Life in the small American town of Hawkins changes when a small boy strangely disappears. His mother is in despair, and the head of the local police investigates the case. Searching the forest, he finds a lost girl with supernatural abilities.
El is bullied at school. Joyce opens a mysterious package. A scrappy player shakes up D&D night. Warning: Contains graphic violence involving children.
Owens takes El to Nevada, where she's forced to confront her past, while the Hawkins kids comb a crumbling house for clues. Vecna claims another victim.