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Stranger Things Season 4 premieres in less than four days, and the excitement from fans is at an absolute fever pitch. Almost three years have passed since we last left our friends in Hawkins, Indiana, and the future did not look bright for the folks in town. Before we jump right into the action of season 4, let’s run through a Stranger Things Season 1 recap.

'Stranger Things' Season 1 recap includes Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, and Finn Wolfhard in this production still.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 1 Recap | Netflix

In ‘Stranger Things’ Season 1, the Demogorgon terrorized a group of young children

The Duffer Brothers introduced the world to Stranger Things in 2016, and the series quickly became a pop culture phenomenon. In the first season, the Demogorgon captured Will on his way home from Mike’s house. Mike, Dustin, and Lucas believe something supernatural occurred and with the help of Eleven, the four of them discover an alternate universe known as the Upside Down.

After stumbling on Eleven in the woods, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin realize she has superpowers. She moves things with her mind, which the boys find endlessly fascinating. However, they can’t get off track in their search for Will. Lucas is the only member of The Party, what the boys refer to their little group as, who doesn’t trust Eleven completely. He wants to look for Will without her help, but Mike and Dustin insist they need her.

Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers team up as an unlikely pair in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 1

Continuing with our Stranger Things Season 1 recap, the Duffers also introduce us to Mike and Will’s older siblings – Nancy and Jonathan. Nancy dates the King of Hawkins High, Steve Harrington, while Jonathan exists as a loner without any friends. When Nancy’s best friend, Barb, goes missing after a party at Steve’s house, Nancy’s confident something terrible happened to her. When Jonathan shows her pictures he took of Barb that night from afar, Nancy notices a strange creature hovering behind Barb. Thanks to Steve’s lack of concern about Barb, Nancy ditches him to hang out with Jonathan, and the two conduct their own monster hunt.

Eventually, Nancy discovers her own gate to the Upside Down and gets stuck inside. She hides from the Demogorgon, and Jonathan rescues her before they return to his house to set the monster traps. The two slice their hands to bait the Demogorgon into showing up, just as Steve arrives to apologize to Nancy. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting into, but he quickly picked up his own weapon and helped Jonathan and Nancy fight off the monster.

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The Byers’ mom trusts her instincts about Will’s whereabouts

Joyce, Will’s mom, enlists the help of police chief Jim Hopper, and the two of them conduct their own search because Joyce is convinced something strange is afoot. Eventually, we learn the lab from which Eleven escaped created a portal to the Upside Down and unleashed the Demogorgon. Joyce and Hopper eventually gain access to the Upside Down and rescue Will. Eleven defeats the Demogorgon and, unfortunately, disappears into the Upside Down again. All seems well in the world until the very last scene when viewers watch Will throw up a slug-like creature into the sink, and it slithers down the drain.

That about sums everything up for your Stranger Things Season 1 recap, but check back tomorrow to read up on Stranger Things Season 2.

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