The time to go back to the Upside Down draws nearer, asStranger ThingsSeason 5 hasjust been confirmedby Netflix to come out in 2025. The series is pretty much inescapable nowadays, having grown from a simple story abouta group of childrenlooking out for each other, into aworldwide phenomenonthat everyone seems to love. It started out small, but, even as it grows bigger by the season,it has successfully managed to maintain the essence of what made it special in the first place. The kids still get around Hawkins on their bikes, gather in Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) basement to playDungeons & Dragons, and fight the occasional otherworldly beast.
Dungeons & Dragons– typically referred to asD&D– has, in fact, played a large role inStranger Things' success, going way beyond being a pretext to get the kids together at the start of each season. The tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) first came out in 1974 and rose to popularity in the 1980s. In recent years, it has helped many people in trying times stay connected with friends, especially during the pandemic. Thanks toStranger Thingsand the rise of other popular tabletop games likeCritical RoleandDimension 20,D&Dhas had a renaissance of sorts in recent years. Many new players have tried their hand at the game, and, when they watchStranger Thingswith working knowledge of the game, it allows them to see the show in a whole new light.
The Duffer Brothers’ Writing Resembles the Work of a Dungeon Master
The most fun aspect of playingD&Dis how everything is actually part of a story written by the players themselves. Every decision helps them build their characters' storylines, but these narratives won’t necessarily make sense without someone guiding them. That’s the Dungeon Master’s job: dealing with world-building and character creation, as well as crafting narrative arcs for all players.The Dungeon Master conceives a bigger picture to accommodate all possible decisions and moves the players may takewithout deviating from the main storyline – called a “campaign” inD&D. InStranger Things, that’s what theDuffer Brothersdo, as the creators and showrunners. But their work in this series takes it a step further,writing the story just like actual Dungeon Masters.
Every season ofStranger Thingsstarts off similarly: The characters are at a seemingly peaceful time in their lives, and they are generally all together. An inciting incident happens (like one of them going missing in Season 1), before the characters split up into smaller parties, and go on side quests that eventually build towards a big combat in the season finale. That’s exactly how averageD&Dcampaigns work:Each player creates their character and jumpsinto the storythe Dungeon Master has crafted. Campaigns are structured to provide characters with challenges that test their abilities with corresponding stakes, and they even level up as each challenge is overcome. The adventuring party rarely stays together, usually splitting up into smaller side quests before joining up again in the big final battle.
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The Duffers manage to balance a vast ensemble of characters with various storylines, and every season the series grows a little, with new characters being added andstakes being raised.This also happens in longerD&Dcampaigns, with chapters going on for many playing sessions, but still finishing up neatly before going into the next one. Keeping it all together is a difficult task, but a good Dungeon Master has to plan many steps ahead of each player before the campaign starts. This also applies quite perfectly to writing television, coming up with engaging plots for all characters to grow before joining up again, makingthe Duffers essentially the Dungeon Masters ofStranger Things.
‘Stranger Things’ Main Characters Operate as the Adventuring Party
The Dungeon Master devises the whole story and each individual character arc, but it’s the players who populate these fantastical worlds and determine their fate. One could argue that Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is the main character inStranger Things, butthere is a whole adventure party with her, and they also have their own adventures.We’re talking about Mike, Will (Noah Schnapp), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), who start as the core party, but it eventually grows. Max (Sadie Sink) joins the group in Season 2, Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) are like a party of their own, and the older kids – Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery), and Robin (Maya Hawke) – also develop into one.
Sticking to the core party, though, theD&Dmetaphor continues asthe classes the kids pick for themselves in their campaigns reflect aspects of their actual personalities. According to Mike inSeason 2, for example, he is a Paladin, which is reflected in his adherence to his personal code of conduct, sometimes to a fault. Will is a Cleric, making him susceptible to divine magic and deepening his connection to the Upside Down. Dustin is a high-wisdom Bard, always making sure everyone has snacks and is in high spirits – besides being prone to musical numbers,like with Suzie(Gabriella Pizzolo) in Season 3. He also has vast knowledge, typically beinga problem solver. Lucas is a Ranger, which makes him an excellent fighter and a fierce protector. While Eleven never actually plays, Mike refers to her as a Mage because of her powers. Max calls herself a Zoomer, which wasn’t even an actualD&Darchetype, but became popular with the series and, now, describes a kind of Thief who can move and transport people really fast. Still, Max also fits in as a Rogue, as her intelligence and out-of-the-box thinking make her an excellent party member.
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In gaming terms, these are the player characters, whose actions and decisions are controlled by someone actively playing the game. This entire ensemble ofelevenpeople (no pun intended) is made up of “main” characters, and that’s one of the most appealing aspects ofStranger Things, and another thing taken straight out ofD&D.It’s normal for adventure parties to grow in size during the campaigns, with new players joining in as they are invited by friends along the way, and it often helps the Dungeon Master create new sub-quests.
