Stranger Things: Tales from '85 (2026) s01e08 Episode Script
Chapter Eight: The Party
1
[creature growling softly]
[screeching]
[banging]
[screeching]
[muffled moaning]
[screeching]
[crunching]
[screaming]
Back, back, back, back! Eat salt, jerks!
[sniffing]
Take that!
It took it.
Sorry, guy, all out of backpacks!
[screaming]
Get away from him, you mouth breather!
[screeching]
[screaming]
[crunching]
Um, should we help her?
After the day she's had,
I'd say let her have this one.
What? No spores?
You okay?
[glass shattering]
I think Dan might ban me for life.
We have bigger problems
than the Food Mart, Dustin.
Way bigger.
[foreboding music playing]
[screeching]
[roaring hauntingly]
[synth theme music playing]
[music fades out]
Geez, worst storm damage
we've had in years.
It was a wild one, Chief.
Hope this place is insured.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no!
[upbeat music playing]
You're not done yet?
You traded turns
for Erica's dessert again, didn't you?
Yeah, last week
before I knew we'd be saving this town
from crazy creatures, again!
My parents should be throwing me a parade,
not forcing me to shovel snow!
You're shoveling something, all right.
Come on, town hero!
Hey, what's going on?
My bike's gotta be around here somewhere.
Hold on.
U-turn! U-turn!
Are you sure this time?
[groaning] He was sure
the last three times.
Yeah, yeah. Sorry I'm not an expert
at finding something lost
in a historic blizzard.
Why were you out in the snow anyway?
I thought
you were just going to hit the arcade.
-He was on a date.
-With Rosario.
Would you clowns give it a rest?
Yes, fine. I was with Rosario,
but we were working the H.I.C. case.
Dustin, why are you red?
It's…
I'm not! I'm…
My bike!
And you all doubted me.
He's changing the subject.
No. I'm simply trying to keep us focused
on the task at hand.
Rosario saw the same blinking light
Charlie did
after she played host
to that Jerk O'Lantern thing.
You seriously think that's a coincidence?
Charlie and Rosario were possessed
by totally different creatures.
Those creatures share a common ancestor.
Like… Hordak.
Hord-what?
Is that a She-Ra reference?
Yep. Hordak, like controls the Horde.
The biggest baddie of all the baddies.
Except for his boss,
Horde Prime, of course.
Okay. Let me try to explain this
a way that's less cool.
Think of a beehive and the queen bee.
The creatures
that possessed Charlie and Rosario,
they could've all descended
from the same Queen
and shared her memories.
That's why they had the same vision.
So the vision didn't come from them.
It came from the Queen.
Exactly.
If we figure out where the light is
Charlie and Rosario saw,
then we'll locate the source
of all these creatures.
Hordak.
We know the creatures are in the sewers.
If there's a queen like you say,
that's where we gotta start.
If you'd rather embark
on a wild goose chase
in the stinkiest depths of Hawkins,
instead of systematically triangulating
the Queen's location
using logic and science, then--
I'm tired of being chased.
We should do the chasing.
Fine.
Well, if we're headed underground
for a monster beatdown,
we're gonna need some gear.
And that just so happens
to be my specialty.
[punk rock music playing]
[all] Whoa.
Welcome to…
The mosh pit!
[Dustin] Whoa!
This is like Nikola Tesla
meets Dr. Frankenstein.
You made all of this?
Uh, yep. And if anything's gonna stop
that Queen, it's gonna be here.
Gear up, Terminators.
This stuff is sick, Nikki.
Sick as in cool,
but also sick as in kinda sick.
-Ah!
-[Dustin] Ah!
Uh, sorry?
Well, that ball had it coming.
Hey!
Made something for you too.
No way!
Is this the mallet from the festival?
With one or two bonuses.
Nikki, this is so cool. Thank you.
It's like you can see into my brain
and make my dreams real!
What do you call this beauty?
Uh, you name it.
