Stranger Things season 4 has an opportunity to fix one of its earliest mistakes from its first season. While Barb Holland was confirmed to have been killed by a Demogorgon, new details for the upcoming season have created some hope that she may get justice after all. As seen in the new trailer, the new big bad known as Vecna might be teasing that death isn't all that permanent in the parallel dimension of the Upside Down.
Much of the new trailer for Stranger Things season 4 is focused on Vecna, a new creature in the Upside Down who appears to be the next major antagonist the heroes of Hawkins will be facing. While its origins are unknown, Vecna is a name from Dungeons and Dragons just like the Demogorgon and Mind Flayer. In this case, Vecna is a long-dead wizard turned lich who is survived only by his disembodied hand and eye. If a player replaces their own hand or eye with Vecna's, they gain new magical powers while also risking the chance of Vecna's spirit devouring the player's soul and using their body like a puppet. As such, the name teases quite a bit about what this new creature might be capable of (corrupting hosts while using them for its own ends).
Theoretically, this could be an avenue for Barb to finally return after her death in season 1. Although Barb was more sympathetic than Nancy Wheeler, her death was quickly glossed over with an equally fast funeral. The purpose of her death was to motivate Nancy's character growth, though the consensus has been that that wasn't enough. However, there's been some thought that Robert Englund's character Victor Creel will somehow be tied to Vecna, perhaps being an unwitting host who was overtaken by the new creature at some point. This would imply that human beings may be able to exist in the Upside Down in another form, creating an opportunity for Barb to make a return in the upcoming season of Stranger Things.
While this is just conjecture, it would be satisfying to see Barb finally get the justice that's long been sought after throughout the entirety of the Netflix series. There's still so much that's unknown about the parallel dimension, and anything is possible. Likewise, it should also be noted that the new trailer put a large amount of focus on the grave of Billy Hargrove who sacrificed himself in Stranger Things season 3, potentially teasing his return as well. Perhaps Vecna has the power to bring back and possess the dead (which would similarly line up with the character's D&D counterpart).
At any rate, it's going to be very exciting to see what Vecna is capable of, whatever and whoever it might be. The new foe certainly seems like the best chance to bring back Barb based on what's been seen thus far, allowing the Netflix series to correct one of its earliest mistakes. Here's hoping more info about Vecna and the Upside Down will be revealed when Stranger Things season 4 begins streaming at the end of May.