In that vein,Stranger Thingsalso has a collection of non-player characters (NPCs), including Lucas' younger sister Erica (Priah Ferguson), Mike and Nancy’s mom, Karen (Cara Buono), Season 2 superhero Bob Newby (Sean Astin),Season 4fan favorite Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), and the ever comical Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman).These are the characters who aren’t always directly involved in the action, but their presence enriches the story in essential ways. The Dungeon Master can have them deliver some crucial information, bring levity to the story, or become a tragic loss meant to motivate the party toward defeating ultimate evil. Bob and Eddie, for example, do all four in their respective single seasons.
The Monsters Are Reinventions of Original D&D Foes
As the players level up in aD&Dcampaign, so do the challenges and monsters they face. This has become a trend in most games, and, sometimes, a boss from an earlier stage even returns as a mini-boss later on. Here, the Duffer Brothers call upon the RPG once more, laying out challenges for the characters inStranger Thingsaccording to their experience – even having some monsters come back in greater numbers. For example,inSeason 1, the Demogorgon is the main monster the party faces,but, in Season 4, Hopper faces many of them pretty much by himself in the Russian prison. The beast is very different from itsD&Dcounterpart, but the characters use the game as a metaphor to understand what they are up against.
This tool becomes a touchstone throughout the whole series. In Season 2,the stakes get higher as the party faces theMind Flayer, another iconicD&Dmonster. Also known as “illithids,” Mind Flayers are a common enemy in the tabletop game. They can detect other beings' thoughts and influence them, a variation of what the single Mind Flayer can do inStranger Things. Dustin gives the monster this name precisely because of its psychic abilities, although, inD&D, they are humanoids with octopus' heads, barely resembling the series counterpart.
After Season 4, though, the most popular villain is certainlyVecna(Jamie Campbell Bower).Again, the boys in Hellfire Club name the monster Vecna because it’s the enemy they are facing in their game, but there are many differences between the two versions. What’s interesting is actually their similarities, though. Both of them were once humans who learned magic from their families – inD&D, he learns it from his mother, while, inStranger Things, One (as he is also known) is part of Martin Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) experiments. Brenner, of course, is called “Papa” by his subjects, hence the similarity. Also, both versions of Vecna use secrets as vulnerabilities to destroy whomever they please. He is the best example of howStranger Thingstakes the basics ofD&Dmonsters and fleshes them into actual threatsagainst the heroes in a way that fits the show’s mystery and narrative.
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D&D Creates a Sense of Community That Is Also Present Among the Characters in ‘Stranger Things’
Despite the many sub-quests the characters have to face inStranger Things, they still have to make most of their decisions under pressure, since their shenanigans often put them in danger. Beyond metaphors and references,D&D’s influence on the series gives it something much greater than storytelling tools.At the heart of bothD&DandStranger Thingsis a deep sense of community and found family.Dungeons and Dragonsis an entertaining game, but it’s also a tried and true bonding experience that teaches players communication skills and the importance of collaboration and community. It creates an unshakable connection between its players. The best example is when Erica is asked if she knows Dustin in Season 4, Episode 4, “Dear Billy,” to which she responds: “Know him? I’ve bled with him.” This line is meant to have comical undertones in the series, but, as farfetched as this may seem, anyone who has ever playedD&Dwill tell you the same about their party members. That sense of family exists among the entire ensemble, and it extends out to the audience.
Sitting down to watchStranger Thingsfeels like catching up with old friends – old friends who go on thrilling, sometimes terrifying adventures, but friends nonetheless – and that’s largely because ofD&D’s influence. Even specific moments, like Lucas playing Maxher favorite songto escape Vecna, could easily happen in a campaign session. While the monsters, powers, and themes ofStranger Thingsborrow fromD&Dlore, the show’s real connection to the game is much deeper.D&Disn’t just a framework for storytelling – it’s a game that cultivates resilience, teamwork, and shared purpose. The kids’ experiences parallel whatD&Dplayers go through: They strategize, role-play, confront the unknown, and build a shared history that strengthens the bonds between them.
This influence adds emotional depth to the show, making it feel genuine to fans ofD&Dand relatable to anyone who’s formed deep friendships in the face of adversity.The essence ofD&Das a journey of collaboration rather than competitionis what breathes life into the characters’ relationships, creating the sense of unity that’s so central to the series.Stranger Thingsis a show that evokes emotions as if the audience is a part of it. BothD&DandStranger Thingsshowcaseteamwork and collaborationthrough compelling characters and relationships to effectively get to the core of what makes anything worth doing – love. Love of the game, love of these characters, and love of your fellow humans is what drives us all. TheDuffer Brothers have infused their love forD&DintoStranger Thingsand, in doing so, have made the show better for it.
Stranger Thingsis available to stream on Netflix.
Stranger Things
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