I'd like to officially make you
the H.I.C.'s Head of R&D
for Field Technologies.
Whoa! Sounds rad. Count me in.
Oh! Oh my goodness, Nikki!
Uh, you have guests.
-Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
-Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
Hey! Hello, kids.
Checkin' out Nikki's knickknacks?
Mom, don't call them that,
because then the name will stick.
I'm so sorry. I thought you and them…
We're cool now.
Really? Okay. Good, good, good. Then…
I didn't mean to interrupt,
but I wanted to give you something.
Thanks, Mom. Love you.
Oh, I love you too, sweet girl.
Happy birthday.
-It's your birthday?
-Birthday? What?!
Uh, I… I'm just gonna…
I… I'm gonna go, I guess.
Traitor.
Why didn't you tell us?
I guess I'm not really a birthday person.
Besides, who would I invite? My mom?
How about us?
Okay. Um…
Yeah. Maybe this year
I'd be up for trying something different.
Why not?
But first, we got some sewer business
to take care of.
[all cheering, laughing]
[mysterious music playing]
Light 'em up.
So…
Does this mean that the sewers
are our official date spot?
Don't make me puke.
You don't wanna celebrate
our anniversary here?
I could bring candles.
Gross.
You have really never had
a birthday party?
I have never had one either.
Is that 'cause of where you grew up?
No one ever mentioned birthdays
in the lab.
I did not even know when mine was
until a few months ago.
They really kept you locked down, huh?
Locked down? Yes.
But you went all over?
So many places.
They all kind of just blur together.
My mom tried to make sure
I did regular kid stuff,
like the mall and karate class,
but we could never really crack
birthday parties.
I guess they're just a little too normal
for someone like me.
I am not normal either.
Well, who wants to be normal anyway, huh?
[ominous music playing]
Whoa. Guys, are you seeing these?
What do they mean?
-I think it means--
-[creature clicking in distance]
I think it means we go this way.
We must be getting close.
Who, uh…
Who wants to go first?
[scoffs] Fine.
Be careful.
A little late for that, stalker.
These vines are strong enough
to break through cement.
-If this whole place is riddled with them…
-We have to be careful where we step.
[Lucas] Max?
Max?
Max! [screams]
You're gonna want to see this.
End of the line.
-[growling in distance]
-[shushing]
Look!
[growling]
Only one of them.
-We can handle--
-No.
[Mike] She's right.
If we fight them, we'll alert everything
in the sewer system we're here.
Those things could
come back around any second.
We gotta figure out a way
to get over there
without having to climb
down into the death tunnel first.
Oh, silly me. I left my grappling hook
in my other pants.
[Nikki] I didn't.
Who's ready for a ride?
Steady. Steady.
[creature clicking]
[cracking]
[screeching]
-Come on! Hurry!
-Hurry up!
What are you waiting for?
Uh, guys?
Yes! Yes! Go, El!
[all screaming]
[all grunting]
[all groaning]
[Lucas] Ow.
[Lucas] Where the heck are we now?
[Dustin] Sewer Junction.
[Mike] Gross!
-Ugh.
-Check this out.
Don't get too close!
That's a power transformer.
It'll pack a lethal zap
if you mess with it wrong.
Who just leaves their tools lying around?
Probably someone
who didn't have much of a choice.
[deep, resonating growl in distance]
Dustin.
-Dustin!
-Ah!
["Girl U Want" by Devo playing]
-[crunching]
-[squealing]
Get back!
Knickknacks at the ready!
Please do not call them that.
[all screaming]
She sends out an aroma
Of undefined love ♪
It drips on down in a mist from above ♪
She's just the girl
She's just the girl ♪
Whoa!
You're tangling with the wrong guy!
Taste my Wizard's Breath!
Whoa!
[screaming]
[chainsaw buzzing]
Incoming!
Whoa!
She's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
She's just the girl, she's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
-Ah!
