Stranger Things: An Ultimate Deep Dive Universe Guide 🚲

🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨

Hold up! ✋ This post contains major plot details, secrets, and ending spoilers for the subject material of Stranger Things. 🤫💥

If you haven’t finished watching, reading, or playing yet, turn back now! 🏃💨

Proceed at your own risk… 🫣👀📉

🔑 5 Key Takeaways: The Essentials 🚀

Before diving deep, here are the top five things you need to know about the Stranger Things universe:

Genre Alchemy: Stranger Things isn’t just a sci-fi show; it’s a specific blend of Spielbergian wonder 🔦, Stephen King-style horror 🎈, and Lovecraftian cosmic dread 🐙. It balances the warmth of friendship with the coldness of the unknown.
The Tri-Planar Reality: The universe consists of three distinct layers: The Rightside Up (Earth) 🌍, The Upside Down (a wormhole “snapshot” of 1983) 🙃, and The Abyss (Dimension X), where the monsters actually originate 🌌.
Analog Over Digital: In this world, the most powerful tools aren’t lasers or computers, but ham radios 📻, wrist-rockets 🪵, and D&D manuals 📕. It champions the tactile, physical technology of the 1980s.
Monsters as Metaphors: The horrors of Hawkins are physical manifestations of psychological struggles. 🧠 Vecna represents trauma and depression 💔, and the only effective weapon against him isn’t violence, but human connection and memory 🤝.
Beyond the Screen: The story doesn’t end with the Season 5 finale. 🎬 The narrative continues to expand into stage plays 🎭, animated series 🖍️, and immersive VR experiences 🥽, creating a lasting transmedia legacy.

1. Introduction: The Anatomy of a Cultural Phenomenon 🎬

In the annals of 21st-century popular culture, few franchises have achieved the seismic impact of Stranger Things. 📺 Debuting on Netflix in the summer of 2016 ☀️, the series began as a seemingly modest homage to the Amblin-era cinema of the 1980s but rapidly metastasized into a defining mythos of the streaming age. 🎞️ By the time of its conclusion in January 2026, with the broadcast of the series finale “The Rightside Up,” Stranger Things had transcended television to become a transmedia universe—a sprawling cosmology of novels 📚, comic books 💬, stage plays 🎭, animated series 🖍️, and virtual reality experiences 🥽.

This guide serves as the definitive encyclopedia of that universe! 📖 It’s designed to deconstruct the mechanics of the reality created by the Duffer Brothers, moving beyond simple plot recitation to analyze the physics ⚛️, philosophy 🧠, and sociology of Hawkins, Indiana. We’ll explore the “why” behind the horror 😱, the intricate rules of its magic systems ✨, and the profound metaphors that allowed a show about monsters to speak so eloquently about the trauma of growing up. 🌱

1.1 The Unique Fingerprint: A Genre Alchemy 🧪

The Stranger Things universe is defined by a specific, potent alchemy of genres that distinguishes it from its peers. While often categorized broadly as Sci-Fi Horror 🛸🧟, its DNA is a complex double-helix of Coming-of-Age Drama 🚲 and Cold War Thriller 🕵️‍♂️.

The Spielbergian Wonder: The show’s “Light Side” is rooted in the films of Steven Spielberg (E.T., Close Encounters, The Goonies). 🔦 It champions the concept of the “suburban adventurer”—the idea that children, operating below the radar of adult skepticism and cynicism, possess the moral clarity and open-mindedness required to confront the impossible. 🤝 This lends the universe a sense of wonder and warmth, centered on the sanctity of friendship (the “Party”).
The Kingian Horror: Beneath the bicycle chases and Dungeons & Dragons games lies the jagged, visceral edge of Stephen King (It, Firestarter, The Body). 🎈 The universe is cruel. Innocence isn’t a shield; children die (Barb Holland 👓, Bob Newby 🧩, Eddie Munson 🎸). The evil is ancient, predatory, and often manifests as a corruption of domestic safety—clowns, sewers, and suburban basements. 🏠
The Lovecraftian Cosmic: As the lore expanded into Seasons 4 and 5, the show embraced the Cosmic Horror of H.P. Lovecraft. 🐙 The Mind Flayer isn’t a villain with a human motivation; it’s an unknowable, colossal entity from a dimension of infinite hostility (“The Abyss”). It doesn’t seek to communicate; it seeks to assimilate. 😶‍🌫️

