By Kitty Williams | Co-Editor-in-Chief
The following contains spoilers for season two of Stranger Things on Netflix:
D’Artagnan the growing demogorgon is on the loose in Hawkins, Indiana. Dustin and friends set down a meat trail to lure him in for the kill. Lucas and newcomer Max crouch in hiding, waiting for the demogorgon to appear.
Lucas leans over to Max, who just moved from California. “Hawkins seems pretty lame, I bet,” he says.
One year after the events of season one, Hawkins faces the dangers and monsters of the Upside Down once again. The gang is back together, but only some of them are fully “Right-Side Up.”
Will is no longer stuck in the Upside Down, but he is still in touch with it, living on the edge of both worlds. He regularly has episodes where he shifts into the Upside Down, and eventually the demogorgon invades his body. Noah Schnapp delivers a beautiful performance as Will is caught in moments of absentness and moments of excruciating pain.
The gang is back together to help, but it has grown a bit. Max is Chapter One’s titular character, a girl who quickly makes her way into the group after getting their attention by breaking the record on Dig Dug at the arcade.
Along with her came her cruel brother Billy who threatens Steve Harrington’s “king” status in Hawkins. He also poses a threat to the other kids, as he is racist towards Lucas and stands in the way of their mission to save Hawkins.
Sean Astin, no stranger to acting in a fantasy series, plays Bob Newby. “Bob the Brain” as he is referred to, is the boyfriend of Joyce Byers and unexpected hero of Stranger Things 2 when he uses his knowledge of coding to stop the demogorgons from escaping the Upside Down.
The familiar fan-favorites Eleven and Hopper join together this season. Hopper has made Eleven a home in the woods and hides her there to keep her safe. Their wit and bond is amusing to watch as they go through times of frustration and trust.
Eleven goes through some self-discovery as she reconnects with her mother and finds another girl with mind powers, a sister. The season ends with a classic 80s school dance to top off the classic 80s style of the series. Season one was an immediate success and the long-awaited season two is following suit.
