Diksha Sundriyal
The gang returns in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85,’ battling a new kind of monster. Picking up after the events of the second season, the animated series reunites the entire group, including Max, who was introduced in Season 2. To shake things up, a new character comes into the picture and becomes an indispensable part of the group. Called Nikki, the new kid in the school becomes a core member of the group pretty quickly. Considering how important she is to the events of the show, it makes one wonder why she is not mentioned at all in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 3. Her introduction holds the answer to that. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Odessa A’zion Brings the Punk Rock Spirit to Nikki
Odessa A’zion voices the character of Nikki in ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85.’ The actress is known for her roles in the Oscar-nominated film ‘Marty Supreme, ‘HBO’s comedy series ‘I Love LA,’ Prime Video’s heartfelt movie ‘Sitting in Bars With Cake,’ and Netflix’s teen drama series ‘Grand Army.’ The actress joins the world of ‘Stranger Things’ with the introduction of Nikki, who is a new student at the school in Hawkins. We first meet her when she saves Will from being bullied at school, immediately establishing her protective nature. Later, she gets involved in all the paranormal activities going on around town when she is attacked by a monster and saved by Eleven and her group.
Soon, it is revealed that she has a knack for making stuff, especially weapons from scrap, which comes in handy when the group has to fight monsters. Despite being the new kid, Nikki quickly becomes a trusted member of the group, particularly forming a bond with Will. They bond over feeling like the odd one out and soon develop a strong friendship. Reportedly, the show’s creators wanted a character who would add a new dimension to the group. They felt that the group was missing a protector, the muscle that would help keep them safe. Nikki effortlessly fills that position while also adding emotional depth to the story and facilitating the character development of the main characters.
A Crucial Plot Point Explains Nikki’s Absence from Stranger Things Season 3
By the end of the season, Nikki becomes an indispensable part of the group. She helps them defeat the monsters that adapt too quickly to the Earth’s environment and multiply so fast that it seems impossible to keep them at bay for too long. Her talent for making weapons plays an important role in the fight against the terrifying creatures. At the same time, she also gets close to Will and even bonds with Eleven because they both didn’t have a normal childhood. In fact, the whole group becomes so attached to her that the final scene is of them hanging out at her garage. Considering how important she became to the group, it seems weird that she is not mentioned once in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 3. The reason for Nikki’s absence in the parent series can be explained by the fact that she was never supposed to stick around in Hawkins for long.
She came there because of her mother, Mrs. Baxter, who had been hired as a substitute teacher. Mr. Clarke, the science teacher, left for the semester, so Mrs. Baxter filled in for him. Once he returned, her job was done, and it makes sense that she found a new job somewhere else, taking her daughter with her. This is not the first time this has happened to Nikki; she tells the group she has moved around a lot because of the volatile nature of her mother’s job. This is also why she doesn’t really have friends and why she connects so strongly with Will and the group. By the end of the season, school is still in session, Mr. Clarke is still away, and Mrs. Baxter is employed as the substitute teacher. This is why Nikki is still around.
However, it makes sense that once the academic year is over, her mom starts looking for a new job, and packs up and leaves once she has it. Still, one would say that the group has spent considerable time with her to at least mention her name in Season 3. The show’s creators explained that since the story is set in the 1980s, kids didn’t really have any way to stay in touch with each other. This was the time when they would make a friend who would feel like their best friend. But when the said friend moved away, life would go on, and the kids would find a new friend to spend their days with. Thus, even though Nikki becomes an important part of the group for the winter, things change by the time summer ends, and school is back in session.
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