Stranger Things 'set leak' confirms major character is set to return in new episodes

This article contains potential minor spoilers for Stranger Things season five, volume two.

A leaked look at the set of Stranger Things has revealed a major character is going to return in the upcoming episodes of the show.

Stranger Things season five has been a huge hit for Netflix, setting viewership records in the week after its release of volume one. The first four episodes drew 59,600,000 views in its first five days, marking a record debut for an English language TV show on the streamer.

Fans have been throwing around theories about Vecna’s new design, the reason for why the big bad is so scared of the cave in episode four, and possibly returning characters.

One major character return nine years in the making, however, has already been given away by Netflix from when they invited press onto the set of the show.

Which major character is set to return in season five of Stranger Things?

According to TIME Magazine, during a set visit for season five of Stranger Things, they saw a prosthetic of Barb’s body in the Upside Down.

They said: “I’m exploring a tunnel on the set in Atlanta when I nearly trip over Barb’s body.

“Covered in inky black vines made partly of spray-painted pool noodles, the dummy’s lips purple and slightly agape with a giant bleeding gash on her neck, the fan-favorite character is half buried in the ground.”

Barb was one of the first deaths in Stranger Things, dragged into the Upside Down after being left at a party on her own by Nancy and Steve.

Though Barb was the motivation for Nancy to begin investigating the Upside Down, most the rest of Hawkins kind of just forgot that Barb went missing, leading to the viral #JusticeForBarb movement.

What have the Duffer Brothers and Barb actor Shannon Purser said about this?

Barb was dragged into the Upside Down by a demogorgon and promptly forgotten by just about everyone on the show (Netflix)

The show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, said of Barb (or at the very least her body) making a return in season five: “As we were turning in the scripts for Season 1, the one note we consistently got back [from Netflix] is like, ‘What about Barb? Is anyone thinking about Barb?’

“Netflix kept harassing us about it and it turns out they were right… we neglected her, and as such, Hawkins neglected her, and it made her that much more famous.”

Shannon Purser, who plays the character, was coy when asked about it at the season five premiere, telling Vulture she ‘doesn’t know anything’, adding: “All I know is that my body shows up and I have no idea what the context is. I wasn’t a part of that decision so I’ll be just as surprised as you are.”

Barb’s body was briefly shown in the first season when Hopper and Joyce go into the Upside Down to save Will, but it looks likely that we are going to get a more final ending to her character in the rest of the season five episodes.

Stranger Things season five volume two releases December 26.