The Duffer Brothers’ series “Stranger Things” on Netflix has a lot of interesting and textured characters. But most viewers name one of their favorite characters as Bob, a smart, good-natured and funny middle-aged man. The death of this character, perfectly played by actor Sean Estin, upset many fans of the show.
What happened to Bob?
Bob Newby is a minor character who first appears in season 2 of the series. He has known Joyce Byers since childhood, because he went to the same school as her. Now 37-year-old Bob works as a manager at the Radio Shack store and starts dating Joyce. The couple makes serious plans for the future – to leave the boring town and restart life somewhere else.
But the show’s creators have other plans for this sweet and friendly character. At the end of season 2, he has to say goodbye to his life in order to save the woman he loves and other loved ones. This happens in episode 8 (there are 9 episodes in total in the season).
When the Mind Torturer attacks Hawkins, along with the rest of the characters, Bob finds himself in a lab swarming with demops. The survivors can’t get out because the lab is quarantined due to a power outage. Of all those present, Bob is the only one who knows how to turn on the lights and unlock the locks (his experience at the radio store helps).
The hero sends his friends to the exit and asks them not to wait for him. Once down in the control room, he successfully gets the power back on. Then he runs down the corridor towards the door. But right at the exit, several Demops attack the man and brutally tear him apart in front of a shocked Joyce.
Why did the Duffer Brothers decide to kill Bob?
Very Stranger Things fans know that the script for all 5 seasons was written in its entirety before filming began. And in that original script, Bob was planned as a character who appears and dies for only 3 episodes.
The point of Bob Newby’s death is for Will Byers to begin to feel a sense of guilt (because the newly minted stepfather was killed by the claws and teeth of the monsters that came after Will himself). The boy’s intense guilt becomes an important part of the plot of the subsequent seasons. Also, the elimination of the Bob figure allows Joyce Byers to regain her romantic relationship with Hopper, one of the series’ main characters.
The character of Sean Estin was so much loved by viewers that the Duffer brothers had to make changes to the script. Globally, they decided to stick to the original plan with the death of the hero. After all, if the man had lived – would have had to rewrite a very large part of the plot. But thanks to the love of the audience, the hero lasted not 3, but the whole 8 episodes, becoming one of the key figures of the whole season.
But fans don’t have to miss the likable hero too much. Joyce Byers and her son Will often bring up Bob in conversation and speak warmly of him. He even appears several times in flashbacks throughout season 3.
Interesting Facts
Back in 1985, 14-year-old Sean Estin starred in the adventure comedy “Goonies. This Richard Donner film greatly influenced the Duffer brothers and encouraged them to create Stranger Things. Throughout the series, there are references and passages to the original film. Therefore, the choice of the actor for the role of Bob Newby was not accidental.
On the fridge of the Byers family, you can see a picture of Will depicting Bob as Superman. The picture is captioned, “Bob Newby, Superhero.” This refers to one of the last phrases the character said shortly before his death. Fearing that he can’t get out of the lab, he asks Joyce to remember him as a superhero.
Bob die in episode 8 season 2 “Stranger Things”.