1.2 Contrast with Similar Universes ⚖️

To understand Stranger Things, one must understand what it’s not. 🙅‍♂️

Feature	Stranger Things 🚲	Dark (Netflix) ⛈️	The X-Files 👽	Twin Peaks 🌲
Primary Conflict	Human Connection vs. Cosmic Isolation 🤝	Determinism vs. Free Will 🕰️	Truth vs. Conspiracy 📁	Good vs. Evil (Abstract) 🦉
Tone	Nostalgic, Vibrant, Emotional 🌈	Grim, Philosophical, Nihilistic 🌧️	Procedural, Paranoiac 🕵️‍♀️	Surreal, Dreamlike 🍩
The “Other”	The Upside Down (A physical dark echo) 🙃	Time (A looped construct) ⏳	Aliens (Extraterrestrial) 🛸	The Black Lodge (Spiritual) 🏁
Protagonists	A group of friends (The Party) 🎲	Interconnected Families 🌳	FBI Agents 🕴️	The FBI & Locals ☕
Aesthetic	1980s Pop Culture / Neon / Analog 🕹️	Drab, Rain-soaked German Realism 🧥	90s Bureaucratic Grey 📠	Pacific Northwest Noir ⛰️

The key differentiator is the Tactile Analog Aesthetic. 📻 Unlike the digital sheen of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stranger Things celebrates the physical technology of the 1980s. The heroes win not with lasers or hacking, but with ham radios, compasses 🧭, wrist-rockets, and homemade Molotov cocktails 🍾. The universe argues that in a world of high-tech government conspiracies and interdimensional magic, the most powerful tools are the analog ones: a human voice on a radio 🎙️, a handwritten letter ✍️, or a D&D manual. 📕

2. Cosmology and Physics: The Tri-Planar Reality 🪐

For years, the nature of the Stranger Things universe was obscured by the limited understanding of its child protagonists. 🧒 However, the revelations of Season 5, particularly the discoveries made by Dustin Henderson 🧢 using Dr. Brenner’s journals 📓, have allowed us to map the complete cosmology. The universe is a Tri-Planar System connected by high-energy physics and psychic projection. 🧠✨

2.1 The Rightside Up (Earth Prime) 🌎

This is the base reality—Hawkins, Indiana, USA. 🇺🇸 It operates under standard laws of physics, though it’s uniquely vulnerable to electromagnetic interference from the other planes. It’s the “Material Plane” in D&D terminology. 🎲

2.2 The Upside Down (The Bridge) 🙃

The most misunderstood aspect of the lore. For four seasons, characters and audiences believed the Upside Down was a parallel dimension. In 2026, it was revealed to be a Wormhole. 🕳️

The Origin: The Upside Down didn’t exist prior to November 6, 1983. 🗓️ It was created when Eleven, in a sensory deprivation tank, made psychic contact with a Demogorgon in the Void. The massive energy discharge tore a hole in spacetime. 💥
The “Snapshot” Mechanics: The wormhole stabilized by “copying” the local environment (Hawkins) at the exact moment of its creation. 📸 This explains why the Upside Down is “stuck” in 1983—it’s a 3D hologram or “print” of the town on the day the bridge opened. It doesn’t update; new buildings in the real world don’t appear there. 🏚️
Anomalous Matter: The environment isn’t sustained by magic, but by Anomalous Matter—a sphere of blue, electrified plasma discovered by Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers hovering above the Upside Down version of Hawkins Lab. 🔵⚡ This matter defies gravity and standard physics, holding the “walls” of the wormhole (the fleshy barriers at the edge of town) open against the crushing pressure of reality. If the Anomalous Matter is destroyed, the bridge collapses. 🧱

2.3 The Abyss (Dimension X) 🌌

Beyond the Upside Down lies the true alien world, referred to by the production team as “Dimension X” and by Dustin as The Abyss. 🌫️

The Environment: A hostile, barren landscape characterized by a yellow, scorched sky 🟡, floating rock formations 🪨, and three massive waterfalls (seen in Eleven’s visions). It’s not a copy of Earth; it’s an entirely alien ecosystem. 👽
Inhabitants: This is the native home of the Demogorgons and the Mind Flayer particles. It’s a realm of pure predation and chaos, “unspoiled by humanity” until the arrival of Henry Creel. 👤
The Relationship: The Upside Down acts as the Tunnel; the Abyss is the Destination. 🚇 The monsters use the Upside Down to commute from the Abyss to Earth. 🌍

