Five Questions 'Stranger Things' Season Two Needs to Answer
There's still a lot we don't know about what's going on in 'Stranger Things.'
Image via Complex Original
Ever since the first season of Stranger Things exploded onto the scene on July, it’s been a solid assumption that the show would be renewed by Netflix. Even ignoring the fact that the streaming site is quick to give second seasons to the worst of their products (what up, Flaked), the way Stranger Things creators, the Duffer brothers, were talking about the future of their show seemed to hint that another season was definitely on the way. “I’m sure some of [that extra music] will make it into season two,” Ross Duffer said to me when we talked weeks ago, before carefully adding a clause to the statement: “If and when that happens.”
Well, it’s officially happening: Netflix announced today that a second season of Stranger Things will arrive in 2017. And thanks to the Duffer brothers’ confidence that they would get another season, much of the track for the next installment has already been laid; the end of season one left us with a whole lot of unanswered questions. So with the news of more Stranger Things finally, officially out there, here are the most important things we’re looking to get answers for when season two rolls around.
Where's Eleven?
It's hard to be a fan of Stranger Things and not have an affinity for Millie Bobby Brown's portrayal of Eleven, the girl with supernatural powers whom this series is based around. When we last saw her, she was saying goodbye to Mike and the squad before taking out the monster at Hawkins Middle School. But even though we saw her reduced to floating specks of dust, there was an obvious hint of her still being around in some form when we saw Hopper drop off some food (and her beloved Eggos) in a box somewhere in the woods.
The question is, what happened to her? It would appear that destroying the monster took something out of her, so if she's still out there, what state is she in? What would that amount of exerted power have done to Eleven? What's going on in her head? And how does Hopper know that she was hiding somewhere in the woods? Us mouthbreathers need answers, man.
What Happened to Hawkins Laboratory?
After the massive battle at Hawkins Middle School in the Stranger Things season one finale, it appeared to be a wrap for Dr. Brenner and his crew Hawkins Laboratory crew, mostly because we saw all of them either being torn apart. But while it would appear that Dr. Brenner (impressively played by Matthew Modine) was merked by the monster, the Duffers dropped an intriguing hint about his whereabouts, saying that, "If that was his death, that would be very unsatisfying...He would deserve much more than that as an ending." They followed it up by saying, "There’s a possibility of seeing him again."
We hope so, because there's a lot that the Hawkins Lab needs to atone for. From allegedly kidnapping kids to experiment on them to not doing a better job of keeping the monster in check, Brenner and co. are the catalyst to all the horrible stuff that unfurled in this series. A swift death for Brenner and his lackeys would be easy, but for the story to progress in season two, Brenner's actions pre-Stranger Things season one will have to be fleshed out. The best way for that to happen is to either a) reveal that Brenner survived the middle school battle, or b) go deep into how the Hawkins Laboratory tried to cover up the monster battle that ended season one.
What About Those Slugs Will Is Puking Up?
I'm glad my dude Will is still alive, but maybe he'd actually be better off dead. Even though Hopper managed to pull that long slimy monster-tentacle out of Will's mouth in the Upside Down, the end of season one made it clear that something seriously sinister is still lingering in the boy's body. The kid is having Twin Peaks moments, throwing up monster-slugs into his sink. That can't be good.
It feels very possible that Will's stomach issues are what brings the monster back to Hawkins in season two, which is equal parts exciting and terrifying. And also very sad for Will Byers—that kid just can't catch a break.
How Deep Does Hopper's Cooperation With the Government Go?
To get access into the Upside Down, with Winona Ryder's Joyce in two, Hopper (David Harbour) was forced to make a deal with the men from the Hawkins Lab, and therefore the government. But even after the terms of that deal—give up Eleven's location and we'll let you go—are met, we're shown Hopper getting into a sketchy black car at the end of season one, indicating that he's very much still in communication with The Man. Is he part of their operation now?
The interesting thing about this question is that it only raises more questions. How long has Hop been cooperating with them? Has he been a plant ever since he was caught at Hawkins Lab, drugged, and brought back to his trailer—unharmed—in episode five? Can we trust this guy? And, maybe more tangentially, is there more to the story of his daughter's death?
Did Steve Really Win That Love Triangle?
Look, I love Steve almost as much as bloggers love Barb. He was misunderstood, a victim of teen peer pressure who finally mustered the courage to stand up to his best friends; he also exhibited some impressive bat skills, taking a couple cuts to the monster's body while leading him into a bear trap. But even after all of that, I was more than a little shocked that Nancy opted to stick with Steve over Jonathan Byers, who 1) kicked the shit out of Steve, and 2) seemed to develop an unspeakably strong connection with Nancy.
Jonathan fits the mold of every cute-in-a-mysterious-weird-way '80s teen hero who has come before him; he's Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club, the guy who shouldn't get the popular girl, but does, because true love. That's what made it so surprising to see Nancy spending Christmas by Steve's side in the season one finale—it's the opposite of an underdog story. But I don't think that story is over: this love triangle will remain pointy into season two.