| “ | Could be somebody else hunting out here.
— "Dale", November 1983
|
” |
Dale is a lead character in the first issue of Stranger Things: Tales from Hawkins. He was first mentioned in the first season of Stranger Things.
Dale was a 'would-be' hunter who lived in Hawkins, Indiana. In November 1983, Dale went on a doomed hunting trip with his friend Henry, in which the two met a grisly fate at the hands of the Demogorgon.
History[]
Background[]
Dale and his friend Henry were would-be hunters, and were friends with Bev Mooney; they were known to share a drinking habit.[1]
1983[]
On November 10, Dale went hunting with his friend Henry, taking a rifle and a six-pack of beers with them. The two friends talked about odd happenings around town, before noticing a brutally mauled dead animal as they walked. Putting down their beers, they decided to hunt the creature, reasoning that it may pose a danger to the public.
Dale and Henry separated, only for Henry to find himself face-to-face with the Demogorgon, and taken to the Upside Down. Confused, Henry adjusted to his new surroundings, before finding the corpse of Dale; Henry realized he was in grave danger. Traversing the alternate version of the woods, Henry discovered a gate that led back to Hawkins; however, the Demogorgon attacked before he could investigate. In Henry's dying moments, Will Byers - also trapped in the Upside Down - discovered Henry, who comforted him.[2]
On November 11, Bev Mooney realized that Dale and Henry hadn't returned from their trip, and informed the police. Officers Phil Callahan and Calvin Powell notified the chief, Jim Hopper, of the men's disappearance.