When Stranger Things concluded on New Year’s Eve, fans were certainly far from done with the show. After all, for months after the series conclusion, many fans were still strongly supporting the so-called Conformity Gate, a conspiracy theory that suggested that the Stranger Things season 5 finale wasn’t the true finale of the show, and a massive, plot twist-filled ending was coming. In the end, that proved untrue, but the show has nevertheless continued in myriad ways. Perhaps one of the most direct continuations has been the animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, which is set between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show and stars many of the original characters (but voiced by different actors). There had been some high expectations for the new show, including some lingering hopes that this series would somehow reveal that Conformity Gate was real.
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That certainly hasn’t happened, although that’s far from the biggest grievance fans have expressed about Tales From ’85. Rather, even among those who had accepted the season 5 finale as the true end of the original show, there was general disappointment about the direction of the story. Specifically, many viewers took issue with the fact that, although Tales From ’85 does focus on Eleven, Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, and Dustin Henderson, the show also introduced a brand-new character, Nikki. While a new character in and of itself isn’t necessarily a problem, many have argued that this newcomer was becoming too much of a focus. Unfortunately, a brand new Tales From ’85 season 2 look has just revealed that audiences likely won’t be getting what they want with this character or the show anytime soon.
Tales From ’85 Season 2 Apparently Isn’t Changing This Controversial Decision
Although audiences have already gotten some looks at Tales From ’85 season 2, including previous images and a teaser for the new season a few months ago, a new look at the upcoming season has confirmed that, despite fan complaints and some backlash online, the show is moving forward with Nikki as a significant character if not a focal point. Specifically, the new image shows Nikki right up front alongside the rest of the group, even standing in front of several of them. While that doesn’t necessarily translate to the narrative importance of the character automatically, considering how season 1 approached the character and the rest of the team, it seems safe to assume that Nikki will once again be playing a major role.
The mixed response to Nikki hasn’t been done entirely in bad faith, though. Yes, the Stranger Things fanbase can be a difficult one, keeping up with major fanbases like Star Wars and Marvel in terms of backlash and criticism at times, but there are myriad valid reasons for viewers to take issue with this new character and the focus on her.
As just one example, some fans have argued that because Nikki is doing so much work to help Will accept himself, she is actually undercutting his story in seasons 4 and 5 of the original show and the bond he had with Robin because she had also helped him learn to accept himself, particularly as it relates to his sexuality. With Nikki now taking on that same role—and, importantly, now doing so chronologically before Robin does—it’s fair to say that this feels like it’s taking away from the original arc or at least changing it.
Granted, it’s not fair to count season 2 out before it even hits the streaming platform, so fans should wait and see what these new episodes hold when they hit Netflix on Sept. 17 before they completely pass judgment.
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