Stranger Things Season 2 Ending Explained: The Happenings and What is Next

By now, you’ve probably completed watching Stranger Things Season 2 and the aftershow Beyond Stranger Things. Now, it’s time to dig into the wild events of the season, discuss the ending, and look ahead to what the series might bring next.

Still here? Great! Now, let’s break down the chaotic, otherworldly events of the season, how they wrapped up, and what could be on the horizon for the show. Season 1 introduced us to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her powers, ending with the defeat and destruction of the terrifying Demogorgon.

Season 2 took things up a notch with Eleven’s powers growing stronger, while multiple Demogorgons and an ominous new entity from the Upside Down threatened Hawkins. This time, Eleven used her abilities to close the rift between the two worlds and keep the monstrous creature at bay.

However, the final scenes of the season left us with the unsettling feeling that the creature was still looming above Hawkins, possibly plotting its revenge.

Eleven Closes the Breach

When Eleven sealed the rift between the Upside Down and our world, it was no easy feat. It required a lot of effort, even causing blood to flow from both of her nostrils. After severing the connection between the master creature and its demodogs, the soldier-like creatures dissolved, and our heroes were safe—for the moment.

Will (Noah Schnapp), who had been possessed by the entity controlling him, was finally freed. It seemed that Will’s harrowing experience with the Upside Down might be over.

Meanwhile, the Hawkins National Laboratory, already under suspicion, took another major hit as their secretive experiments were exposed, and they were blamed for Barb’s death. These events tied up a lot of loose ends, but I still have some questions about what’s coming in future seasons.

A Look Back: The Return of Barb

Season 1 left fans demanding “Justice for Barb.” By the time Season 2 rolled around, we saw the resolution of that storyline, and I feel satisfied with how it was handled. The series revealed Barb’s decomposing body in the Upside Down and the emergence of a proto-Demogorgon from it.

“Justice for Barb” was achieved in a way, with Hawkins National Laboratory being held accountable for their actions, and the Holland family receiving some closure. As for Barb’s story, it seems to be closed for now, and actress Shannon Purser is moving on to bigger projects.

What’s Next for Joyce and Hopper?

Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Bob (Sean Astin) had a sweet, albeit not entirely compatible, relationship this season. However, it wasn’t a surprise when Bob was killed off by the Demodogs—his guest appearance was always meant to be short-lived.

Now that Bob is gone, many fans are asking: Will Joyce and Hopper finally get together? These two have been through a lot together, from searching for Will when he went missing to venturing into the Upside Down to save him.

These experiences are often what sparks relationships in fiction, and though they’ve resisted their attraction for two seasons, maybe Season 3 will bring them closer. Could we finally see Joyce and Jim sharing moments without the world falling apart? Only time will tell.

Can We Trust Dr. Owens?

Do you remember when the Demodogs were running wild and attacking nearly everything in sight? Well, Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) miraculously survived despite being in their midst. While Hopper left him with a handgun, that barely did anything to keep the creatures at bay, so how did Dr. Owens make it through?

It doesn’t seem like just luck. Considering Reiser’s role in Aliens and the heavy influence that film had on this season of Stranger Things, I suspect there’s more to Dr. Owens than meets the eye.

Though he seemed like a morally ambiguous character in Season 2, helping Will and eventually giving Hopper the birth certificate for Eleven, his actions also included secretly recording Will and overseeing missions into the Upside Down.

Is he just a morally grey figure, or is there more to his story that we’ll learn in future seasons?

Will Other Super-Powered Kids Join the Fight?

One of the most debated decisions in Season 2 was the change away from Hawkins to follow Eleven on her journey to discover her past and her “sister” Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), a.k.a. Eight. Kali has powers of illusion and mind manipulation, and it’s clear that the Duffer Brothers introduced her for a reason.

There are at least 11 test subjects around Eleven’s age, and while it’s unclear how many survived, it raises the question: What powers do the others have? Could they join forces with Eleven if a bigger threat emerges in Hawkins?

If that happens, will the monsters of the Upside Down control some of these young super-powered people, or could they be aligned with another force altogether? There’s still so much mystery around this storyline, and I expect future seasons to access it further.

What’s the Master of the Upside Down Planning for Season 3?

The biggest question left at the end of Season 2 is what the major entity in the Upside Down plans to do next. It wasn’t happy about the rift being closed, and it’ll likely do whatever it takes to reopen it. We don’t yet know how it plans to do this, but the other super-powered kids may play a part. What does the entity want?

Does it simply want to spread decay and darkness across our world, or does it have a larger agenda? Season 2 showed it extending its reach throughout Hawkins, but there’s likely more to its plan.

We might see the focus change from the Upside Down to Eleven and her super-powered siblings, though the final scene hints that the Upside Down still has more to offer. Whatever the case, we can expect Season 3 to delve deeper into this story.

And if the timeline follows the same pace as real life, Season 3 will likely take place in 1985. That year saw the release of iconic films like Back to the Future, Weird Science, The Goonies, and The Breakfast Club.

These movies have already influenced Stranger Things, and Season 3 will probably pull from them as well. Get ready for more ’80s references and nostalgic moments as the story continues to play out.

Experience this unforgettable film from the comfort of your home now streaming on Netflix.