2.4 Camazotz (The Mind Lair) 🧠🏰

Introduced in Season 5, Camazotz is a psychic prison constructed within Vecna’s mind, named by Holly Wheeler after the planet in A Wrinkle in Time. 📖

Nature: It’s distinct from the physical dimensions. It’s a labyrinth of memories—both Vecna’s and his victims’. 🧩 It’s where he stores the consciousnesses of those he consumes.
Function: It serves as a holding cell. Victims trapped here appear comatose in the real world (e.g., Max Mayfield 🎧), but their minds are active, navigating a nightmare logic of shifting architecture and repressed trauma. 🏃‍♀️💨

3. The Bestiary: Ecology of the Hive Mind 🐉

The biology of the Stranger Things universe is aggressive, parasitic, and interconnected. 🕸️ The central biological concept is the Hive Mind—a shared consciousness that links all organisms from the Abyss. 🧠🔗

3.1 The Mind Flayer (The Brain) 🕷️

The apex predator and ruler of the Abyss.

Morphology: Originally a formless, swirling cloud of sentient particles (The Shadow). 🌪️ In 1979, the banished Henry Creel used his psionic powers to shape it into a giant arachnid form, imposing his childhood obsession with black widows onto the cosmic entity. 🕷️
Behavior: It seeks only to consume and spread. It views humanity as a pest to be eradicated or assimilated. 💀 It controls the Hive Mind, directing the lesser creatures like pieces on a chessboard. ♟️

3.2 Vecna (The General) 🧟‍♂️

Identity: Henry Creel / 001. 1️⃣
Morphology: A mutated human lich. Prolonged exposure to the Abyss toxicity rotted his skin, which was replaced by vines and scar tissue. He possesses a left hand distorted into a massive claw. 🖐️
Role: He acts as the field commander. ⚔️ While the Mind Flayer provides the raw power and the hive network, Vecna provides the tactical intelligence and the human cruelty. He opens “Curse Gates” by psychically murdering victims, harnessing their trauma to tear the fabric of reality. 🕰️

3.3 The Demogorgon Species (The Infantry) 🦷

The primary foot soldiers of the Hive. They are likely a species native to the Abyss, corrupted or directed by the Mind Flayer.

Stage 1: Slug: A parasitic larva vomited by a host (e.g., Will Byers). 🐌
Stage 2: Pollywog: A tadpole-like scavenger (e.g., D’Artagnan). 🐸 It’s sensitive to heat.
Stage 3: Demodog: A quadrupedal pack hunter. Roughly the size of a large dog. 🐕 They are fast, agile, and operate with coordinated swarm tactics.
Stage 4: Demogorgon: The fully mature adult. 👹 A bipedal humanoid standing approx. 9 feet tall. It possesses a “flower” head with petal jaws lined with rows of teeth. 🌺🦷 It has bulletproof skin and incredible strength. 💪
Weakness: Fire. 🔥 The Hive Mind connection means extreme heat disrupts their connection to the brain, causing pain and disorientation.

3.4 Demobats 🦇

Airborne variants of the Demo-species found in the Abyss.

Morphology: Bat-like creatures with tendrils capable of strangulation.
Role: Spies and swarm attackers. 👀 They patrol the skies of the Upside Down and the Abyss, alerting the Hive Mind to intruders. Their venom isn’t immediately fatal but causes disorientation and necrosis. ☠️

3.5 The Vines and Spores 🌿

The Vines: The “nervous system” of the Upside Down. They cover all surfaces and act as sensory alarms. 🚨 Stepping on a vine alerts the Hive Mind to a specific location (“stepping on a web”).
The Spores: The toxic atmosphere (“snow”). ❄️ Prolonged inhalation causes “The Flayed” condition—gradual possession and internal incubation of slugs. 🤢

4. World-Building: Magic, Psionics, and Weaponry ⚔️

“Magic” in Stranger Things is treated as a branch of fringe science, specifically Psionics—the ability to manipulate energy and matter with the mind. 🧠✨

