During the gap between Stranger Things season 4 begins six months after the season 3 finale, which technically concluded in October 1985 after a three-month time jump. With the characters all now spread out across the globe in Hawkins, California, and Russia, Stranger Things season 4 has a significant amount of catching up to do before the beloved figures are all reunited.
According to Max, everything since the end of Stranger Things season 3 has been “a total disaster” as the characters try their hands at normalcy in high school. Stranger Things’ season 3 finale revealed that the Byers family was moving away from Hawkins, with the season 4 trailers confirming that they relocated to California to keep Eleven safe. It appears the characters' much-needed state of semi-normalcy may have only lasted for a short period of time, as Stranger Things season 4’s teasers explain that the installment will feature large-scale battles in the Upside Down, at the Russian Prison, and back at Hawkins Lab.
Since Stranger Things season 4 will be released in two volumes, it can be assumed that the first few episodes will catch viewers up on everything that went down after season 3’s final scenes, with the new details setting up the season's major conflicts. While Stranger Things’ characters will be working to get back together to fight the Upside Down and its newest monsters, they’re also still recuperating from the catastrophic events of the season 3 finale. Here’s a breakdown of everything that’s revealed to have happened between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4.
The Byers Family Settled Into Their California Home
Stranger Things’ fourth teaser trailer revealed that the Byers officially resettled in sunny California, which was chosen by the creators to reflect the suburbia of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. When writing a letter to her boyfriend Mike, Eleven says it’s “Day 185,” suggesting she and the Byers family have been settled into their new home for about six months. Stranger Things season 4’s official trailer reveals that Dr. Sam Owens was the one who chose to relocate the Byers family and Eleven to California after season 3, as he felt it would be the safest place for her to go.
Eleven Finally Began School
While Eleven had only learned to complete full sentences and conversations in Stranger Things season 3, the season 4 trailers reveal that she’s now a full-time high school freshman. This is her first time in an official school capacity, as Eleven was hidden by Hopper during season 2, and season 3 was set during the summer. It’s unclear how she would have been able to catch up on the academics of nine years' worth of schooling, which suggests that between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4, Eleven had a crash course on public school curriculums.
Robin & Steve Started Working At The Video Store
Stranger Things’ season 3 finale showed Robin and Steve looking for new jobs after Scoops Ahoy was destroyed, with the two venturing over to Hawkins’ Family Video for prospects. While Keith hires Robin on the spot, he eventually gives into hiring Steve after Robin says his presence will bring more girls into the store. Season 3’s ending didn’t show Stranger Things' teenage characters actually starting their new positions, so their Family Video shirts in the trailers show that their first day on the job happened before season 4 began.
Nancy & Jonathan Have Seemingly Broken Up
Jonathan and Nancy said a hopeful, yet tear-filled goodbye at the end of Stranger Things season 3, but it seemed like they would try their hand at a long-distance relationship, much like Eleven and Mike are proving to accomplish. However, the trailers for Stranger Things season 4 have all hinted at a separation between the two. For starters, Nancy doesn’t go to California for Spring Break with her younger brother Mike when he goes to visit his girlfriend, who lives with Jonathan. Nancy also seems to be teaming back up with Steve in Stanger Things season 4, with certain scenes hinting at the two rekindling their seasons 1 and 2 romance. As such, it appears that Nancy and Jonathan broke up between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4.
Max & Her Family Had Billy’s Funeral
Stranger Things’ season 4 trailer sees Max reading a letter that she wrote to Billy at his gravesite, suggesting her family had a funeral for him after season 3’s events. While Stranger Things season 3’s finale still had a quick time jump to three months in the future, it doesn’t seem that there was an official funeral for Billy during that time. Perhaps because of the chaos and investigations around Billy’s death and Starcourt Mall, Billy’s family couldn’t have a funeral until after the case was closed. However, Stranger Things season 4’s trailer hints Max may be supernaturally connected to Billy when visiting his grave, as she was seen levitating when at his burial site.
Robin And Nancy Became Friends
Although Robin and Nancy had been going to Hawkins High together for quite some time, the two didn’t officially meet until Stranger Things’ season 3 finale. Robin at first felt that Nancy was a bit stuck-up, but now it seems that the two have become close friends after battling the Mind Flayer at Starcourt Mall. Stranger Things season 4's promotional materials reveal that Nancy and Robin go on a few missions alone together, while also frequently teaming up with Steve and the new Hellfire Club leader. Since Nancy and Steve seem to be hitting it off again, perhaps Nancy and Robin's friendship helped bring them back together.
Lucas ed Hawkins High’s Basketball Team
While Stranger Things’ younger characters were known for being less into sports and more focused on Dungeons & Dragons, the season 4 trailer reveals that Lucas has since ed the Hawkins High basketball team. Mike and Dustin don’t seem too thrilled about Lucas’ new position in high school, as 1980s high school stereotypes suggest that the basketball players won’t be too kind to the Hellfire Club. It seems that between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4, Lucas worked on his basketball skills and is now an athlete, though still clearly has time to battle the Upside Down with his friends.
Hopper Has Been Sentenced To Labor In A Russian Prison
The mid-credits scene of Stranger Things season 3’s finale mentioned an “American” being held in a Russian prison that uses the Upside Down's monsters as weapons, with a season 4 trailer confirming this figure to be Jim Hopper. Stranger Things season 4 has then revealed that Hopper has been sentenced to hard labor in Russia after destroying their Key in Starcourt Mall. Not only has he performed stereotypical prison duties during the time between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4, but he’s also been required to fight Demogorgons in an arena, Gladiator style. Hopper has had to shave his head and has seemingly been sending Joyce clues to his Russian location after Stranger Things season 3, which sets up his inevitable escape during season 4.
Eleven Hasn't Regained Her Powers (Yet)
Eleven had lost her powers at the end of Stranger Things season 3, with many hoping she would regain them before season 4. However, Stranger Things’ season 4 trailers reveal that Eleven is still without her supernatural abilities, perhaps gaining them back with a new series of tests by government officials. It’s still unclear why exactly Eleven lost her powers in Stranger Things season 3, but season 4 is likely to address this. Without her powers, Eleven has finally experienced a semi-normal teenage existence between Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4.
A New Upside Down Monster Began Terrorizing Hawkins
With the Mind Flayer destroyed, Hawkins was bound to be attacked by a new monster from the Upside Down. Stranger Things’ trailers seem to reveal the new villain as Vecna, a human-turned-creature from Dungeons & Dragons’ lore. It’s been theorized that the original human who turned into Vecna in Stranger Things was Victor Creel, though he’s also in the Pennhurst Mental Hospital in Hawkins. The voice in Stranger Things’ season 4 trailer suggests that the new monster is angry at the characters for destroying what he built, perhaps revealing that he was the true source behind the Upside Down breaking into Hawkins. It seems that the characters located at Creel House in Stranger Things season 4 noticed that stranger occurrences were taking place in Hawkins again, with their investigations leading them to the haunted Creel House. Between Stranger Things season 3 and 4, Hawkins likely only had a short period of bliss before the new Upside Down monster began taking over again.