If you’ve noticed an unusually high number of people calling in “sick” from your office today, we know why: They’re all staying home to binge-watch season two of Netflix’s Stranger Things. No, really, it’s a whole thing. But it’s actually worth the risk of annoying the boss because the show’s return does answer lots of lingering questions fans have been speculating about since finishing season one last summer.
People are still wondering about one particular storyline, though: The fate of beloved character Barb, played by Shannon Purser. Many theorized she was—spoiler alert—still alive and would make it out of the Upside Down, and they had pretty convincing evidence to back the idea up. But unfortunately, Justice for Barb isn’t going to happen. Ever.
“The theory that Barb was alive got annoying,” the show’s executive producer Shawn Levy told us at the Stranger Things premiere in Los Angeles Thursday night. “That seemed a little delusional. I love Barb, I’m the one that killed her in the swimming pool, but that was never going to happen.” In fact, Levy said he wants to finally, once and for all, make it clear that Barb will not be returning in future seasons. Sorry, Barb!
That’s not the only fan theory that’s turned out to be wrong, though. “People were really obsessed with what that black car was that Hopper got in,” he said. “I’m hopeful that season two gives some clarity to the fact that he basically did a deal with the Hawkins feds to keep his mouth shut, cover their tracks, and basically keep Eleven safe. Hopefully, that’s been answered.”
But what about the idea that this could all be a dream of Eleven’s? “Oh, that’s madness and completely untrue,” he said. “I mean it. When I was a fan of Lost, people guessed at the purgatory outcome and then they said, ‘No, no, no.’ But then it kind of was! So, we’re not bullshitting here. This is not a dream of any character’s. This is for real.”
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