Robert ‘Bob’ Newby, played by ‘Lord of the Rings‘ star Sean Astin is everyone’s favorite character from ‘Stranger Things‘ season two. His fate in the show made fans think – why something bad always happens to good people? His short and untimely death left everyone disappointed and heartbroken.
‘Stranger Things‘ has killed off many beloved characters over its five seasons but fans still remember Bob. Here’s all about his death and in which episode we had to say goodbye to him.
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‘Stranger Things’: Who Is Bob Newby?
Introduced as Joyce Byers’s (Winona Ryder) boyfriend in season two, Bob Newby had already become everyone’s favorite. He was the perfect boyfriend, a kind stepfather, and undoubtedly a very loyal best friend. He was incredibly adept with electronics and computer tech and worked as a manager of a Radioshack.
Bob instantly developed a strong bond with Joyce’s sons, Will and Jonathan Bryce. Eventually, Will Bryce grew more attached to him and often looked up to him as a father figure. Meanwhile, Jonathan did not share a great bond with him. But, soon the couple had to bid farewell to each other, which was devastating to watch.
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How Does Bob Newby Die?
Netflix’s ‘Stanger Things‘ created by the Duffer Brothers is explicitly known for its gory details, spine-chilling creatures, and also its addictive theme song. So naturally one can expect the death of Bob Newby to be graphically disturbing, but the makers decided to tone down on bloody details. Bob dies from the attack by Demodogs in season two, Chapter eight: The Mind Flayer. The creature swarms him and starts gnawing away at his body while he’s still alive. At one point, he turns his head and coughs up a little bit of blood as Joyce watches in horror. The initial idea was to show much blood and horror in this scene.
In an interview, actor Sean Astin talked about a specific request he had for his character. He said, “In every great series, someone’s got to go. I think they [The Duffer Brothers] did know and then they kept extending it a little bit – like maybe he’ll go in episode 4 or 5 and that kind of thing. So I just kept saying ‘I don’t care if I last two episodes or five seasons, just please let Bob, pitiful Radio Shack Bob, let him do something heroic.’ I think I said that word ‘heroic’ like 35 times and they were like ‘Dude, we got it.’ I couldn’t have asked them to write a better death. I tell people all the time all an actor can hope for is a good death, and Bob really gets a chance to shine.”
Will there be any closure for Bob’s death? Will this death be justified? There is one thing that is undeniable, Bob Newby is a heroic figure who will be missed.
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