Stranger Things changed into a worldwide phenomenon when it premiered in 2016, however its recognition wasn’t the only phenomenon. Nancy Wheeler’s very best good friend, Barbara Holland (Shannon Purser), affectionately known as just Barb, did greater than supply context and plot for the first season. She also stole the hearts of audience world wide. To these days, Barb stays one of the cherished fan favorite characters in the sequence, lengthy after her death.

Since the moment we met her, Barb has provided never-ending causes to love her. Her innocence, her determination to her friendship with Nancy, her classic Nineteen Eighties outfits — each detail made her more relatable and captivating. Even the Television Academy loved her: Shannon Purser earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. 

For that reason, Barb’s dying by the hands of the Demogorgon and the Upside Down spark off a seismic match of lawsuits from Stranger Things lovers, declaring that Barb deserved the same time and attention Will Byers gained from the city of Hawkins. 

We know — despite the fact that the display is handiest in its fourth season, it’s been six years and 29 episodes since Barb’s lost her life. Her re-appearance in chapter seven of season 4 rightfully conjured up memories of her storyline from season one, however the sequence of events feel slightly hazy in the end those years. How exactly did she meet her end? Here’s what you need to know. 

What really happened to Barb?

Back in season one, Barb and Nancy had been perfect pals. Nancy, by means of dating Steve Harrington, was fast on her approach to the popular crowd, on the other hand, which intended Barb was slowly getting elbowed to the sidelines. 

One night, Nancy satisfied Barb to cross together with her to Steve’s area for a birthday party. Reluctantly, Barb obliged and it was once transparent she felt uncomfortable the whole evening, particularly when she was urged to shotgun a lager — about the very last thing Barb would voluntarily do. In the method of trying to be cool, Barb by accident sliced open her hand with a knife. After the celebration died down and everybody went their very own approach, Barb was once nonetheless bleeding. Nancy advised her to pass home, even if they had been supposed to have a nap over that night time, so Barb dejectedly shuffled her ft via Steve’s backyard and sat on the diving board via herself, absentmindedly dangling her toes over the pool. Drops of blood dripped from her still-fresh wound into the tranquil pool underneath her toes. Then the close by lighting flickered and went out. A menacing shadow slowly crept over her shoulder and, proper when Barb seemed up on the digicam, we saw a Demogorgon and the screen went black.

If there was any query as to whether Barb survived the Demogorgon assault, the following episode began with her preventing for her existence in the Upside Down. As this was once taking place, Nancy used to be getting it on with Steve Harrington in his bedroom — a reality that still haunts Nancy to at the moment, and serves as a major plot point in season four.

Throughout the season, Nancy and Jonathan worked to find out what happened to Barb and Will. Eventually Will’s body became up, but Barb’s never did. It’s simplest when Eleven psychically traveled to the Upside Down via a sensory deprivation tank that she saw Barb’s decayed frame and knew she was dead. It’s the same decayed body Nancy noticed when Vecna lured her into his psychic trance in season 4. 

Cries for Barb’s return have echoed through the Stranger Things fandom for years, however except a brand new Upside Down entity has the ability to conjure the dead, it’s not likely we’ll ever see her once more. That is, unless it’s in the type of a flashback. We’d a lot prefer that to some zombie-like reappearance. We love Barb too much to see her as the rest rather then blameless and glad. It’s really a testament to each the nature and the actress that we nonetheless assume fondly on her time at the display these kinds of years later.

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