These Highlights of Stranger Things Season 2 Might Make You Binge Watch it A Second Time
Warning: The contents of this article include spoilers from Season 2 of Stranger Things. If you have not seen it yet, this is your chance to turn back now.
        I nearly binge-watched the entire second season of Stranger Things in one setting; however, I stopped myself at episode nine because I knew how bummed I would be to have to wait at least another year to see more of my favorite show. Nonetheless, after the credits came on following the last episode there were so many questions I still have about the series. I hoped that the season would last longer than it did and was a little less scary than it turned out to be; however, I loved the character development and storyline. It was a season that left me nothing short of wanting more. Here are a few highlights:
- Closure for Barb
I don’t know if I’m alone here or not, but after Season 1 of Stranger Things concluded, I was more attached to Barb after her death than when she was actually on the air. In Season 1, Barb goes missing after a party at Steve’s house shortly after Nancy decided to go upstairs with Steve. Barb gets swallowed into the Upside Down; however, unlike Will Byers Barbs death went largely unnoticed in Hawkins. The Internet rallied for our forgotten character and even got Shannon Purser nominated for an Emmy. In Season 2 of Stranger Things, Nancy and Steve visit Barb’s parents to learn that they had hired an investigative journalist to discover the truth about Barb. Nancy can’t get past her guilt for “killing Barb” throughout the season and teams up with Jonathan Byers to help the family find closure. At the end of the season (though it is a lie), Hawkins Lab and the Department of Energy take the blame for Barbs death saying that she died from an experimental chemical that leaked from the ground of the lab. Nonetheless, Barb finally got the justice that she deserved.
- Hopper and Eleven’s Father/Daughter Relationship
It took me awhile in the beginning of Stranger Things to develop a soft spot in my heart for Hopper but when we discover Hopper and Eleven’s father/daughter relationship in the second season, I have since then attached myself to the character. After Eleven’s escape from the Upside Down, Hopper takes Eleven in as his own and the duo appears as a match made in heaven on set. Hopper is a father who lost his daughter as a young child and Eleven is a child who was taken as a baby and never knew her parents. Both fill a gap in each other’s lives and is one of the most brilliant storylines of the whole series.
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- Eleven and Mikes Kiss of the Century
I think that I can speak for most Stranger Things fans that one of the most highly anticipated moments in the series is the rekindling of Mike and Eleven’s epic romance after close to a year of no interaction with each other. After what seemed like forever, the Duffer Brothers gave the people what they wanted. On the dance floor of the Hawkins Middle School Snow Ball Dance, Mike and Eleven made their big debut. After finishing the series and then watching Beyond Stranger Things, a documentary talk show where the cast tells all (highly recommend), the Mike and Eleven kissing scene was unplanned. Planned or not, I am content with the final decision to include it in the episode.
- Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byer’s Budding Romance
Nancy’s guilt over Barb ultimately led to the downfall of her and her boyfriend Steve until they ultimately called it quits. On the other hand, Nancy and Jonathan have always (at least in my opinion) had quite the sexual tension in both seasons of Stranger Things. That tension escalated quickly as Jonathan and Nancy seek justice for Barb that led to a very steamy hookup. One thing is for sure; I have always been more team Jonathan than team Steve.
- Steve Harrington’s Character Development
Steve Harrington may not be the best boyfriend material but his development as a character from the popular jock with nice hair to a brotherly figure that the boys look up to by the end of the season. I got chills in the final scenes of Episode 9 when Steve drops of Dustin at the school dance with hair identical to Steve’s. In Season 2, Steve transforms from a heartless jock to the boys (in specific, Dustin) role model that adds so much more depth to this character than I could have ever imagined.
Season 2 of Stranger Things made me feel every type of emotion. There were moments of laughter, fear, happiness, and sorrow all muddled into what makes this TV series stand above the rest. If you have not already watched Stranger Things (regardless of the spoilers), It is a show that is worth binge watching.Â