Stranger Things Animated Series Makes Eleven's Death Even Worse

The world of Stranger Things isn’t over yet, and its upcoming TV show officially makes Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) death in the main show even worse. After four successful seasons over at Netflix, Stranger Things ended with its fifth season at the end of 2025, though the series finale was met with controversy and turned out to be quite divisive.

Still, Stranger Things continues to be one of the best TV shows of all time, but season 5 isn’t the end of Hawkins and all the stories it still has to tell. This universe is now expanding with an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85, which brings Eleven and her friends back for a different adventure, and it’s already making her death even worse.

Seeing Eleven Happy In Tales From ’85 Makes Her Stranger Things’ Fate So Much Sadder

Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 isn’t a continuation of the show, instead being set in the winter of 1985, meaning it takes place between seasons 3 and 4 of the main show. As such, the show reunites with a younger Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max, who come across yet another mystery in Hawkins.

Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 has a different voice cast, with no actors from the main show reprising their roles.

Despite closing the gate at the end of season 2, the Upside Down still has a strong presence in Hawkins, bringing never-before-seen creatures to the surface, such as pumpkin zombies and monstrous vines. This will take Eleven and company on a new adventure, in which they will meet a new ally: Nikki (voiced by Odessa A’zion).

The trailers for Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 have given the audience a taste of its animation style, voice cast, tone, and the monsters the young Hawkins crew is about to face, as well as a look at Nikki. While Tales from ‘85 looks like a fun and lighter adventure, and will be another chance to see Eleven and her friends together, it’s making some elements of the main show even worse.

Stranger Things ended with Eleven sacrificing herself after realizing that the only way to fully stop all experiments and more was by dying. Eleven died as the Upside Down was destroyed, and did so in front of her family and friends – however, at the end of the series, Mike shared his theory on what truly happened to Eleven, suggesting she might be alive but hiding.

Now, the latest trailer for Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 shows Eleven having fun with her friends in the snow. Eleven went through a lot throughout Stranger Things and pretty much since she was born, so seeing Eleven happy was a rarity. Seeing her happy, playing, and enjoying being with her friends only makes her death even worse, as it’s a glimpse at what she could have had.

How The Tone Of Tales From ’85 Will Differ From The Main Stranger Things Show

Stranger Things pushed its own boundaries in every season, going on increasingly darker paths, with bigger threats, more dangerous monsters, and more personal and complex stories for its characters. This makes sense as the characters grew up and the secrets of Hawkins came to light, but Tales from ‘85 is different.

Being set between seasons 2 and 3, Tales from ‘85 won’t be as dark as the final seasons of Stranger Things nor as emotionally intense, as Eleven and friends are still quite young. Even though an animated format gives the show more creative liberty, Tales from ‘85 has a lighter tone, and it’s aimed at a younger audience, so there’s an innocence factor there.

Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 is more family-friendly than the main show, so its story might not be complex, instead favoring entertainment and the friendship between the characters over everything else. It’s to be seen, however, how Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 adds or even changes season 4, or if it’s just a fun chapter with no real impact.