-[screaming]
Look at you with your mouth watering ♪
Look at you with your mind spinnin' ♪
Not good.
She's just the girl you want ♪
[grunting]
She's just the girl, she's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
Is that all you got, you dumb hedge?
She's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
Eyes! Eyes! Cover your eyes!
-[song ends]
-[electricity crackling]
[creature screeching]
[Mike] Oh, my…
That was a close one.
I think I have some sewer stuff
in my mouth.
[Lucas] Geared up or not,
we weren't ready for that.
Come on, guys. We can't stop now.
We're so close. We just have to--
[distant roaring]
Leave before we die?
Everyone, grab your stuff.
We're getting out of here.
Now!
[Will] That was a total disaster.
[Lucas] Guys, I'm starting to think
we finally met our match.
[Max] There is no part of me
that doesn't hurt.
[Mike] There's no part of me
that doesn't stink.
My shoes are never going to be the same.
That was not a success.
Yeah. I'm sorry, Nikki.
This is pretty much
the worst birthday ever, huh?
No way, Zombie Boy.
This was the best birthday of all time.
How?
Number one, friends.
That's kind of a new thing for me.
Two, dangerous adventures in a sewer.
Disgusting, but way more exciting
than Chuck E. Cheese.
And three,
party's not over, class.
Nice. We should've baked a cake.
I'll see your cake and raise you.
[sighing happily]
The fresh snack
with the snack in the middle.
Stocked up before the Food Mart imploded.
-[Max chuckles] Nice.
-[Will] I'll take one!
[all chattering]
[Nikki] Here you go.
It's your birthday too.
[Lucas] Yeah, those are my favorite.
But it's not.
Well, you missed like 13 of them in a row.
It's time to start making them up.
-[Dustin] Happy birthday to you ♪
-[all] Happy birthday to you ♪
Happy birthday, El and Nikki ♪
Head of R&D for H.I.C. ♪
Happy birthday to you ♪
[sizzling]
You know
you're supposed to make a wish, right?
I did.
It already came true.
Aw!
I wished I could figure out
how to hurt the Queen,
and I think I have an idea.
-[Dustin groans]
-How?
Light.
My mom's always talking about
how crazy sensitive plants are to light.
Like if they don't get enough,
then they die?
Exactly.
But those vines live in the sewers.
They're doing just fine,
and there's no light down there.
Yeah, well, that's because
the opposite's also true with plants.
Too much light?
It's not gonna be easy.
Replicating the lumens generated
by that transformer won't be possible
without some serious juice.
Hey, if anyone can figure out
how to replicate the lumens
to make a butt-kicking weapon,
it's gonna be you.
Darn straight, Zombie Boy.
Mike, hand me that 14-gauge copper.
Pliers. Pliers.
Whoa.
Thanks.
Okay, okay, okay.
This is all so awesome for sure,
but I got a little emergency
to deal with first.
Building gear makes me have to go pee.
You waiting for permission?
[Daniel] Your experiment?
That's what you're worried about?
The storm just wiped out
my only source of income.
-[Mrs. Baxter] That's not the point.
-I don't think you understand.
No, no, no, no, no. That's the problem.
I do understand.
I understand this wasn't part of the plan.
Don't make me do something I will regret.
Um…
Bathroom?
Oh! Hey!
Sure, sure, sure, sure.
It's upstairs, second door on the right.
Happy birthday to you ♪
Happy birthday to me ♪
[chuckles] It's not your birthday, Dustin.
Happy birthday to you ♪
[gasping]
[dark music playing]
Oh!
Evolution is the process
by which an organism adapts
into an enhanced version of itself.
I could talk about this stuff all day.
Evolution, extinction,
especially extinction.
The fear of extinction
is a great motivator.
Like mushrooms and pine trees.
When they're dying, they release spores.
These spores are gonna ensure
the survival of their species.
Oh no.
Mrs. Baxter is Horde Prime.
