The new season of Stranger Things brought a fresh cast of characters to our screens. From murderous monsters to oblivious superheros, this is the definitive ranking of new Stranger Things characters from awful to amazing. (Spoilers ahead, obviously.)
Billy’s Dad
Source: Netflix
Even though we only meet Billy’s abusive father (and Max’s stepfather) for a few minutes, we can instantly tell that he is one of the worst characters, if not the worst character, in the Stranger Things universe. I would gladly feed this man to the demadogs.
Ray
Source: Netflix
Ray stole Eleven’s mom’s memories from her through electric shock therapy and routinely bullied and abused Kali when she was imprisoned at Hawkins lab. Now, he has two daughters of his own, and even offers to help Eleven and Kali find Brenner, but none of this can make up for the things he did in the past.
Billy
Source: Netflix
Billy is a superbly awful brother, and human being in general. He treats Max like a piece of garbage, and insists on controlling her life in any way he can. Even though they skirted around it in the show, it’s also quite obvious that Billy is racist.
Shadow Monster
Though the shadow monster’s motivations are still quite mysterious, I can never forgive it for possessing and hurting Will. Hasn’t’t he been through enough already? That being said, the shadow monster appears to be very intelligent, and I can’t wait to see its next plan for infiltrating Hawkins unfold.
Knock-off Suicide Squad
Source: Netflix
We all know that Episode 7 was kind of a flop, and this wannabe suicide squad did not help. These cartoonish and one-dimensional characters (excluding Kali) seemed like they belonged in a different television series, and were honestly pretty annoying.
Doctor Owens
Source: Netflix
While at first, Doctor Owens may have seemed like he was more interested in the success of Hawkins Laboratory over Will’s health, we quickly learned that that was not true. He was the only doctor trying to work out a solution that would save both the town and Will, and even sacrificed himself to get the others to safety. He also won my heart when he gave Hopper “Jane’s” birth certificate.
Kali
Source: Netflix
On the surface, Kali is an interesting character, but in my opinion she was a little underdeveloped. Her mission may be an intriguing story, and she seems like she would be a great sister to Eleven, but it felt like she was just a plot device to let us know that there were more children at Hawkins Lab (which we could have assumed by the fact that Eleven is number 11).
Mews
Source: Netflix
Forget #JusticeForBarb, where’s #JusticeForMews? Mews’ role in the show was short-lived, but we will never forget the special place this cat had in Claudia and Dustin’s hearts.
Murray
Source: Netflix
Even though Murray may seem crazy at first, and even though his conspiracy theories are all wrong, he is is right that there is some kind of conspiracy in Hawkins; just not the Russian spy he imagined. He helps Barb’s parents find peace, as well as helps Jonathan and Nancy realize that they’re actually in love. Vodka helps him think.
Claudia
Source: Netflix
Claudia is an even more supportive mom than Steve Harrington. She seems to take care of Dustin all by herself, and obviously did an amazing job raising him. She always encourages Dustin to follow his passions and loves cats. What more could we ask for in a character?
Max
Source: Netflix
Max is the newest member to the party (despite Mike’s best efforts) and has taken up residence as their “zoomer.” She regularly keeps the boys in their place, is amazing at video games and skateboarding, and has the bravery of ten Gryffindors (and let’s face it, with that hair, she’s definitely a Weasley). I can’t wait for next season when she and Eleven will actually get to talk and (hopefully!) become friends.
Dart
Source: Netflix
Dart proves that love is stronger than hate as he fights against his nature to save the party. Even though he ate Mews, his softspot for Dustin and Three Musketeers candy bars gives him more interesting internal conflict than some human characters in other television shows.
Bob
Bob was exactly what Joyce and Will needed in their states of stress. He was kind and smart, and cared for the Beyers’ family deeply. Even though Bob was completely oblivious for the first half of the season, he still tried his best to help and give advice (even if his advice was the completely wrong advice). Bob is a saint amongst saints. RIP Bob Newby, Superhero.
Erica
Erica embodies the old saying, “There’s no such thing as small roles, just small actors.” With only a few scenes in the season, Erica stole the hearts of everyone watching. She’s not afraid to put her brother in his place, or even steal his toys. Her cheeky remarks and love for maple syrup make Erica the shining star of the Stranger Things 2 characters.
Stranger Things 2 not only gave us insight into our favourite characters from the previous season, but also gave us a group of new characters to fall in love with. After binge watching Stranger Things 2 in a few days, I don’t know if I can wait another eleven months to revisit our new favourites, as well as meet another batch of never-seen-before characters.