The episode introduces us to the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the year 1983. We meet our main characters, including 12-year-old Mike Wheeler, his friends Dustin and Lucas, and the new kid in town, Eleven. The story begins with the disappearance of Will Byers, a young boy who vanishes while riding his bike home from a friend's house.
, tries to help her, but after he calls social services, agents from the lab arrive and kill him. Eleven manages to escape using her telekinetic abilities The Search Party The Vanishing of Will Byers | Stranger Things Wiki | Fandom Stranger Things Season 1 - Episode 1
Joyce calls Chief (David Harbour), a jaded, pill-popping sheriff haunted by his own past tragedy (the loss of his daughter, Sara). Hopper dismisses the disappearance at first—kids run away. But Joyce knows better. The episode introduces us to the small town
The pilot is a masterclass in setup. Here are key motifs introduced in episode one: , tries to help her, but after he