"Stranger Things" fans met a couple of new characters in the show's second season, but none was as well-loved as the mild-mannered, dad-joke-loving Radio Shack employee, Bob Newby (Sean Astin). Unfortunately, just like Barb (Shannon Purser) in the first season, the new fan-favorite met a heart-breaking end in episode eight.
In the penultimate episode, Bob was savagely killed by the Demodogs after he hacked into the security system of the lab he was trapped in with Joyce (Winona Ryder) and company in order to help everyone escape to safety. They made it out. He almost got away as well but was attacked a few feet from the exit.
Fans have since rallied to the Duffer brothers to bring back the character, launching hashtags like #JusticeForBob, #BobNewbySuperhero, and whatnot. However, that may not be happening.
Astin told Variety in a recent interview that there are no plans for his character to return to Hawkins anytime soon, and when he was asked whether Bob is really dead, he said, "Oh, Bob is good and dead." However, the actor believes there is no need for justice because Bob had it on the show.
"He died in the line of duty. Bob had a skill set equal to the moment, and he did his job to save his girl and her family because he knew how, so that's it," he told the news outlet. "Everybody knows what Bob did, and Bob died heroically."
Though his character is gone for good, Astin is not upset about his character's death, saying it was clear that he will not be on the show for long when he got the part. Astin is now just like the rest of the fans, looking forward to the next season.
"I've had my time in the sun, and now I just sit back and have to wait for a year to binge Season 3 with the rest of the world," he said.
When asked what he would like to see in the third chapter, he says the show should give Will (Noah Schnapp) and Joyce a nice and relaxing break — "like get a pedicure or something."
"Stranger Things" season 2 is now available to stream on Netflix. Its third season has not been officially announced yet, but the Duffer brothers have confirmed it is happening probably in 2019.
