Updated October 23, 2017 09:01:27

Get ready to go Upside Down.

The second season of Stranger Things drops on Friday, but since it's been more than a year since we first watched Eleven and the gang take on the Demogorgon, we'll forgive you if your memory of what happened in season one is a little foggy.

Here's where we left everyone... and some of the things you can expect to see in season two of Netflix's drama.

**SPOILER WARNING**

We're about to spoil Stranger Things season one. Obvs.

We'll also be looking at the trailers released for season two, so if you consider them spoiler-y, best to turn back now.

OK, we good? Let's begin.

Where we left everyone in season one

We learned the portal to the Upside Down was opened up after the CIA used Eleven's powers to eavesdrop on Russians, which caused her to run into the Demogorgon.

Will was dramatically rescued and reunited with his mother Joyce, his older brother Jonathan and his friends Mike, Dustin and Lucas.

Police chief Jim Hopper, after leaving Will at the hospital, was taken away in a mysterious black car.

The Demogorgon was defeated/exploded by the psychokinetic-powered Eleven, but she disappeared immediately afterward.

Mike's sister Nancy decided to get back together with Steve (instead of Jonathan) and everything was back to normal in Hawkins, Indiana…

Let's talk about those cliffhangers

Stranger Things left us with a couple of absolute corkers.

The first of these was Chief Hopper leaving Eggos, Eleven's favourite snack, in a box in the woods.

It was a massive hint that Eleven was still alive, but left no clue to whether she was trapped in the Upside Down or roaming the woods of Hawkins.

The second cliffhanger involved Will, who clearly hasn't come back … quite right.

We saw him vomit up a slug, then experience a terrifying flashback to the Upside Down.

So when can we finally see season two?

Soon!

Season two launches on October 27.

It's set about a year after the events of season one, around Halloween of 1984.

You can spot some period-appropriate election signs in the trailer, as well as the gang in some awesome Ghostbusters Halloween costumes.

Photo: Squad. On. Point. (Netflix)

Here are three things we know about the season.

Eleven is totally alive

She's sporting a spiffy new hairdo and we'll find out more about her past.

Co-creator Matt Duffer confirmed as much to Entertainment Weekly:

"I want people to know that she's back and she's a major part of the season and not know how or why," he said.

"We do get into her story and backstory. We learn about where she came from and how she came into the world and the program that resulted in her."

There's a new big bad

And it looks A LOT bigger and badder than the Demagorgon from season one.

Co-creator Ross Duffer says every story this season will be connected to this "shadow monster" that Will sees in the sky.

We're going to see some new faces

Meet Max, played by Sadie Sink.

Photo: Max, pictured right, will be one of the new faces we see this season. (Netflix)

She'll be a new member of the gang, but we don't know a lot about her.

All we've been told is she's "a tomboy with a complicated history and a suspicious streak".

Australian actor Dacre Montgomery is another new face, playing Max's step-brother Billy.

Finally, Paul Reiser will play Dr Owens, who you can see in the trailer helping Will in a therapy session, presumably trying to make sense of what happened in the Upside Down.

Topics: television, arts-and-entertainment, internet-culture, united-states

First posted October 23, 2017 08:01:05