Hawkins hasn't been the same since '83. Stories of demons have populated high school halls and replaced tired, cruel rumors about students like Eddie - much to his relief. Miles from the trailer park in a modest suburb, a girl who had quietly navigated her first semester at HHS since moving has found herself involved with something much more sinister and electrifying than she has ever experienced before. Unbeknownst to the usual upside-down crew, Nova had been given no choice but to begin an investigation of her own the day she arrived in Hawkins. Through bonding with Max Mayfield via briefly dating her brother and always receiving nearly matching poor grades in History, obsessing over old fantasy films in Film class and writing D&D campaigns with Dustin and Mike, swapping stickers and sarcastic remarks with Erica Sinclair, study groups in the library with Nancy and frequent friendly chats with Robin and Steve at Family Video, Nova has intertwined herself in the lives of individuals fighting an evil she has been studying for years - and she doesn't even know it. Her obsessive habits and poor health got the best of her, and instead of focusing on applying to colleges, Nova was attempting to understand a force beyond her comprehension. So, to the disappointment of her father, she was held back yet again. She's tried to shake this off, move forward, and commit only to studying in the "real" world so she can get out of Indiana once and for all. Still, a storm is brewing under everyone's feet, and she can feel it.