It may not be the justice fans were hoping for, but Barb will get her due in season 2 of Stranger Things. When Stranger Things debuted on Netflix last year, it took TV audiences and social media by storm. From the nostalgia for '80s horror and sci-fi to the masterful soundtrack, there was a lot about the show to get viewers excited. And while characters like Eleven and the Demogorgon were always likely to resonate with audiences, few could have imagined that one of the show's most low-key characters would inspire so much of the Stranger Things fandom.
Almost immediately after the show debuted, fans took to social media demanding #JusticeforBarb. With so much of the show focusing on finding Will and saving him from the Upside Down, everyone in the town and those working on the show seemed to forget that another kid had been abducted. Fans, however, didn't let Barb's absence go unnoticed and immediately began demanding an explanation, with hopes mounting that she would somehow return in season 2. And while her death has been confirmed multiple times, the creators have promised to honor the character.
In a new interview with TV Guide, Stranger Things star David Harbour touched on the legacy of Barb and how things will play out in the new season.
"Barb is clearly dead. But as a result, I think, of some of the fandom and also as a result of what we want to explore, justice for Barb is a big thing in Season 2. Barb was not given the justice she deserved in Season 1 because we were focused on Will and saving a child, but so we've realized from the fans that Barb is important, and so we are going to treat her with the respect that she deserves."
Like earlier statements, Harbour's words make it clear that the writers and characters won't be forgetting Barb so easily. Still, he also reiterates that everyone was more concerned about Will than Barb. And while the comment about rescuing a kid seems to explain away the lack of focus on Barb, she wasn't much older than Will and yet neither the police nor her friends seemed to care much what happened to her.
Clearly, in the course of making a series, some plotlines fell through the cracks. In the eyes of the creators, Barb was likely viewed as a non-essential character and thus was left out of the overall plotting and narrative as things moved forward. Her resonance online, however, proves just how dedicated some fans can be. It also shows that the minds behind the show are willing to listen to criticism and adjust things accordingly. No doubt, if fans hadn't begun petitioning, Barb would never have been mentioned again. Instead, she'll finally get the justice she deserves.
Stranger Things season 2 will premiere on October 31, 2017 on Netflix.
Source: TV Guide