Stranger Things star Sean Astin doesn't need justice for his character Bob, but believes Barb still deserves it. These days, fans of Netflix's hit paranormal series are eagerly awaiting news on the long-awaited season 4. Originally expected to premiere sometime in 2021, Stranger Things season 4 had its production heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. It endured numerous starts and stops from the time it began in spring 2020, and Netflix has confirmed it will finally premiere sometime in 2022. Fans will finally get closure on the cliffhanger from the end of Stranger Things season 3, which revealed Sheriff Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is alive and being held in a Russian prison camp.
That storyline will surely get resolved in season 4, but it remains to be seen if another long-running issue will get closure. Ever since Stranger Things' inaugural season in 2016, fans have clamored for Shannon Purser's Barb to receive justice. Nancy Wheeler's shy, kindhearted friend was one of the Upside Down's first victims, and despite her only having a small role in Stranger Things overall, fans have become especially passionate about Barb somehow getting justice.
Those still calling for "Justice For Barb" can count Astin among their ranks. Screen Rant recently got the chance to sit down with Astin in honor of The Lord of the Rings' 20th anniversary and gave his character Bob a shout-out. However, when presented with the idea of "Justice for Bob," Astin politely demurred and turned the attention onto Barb. He said:
Bob loves you. No, no. This is the thing. Bob had justice. He died a hero's death. Barb, no one knows what the hell happened.
We need justice for Barb! We can have a statue for Bob, kind of a hero's... Maybe I'll stride a horse or something to recognize... Rename the Hawkins school after him or something like that. But he had... What is justice?
Astin's Bob Newby appeared in Stranger Things season 2. As Joyce Byers' boyfriend, Bob won audiences over with his sweet, nerdy nature. However, despite being a wonderful addition to the ensemble, Bob died while ensuring Joyce and several others could escape Hawkins Lab during a pivotal sequence. His sacrifice is easily one of Stranger Things' most heart-wrenching moments, and it's easy to say he deserves some kind of justice for what he did.
However, Astin has a fair point in saying Bob got a hero's end, so he doesn't need much else. Barb, meanwhile, has been seemingly forgotten by so many. It says a lot about Barb as a character that she made an impact on audiences with so little screen time, and perhaps to honor that, she can receive some kind of shoutout. If the rumors of Stranger Things coming to a close with season 5 prove to be true, giving Barb justice in the show's final seasons could be an emotional way to bring things back to where the show began. It remains to be seen if Stranger Things will ever honor Barb in a way fans approve of, but perhaps if enough people continue to make their voices heard, it just might happen.
Stranger Things season 4 will premiere in 2022 on Netflix.