It’s been almost two years since we last encountered the Stranger Things gang. It’s been a wild ride so far and we are all waiting with growing anticipation for “Stranger Things season 3”, premiering this 4th July on Netflix. If you’re a die hard “Stranger Things” fan, let us take you on a trip down memory lane with a full recap of what went down in Stranger Things 1 and 2 before you head back to Hawkins for an unforgettable summer.
For those of you who are part of the 7% who have yet to jump on the bandwagon, check out the video recap from the Stranger Things cast below to get you up to speed:
Alternatively, you can read on for a quick wrap of what went down in Stranger Things 1 & 2. (Beware: Spoilers ahead!)
Stranger Things 1 Recap:
Stranger Things 1 first introduced us to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the ‘80s where we meet Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, four friends who share a love of the fantasy world. Trouble arises when Will goes missing and while everyone presumes him dead, his mother, Joyce Byers, is soon convinced that he is communicating with her through the lights in their home.
Enter Eleven, a girl who was raised in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hawkins Laboratory as test subject who has psychokinetic abilities as a result of the experiments. Eleven meets Mike, Dustin, and Lucas who are also searching for their friend and she tells them that Will is alive in The Upside Down, a universe that exists parallel to our own. Together with the help of the town Sheriff, Joyce Byers, Mike’s sister, Nancy (whose best friend Barb was killed in the Upside Down), and Jonathan Byers, Will’s brother, the boys and Eleven find out the truth about the Hawkins Laboratory and what goes on there.
Nancy and Jonathan successfully lure the Demogorgan of the Upside Down, and Eleven uses her powers to kill it. They manage to rescue Will and while all finally seems right again, the season ends with Will coughing up slugs, remnants of the creature from the Upside Down begging the question if he will survive and what would happen in Season 2.
If it’s too much for your head to wrap around, fret not! Check out the timeline of events below:
Stranger Things 2 Recap:
Season 2 begins with Will Byers being unable to escape the shadow dimension after being targeted by a monster nicknamed the Mind Flayer. He is possessed by this creature and unwittingly turns into a spy as he sows roots throughout Hawkins in an attempt to bring the Upside Down right-side up. In the meantime, the boys meet Max, a girl who has just moved to the town who becomes a part of the gang, though it takes Mike and Will a little longer to fully trust her.
Nancy and Jonathan as part of their quest to avenge Barb’s death, gets the story of Hawkins National Laboratory out in major newspapers across the country, leading to a shutdown of the lab. The Sheriff and Joyce Byers had been leading the fight against the Upside Down and discover the threat spreading underneath Hawkins and Joyce finding a way to get the monster out of her son. The season ends with Eleven closing the gate and the gang at school dance. We see a final picture of the monster hovering over the Hawkins Middle School keeping us guessing as to what’s to come in “Stranger Things 3”.
Here’s a timeline of Season 2 to help you get the picture:
If you’re interested, check out our exclusive interview with the cast here.
