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Yes, this refers to the wildly popular Netflix series. No, this isn't in the vein of fanfiction I write. This would be third season or later.
In the first season, Eleven came across the body of Barb. We know that, we remember that, we have been conditioned to regard that as a clear and definite sign of death in media. (No body found means there is a chance for that character to come back.)
HOWEVER. This body was found in the Upside-Down. Things aren't always as they seem there. We also don't have the full rules of that place. What if, instead of being Barb's actual body, it was something else? Possibly it was a shape-changing creature that was then killed. Possibly it was a manifestation of who Barb had been: Her self-doubt, her shyness, her reliance on others. When Eleven was looking for her, she was looking for the person Nancy knew. That was the body that was found.
The kids are playing around, with Jane and Max becoming better friends as Jane gets more socialized and realizes that she and Max are not rivals but can coexist. They're headed to someone's place to hang out when Jane freezes. Everyone's trying to get her to tell them all what's happening, with varying levels of freak-out, and she turns to the woods and says something about there being a tear. Then she takes off, headed for the danger, and there's a flurry of activity as everyone else is left trying to piece together what to do. Max follows close behind, Dustin goes to get Steve, I don't have a plan for everyone, but it would be very hectic.
When Max catches up, Jane has a defensive posture and nothing is all that visible. Max grabs the biggest, sturdiest tree branch she can quickly find, then closes in for back-up. Sounds of squishy collisions reach them, and inhuman cries of pain and rage. Max is looking all around to find the source, though Jane is staring at a single spot like a cat that is watching a ghost. A few of the others arrive, including Steve with a go bag, and start asking about what's happening. Max is trying to explain when Jane reaches a hand out, then closes her fist and pulls back sharply. A purplish slash appears in the air for a second as a humanoid is pulled backwards out of the slash.
This person lands on their backside, but continues the motion to end up on their feet again. They are wearing a motley assortment of pieces of Upside Down dwelling creatures' parts as armor, some of which is identifiable while others hint at what else might dwell there. They also have plenty of weapons on their person, mostly made from bone and strange metallic-looking rocks, including a wicked double-bladed spear in their arms. They are looking around at everyone through a pair of lenses that are secured, goggle-like, by creature hide. Nancy gasps and cries out "Barb!" And cut to the theme.
They bring Barb to the cabin Jane lived in with Chief Hopper. Barb is super jumpy about everything, always looking ready to strike. Nancy is trying to help her clean up a little, trying to help her tell them what happened, while everyone else is talking about what they should do. There's a flashback to the first season, when Barb "died:" When she gets pulled into the pool by the demigorgon, the grip of the monster is broken by the descent and she hits the ground. In that instant, she faces that Hero's Moment. Does she get killed by the monsters there, or does she dig deep and find a reserve of strength within that allows her to survive? The beast silently steps closer, taunting her as she scrabbles backwards. Miraculously, she lands near enough her glasses to grab them before she spins and dashes away. She goes to the shallow end of the pool so that she can run up the steps and get away. Not once does she look back, as she doesn't want to give the creature the time it needs to actually catch her. (Plus, she hasn't bothered to put her glasses on enough to really see it, so that would be a bit of a waste of effort anyway.) The angle changes to show the demigorgon looking after her, appearing smug as though it's toying with its prey.
Barb finally relaxes enough to set up the major conflict for this story arc: The boundary between the Upside Down and this world are very weak in this area, and the creatures know it. There are a bunch of the creatures massing to break through for easy pickings. She had found one such hole and was defending it when Jane pulled her through.
As the season goes on, there are a number of flashbacks showing Barb's transformation. She's able to use the knowledge she acquired in her home plane to help her survive, while also learning more about her surroundings. At one point, she even manages to make new lenses out of some solidified secretion from a creature, using the lens equations. They're not perfect, but they're better than going without glasses or trying to use a shattered lens. There are also a number of scenes about her re-adapting to her old life. The group finds some way to explain her absence, possibly that she kidnapped by a biker gang when she was sick with the stuff from the "government's toxic sludge" that had killed her. Something to explain why she's tougher and buffer and not taking guff from anyone. Her parents are happy to have her back, though somewhat concerned about what she's been through, and are definitely encouraging her to seek help.
