Netflix's Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Upends Season 5 Canon

It hasn't been that long since we said goodbye to Stranger Things—and let's be honest, people are still debating if Eleven actually survived or is just off living her best life in the actual Abyss. Either way, you can bet the show's last moments are still rattling around in fans' heads. But for anyone not ready to leave Hawkins, Indiana and all its cheerful monster-stomping trauma behind, Netflix is already giving us more. The animated spin-off, Stranger Things: Tales from '85, just dropped its trailer, and if you thought the timeline in this franchise was already kind of a mess, well... buckle up.

A New Era, Same Old Upside Down (Sort of)

First up, 'Tales from '85' is set smack between seasons 2 and 3 of the main show. The big twist? We're getting new Upside Down creatures and a brand new character, Nikki Baxter (played by Odessa A'zion). Which, okay, is already a bit weird—how did an entirely new member of the Hawkins kids crew never even come up in the next three seasons?

The trailer itself offers a few classic Stranger Things vibes: snowball fight shenanigans, plenty of kid banter, Dustin and Steve's friendship (don't break those two up at this point, Netflix, I swear), and then... cryptic horror, because of course. There's this ominous moment where Dustin (now voiced by Braxton Quinney) throws down the line:

Which, for timeline sticklers, raises a big flag. Because if these new threats showed up between seasons 2 and 3, shouldn't the characters—at some point—mention them later? Like, ever? Seems like the kind of monster attack you'd bring up. Especially since Season 5 eventually establishes that the Upside Down is actually called 'the Abyss.' We're all just supposed to accept that there were extra monsters lurking around, waiting their turn, and then never called back again in the regular show?

What Are These New Creatures?

• Nikki Baxter: New character. No clue how she slots in without rewriting group history, but we'll see.
• The Gourd Horde: Yes, that's right—evil pumpkins now join the likes of the Demogorgon and Demodogs. Sure, it's more fun than terrifying, but it does feel a bit like the writers reaching for extra Halloween content.
• The Vine Dog: Looks like a typical Upside Down nightmare, so that's at least on-brand.

If you were expecting the Demogorgon to be peak Stranger Things nastiness, apparently we all thought too small. There are now new monsters, apparently never mentioned again, and I can't say I don't have questions. If Eleven defeated them back in 1985, cool, but if not, where'd they go for three more seasons? Did they just retire offscreen?

Does It Still Feel Like Stranger Things?

For all the timeline gymnastics, the show itself looks like it still gets the spirit of the original: a tight-knit group getting in over their heads, bad memories of 80s childhood mixed with actual nightmare monsters, and lines between fun and peril so blurred your D&D wisdom saving throws aren't going to help.

If you like spending time in Hawkins with its core group, monsters and all, you're probably still going to have some fun with this animated spin-off. Just, be prepared to suspend a little more disbelief than usual. Stranger Things always asked us to buy into alternate dimensions and psychic teens, but now, add 'missing major events from the timeline' to the list.