Stranger Things may be wrapping up its main run, but the franchise is only just getting started. Even before the fifth and final season premiered on Netflix, fans were already gearing up for a brand-new spinoff: , an animated series set between Seasons 2 and 3. On top of that, the Broadway show is being filmed for a future Netflix release.
Yet both of these projects share a major issue—one that highlights why a franchise can’t survive on prequels alone.
Ahead of Tales from ‘85’s April 23 debut, Netflix recently released several character posters. While all the Hawkins gang were present (including Eleven), there was also a completely unfamiliar face: Nikki Baxter, voiced by Marty Supreme star Odessa A’zion. “Nikki is a 14-year-old transfer student from the East Coast—by way of all over,” showrunner Eric Robles told . “She’s kind and loyal, unafraid to use her intimidating size and punk-rock look to warn off any bullies that might try to cross her.”
That’s all well and good—especially since friends can move away all the time when you’re young—but why have we never heard of her in the main series? This character may be described as “pivotal,” but how important could someone be if they’re never mentioned again after a couple of months?
It’s a classic prequel problem: you can’t introduce a new character without explaining their absence in the original project. Where was Ahsoka Tano in Revenge of the Sith? Canon says she was busy on Mandalore, but you’d think Anakin would mention her when considering his future with the Jedi. Where’s Kim Wexler in Breaking Bad? As Better Call Saul conveniently revealed, she moved to Florida.
This isn’t even the first time Stranger Things has made this mistake. The First Shadow is set decades before Stranger Things, when Joyce, Hopper, and other adult characters are still in high school. A new boy named Henry Creel starts school and soon befriends Patty Newby, the adopted sister of Joyce’s future boyfriend, Bob Newby. But in Stranger Things, none of these characters ever reference these events or Henry’s existence. You’d think the goings-on in Hawkins would feel familiar to them, but it never comes up.
Hopefully, the reason Nikki never appears in live-action is something harmless—like another move in her transient life—because right now, we know all the other characters have to survive for future adventures, but she’s a total enigma. Is she doomed by the timeline? Only time will tell.