One final note: During the making of these episodes, I definitely want everyone to be treated with respect.
In the first season, Eleven came across the body of Barb. We know that, we remember that, we have been conditioned to regard that as a clear and definite sign of death in media. (No body found means there is a chance for that character to come back.)
HOWEVER. This body was found in the Upside-Down. Things aren't always as they seem there. We also don't have the full rules of that place. What if, instead of being Barb's actual body, it was something else? Possibly it was a shape-changing creature that was then killed. Possibly it was a manifestation of who Barb had been: Her self-doubt, her shyness, her reliance on others. When Eleven was looking for her, she was looking for the person Nancy knew. That was the body that was found.
The kids are playing around, with Jane and Max becoming better friends as Jane gets more socialized and realizes that she and Max are not rivals but can coexist. They're headed to someone's place to hang out when Jane freezes. Everyone's trying to get her to tell them all what's happening, with varying levels of freak-out, and she turns to the woods and says something about there being a tear. Then she takes off, headed for the danger, and there's a flurry of activity as everyone else is left trying to piece together what to do. Max follows close behind, Dustin goes to get Steve, I don't have a plan for everyone, but it would be very hectic.
When Max catches up, Jane has a defensive posture and nothing is all that visible. Max grabs the biggest, sturdiest tree branch she can quickly find, then closes in for back-up. Sounds of squishy collisions reach them, and inhuman cries of pain and rage. Max is looking all around to find the source, though Jane is staring at a single spot like a cat that is watching a ghost. A few of the others arrive, including Steve with a go bag, and start asking about what's happening. Max is trying to explain when Jane reaches a hand out, then closes her fist and pulls back sharply. A purplish slash appears in the air for a second as a humanoid is pulled backwards out of the slash.
This person lands on their backside, but continues the motion to end up on their feet again. They are wearing a motley assortment of pieces of Upside Down dwelling creatures' parts as armor, some of which is identifiable while others hint at what else might dwell there. They also have plenty of weapons on their person, mostly made from bone and strange metallic-looking rocks, including a wicked double-bladed spear in their arms. They are looking around at everyone through a pair of lenses that are secured, goggle-like, by creature hide. Nancy gasps and cries out "Barb!" And cut to the theme.
They bring Barb to the cabin Jane lived in with Chief Hopper. Barb is super jumpy about everything, always looking ready to strike. Nancy is trying to help her clean up a little, trying to help her tell them what happened, while everyone else is talking about what they should do. There's a flashback to the first season, when Barb "died:" When she gets pulled into the pool by the demigorgon, the grip of the monster is broken by the descent and she hits the ground. In that instant, she faces that Hero's Moment. Does she get killed by the monsters there, or does she dig deep and find a reserve of strength within that allows her to survive? The beast silently steps closer, taunting her as she scrabbles backwards. Miraculously, she lands near enough her glasses to grab them before she spins and dashes away. She goes to the shallow end of the pool so that she can run up the steps and get away. Not once does she look back, as she doesn't want to give the creature the time it needs to actually catch her. (Plus, she hasn't bothered to put her glasses on enough to really see it, so that would be a bit of a waste of effort anyway.) The angle changes to show the demigorgon looking after her, appearing smug as though it's toying with its prey.
Barb finally relaxes enough to set up the major conflict for this story arc: The boundary between the Upside Down and this world are very weak in this area, and the creatures know it. There are a bunch of the creatures massing to break through for easy pickings. She had found one such hole and was defending it when Jane pulled her through.
As the season goes on, there are a number of flashbacks showing Barb's transformation. She's able to use the knowledge she acquired in her home plane to help her survive, while also learning more about her surroundings. At one point, she even manages to make new lenses out of some solidified secretion from a creature, using the lens equations. They're not perfect, but they're better than going without glasses or trying to use a shattered lens. There are also a number of scenes about her re-adapting to her old life. The group finds some way to explain her absence, possibly that she kidnapped by a biker gang when she was sick with the stuff from the "government's toxic sludge" that had killed her. Something to explain why she's tougher and buffer and not taking guff from anyone. Her parents are happy to have her back, though somewhat concerned about what she's been through, and are definitely encouraging her to seek help.
One final note: During the making of these episodes, I definitely want everyone to be treated with respect.
