While most returning TV shows have already aired their fall premiere, there are a handful of popular series that are keeping fans waiting. Chief among them is Netflix's Stranger Things, which was the breakout hit of last summer. Stranger Things 2 (as The Duffer Brothers call it) has been pushed back to facilitate a Halloween release, keeping the fandom invested with short trailers and clips from new episodes. The final trailer has just arrived, and it looks like Season 2 is going to be truly wild. Check it out.
Now THAT is a trailer. Let's break down all the craziness we should expect when Stranger Things returns in just a few short weeks.
The new trailer opens with the question everyone was has been asking: where the hell is Eleven? While she seemingly perished destroying the Demogorgon in Season 1, Hopper's final scene from the finale showed him hiding Eggos in a box in the woods. Eleven seems to be regularly checking that box for her favorite snack, while rocking a sweet new haircut. It's unclear how this arrangement was made, but perhaps Hopper is trying to hide her from Hawkins Lab, which he also seems to be working for.
The importance of Halloween for Season 2 has also been made clear. Because while Will has been seeing flashes into The Upside Down, it looks like October 31st will be the first time Will Byers sees the season's new creature: the shadow monster. The giant monster has been teased since last year's Super Bowl commercial, and this trailer provides us with the most clear look yet. It looks like it's made of pure shadow, which is quite different from the very physical threat of The Demogorgon in Season 1.
The danger in Hawkins is more present than ever, and it's going to take more than just the motley crew of characters from Season 1 in order for everyone to make it out alive. Joining the already established characters are newcomer step siblings Billy and Max (played by Dacre Montgomery and Sadie Sink, respectively). Max is a tom boy who is friends with Mike's group, and will likely be a major presence with the kids' plot line. We're also shown glimpses of Sean Astin's Bob, who is apparently being set up as Season 2's Barb. Hopefully he doesn't get the raw deal that Nancy's best friend got, though.
When the shit starts hitting the fan in Season 2, Mike tells Will that Eleven would know exactly what to do. It should be interesting to see how exactly Will and Eleven interact in the new season, since they have the shared experience of surviving in The Upside Down. And with the barriers between our world and the alternate dimension seemingly falling down throughout the course of Stranger Things 2, they're going to need Elle's abilities to battle the benevolent forces that threaten the town. The new trailer shows various characters arming themselves for an attack (Nancy is packing heat), so the second season looks like it's going to have way more action.
Stranger Things 2 will be released in its entirety October 27th, 2017. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
