"Stranger Things: Tales From '85," an anticipated animated series, is poised to shed light on the enigmatic creatures originating from the Upside Down, a dimension that has long mystified fans of the main series. While the primary "Stranger Things" narrative has touched upon the genesis of the Upside Down and the intertwined destinies of Vecna and the Mind Flayer, many questions regarding the monstrous inhabitants of Hawkins, Indiana, have remained unanswered. The debut teaser for this animated midquel hints at an expanded understanding of Demogorgons and introduces a dangerous organism capable of evolving into various terrifying forms.
Scheduled for release on April 23, "Tales From '85" takes place between the events of the second and third seasons of the hit Netflix show. Adopting the visual style of a classic Saturday morning cartoon, the series aims to deliver the familiar blend of nostalgic charm and unsettling horror that defines its live-action counterpart. The trailer showcases Hopper and Mike, voiced by Brett Gipson and Luca Diaz respectively, navigating a seemingly ordinary winter day with Eleven, portrayed by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt. Their plans for a day of innocent fun, complete with flirting, snowball fights, and a new Dungeons & Dragons campaign, are abruptly disrupted by the emergence of an unforeseen menace.
The trailer previews a lizard-like entity, featuring the distinctive mouth of a Demogorgon, being pursued by an individual in a hazmat suit wielding a flamethrower. This scene suggests the creature's escape from some form of containment. As the young protagonists track this entity, they discover its capacity for rapid mutation. One chilling depiction shows it transforming a pumpkin into a fanged jack-o'-lantern, while its elongated claws are prominently displayed as it roams the corridors of Hawkins High School. The group also encounters threatening, toothy vines, confronts a massive, plant-like maw in the wilderness, and battles a formidable, hulking beast resembling a distorted bear or wolf, underscoring the dynamic and unpredictable nature of these otherworldly threats.
The series appears to explore the hypothesis that Hawkins is under siege by a creature from the Abyss, possibly a subject of experimentation that accelerated its mutational tendencies. Alternatively, the creatures' rapid evolution might be a natural adaptation to their surroundings, reflecting the Demogorgons' known multi-stage metamorphosis, as vividly illustrated by Dustin's unfortunate experience with a young one. The monsters featured in "Tales From '85" seem to possess a similarly intricate life cycle, influenced by the local flora and fauna. With Eric Robles at the helm as showrunner, Flying Bark Productions managing the animation, and the Duffer Brothers serving as executive producers, this series promises to enrich the "Stranger Things" universe by delving into the lore of its iconic creatures, revealing new facets of their origins and adaptability. It reminds us that even in the face of daunting, evolving threats, ingenuity and collaboration can illuminate paths to understanding and resilience.
