Stranger Things Prequel Proves Why The Upside Down Retcon Was A Mistake

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The world of Stranger Things will continue with a new animated prequel called Tales from ’85, set to release in 2026. This spinoff takes place between seasons 2 and 3 of the original series and will follow Eleven, Mike, Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Will. The show is also hinting at the return of a key element from the Upside Down and will introduce a new character named Nikki Baxter as part of the Stranger Things universe expansion on Netflix.

The future of Nikki in Tales from ’85 is uncertain, as she doesn’t appear in the main Stranger Things show. We do know what happened to the other key characters thanks to the Stranger Things finale, though whether Eleven survives is left open to the audience’s interpretation.

Currently, the prequel is considered official story material, even though the animated series Tales from ’85 features different voice actors for the Stranger Things characters. It also seems the new spinoff will focus on the Upside Down as the main danger, similar to the first few seasons of Stranger Things.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Brings Back The Upside Down’s Spores

Netflix

As a huge Stranger Things fan, I’m really excited about Stranger Things: Tales from ’85! It’s going to be set in the winter of ’85, and from what I understand, it’ll focus on the younger kids in Hawkins facing off against some new creatures and dangers from the Upside Down. And that’s not all – Penguin Random House is releasing a chapter book called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Chapter Book #1 in September, which I’m already planning to grab. Here’s what the book’s about, according to the official description:

Return to Hawkins, Indiana for new mysteries and adventures as snow covers the small town!

Eleven, Mike, Lucas, Will, Max, Dustin, and their friend Nikki discover a Lost and Found box is spreading a dangerous substance from the Upside Down throughout their town. They must quickly solve the mystery and stop the spread before it’s too late.

The summary for the Tales from ’85 tie-in reveals that “Upside Down spores” are potent enough to pollute even items left in the school’s Lost and Found. These ash-like spores were initially a major part of the Upside Down when it was first introduced in Stranger Things season one, but their importance diminished as the show went on.

Stranger Things Abandoned Concerns Surrounding The Upside Down’s Spores

When the characters first explored the Upside Down in Stranger Things, they often tried to protect themselves, hinting that the atmosphere was dangerous. A good example is when Hopper and Joyce wore protective suits in the first season to avoid breathing in harmful particles while looking for Will.

In season 2 of Stranger Things, Hopper was exposed to spores from a growth while traveling through Will’s tunnels, which made him sick. Later seasons showed characters protecting themselves from the spores in the Upside Down, but by season 5, the show seemed to suggest those spores weren’t actually dangerous, effectively changing an earlier established detail.

Although the final scene of Stranger Things season 4 showed spores falling like snow across Hawkins, the show didn’t explain what would happen if people breathed them in. In season 5, El briefly wore a face covering when entering the Upside Down, but quickly took it off. Throughout the season, even characters experiencing the Upside Down for the first time didn’t appear worried about the spores.

Stranger Things Season 5 Made The Upside Down Less Threatening

Image via Netflix

The fifth season of Stranger Things revealed the truth about the Upside Down: it’s a wormhole connecting two different worlds. Interestingly, the final season made the Upside Down seem less scary than before, as the biggest danger actually came from the soldiers stationed there, not the creatures or environment of the Upside Down itself.

In the fifth season of Stranger Things, the Upside Down felt different – the dangerous spores were gone, and so were the Demobats that attacked Eddie in season four. Even the Demogorgons were nowhere to be seen. This meant the group could focus solely on battling Vecna and the Mind Flayer, without having to worry about other monsters.

There’s no fixing issues with the fifth season now, but hopefully the upcoming Stranger Things spinoff will recapture the intense danger of the Upside Down, like we saw in the show’s earlier seasons.

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2026-01-29 22:39