After just two seasons, Stranger Things has quickly risen to the top of the pop culture heap – so it’s hard to believe that not everyone has caught up with one of the show’s breakout stars, Bob Newby (Sean Astin). Played with warmth and charm by Astin, the RadioShack manager who befriends Will Byers, Joyce Byers and Dustin Henderson becomes an integral part of the story in season 2 and will return in season 3 as well. But exactly who is Bob Newby? And why should you care about him? Who is Bob Newby? Who is Bob Newby A Character Analysis of Stranger Things Breakout Star
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Where we first meet Bob
Season two’s second episode opens with Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) having a serious run-in with her soon-to-be love interest, Bob (Sean Astin). With David Harbour’s Chief Jim Hopper away in Chicago on a police business trip, she goes to shut off a loud car alarm at Elmer Bernstein Elementary School — her son Will’s former school — and runs into not only Bob but also his daughter Max. The moment that Joyce sees Max and makes eye contact with her soul, it’s clear to us that there are going to be fireworks between these three characters. That isn’t an exaggeration.
His relationship with Joyce
I think Sean Astin’s performance on Stranger Things was one of my favorites from Season 2. Astin played a goofy but sweet and seemingly good character in Joyce’s love interest, Bob. The twist at the end of Season 2 seemed like it would come as a complete shock to audiences, but looking back after having seen both seasons, I see that every scene he had with Joyce hints at his secret identity: he’s an undercover agent for The Hawkins Lab trying to figure out what Eleven has been doing in her room all these years. Now, let’s look at each moment that displays his deceit.
The events leading up to his death
After his house is flooded by a storm, he decides to take Eleven under his wing and help her make a better life for herself. In order to escape from Will’s friends, who plan on torturing Eleven once more in their attempt to get her to open another portal, he secretly helps her flee. He gives her a Walkman with music on it and tells her she can come back whenever she likes; however, when Eleven attempts to contact him telepathically, he brushes it off as nothing important (not knowing that it was an attempt at contact). While travelling through town in search of Dr. Owens, Hopper witnesses Sheriff Hopper enter his car and drives after him while ignoring Joyce’s calls.
The aftermath of his death
Joyce and Hopper’s grief over losing their friend added a lot to season 2, most notably that it gave both actors more to do as they had important roles in helping Will adjust to his new reality. The entire episode The Lost Sister, which focuses on Will meeting his birth mother , works so well because we get so much more time with Joyce and Hopper in these episodes; after all, Bob’s death led Joyce to realize she had abandonment issues and needed closure. Even though he died before she could say goodbye, it brought about her reconciliation with her brother (and acceptance of her sister-in-law).
Did Sean Astin ask to be in Stranger Things?
The actor has admitted to being a fan of Netflix’s hit show, but that it was actually his daughter who convinced him to accept an invitation from creators Matt and Ross Duffer. In an interview with The Wrap , Astin revealed: I got asked by [the Duffer brothers] and I couldn’t figure out if they were serious. They said, ‘Well, we’re doing these scenes from Season 1 over again.’ And I went in and they showed me these scenes, and my daughter happened to be there with me; she watched all those episodes too.
What happened to Sean Astin’s character in Stranger Things?
In season two, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) started dating her former high school classmate, Bob Newby (Sean Astin). And while Joyce’s relationship with Bob seemed to be going well—Bob even bought a house and planned to move in with Joyce and her kids—Bob was tragically killed by Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) during an episode near the end of season two. Of course, Stranger Things is set in Hawkins, Indiana, so there are bound to be plenty more monsters and mysteries for our favorite characters to encounter. But if you’re looking for some insight into Sean Astin’s short-lived character in Stranger Things , we have you covered! Keep reading for everything you need to know about Hopper’s coworker and boyfriend!…So far…
What happened to Bob Newby in Stranger Things?
Of course, only time will tell. If we learned anything from season 2 of Stranger Things, it’s that you can’t trust anyone – especially if they’re working at Hawkins Lab. If there are any theories you have about what happened to Bob and why he was killed off in season 2, I’d love to hear them! Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
Did Sean Astin play Bob in Stranger Things?
One might remember Sean Astin from his time as Samwise Gamgee in Lord of The Rings. If you didn’t, don’t feel bad. He’s a great actor, but he does not usually play iconic characters like Samwise. This is why we are asking if Astin played Bob Newby in Stranger Things (S2). Yes, Sean Astin does play him—but what do we really know about Bob from S2 and S3?
