Stranger Things wrapped up its five-season run at the end of 2025 with a much-discussed finale (and it leaves Eleven’s fate ambiguous). The Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi/horror franchise is far from over, though, as the animated Tales from ‘85 spinoff will soon hit the 2026 TV schedule. Set between the parent series’ second and third seasons, the show will fill in a few gaps and bring in a new character to join the Hawkins crew. Of course, that newcomer isn’t referenced in the OG show, and the EP has a take on it that’s hard for me to buy into.
Tales from ‘85 introduces Nikki Baxter, a punk-rock, pink mohawk-wearing teen who befriends Mike, Eleven, Will and co. and gets drawn into their wintry adventure. Voiced by Odessa A'zion, Nikki is set to have a major impact on the kids. While the notion of introducing a significant new character may seem exciting, it also begs a retroactive question: “If Nikki’s so important, why doesn’t she come up during the original series?” While speaking with SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend, showrunner Eric Robles answered that:
One thing that’s probably hard for a lot of people to understand is that in the ’80s, it wasn’t like it is now – you would have a friend that you would meet for summertime, if you went to camp, and they’d be amazing friends, and you’d have amazing adventures for that one summer. It wasn’t like you stayed in touch via Instagram or anything.
First off, it should first be said that, obviously, Nikki doesn’t come up on the main Stranger Things show due to not having been thought up at that point. Still, that plays into the notion of Tales committing a storytelling sin by introducing a new character in a spinoff that also serves as a prequel. Still, Robles seems to stand by the decision to bring in Nikki, and he also shared more with SFX regarding his rationale on why the main characters don’t mention her during the events of the live-action show:
Article continues belowIf you got a phone number, maybe you stay in touch. But for the most part, people came in and out of your life, and they were your best friend ever for the two weeks or three months that you were with them, and then they’re out of your life. It’s the same concept with Nikki, but we’ll see what happens to her at the end of this thing.
While I wasn’t born in the ‘80s, I still have trouble wrapping my head around this argument. The lack of social media did indeed mean kids had fewer methods of keeping up with each other, and smart phones weren’t around either. However, it’s still somewhat awkward to think that Baxter has such a major effect on the Hawkins kids but isn’t talked about after their time with her. I know this all sounds nitpicky but, as someone who appreciates the relatively tight continuity Matt and Ross Duffer have created, I can’t help but think about it.
Nikki’s presence on the show, of course, won’t diminish my enjoyment of it, and I’m actually eager to see how she figures into the overall narrative as well as if that helps fill in any blanks. And, of course, I’m also curious as to how the story ends for her and how her subsequent absence is explained. Throughout all that, though, I’m not sure the concept of infrequent friendships will soothe the canon quibbles I have.
Anyone who wants to check out Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 when it debuts on April 23 should grab a Netflix subscription.
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