Brand new photos from Stranger Things season 2 suggest that fear is a permanent resident in Hawkins, Indiana.
The new Stranger Things season 2 images come from Entertainment Weekly, and feature most of our favorite nerds and the adults who love them. Unsurprisingly, almost everyone seems to be occupying that fragile space between “Let’s try to live a normal life,” and “Okay, this shit is getting seriously creepy.”
(Much like modern Americans!)
Stranger Things season 2 will take place over nine episodes, and will air this Halloween. According to EW, co-creator Matt Duffer says the season will focus on “different kinds of horror.”
Thankfully, the horror seems to be interspersed with the adorable. One image from Stranger Things season 2 features Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and the rescued Will Byers, arrayed as the slightly-freaked-out heroes they are. The boys are dressed as characters from Ghostbusters because it’s Halloween and of course they are.
All may not be perfectly tranquil between the friends, though. Duffer teases that the arrival of Max (played by Sadie Sink) may inspire a romantic rivalry between Dustin and Lucas. (Dustin also has a new pet from another dimension, because Dustin.)
Max’s brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery) may also cause ripples within Hawkins… though perhaps for more overtly villainous reasons.
Of course, a major focus of Stranger Things season 2 will be the return of Will Byers to the Right Side Up. One new image shows Will at school, an unhappy consequence of coming back from Hell.
Matt Duffer says that Will continues to grapple with his experiences in season 1.
“He seems to be seeing images from the Upside Down — the question is whether they’re real or not,” says Duffer. “So it seems like he’s having some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Meanwhile, Will’s mother Joyce is also trying to maintain normalcy for Will and Jonathan. Ryder tells EW that Joyce will be “trying to mask a lot.”
Joyce will also be dating Bob (Sean Astin), an old friend from high school. “I think she’s made this choice with Bob because she wants a good father figure in her sons’ lives.”
Wow, she sounds super excited about Bob.
It’s not yet clear what Jonathan and Will are going to think about Joyce’s new partner. But another photo indicates that Jonathan’s uninspiring personal life still definitely includes Nancy Wheeler.
Sure, they both look kind terrified, but hey, shippers rejoice!
Meanwhile, Chief Hopper seems to have thoroughly shaken off the malaise of “coffee and contemplation” in Stranger Things season 2. According to EW, actor David Harbour says that the Sheriff is struggling to arbitrate between wild truths and more realistic expectations.
“It kind of falls on Hopper to be the voice of authority to say, ‘This did happen and this didn’t happen,'” Harbour says. “He’s struggling with the compromise that takes him to having to lie and cover things up.”
The Stranger Things season 2 stills give us no hint of the amazing Eleven’s continued existence, but a promotional photo suggests that our favorite pint-sized telepath will be back — with new hair!
Eleven also appeared in creepy flashes during the first teaser for Stranger Things season 2, which aired during the Super Bowl.
Honestly, we wouldn’t put it past Eleven to come back just for the Eggos.
Stranger Things season 2 hits Netflix on Oct. 31, 2017.