4.1 The Origin of Powers (Project Indigo) 🌈

Psychic abilities aren’t naturally occurring in the general population. They are the result of government experimentation rooted in the MKUltra program. 💉

The Catalyst: Henry Creel gained powers after exposure to Dimension X particles as a child in 1959. 👶 Dr. Brenner attempted to replicate this by injecting pregnant women (like Terry Ives) with Henry’s blood or subjecting them to hallucinogens, resulting in children born with abilities (001 through 011 and beyond). 🧪

4.2 The Psionic Class System 🎲

The subjects of Hawkins Lab display different manifestations of power, loosely categorizable by D&D classes:

The Mage (Telekinesis): Exemplified by Eleven (011) and One (001). 🧇 The ability to move matter with the mind. High-level users can crush metal, levitate objects, and even manipulate subatomic particles to open interdimensional gates. ⛩️ This power is fueled by emotion—trauma initially, but ultimately love proves stronger. ❤️
The Illusionist (The Rogue): Exemplified by Kali (008). 🎱 The ability to project visual and auditory hallucinations into the minds of others. She can make herself invisible or create complex false environments to disorient enemies. 🌫️
The Sorcerer (True Sight): Exemplified by Will Byers. 👁️ Though not a lab subject, Will’s possession by the Mind Flayer left him with a residual connection (“True Sight”). In Season 5, he learns to transmit back, essentially becoming a “Sorcerer” who can manipulate the Hive connection to hold Vecna in place. ⚡

4.3 Weaponry and Gadgets 🛠️

The heroes of Hawkins rely on improvised, analog weaponry that reflects the scrappy, DIY spirit of the 1980s. 🧢

The Wrist Rocket: Lucas Sinclair’s signature slingshot. 🪵 While seemingly a toy, it’s used to deliver high-impact payloads (rocks, fireworks, explosives) with precision. 🎆
The Spiked Bat: Steve Harrington’s weapon of choice. 🏏 A baseball bat driven with nails, created by Jonathan Byers in Season 1. It represents the gritty, close-quarters nature of the fight against the Demogorgons.
Cerebro: A massive, portable ham radio tower built by Dustin Henderson. 📻 It allows for long-range communication (contacting Suzie in Utah) and interception of Russian/Military codes. It symbolizes the power of information and connection. 📡
Sensory Deprivation Tanks: Essential for amplifying psychic abilities. 🛁 Ranging from a kiddie pool filled with road salt (Season 1) to the advanced NINA tank (Season 4), these devices remove physical stimuli to allow the mind to enter the Void. 🌑
The Music Bomb: In Season 5, Mike Wheeler constructs a crude timer using a turntable and a vinyl record to detonate explosives near the Anomalous Matter core. 🎵💣 It highlights the show’s theme of using music and analog tech to save the day.

5. History: A Timeline of Secrets 🗓️📁

The narrative of Stranger Things is built upon a history of conspiracy that spans decades.

Era	Year	Key Event	Description
Pre-History	1943	The Philadelphia Experiment 🚢	The USS Eldridge disappears and momentarily travels to the Abyss (Dimension X). Most crew die; Captain Brenner survives.
	1959	The Creel Incident 🕸️	Young Henry Creel finds a piece of alien tech in a Nevada cave, transporting him to the Abyss. He is infected by the Mind Flayer. He later murders his family in Hawkins.
The Lab Era	1960s-70s	Project Indigo 🌈	Dr. Brenner establishes Hawkins Lab to study Henry (001) and creates more subjects (002-011) using Henry’s blood/DNA.
	1979	The Massacre 🩸	Henry manipulates Eleven into removing his inhibitor chip. He massacres the lab. Eleven banishes him to the Abyss, where he becomes Vecna.
The Series	1983	Season 1 🚲	Eleven opens the Mothergate on Nov 6. Will Byers is abducted. The Demogorgon invades Hawkins.
	1984	Season 2 👻	The Mind Flayer attempts to possess Will (“The Spy”) to invade Earth. Eleven closes the Gate.
	1985	Season 3 🛍️	The Soviets open a “Key” under Starcourt Mall. The Mind Flayer builds a “Spider Monster” body from melted organic matter to kill Eleven.
	1986	Season 4 🕰️	Vecna opens four “Curse Gates” by murdering teenagers. The gates converge, creating a massive rift that destroys Hawkins.
	1987	Season 5 ⚔️	The War for Hawkins. The military quarantines the town. The Party infiltrates the Upside Down (The Bridge) and destroys the Anomalous Matter, collapsing the wormhole.

