In between, here and not yet
In this week’s edition of Odd School Fiction Breakdown, we take a deep look into the Upside Down and what Stranger Things might be revealing to a searching world.
Are we alone? Is it real? Was something else there? The idea of reality versus subreality is constantly shifting. We idealize a world in which the unknown is intoxicating. Something about the unknown awakens a part of us, a sense of dread, fear, or hope. We cannot stop searching for the land of the unknown, because deep down, this land is not as unknown as we might think.
Or on the flip side we are determined to explain everything away. Every supernatural, unexplainable, miraculous moment is given a neat, quantifiable answer. But what happens when we’re pulled through life by the rope of logic, math, proof, cold hard facts, and suddenly we reach for it one more time and there’s nothing left to grab? No explanation. No theory. No textbook that can account for what our eyes just witnessed.
On July 15, 2016, a show brought the Upside Down into our world. The land of the unknown made itself present, and since then we cannot look away. In this week’s edition of Odd School Fiction Breakdown, we take a deep look into the Upside Down and what Stranger Things might be revealing to a searching world. Whether we choose to believe it or not, there is another realm that surrounds everything we do. Shows like Stranger Things break the veil and bring our world and the world of the Upside Down parallel with each other.
ALARMED BY THE UNKNOWN
Hawkins appears to be the quintessential small town, filled with the usual mix of bullies, jocks, and nerds. Life unfolds in predictable patterns, giving the impression that nothing truly extraordinary could ever happen there. Yet this sense of normalcy is shattered when a sudden shift occurs and the realm of the upside down forces itself on Hawkins. What was once a simple town becomes a battleground between what is familiar and what is unexplainable.
Throughout the first season, the characters wrestle with the tension between belief and disbelief. Each of them must decide whether to accept the disturbing reality unfolding before them or cling to the safety of denial. Their struggle mirrors our own. We are often comfortable entertaining other worlds as long as they remain distant. But the moment we pause and seriously consider the possibility that these realms of good and evil are real, we find ourselves confronted with a deeper truth: we may not be alone. And once that realization settles in, we must make a choice about which side we will stand on.
REALITY OF THE UNKNOW
The truth is simple: once we see something, we can no longer unsee it. Nancy Wheeler captures this experience when she says, “No. Every time I close my eyes, I keep seeing that thing.” Her words show the moment when the familiar world falls away. The veil that once protected her sense of normalcy has been lifted, and she can no longer ignore the unknown. What once seemed like an ordinary small town now appears filled with darkness, monsters, and hidden evil. The illusion of safety is gone.
In many ways, we experience a similar shift. We live in a world marked by both good and evil, and moments of clarity can suddenly reveal this tension. These moments disrupt our sense of familiarity and remind us that we are part of a much larger struggle. C. S. Lewis explores this idea in The Screwtape Letters, where he describes two unseen realms, one of good and one of evil, constantly working for influence in the human world. While Lewis’s depiction is different from the physical danger Nancy faces, the underlying message is the same: there is more happening around us than we usually notice. The closing line of Lewis’s work lingers with particular power: “not who are you? But so it was you all the time?”
Unlike the darkness Nancy confronts, this heavenly realm reveals itself through a good meal, shared laughter, or the breeze coming off the ocean. These everyday experiences remind us that goodness is just as real, just as present, and just as capable of breaking through the ordinary as any force of darkness. This is something the Stranger Things crew realizes: sometimes the best way to break through the darkness is by shining the light, or by playing a head-bobbing song like “Running Up That Hill.”. In Max’s words “Music has a way of finding you, even in the darkest of places,”. They realize that as much as evil is sharing the world around us, good is equally here and it is calling to us.
A FIGHT FOR THE NOW SCENE
What now? In a world where darkness seems to be encompassing every part of our lives, we truly have only two options: to fight or to give in. I choose to fight. Facing an enemy we know almost nothing about can be terrifying. However, if Stranger Things teaches us anything, it is that acknowledging the presence of darkness is the first essential step. We cannot fight what we do not know.
Secondly we cannot fight this battle alone. The enemy is too strong to face by ourselves, so we must lean into the people who pull us toward the light. This commitment to one another, constantly drawing each other back toward what is good, gives the enemy no ground to stand on.
The call to readiness is echoed in Ephesians 6:10–11: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty strength. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” This reminder anchors us in a strength beyond our own and equips us for the fight ahead.
A TRUTH REVEALED
If you’ve made it this far, you might be telling yourself that this is a stretch. And maybe you’re right, but perhaps Stranger Things’ meteoric rise to fame is due to two factors: one, its amazingly crafted storytelling, and two, the underlying tension between the realm of the known and the unknown. It hits a nerve within us, revealing the realization that the Upside Down may not be as fictional as we once thought.
As image-bearers, we are called to look deeply at all forms of media, for the world was captivated by this fantasy tale. I would argue this is largely because, on some level, we all understand this battle. If we can use the fictional world of Stranger Things to shed light on this struggle, maybe we should. Maybe the Upside Down is closer than we’re led to believe. Sometimes you have to sit quietly in a sensory deprivation tank like Eleven to enter into the Upside Down. Sometimes the in between realms confronts you when you least expect it.