It’s mainly the Wheelers who hold on to their sense of loss, as you might expect. Nancy feels a sense of obligation to the memory of Barb, and her guilt puts her on an investigative route that, just as in season 1, has her making discoveries separately from the main plot in a way that will please viewers with its familiar narrative structure. Mike also holds onto the idea that Eleven might not truly be gone, and although his sense of loyalty takes some time to affect his actions, there’s a pervasive sense that he is not complete without her.

One of the few problems, in fact, that Stranger Things season 2 might be said to have is a lack of things for Mike to do. He spends a lot of his time at Will’s side, and although he makes some important discoveries here and there throughout the season, he’s far from playing the central role he had in season 1, which is unfortunate given Finn Wolfhard’s amazing acting chops. There are definitely some emotional peaks for Mike, but he’s in the background far too often.

However, this does allow his other friends, Dustin and Lucas, to step into the limelight, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, they each get their own storyline, bringing their already strong personalities to the forefront. A big part of the pair’s story centers around Max, played by Sadie Sink, who’s a new classmate that gains varying levels of acceptance into the group. Max has a hard-edge but plenty of nerd cred, and fans will find it much easier than the boys do to embrace her as a friend and co-conspirator once things get going. She has plenty of mysteries in her own back story for viewers to ponder, too, and the difficulties she has being accepted are a big part of the season’s success.

Max helps us find out more about Lucas, arguably the most under-developed character from last season. A few family scenes are particularly endearing for the Sinclairs and help to round out Lucas’ character. Dustin was already a standout character last year, but this season his foibles really help him go in a new direction that will please fans. In fact, not only will some of his choices in opposition to his friends both horrify and amuse viewers; his unexpected pairing with a character no one would expect will also serve to spice up Dustin’s arc.

Max’s brother Billy, played with mullet-wearing magnificence by Dacre Montgomery, steps into the school bully shoes left behind by Steve Harrington, who appears to have mellowed somewhat in Stranger Things season 2, owing much to Nancy’s influence. The shift provides an interesting dilemma as the viewer must choose whom to root for in Nancy’s life, the soulful but unassertive Jonathan or the reformed but wrongly-matched Steve. The outcomes on all fronts, for jerks and heroes alike, will definitely please the “shippers” in the audience as well as those who like to see justice served.