[dramatic music playing]
[synth theme music playing]
[song fades out]
[creature growling softly]
[screeching]
[banging]
[screeching]
[muffled moaning]
[screeching]
[crunching]
[screaming]
Back, back, back, back! Eat salt, jerks!
[sniffing]
Take that!
It took it.
Sorry, guy, all out of backpacks!
[screaming]
Get away from him, you mouth breather!
[screeching]
[screaming]
[crunching]
Um, should we help her?
After the day she's had,
I'd say let her have this one.
What? No spores?
You okay?
[glass shattering]
I think Dan might ban me for life.
We have bigger problems
than the Food Mart, Dustin.
Way bigger.
[foreboding music playing]
[screeching]
[roaring hauntingly]
[synth theme music playing]
[music fades out]
Geez, worst storm damage
we've had in years.
It was a wild one, Chief.
Hope this place is insured.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no!
[upbeat music playing]
You're not done yet?
You traded turns
for Erica's dessert again, didn't you?
Yeah, last week
before I knew we'd be saving this town
from crazy creatures, again!
My parents should be throwing me a parade,
not forcing me to shovel snow!
You're shoveling something, all right.
Come on, town hero!
Hey, what's going on?
My bike's gotta be around here somewhere.
Hold on.
U-turn! U-turn!
Are you sure this time?
[groaning] He was sure
the last three times.
Yeah, yeah. Sorry I'm not an expert
at finding something lost
in a historic blizzard.
Why were you out in the snow anyway?
I thought
you were just going to hit the arcade.
-He was on a date.
-With Rosario.
Would you clowns give it a rest?
Yes, fine. I was with Rosario,
but we were working the H.I.C. case.
Dustin, why are you red?
It's…
I'm not! I'm…
My bike!
And you all doubted me.
He's changing the subject.
No. I'm simply trying to keep us focused
on the task at hand.
Rosario saw the same blinking light
Charlie did
after she played host
to that Jerk O'Lantern thing.
You seriously think that's a coincidence?
Charlie and Rosario were possessed
by totally different creatures.
Those creatures share a common ancestor.
Like… Hordak.
Hord-what?
Is that a She-Ra reference?
Yep. Hordak, like controls the Horde.
The biggest baddie of all the baddies.
Except for his boss,
Horde Prime, of course.
Okay. Let me try to explain this
a way that's less cool.
Think of a beehive and the queen bee.
The creatures
that possessed Charlie and Rosario,
they could've all descended
from the same Queen
and shared her memories.
That's why they had the same vision.
So the vision didn't come from them.
It came from the Queen.
Exactly.
If we figure out where the light is
Charlie and Rosario saw,
then we'll locate the source
of all these creatures.
Hordak.
We know the creatures are in the sewers.
If there's a queen like you say,
that's where we gotta start.
If you'd rather embark
on a wild goose chase
in the stinkiest depths of Hawkins,
instead of systematically triangulating
the Queen's location
using logic and science, then--
I'm tired of being chased.
We should do the chasing.
Fine.
Well, if we're headed underground
for a monster beatdown,
we're gonna need some gear.
And that just so happens
to be my specialty.
[punk rock music playing]
[all] Whoa.
Welcome to…
The mosh pit!
[Dustin] Whoa!
This is like Nikola Tesla
meets Dr. Frankenstein.
You made all of this?
Uh, yep. And if anything's gonna stop
that Queen, it's gonna be here.
Gear up, Terminators.
This stuff is sick, Nikki.
Sick as in cool,
but also sick as in kinda sick.
-Ah!
-[Dustin] Ah!
Uh, sorry?
Well, that ball had it coming.
Hey!
Made something for you too.
No way!
Is this the mallet from the festival?
With one or two bonuses.
Nikki, this is so cool. Thank you.
It's like you can see into my brain
and make my dreams real!
What do you call this beauty?
Uh, you name it.
I'd like to officially make you
the H.I.C.'s Head of R&D
for Field Technologies.
