With October just one day away, Stranger Things' second season has never felt closer. The Duffer Brothers' sci-fi period piece became an instant classic when it premiered last summer, quickly climbing to the top of the pop culture lexicon and inspiring an endless Halloween costumes. Perhaps the most popular character in the show's first season was Shannon Purser's Barb, who was Nancy's best friend and voice of reason for the first few episodes. The Duffer Brothers have promised she'd still be a presence in the show's second season, and now we know a bit more about how Barb will influence Stranger Things 2. Actress Natalia Dyer recently revealed how her character Nancy will be affected by Barb's death, saying:
Especially this season, Barb's a big part of Nancy's story line and that drive to --- I don't know how to say it otherwise --- to find justice. There are a lot of loose ends there that Nancy feels need to be addressed.
Just like The Duffer Brothers, Natalia Dyer is teasing #Justice4Barb for Stranger Things 2. And considering the raw deal the fan favorite got in the first season, this is exactly what the show's sophomore season needs.
Natalia Dyer's comments to EW are sure to excited the hardcore Stranger Things who were unhappy with Barb's fate. Because after being dragged into The Upside Down by the Demogorgon in the third episode, we were left wondering if she survived her encounter with the monster. Her death was confirmed in the final episodes, and her corpse was eventually found by Joyce and Hopper in the finale.
Besides being upset that such a sweet and moral character was one of the show's only victims, Stranger Things fans quickly rallied for Barb's lack of representation after her disappearance. We didn't see any search effort by Hawkins PD, and only saw her Mother immediately after she never came home from the party. Some audiences believed that the town didn't give a crap about Barb, which felt like a plot hole. The Duffer Brothers eventually refuted this, revealing that the panic and search for Barb were simply not shown onscreen because it wasn't the focus of the first season.
But that should change with Stranger Things 2. The series will explore how the starring cast attempted to go back to normal after the explosive events of the first season. This will be easier said than done, considering that the shared knowledge of the Upside Down, Eleven, and Hawkins Lab. Smart money says that Shannon Purser will reprise her Emmy nominated role, likely through a flashback for Nancy.
Stranger Things 2 (as the Duffer Brothers are calling it) will arrive on Netflix October 27th. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