6. Characters: Profiles and Arcs 👥

The heart of the universe lies in its characters, who are archetypal yet deeply layered. ❤️

6.1 The Party (The Heart) 🤝

Mike Wheeler (The Paladin): The leader and strategist. 🛡️ His superpower is his “Heart”—his ability to inspire others and anchor Eleven to her humanity. In the finale, he becomes “The Storyteller,” chronicling their history. 📝
Will Byers (The Cleric): The survivor. 🧙‍♂️ His arc is defined by trauma and identity. His connection to the Upside Down is reframed in Season 5 not as a curse, but a weapon. His coming out scene in Episode 7 represents his final victory over the shame Vecna tried to exploit. 🌈
Eleven / Jane Hopper (The Mage): The powerhouse. 🧇 Her journey is one of self-actualization—from a lab rat (“The Weapon”) to a human being (“The Girl”). Her apparent sacrifice in the finale is the ultimate act of heroism, though hints of her survival (the “Illusion Theory”) suggest she found peace. 🕊️
Dustin Henderson (The Bard): The brain. 🧢 He’s the one who deduces the lore (Gate theory, Compass theory, Wormhole theory). He bridges the gap between the supernatural and the scientific. 🔭
Lucas Sinclair (The Ranger): The realist and protector. 🔦 His devotion to Max (reading to her comatose body) provides the emotional stakes of the final season. 📖
Max Mayfield (The Zoomer): The rogue. 🛹 Her resilience in the face of depression and Vecna’s torment makes her the emotional core of the later seasons. 🎧

6.2 The Older Teens & Adults 👩‍🏫👮‍♂️

Steve Harrington: The reformed jock turned “Mom.” 🍼 His arc is one of the most beloved in TV history, moving from a selfish antagonist to a selfless protector. 🏏
Nancy Wheeler: The investigative journalist. 📰 She represents the relentless pursuit of truth, often wielding shotguns as effectively as a pen. 🔫
Joyce Byers & Jim Hopper: The parents who refuse to give up. 🫂 They represent the ferocity of adult protection, willing to invade Russian prisons and alternate dimensions for their children. 🇷🇺

7. Culture, Aesthetics, and Lifestyles 📼👗

The aesthetic of Stranger Things is a curated, hyper-real version of the 1980s that evolves with the narrative. ✨

7.1 Fashion and Trends 👖

Early 80s (S1-S2): Earth tones, corduroy, polo shirts, and bowl cuts. 🚲 A grounded, analog look reflecting the innocence of childhood.
Mid 80s (S3): The “Mall Era.” 🛍️ Neon colors, scrunchies, bold geometric patterns, high-waisted jeans, and excessive hairspray. The visual palette shifts to “New Coke” brightness, contrasting with the dark horror underneath. 🥤
Late 80s (S4-S5): As the characters age and the tone darkens, the fashion shifts toward Grunge precursors. 🎸 Flannels, denim jackets, darker tones, and a more rugged, battle-worn aesthetic. Season 5 sees characters like Mike in bomber jackets and Will in mature, powerful silhouettes. 🧥

7.2 Music: The Sonic Landscape 🎹

Music is a narrative mechanic, not just background.

The Score: Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein’s synthwave score defines the show’s “heartbeat.” 💓 It uses analog synthesizers (Oberheim, Prophet-5) to create a sound that’s both nostalgic and alien. 👽
The “Music Totem” Theory: Established in Season 4, music is revealed to access parts of the brain untouched by trauma, acting as a lifeline to pull victims out of Vecna’s trance. 🧗‍♀️
Key Tracks: Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” (Max’s totem) 🏃‍♀️, The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” (Will’s totem) 🎸, and Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” (Eddie’s battle anthem) 🤘.

