Stranger Things 2 on Netflix is darker, scarier and grislier than the show's ever been, and that includes two gruesome death scenes. Spoiler warning: Save this article for later if you haven't yet finished Stranger Things 2.
Mews
It doesn't matter that Mews isn't human, this death still hurts. It hits practically hard because this sweet kitty's life could have easily been spared, had Dustin not been raising a literal Demogorgon in his room. But thanks to his willful ignorance, poor Mews got her guts eaten out by Dart the baby Demogorgon (or Demo-dog, as Dustin calls them) in a disturbing and bloody scene in episode 4, "Will the Wise." To make matters worse, Dustin's mom is frantic and crying over her lost cat. Luckily, she appears to have moved on from the trauma in the final episode, with a new kitten.
Mews' death should cue viewers right away that Stranger Things is ratcheting up the tension this year. Sure, killing the nerdy best friend is sad, but it's nothing to compared to killing the cute animal. (Kidding, Barb-lovers! Mostly.) But it was a clear moment of foreshadowing for...
Bob Newby
Oh, Bob. So naive and yet so pure. You truly did not deserve the deeply upsetting slaughter you got in episode 8, "The Mind Flayer." At least Bob died a hero's death, albeit a very gory one. Like Mews, Bob gets eaten by the many sharp teeth of a Demo-dog. The scene leading up to his death is arguably one of the scariest of the series. Bob, whose Radio Shack experience make him the only one capable of overriding the security code, very nearly makes it out of Hawkins' lab alive. Unfortunately, he makes two fatal mistakes: forgets his gun and knocks over a broom, alerting the Demo-dogs to his presence.
It's a masterfully paced tribute to classic monster movies like Jaws or Jurassic Park. Sean Astin (known for his role in Goonies, one of the many '80s films that influenced Stranger Things) delivers just the right amount of fear and dignity, giving Bob a horrific yet touching sign-off. RIP, Bob the Brain. You will be missed.
Barbara Holland
Though Barb very clearly died in the first season—and therefore is not included in the official death count of Stranger Things 2—Barb's parents didn't learn of her death until the last episode of season 2. After Jonathan and Nancy successfully outed Hawkins National Laboratory for its culpability in her death, Barb finally got a funeral, and, some might say, justice.
