Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Finally Gets Will Byers Right

Alright, Stranger Things may have wrapped up on Netflix, but apparently, we haven't seen the last of Hawkins, Indiana — not by a long shot. Now we've got Stranger Things: Tales from '85, a new animated spin-off that basically drops us right back into the familiar mess of monsters, nostalgia, and supernatural drama. So if you were craving Eleven’s powers, small-town weirdness, or just more Dungeons & Dragons drama, guess what, the binge cycle continues.

Back to Hawkins, Now in Animated Form

This new show finds the gang a bit younger, and lets us hang out with fan favorites like Eleven (now voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt) and Will Byers (Ben Plessala). But there’s also a new kid in the mix: Nikki Baxter, voiced by Odessa A'zion. Typical ‘80s move-in story? Not exactly—Nikki’s introduction has her confronting much more than just the usual transfer student jitters. (It’s Hawkins. Of course it’s weird.)

Tales from '85 hits a lot of familiar beats — the town’s still as cozy and menacing as ever, and the friend group dynamics are basically what you want. But the most interesting part is how the series (finally) gives Will Byers the development he's always deserved. No, really — this show actually fixes a pretty glaring flaw in the original series.

Will Byers Finally Gets His Due

If you remember Stranger Things Season 1, Will is the kid who disappears and, aside from being the reason the plot happens, pretty much stays in the background once he’s rescued. He’s underused for whole seasons — stuck either being sad, possessed, or just left out as his friends move on.

Tales from '85 changes that, and honestly, it’s about time. Let’s break it down:

• Nikki and Will bond early in the season: The friendship kicks off at the Hawkins Winter Festival (Season 1, Episode 2 — yes, winter festivals are apparently still dangerous if you’re a Byers).
• Key pep talk: Nikki basically tells Will he’s a legend for surviving monsters and literal alternate dimensions. ('You fought monsters. You went to another dimension and lived to tell the tale.') She calls him a rock star. Will, modest as ever, doesn’t buy it at first, but it clearly gets through to him.
• Actual character growth: The show follows Will as he finally starts to believe in himself, step up, and — get this — even take charge. (Raise your hand if you’re still surprised he was more wallpaper than hero for three or four whole seasons.)
• Highlights include: Defending a classmate (a rival, no less), surviving another round of Upside Down madness, and just generally being essential to the group. By the end of the first season, he’s had a full arc — something the live-action show took years to give him.

The Original Series Never Gave Will This

Watching this show is genuinely a double-edged sword — you’re happy for Will, but also a little annoyed remembering how sidelined he was before. Sure, he kicked off the main plot, and yes, Stranger Things Season 5 finally gave him some development (coming out, learning about his powers, finding a little self-confidence). But it’s not until Tales from '85 that Will actually gets some warmth, support, and something resembling a standard main-character arc.

Honestly, it makes the original show’s approach a bit more baffling. Will has all this trauma and not much in the way of on-screen catharsis for ages. His most genuine live-action moment before the spin-off was probably a pizza-shop heart-to-heart with his brother Jonathan—sweet, but nothing compared to the Nikki pep talk where someone his own age finally gets what he’s been through.

Does This Change the Stranger Things Timeline?

Here’s where things get a little murky. It’s not super clear how the spin-off fits into the canonical timeline. If we take Tales from '85 at face value, it gives Will a much more optimistic run between Seasons 2 and 3. It retroactively makes his later struggles (loneliness, D&D vs. dating, general teenage confusion) seem less bleak. Maybe even hopeful.

But there’s an elephant in the room: If Will gains all this confidence and perspective here, why is he still so adrift in Seasons 3 and 4 of the main series? If Tales from '85 keeps getting more seasons, those questions aren’t going away — they’re only going to get louder.

So, Should You Watch It?

If you’re still hungry for a return to old-school Hawkins and you wanted more closure (or just screen time) for Will Byers, this one’s worth a look. It’s also the first time a new character (Nikki) swoops in and actually changes a legacy character’s trajectory for the better, which is kind of impressive for an animated spin-off.

End result: Whether or not it’s official canon, Tales from '85 gives Will Byers the storyline he probably should have had years ago — and that alone might be reason enough to check it out.