It’s been a minute since Hawkins, Indiana, was in the spotlight. If you’re about to start Season 5 of Stranger Things, you probably need a refresher. From monsters to mind powers, here’s everything you need to know from Seasons 1 through 4.

It all started when Will Byers went missing. At first, it seemed like a normal “kid disappears” situation, but no. He got pulled into a creepy parallel dimension called the Upside Down. That’s when Eleven shows up. She’s this mysterious girl with telekinesis who escaped from a government lab. Along with Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and everyone else, she helps find Will and fight the scary Demogorgon. By the end of Season 1, Will comes back, but Hawkins is way less normal than before.

Season 2 starts with Will having weird problems because of the Upside Down. Now there’s a new big threat: the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer basically wants to take over Hawkins. Will becomes connected to it in a scary way, which puts him and everyone else in danger. Also, Max joins the group. She’s tough, loves video games, and quickly becomes part of the group. Eleven is still figuring out her past and her powers. The Mind Flayer gets stopped, but it’s clear Hawkins isn’t completely safe, and Will’s link to the Upside Down isn’t gone.

Season 3 switches things up with a summer vibe. This is until things get intense again. The Hawkins Mall is a hangout spot, but under it, there’s a Russian lab opening a portal to the Upside Down. The Mind Flayer comes back and starts controlling people. The Mind Flayer  turns them into monsters. Meanwhile, Eleven and Mike start dating, and Max and Lucas get together. By the end, the group battles the Mind Flayer, burns down the mall, and Eleven loses her powers for a bit. Also, Hopper “dies,” but we later find out he’s actually alive.

Then came Season 4, which is the darkest season yet. There’s a new villain called Vecna (Henry Creel / One), and he’s terrifying. He hunts teens in Hawkins using their trauma, which is very scary. Hopper is alive but stuck in a Russian prison, and Max gets attacked by Vecna and ends up in a coma. Will surprises everyone by gaining psychic powers linked to Vecna. This could help fight back. By the end, the Upside Down is leaking into Hawkins and the town is basically on the edge of disaster.

Now with Season 5 coming, things are about to get crazy. Hawkins is unstable, Vecna is still out there, and Eleven, Mike, Will, Max, and the rest of the group have the hardest fight ahead. The town, their friendships, and even their lives are all on the line. Season 5 is gonna give answers, epic fights, and probably some heartbreak too. Get ready because it’s gonna be wild.