Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 ending explained – How does the gang survive?

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**Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 episode 10.**

The animated special, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, is now available, bringing back Eleven and the familiar crew along with some scary new creatures.

A completely new group of actors now voices the story, which takes place between the second and third seasons. The characters face a frightening supernatural danger to Hawkins, and the portal to the Upside Down reopens, causing even more trouble.

I recently chatted with Robles about their exciting new spin-off, coming hot on the heels of Stranger Things season five. They explained they really wanted to recapture that feeling of childhood – you know, kids just being kids, exploring their neighborhood on bikes, and getting into trouble while solving mysteries with walkie-talkies and flashlights. It sounds like they’re aiming for a more nostalgic and lighthearted vibe.

Now that the show has finished, here’s a breakdown of the ending and what we know about the possibility of a second season.

Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 ending explained: What was Daniel’s plan?

The group finally figures out, though a bit belatedly, that Mrs. Baxter isn’t Horde Prime. It turns out Daniel is the season’s true antagonist.

I was shocked when I found Max, Lucas, and Dustin in his hidden lab! He explained he was trying to bring life back using this incredible secret serum. But things went terribly wrong – he couldn’t control what he’d created. It turned out to be this massive plant creature, and it had been growing stronger by feeding on the serum, secretly tunneling underneath the whole town! It was terrifying to realize what was happening.

Daniel’s reckless display of the serum drove the plant queen into a frenzy, and she broke free, causing the entire group to tumble into the tunnel.

When Daniel discovers Will pinned beneath a rock, he surprisingly focuses on saving his serum first. Luckily, the others arrive in time to rescue Will, and Nikki and Mrs. Baxter manage to drive away the plant queen using Nikki’s light blaster.

However, the group also faces the queen’s creatures. They’re quickly attacked by vine-like dogs that grab hold of Daniel. In a panic, he throws the serum at Nikki, and her mother, Mrs. Baxter, rushes to protect her before the plant queen can reach her.

Luckily, Eleven saves the day by throwing a massive rock at the monster. Unfortunately, Daniel gets drenched in the serum, and the plant creature swallows him. However, this actually makes the creature stronger, and it begins to open a gateway to the Upside Down.

How do the gang survive?

According to Mrs. Baxter, many animals return to where they were born when they’re adults, believing it’s a good place to live and reproduce – so the population could very well increase.

Eleven warns that the plant queen could open more doorways to the Upside Down, potentially bringing back all the monsters they’ve defeated – including the Mind Flayer. It’s definitely not good news.

Here’s the plan: Mike and El will try to lead the queen away from the gate, while Lucas, Max, and Dustin create a diversion to keep the surrounding creatures busy, and Will will stay on lookout. At the same time, Nikki is fixing her light blaster, which was broken because of something Daniel did.

A huge fight breaks out, but our heroes can’t seem to make any progress, and El is having trouble shutting the gate. Just as the queen turns back towards the portal to the Upside Down, Dustin and the others manage to hit it with a harpoon, and Nikki finally gets her weapon working, blasting off the queen’s arm.

That wasn’t enough to finish it off, though. The creature was still alive and began moving towards the gate again. However, Eleven found a surge of power and was able to close the gate just as the plant queen was passing through, stopping the creature and finally destroying it.

But, of course, that’s not quite the end.

After three weeks of things being calmer, Hopper talks to Eleven about letting her stay out later so she can continue playing Dungeons & Dragons with her friends. At the same time, we find out that Nikki and Mrs. Baxter are now living in Hawkins.

Despite the apparent victory, the threat from the Upside Down hasn’t truly disappeared. As the song “We’ll Meet Again” plays, the camera focuses on the defeated plant queen. A strange flower, eerily similar to a Demogorgon, is growing from within her.

It seems there’s new life in the Upside Down yet.

You can start watching ‘Stranger Things: Tales from ’85’ on Netflix this Thursday, April 23rd. And if you need a refresher, all previous seasons of Stranger Things are currently available for streaming on Netflix.

Don’t miss out on Stranger Things: Tales from ’85! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, writing about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before joining TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-04-23 16:05