8. Philosophy and Metaphor: The “Why” 🧠

Why does Stranger Things resonate so deeply? Because its monsters are metaphors for the human condition. 🎭

8.1 The Jungian Shadow 🌑

The Upside Down is the Shadow Self of Hawkins. The town presents a pristine, 1950s-idealized suburban face; the Upside Down is its rot. 🏚️ It represents the secrets the town tries to bury—the government experiments, the abuse, the Cold War paranoia. To save the town, the characters must confront their Shadow (Vecna forces them to see their guilt and shame) rather than ignore it. 👀

8.2 Trauma as a Monster 👹

Vecna is the ultimate metaphor for PTSD and Depression. 💔 He isolates victims, tells them they are worthless, and traps them in the past (Camazotz/Mind Lair). The show’s thesis is that trauma can’t be fought with violence alone; it must be fought with Connection. “The door is open three inches” symbolizes this connection. 🚪 The heroes win not by being stronger, but by refusing to let their friends die alone. 🤝

8.3 The Cold War Anxiety ☢️

The show taps into the generational fear of the “Other.” The Russians and the Lab represent the faceless, monolithic threat of the state and foreign powers. 🕴️ The supernatural threat acts as a proxy for nuclear annihilation—an invisible force that can turn the world to ash (the “snow” of the Upside Down resembles nuclear fallout). ❄️

9. Notable Media and The Future (2026 and Beyond) 🚀

The universe is expanding beyond the original show, ensuring the legacy of Hawkins endures. 🌟

9.1 The Main Saga 📺

Stranger Things (Seasons 1-5): The core text. 42 episodes of television history. 🎬

9.2 The First Shadow (Stage Play) 🎭

A canon prequel play set in 1959. It’s essential lore, revealing Henry Creel’s origins, his romance with Patty Newby, and the involvement of Brenner’s father in the Philadelphia Experiment. It recontextualizes Vecna not as a monster born, but a tragic figure made by the Mind Flayer. 😢

9.3 Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 (Animated Series) 🖍️

Set for release in 2026, this animated spinoff fills the narrative gap between Seasons 2 and 3. It follows the boys (voiced by new actors) on adventures in the winter of 1985. It promises a visual style similar to Glitch Techs or Spider-Verse—vibrant and kinetic. ⚡

9.4 Gaming and VR 🎮

Stranger Things VR: A game allowing players to play as Vecna, exploring the Hive Mind mechanics from the villain’s perspective. It’s considered “canon-adjacent”. 😈

9.5 The Future Spinoffs 🎬

The Duffer Brothers have hinted at a live-action spinoff that is a “clean slate”—new characters, new location, likely moving away from the 1980s to explore how the existence of the Abyss affects other eras or locations. 🌍

10. Recommendations: Similar Universes 🕵️‍♂️

If you crave the specific flavor of Stranger Things, consider these universes:

Universe	Why It Matches	Vibe Check 🌡️
Dark (Netflix) 🇩🇪	Small town, missing children, caves, complex timelines, 80s setting.	Stranger Things for adults with a PhD in philosophy. Zero humor, 100% dread. 🧠⛈️
Twin Peaks 🥧	The grandfather of “weird small town” mysteries. FBI agents, alternate dimensions (Black Lodge).	Surreal, dreamlike, and profoundly disturbing. 🦉☕
Paper Girls (Prime) 🗞️	80s kids on bikes facing sci-fi threats.	Focuses more on time travel and female friendship dynamics. 👭🚲
Super 8 🎥	The closest cinematic equivalent. Kids making movies, military conspiracies, alien monster.	Pure Spielbergian nostalgia. 🍿🚂
It (Stephen King) 🤡	The “Losers Club” fighting an interdimensional shapeshifter that feeds on fear.	The horror DNA of Stranger Things comes directly from this. 🎈😱

11. Conclusion: The Legacy of Hawkins 🏁

Stranger Things is a story about the end of the world, but more importantly, it’s a story about the end of childhood. 🧒🔚 It captures that specific, fleeting moment when the world stops being magical and starts being dangerous—and then asks, “What if it was both?” 🤔

By grounding its eldritch horrors in the bicycles 🚲, walkie-talkies 📻, and arcade games 🕹️ of the 1980s, it created a universe that feels like a collective memory. As the smoke clears over Hawkins in 2026, the message of the series remains clear: The world is full of monsters, both human and eldritch. 🧟‍♂️ They are in the labs, in the government, and in our own minds. But if you have a wrist-rocket, a radio, and friends who won’t lie to you, you can face the Abyss—and turn it Rightside Up. 🙃➡️🙂