Harmon left for them to find Owens and Eleven. Except, it’s not a phone number but a code attached to a computer. They need a hacker and there’s no one like Suzie, who happens to live in Salt Lake City. It takes them all night to drive there from Cali but they make it.
Now, at this point we know that Suzie is an intelligent high achiever and quite religious. In fact, Dustin wonders if he will ever meet her family’s approval. So, of course, we’re thinking that Suzie lives in an ideal suburban house with a white picket fence and two picture perfect parents. The California crew also thinks this… until the door opens.
A little boy with a toy bow and arrow opens and shoots Mike right in the head. He’s dirty and screaming, a bit of a Donnie Thornberry-esque wonder who runs around the house all day. As they go in, several other kids are doing wild stuff: filming horror scenes, fighting on tables while wearing armor, and being generally loud. Chaos and clutter abound, leaving the Cali crew perplexed. Well, except Argyle. He’s down for the shenanigans and falls in love at first sight with Eden, a teen who seems to be in charge. They all make reference to “Father” but we don’t see him anywhere. Typical ’80s behavior.
They find Suzie upstairs and she’s indeed helpful after they break into Father’s home office to use his computer. It turns out Suzie lost hers after admitting to helping Dustin change his grade. They get the coordinates to a location in Nevada, which is actually Area 51 near where Eleven is, and presumably head that way. It’s pretty unlikely that Suzie went with the California kids to find Eleven. And we may not see her any more this season, especially with other issues at hand. But boy does her home life make us wonder.
Why does Suzie’s dad work to the point that his house is pure anarchy? Perhaps he is just a regular, balding ‘80s dad trying to feed a house full of rambunctious kids. Or, maybe he is somehow suspicious in his own way. Is there another adult living in the house? Is Suzie adopted or a foster child or is Father her biological dad? He seems to have higher expectations and discipline standards for her than the other kids. Maybe he’s fostering the other kids for money. And how is everyone on spring break at the exact same time?! Kids in three states—California, Utah, and Indiana—being out the exact same week is quite convenient.
And it’s kinda weird that a very religious guy would be cool with kids filming horror scenes in his house. We probably won’t get answers to these questions but maybe Suzie and Dustin will reunite in some way. The California crew gets sidelined in the Volume One finale so we will have to wait and see what happens there. If Suzie is with them, it’s likely that they will all return to Hawkins for a final showdown in Stranger Things 4 Volume Two. One thing is for sure: there probably won’t be time for a song break when Eleven and Vecna go head to head.
