Everyone didn't forget Barb; fans created a massive "#JusticeForBarb" movement because the show initially downplayed her death compared to Will's disappearance, treating her like a stereotypical victim, but the Duffer Brothers acknowledged this, making her grief central to Season 2 and establishing her as a template for future character deaths, ensuring her impact transcended her limited screen time.
Barb's disappearance was later revealed to be a result of her being killed by the Demogorgon, a creature from the Upside Down. Who portrayed the character of Barb in Stranger Things? The character of Barb in Stranger Things was portrayed by actress Shannon Purser.
Her death happens in the third episode of the first season titled "Holly, Jolly." We would see Barb's dead body in the Upside Down several times throughout the series, and she's even eventually given a proper funeral in Hawkins. However, Nancy is left to live with the guilt and grief of losing her friend.
Alone, Barb goes out to the now empty pool and sits on the end of the diving board when some of her blood drips into the pool which attracts the attention of the Demogorgon. The Demogorgon brings Barb to the Upside Down where she is killed, her last words asking Nancy for help that go unheard.
Nancy's guilt about her best friend's death has been the driving force of every decision she has made since early in Stranger Things' first season. Before Barb went missing, Nancy was a typical teenager. She was a good kid trying to find who she was and how she fit into the world.
While Nancy Wheeler loses her virginity to Steve Harrington, Barb Holland awakens in a waterless, dark version of Steve's pool, every surface covered in fleshy black vines.
There's no single "saddest" death, as it's subjective, but Eddie Munson, Bob Newby, and Alexei (Smirnoff) are consistently cited as the most heartbreaking due to their heroism, innocence, or tragic circumstances, with fans often debating Eddie's heroic sacrifice vs. Bob's pure-hearted loss or Alexei's joyful demise. Other significant sad deaths include Barb Holland, the first major character loss, and Billy Hargrove's complex redemption.
Yes, the Demogorgon did essentially "impregnate" Will in Stranger Things Season 1 by implanting a slug-like larva into him, using his body as a host to grow and produce more creatures for the hive mind, a process that was later revealed to be part of Vecna's larger plan. Will coughed up this larva, which then hatched into a polywog (stage two of the Demogorgon life cycle), demonstrating how the Upside Down creatures reproduce and spread, as seen with Barb Holland as well.
Stranger Things' Barb Returning in Final Season.
And the actor got her big break with a mere six and half minutes of screen time on Stranger Things, so naturally I'm keen find out the secrets to her success. At first, Purser puts it down to the character that she played, explaining that Barb is so popular simply because people can identify with her.
Later, Bonnie and Rochelle visit Sarah, hoping to reconcile. She rejects them, telling them that Manon stripped their powers because they abused them.
In Stranger Things, Will Byers had a fleshy, vine-like tendril from the Upside Down inserted into his mouth and down his throat, which was pumping dark particles (Mind Flayer essence/goo) into him, essentially "impregnating" him and connecting him to the hive mind, leading to his eventual cough-up of a slug-like larva after returning home.
As Nancy lost her virginity to Steve, she was unaware that Barb, who was sitting alone outside by the pool, was abducted by an otherworldly monster. After having sex with Steve, Nancy told a half-asleep Steve that she'd see him tomorrow.
Vecna targets Will Byers because Will shares deep psychic similarities, being a sensitive outsider, and became a crucial anchor or "phylactery" for Vecna's power after being connected to the Mind Flayer; Vecna sees Will as a vessel, a mirror of himself, and potentially a key to his immortality, needing him alive to maintain his own strength while also wanting to corrupt and use him.
And with that, the finale officially laid Barb to rest with a proper funeral. Guess this means it's time for us to say goodbye as well, now that justice has, at long last, been served.
Yes, actress Shannon Purser (known for Stranger Things and Riverdale) is LGBTQ+, having publicly come out as bisexual in 2017, stating she was still processing and learning about her sexuality but wanted to be open and help others feel less alone. She often speaks about her identity and uses her platform to support young people questioning their sexuality and faith, according to sources like Bi.org, Teen Vogue, and People.
The set for Stranger Things' final season harbors a dark truth: the body of beloved season one character Barb remains in the Upside Down.
“Now it's 100% clear that he is gay and he does love Mike," he added. In Season 5, Will has been curious about sharing his feelings with his friends and family after he sees Robin (Maya Hawke) kissing her girlfriend, Vickie (Amybeth McNulty).
Millie Bobby Brown was 12 years old when Stranger Things Season 1 premiered in July 2016, having filmed the show when she was 11, making her and her character, Eleven, around the same age during the first season. She was born in February 2004, so she was just 11 during filming but turned 12 by the time it aired, fitting perfectly with the show's 12-year-old characters.
In Stranger Things, several characters say the F-word, including Will Byers, Billy Hargrove, and most notably, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) in a significant Season 4 moment when confronting Vecna, delivering a rare and impactful "You f***ed with the wrong family". Other instances come from characters like Billy (often possessed), and even faint or muffled uses have been noted from others like Jonathan.
Yes, according to the show's creators, Mike did realize that Will's "crush" in his coming-out speech referred to him, even though it wasn't explicitly stated in dialogue; his reaction shots and subsequent apology scene were designed to show he understood the depth of Will's feelings, though the payoff for their storyline was minimal in the finale.
Yes, Dart (D'Artagnan) is a baby Demogorgon, specifically an adolescent stage called a "Demodog," which Dustin Henderson found and raised in Stranger Things Season 2; he's essentially a younger, less aggressive version of the main monsters from Season 1, evolving from a pollywog-like creature into a four-legged, predatory form.
Before they embark into the Upside Down, Will comes out as gay to his family and close friends, explaining that Vecna showed him visions of his failed and distant relationships with his loved ones after they learnt the truth.
Dr. Martin Brenner and the Hawkins National Laboratory faked Will Byers' death in Stranger Things Season 1 to cover up their involvement in his disappearance and the existence of the Upside Down, creating a dummy body (rubber with stuffing) and having state police plant it in the quarry to mislead the town, according to. Chief Hopper discovered the cover-up when he found the body was a fake, realizing the lab was involved.
The "worst" Stranger Things episode is subjective, but Season 2's "The Lost Sister" (Chapter Seven) and Season 5's "The Bridge" (Chapter Seven) are consistently cited as the lowest-rated by fans and critics, with "The Lost Sister" often criticized for its slow pace and spinoff potential, while "The Bridge" drew mixed reactions for its pacing and Will's storyline.