Netflix’s Next Stranger Things Release Will Repeat Tales From ’85’s Biggest Problem

Although Stranger Things came to a close with the season 5 finale on New Year’s Eve, Netflix is clearly trying to make a Stranger Things-verse. Most recently, the spinoff animated show Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 hit the streamer on April 23. This new show featured the main cast of kids from the original show (played by different actors) and was set between season 2 and 3.

While plenty of viewers were excited to see these beloved characters returning to the screen and were perfectly content with the new installment in the franchise, many fans were also frustrated by the series for myriad reasons—several of them having to do with the extremely controversial finale, particularly regarding Eleven’s fate. Now, Netflix is about to step into the exact same problem with its upcoming Stranger Things release.

The First Shadow Play Is Coming To Netflix

The prequel play to Stranger Things, titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow, has been on Broadway since March 2025, but it never felt more relevant than it did going into season 5, as this was Henry Creel/Vecna’s backstory in particular. Because of that, many fans wanted the play made available online long ago, before the final season dropped.

Although that didn’t happen then (which caused its own wave of backlash), Netflix is set to be releasing a full recorded cut of the play on the streaming platform, possibly later this year. While that is exciting—especially because it is heavily rumored that Henry actor Jamie Campbell Bower will be cameoing in the role of older Henry once again—it does suggest that The First Shadow will have the same issues that Tales From ’85 did.

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Like Tales From ’85, This Story Is Limited By The Stranger Things Finale

Tales From ’85 brought back several fan-favorite characters and was overall a charming show, but it had one glaring issue: The Stranger Things finale meant that the story’s events and character development felt pointless. This was especially true of Eleven, given that she spends Tales From ’85 learning to better stand up for herself and find her independence, yet viewers already know she has a devastating conclusion, either ending up dead or unable to ever reconnect with her friends and family.

Unfortunately, The First Shadow is going to run into the same problem, given that, at the end of Stranger Things, Henry insists that he was never controlled by the Mind Flayer and chose it. Shortly thereafter, he’s dead. This is going to make The First Shadow’s deep, empathetic exploration of Henry’s childhood and exposure to the Mind Flayer feel not only pointless but also confusing.

The First Shadow Will Be A Reminder Of What Henry Creel Could Have Been

Among fan frustrations with the Stranger Things finale is the handling of Henry Creel’s character arc, and this seems especially true with audiences who have seen the play and the show. The play clearly positions Henry as a victim of the Mind Flayer and proves that Henry was indeed controlled by it, yet the Stranger Things finale completely does away with that.

For that reason, Netflix’s release of The First Shadow is only going to serve as a reminder that Henry’s story could have been so much more than what it was. No, he didn’t need to be redeemed. However, his story absolutely deserved more nuance and care than it got.

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