In the spring of 1986, the party has splintered since the Byers and Eleven moved to California. Mike's become a distant and depressed loner who's only closure is visiting El and Will. Lucas and Max have reconciled their relationship, but Max suffers from her own aftershocks in the wake of Billy's death. Dustin has been too busy for his friends as he's helped found a new D&D club at Hawkins High, but little does he know the dark secrets the members hold. Eleven and Will have had a hard time adjusting to a new life, with their classmates being no help in the slightest. Things start to kick up again when Joyce and Murray find a secret message that changes what they previously thought happened during the Battle of Starcourt. At the same time, dark secrets reveal themselves in Hawkins that propels Dustin, Lucas, Max, Nancy, Steve, and Robin into a mystery that threatens to unravel Hawkins. And finally, Eleven is forced to confront her past alongside Mike, Will, and Jonathan....and while running from the very people who started Project MKUltra. All of these paths will collide, and the truth will lead to a shocking revelation that will connect everything....