Whoa! Sounds rad. Count me in.
Oh! Oh my goodness, Nikki!
Uh, you have guests.
-Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
-Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
Hi, Mrs. Baxter!
Hey! Hello, kids.
Checkin' out Nikki's knickknacks?
Mom, don't call them that,
because then the name will stick.
I'm so sorry. I thought you and them…
We're cool now.
Really? Okay. Good, good, good. Then…
I didn't mean to interrupt,
but I wanted to give you something.
Thanks, Mom. Love you.
Oh, I love you too, sweet girl.
Happy birthday.
-It's your birthday?
-Birthday? What?!
Uh, I… I'm just gonna…
I… I'm gonna go, I guess.
Traitor.
Why didn't you tell us?
I guess I'm not really a birthday person.
Besides, who would I invite? My mom?
How about us?
Okay. Um…
Yeah. Maybe this year
I'd be up for trying something different.
Why not?
But first, we got some sewer business
to take care of.
[all cheering, laughing]
[mysterious music playing]
Light 'em up.
So…
Does this mean that the sewers
are our official date spot?
Don't make me puke.
You don't wanna celebrate
our anniversary here?
I could bring candles.
Gross.
You have really never had
a birthday party?
I have never had one either.
Is that 'cause of where you grew up?
No one ever mentioned birthdays
in the lab.
I did not even know when mine was
until a few months ago.
They really kept you locked down, huh?
Locked down? Yes.
But you went all over?
So many places.
They all kind of just blur together.
My mom tried to make sure
I did regular kid stuff,
like the mall and karate class,
but we could never really crack
birthday parties.
I guess they're just a little too normal
for someone like me.
I am not normal either.
Well, who wants to be normal anyway, huh?
[ominous music playing]
Whoa. Guys, are you seeing these?
What do they mean?
-I think it means--
-[creature clicking in distance]
I think it means we go this way.
We must be getting close.
Who, uh…
Who wants to go first?
[scoffs] Fine.
Be careful.
A little late for that, stalker.
These vines are strong enough
to break through cement.
-If this whole place is riddled with them…
-We have to be careful where we step.
[Lucas] Max?
Max?
Max! [screams]
You're gonna want to see this.
End of the line.
-[growling in distance]
-[shushing]
Look!
[growling]
Only one of them.
-We can handle--
-No.
[Mike] She's right.
If we fight them, we'll alert everything
in the sewer system we're here.
Those things could
come back around any second.
We gotta figure out a way
to get over there
without having to climb
down into the death tunnel first.
Oh, silly me. I left my grappling hook
in my other pants.
[Nikki] I didn't.
Who's ready for a ride?
Steady. Steady.
[creature clicking]
[cracking]
[screeching]
-Come on! Hurry!
-Hurry up!
What are you waiting for?
Uh, guys?
Yes! Yes! Go, El!
[all screaming]
[all grunting]
[all groaning]
[Lucas] Ow.
[Lucas] Where the heck are we now?
[Dustin] Sewer Junction.
[Mike] Gross!
-Ugh.
-Check this out.
Don't get too close!
That's a power transformer.
It'll pack a lethal zap
if you mess with it wrong.
Who just leaves their tools lying around?
Probably someone
who didn't have much of a choice.
[deep, resonating growl in distance]
Dustin.
-Dustin!
-Ah!
["Girl U Want" by Devo playing]
-[crunching]
-[squealing]
Get back!
Knickknacks at the ready!
Please do not call them that.
[all screaming]
She sends out an aroma
Of undefined love ♪
It drips on down in a mist from above ♪
She's just the girl
She's just the girl ♪
Whoa!
You're tangling with the wrong guy!
Taste my Wizard's Breath!
Whoa!
[screaming]
[chainsaw buzzing]
Incoming!
Whoa!
She's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
She's just the girl, she's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
-Ah!
-[screaming]
Look at you with your mouth watering ♪
Look at you with your mind spinnin' ♪
Not good.
