SPOILER WARNING AHEAD! If you have not seen Stranger Things season two I urge you to click away from this article and watch it immediately! Stranger Things has taken the pop culture world by storm and for good reason. This season in particular really impressed me with its development of the characters. Five characters specifically blew me away this season. That’s not to say that I don’t adore all of the character in this show, but these ones really stood out to me. So without further ado, here are my five favorite characters from season 2 of Stranger Things.

Bob Newby

Heroes; Bob and Joyce enjoy each other’s company for lunch. Photo by Netflix.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Bob at first. I really thought that the creators of the show would lean towards pairing up Hopper and Joyce, so when I saw Joyce and Bob making out I was a little confused. I did warm up to him pretty quickly though. Bob was like a goofy dad and genuinely wanted to connect to Will and Jonathan. I appreciated all of the advice he gave Will, even if it didn’t turn out too well. Bob was always there for Joyce and her family. Bob seemed too good to be true and I worried that he would secretly be working with the bad men from season 1. Turns out, Bob is just a genuinely good guy. Bob had the potential to just fade into the background as a clueless father figure who doesn’t really help out. However, Bob became a true superhero. I appreciated all the little things he said to himself when saving the day, like “splash!” I didn’t expect Bob to take charge when Will drew a map of Hawkins or when the power went out at the lab. I really thought Bob was going to make it out alive. When he looked at Joyce with pure love and relief, I thought they were going to run and hug each other and make it out. Unfortunately, the demadogs got him. Bob gave his life for the Byers and should be remembered as what he was; a hero.

Steve Harrington

Swing batter batter swing! Steve prepares to face off against the demadogs. Photo by Netflix.

I wasn’t sure what I thought of Steve at the end of season 1. He was a complete jerk to Nancy, with the help of his “friends,” but did turn around and sought redemption. Steve was portrayed as a playboy in the first season, but that changed in season 2. Suddenly, Steve became a worn out father of four. Steve clearly cares deeply about Nancy and would do anything for her, including taking care of her brother and all of his friends. I have to say Dustin and Steve’s friendship was definitely one of the highlights of this season. Steve also proved to be a genuinely good guy this season. Even though Steve knew Nancy and Jonathan became a thing, he didn’t lash out in jealousy. He always went to dinner with Nancy and Barb’s parents, no matter how depressing or awkward the whole dinner was. Steve urged Nancy to stop drinking at the party they went to and tried to take care of her. Steve respected Nancy’s decision to break things off with him and he still promised to take care of the kids. Steve only beat up Billy when he threatened to hurt the kids. One of the highlights of the season was hearing Steve hype Dustin up before the Snow Ball. Steve was still Steve and cracked a few witty names at the kids, but he did care for all of them. I also found Steve’s freak out at Max driving the car really amusing.

Will Byers

Worried; Will faces mean nicknames and stares from his fellow classmates once he returns to school after being pronounced dead. Photo by Netflix.

All of the actors in Stranger Things are very talented, but Noah Schnapp really impressed me this season. Last season, the whole plot revolved around Will, but we didn’t really get to see too much of him. Fortunately, Noah was in the spotlight and did not disappoint. Will has been through a lot, and it only makes sense that he’s not completely recovered and back to normal as if nothing ever happened. I think too often, characters who have gone through intense trauma recover way too quickly and it’s not realistic. The Duffer Brothers understood this and made sure Will was portrayed realistically. Noah was able to carry such intense emotion throughout the season and really made me care for him and his well being. Seeing Will succumb to the mind flayer was heartbreaking and I could see him being controlled by it, just through his emotions. Will has suffered a lot these past two seasons, and I hope he gets a chance to be happy. I’m glad he got to have some fun in the last episode, though, at the Snow Ball.

Max Hargrove

On the Lookout; Max notices something strange about the Hawkins lab. Photo by Netflix.

Max had a lot of hardships thrown at her as well. She had to move to a new town, her stepbrother emotionally abuses her, a group of boys tries to befriend her yet leave her out all the time, and she’s thrown into the whole upside down/demadog mess. I get that Mike felt like she was trying to replace El, but he was absolutely awful to her! Every chance he got, Mike told Max that she wasn’t welcome in their group and that they didn’t need or want her. Max can be a real snot sometimes with mean nicknames and such, but she acknowledges that she acts like her brother sometimes and that she doesn’t want to be like him. I was glad Max could confide in Lucas. I have to say, Max is just an overall cool character. She’s great at Dig Dug, skateboards, is willing to hijack a car for her friends, spunky, and even though she doesn’t trust easily, once you gain that trust, she’s a very loyal friend. I cheered for Max when she finally stood up to her brother. Seeing her stand up for not only herself, but also her friends, filled my heart with admiration for her. I hope in the next season, Max and Jane get to become good friends.

Lucas Sinclair

Not Again; Mike, Lucas, and Dustin worry about Will going to the Hawkins lab. Photo by Netflix.

Mike and Lucas flipped roles this season. In season one, Lucas was very wary of El and didn’t want her to be in their group, but this season, Mike was the one who wanted to keep things exclusive. It was nice to see a goofier side to Lucas. I also loved seeing his interactions with his little sister. Being the younger sibling, I’m sure I annoyed my brother just as much as Erica annoyed Lucas. I feel like I didn’t get to know all that much about Lucas from the first season besides the fact that he is fiercely loyal to his friends and isn’t afraid to take charge. This season, though, I really got to know Lucas better. Lucas isn’t afraid to call his friends out, like when he and Mike both dressed as Venkman, he likes to kid around, like with Max and their whole “tubular” inside joke, but he can take things very seriously if need be, like when he told Max the truth about everything that happened to Will. Lucas was also there for Max, even when she was defensive and tried to push him away. When she finally opened up to him on top of the school bus, Lucas was attentive and caring. Although Dustin deserves love, I’m glad Lucas and Max ended up together since they have a better understanding of each other.

Although I love the entirety of the Stranger Things cast, these were the characters who I enjoyed the most in season two! Did you have a favorite character this season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!