In this past weekend during the Super Bowl, TV lovers around the country got a taste of the next season of the Netflix original series Stranger Things in the form of a thirty second spot. We got images of our leads clad in Halloween Ghostbusters uniform (it is 1984, after all — and we’re expecting one kid to see “he slimed me” at some point) along with a ton of creepy imagery, with the closing shot of a spider-like creature silhouetted in the clouds and hovering over the city.

Fans, of course, ate the trailer all up. It was exactly what we wanted to see out of a Season 2 teaser. Though while it was big on images, it was sparse on actual plot details. Now, in a new report from EW, we have the first real solid details regarding what to expect from the second season of Stranger Things, and it comes courtesy of the creators, as well as some of the talent.

THE SETUP

Season 2 will begin about a year after the events in the first one. As expected, based on the trailers, the story will start on Halloween night in the familiar town of Hawkins, Indiana. If you’ll recall, the ending of Season 1 was a bit bittersweet. While Will was safe and sound from the dark and twisted Upside Down, his homecoming was shortlived. By the closing credits, we see the poor sap coughing up slugs in the bathroom and having visions of the Upside Down.

Stranger Things co-creator Matt Duffer commented on this revelation, and how it continues in the second season.

“He seems to be seeing images from the Upside Down—the question is whether they’re real or not. So it seems like he’s having some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

THE RETURNING CHARACTERS

JOYCE

Last season saw poor Joyce going practically insane while searching for Will. Now that she has him back, there’s no doubt that her motherly instinct is kicking in hardcore. Now in an attempt to give Will and Jonathan some semblance of stability, she’s dating a man named Bob (played by Goonies and Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin), who she knew from back in high school. It’s unclear whether or not she actually has feelings for Bob, but Joyce’s relationship is definitely amped up by her desire to give the boys some solid ground to stand on after the events in Season 1.

“She’s trying to mask a lot,” actress Winona Ryder told EW. “I think she’s made this choice with Bob because she wants a good father figure in her sons’ lives.”

HOPPER

In the chaotic world of Stranger Things, Hopper was a reliable figure that audiences could count on to do the right thing. While first introduced as a seemingly jaded cop, his instincts are partly what led to the eventual rescue of Will. It looks like he’ll continue this role somewhat, but will be forced to lie in order to keep the town and those involved safe. 

“It kind of falls on Hopper to be the voice of authority to say, ‘This did happen and this didn’t happen,’” said actor Harbour. “He’s struggling with the compromise that takes him to, having to lie and cover things up.”

Something tells me he’s going to break before the mid-way point. There’s no way that he’d be able to keep up the lies going forward.

MIKE AND NANCY

These two were the ones who followed for most of the first season, and interestingly enough, they’re the only ones who faced real loss. Mike ended up losing his first crush in Eleven (though she’s definitely coming back this season somehow), and Nancy lost her best friend Barb, whose disappearance was quickly forgotten by everyone by Nancy.

Co-creator Ross Duffer had the following to say regarding their mental state in this season:

“She and Mike are both the most screwed-up because they’re the ones who both lost someone. They’re both grappling with that, and we see the effects.”

THE NEW CHARACTERS

Of course, what would a show like this be without a few new faces thrown into the mix? Up on deck are brother and sister Billy and Max. Apparently Max becomes fast friends with our gang of boys — and she even draws the attention of secondary characters Lucas and Dustin.

Billy, however, doesn’t seem quite as friendly.

“Stephen King always has really great human villains,” Matt Duffer told EW. “The evil in the real world is often as bad or worse than the supernatural evil, so we wanted to introduce a character like that.”

In true Stephen King form, we’re expecting another overly-violent schoolyard fight scene with either knives, guns, or both.

THE NEW CREATURE & A NEW KIND OF HORROR

The first season of the show seemed to show the death of Eleven’s tormentor and the Demogorgon, and with that, you can be damn sure the next would have some other baddies to showcase. Yes, our heroes survived for the day, but the portaal to the Upside Down is still open, and the lab is now run by the “seemingly friendly” Doctor Owens.

So what does this mean regarding the type of monsters we’ll be getting? Can we expect anther Demogorgon, or perhaps multiple Demogorgons?

Probably not. Matt Duffer stated that this season will explore a “different kinds of horror.” What that means is anyone’s guess.

But, according to one of the cast members, Gaten Matarazzo (who plays Dustin), not all the creatures will be bad, and his character will interact with what’s being described as a “polliwog-like pet.”

“It’s a little creature I get to bond with,” said Matarazzo. “It’s obviously not from this planet or this dimension.”

Those are all the details we have so far. Still no word on how Eleven factors into all this, but we’re sure we’ll be hearing about her character soon enough!

Stranger Things Season 2 hits Netflix this Halloween!

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SOURCE: EW