She's just the girl you want ♪
[grunting]
She's just the girl, she's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
Is that all you got, you dumb hedge?
She's just the girl
The girl you want ♪
Eyes! Eyes! Cover your eyes!
-[song ends]
-[electricity crackling]
[creature screeching]
[Mike] Oh, my…
That was a close one.
I think I have some sewer stuff
in my mouth.
[Lucas] Geared up or not,
we weren't ready for that.
Come on, guys. We can't stop now.
We're so close. We just have to--
[distant roaring]
Leave before we die?
Everyone, grab your stuff.
We're getting out of here.
Now!
[Will] That was a total disaster.
[Lucas] Guys, I'm starting to think
we finally met our match.
[Max] There is no part of me
that doesn't hurt.
[Mike] There's no part of me
that doesn't stink.
My shoes are never going to be the same.
That was not a success.
Yeah. I'm sorry, Nikki.
This is pretty much
the worst birthday ever, huh?
No way, Zombie Boy.
This was the best birthday of all time.
How?
Number one, friends.
That's kind of a new thing for me.
Two, dangerous adventures in a sewer.
Disgusting, but way more exciting
than Chuck E. Cheese.
And three,
party's not over, class.
Nice. We should've baked a cake.
I'll see your cake and raise you.
[sighing happily]
The fresh snack
with the snack in the middle.
Stocked up before the Food Mart imploded.
-[Max chuckles] Nice.
-[Will] I'll take one!
[all chattering]
[Nikki] Here you go.
It's your birthday too.
[Lucas] Yeah, those are my favorite.
But it's not.
Well, you missed like 13 of them in a row.
It's time to start making them up.
-[Dustin] Happy birthday to you ♪
-[all] Happy birthday to you ♪
Happy birthday, El and Nikki ♪
Head of R&D for H.I.C. ♪
Happy birthday to you ♪
[sizzling]
You know
you're supposed to make a wish, right?
I did.
It already came true.
Aw!
I wished I could figure out
how to hurt the Queen,
and I think I have an idea.
-[Dustin groans]
-How?
Light.
My mom's always talking about
how crazy sensitive plants are to light.
Like if they don't get enough,
then they die?
Exactly.
But those vines live in the sewers.
They're doing just fine,
and there's no light down there.
Yeah, well, that's because
the opposite's also true with plants.
Too much light?
It's not gonna be easy.
Replicating the lumens generated
by that transformer won't be possible
without some serious juice.
Hey, if anyone can figure out
how to replicate the lumens
to make a butt-kicking weapon,
it's gonna be you.
Darn straight, Zombie Boy.
Mike, hand me that 14-gauge copper.
Pliers. Pliers.
Whoa.
Thanks.
Okay, okay, okay.
This is all so awesome for sure,
but I got a little emergency
to deal with first.
Building gear makes me have to go pee.
You waiting for permission?
[Daniel] Your experiment?
That's what you're worried about?
The storm just wiped out
my only source of income.
-[Mrs. Baxter] That's not the point.
-I don't think you understand.
No, no, no, no, no. That's the problem.
I do understand.
I understand this wasn't part of the plan.
Don't make me do something I will regret.
Um…
Bathroom?
Oh! Hey!
Sure, sure, sure, sure.
It's upstairs, second door on the right.
Happy birthday to you ♪
Happy birthday to me ♪
[chuckles] It's not your birthday, Dustin.
Happy birthday to you ♪
[gasping]
[dark music playing]
Oh!
Evolution is the process
by which an organism adapts
into an enhanced version of itself.
I could talk about this stuff all day.
Evolution, extinction,
especially extinction.
The fear of extinction
is a great motivator.
Like mushrooms and pine trees.
When they're dying, they release spores.
These spores are gonna ensure
the survival of their species.
Oh no.
Mrs. Baxter is Horde Prime.
[dramatic music playing]
[synth theme music playing]
[song fades out]