The first episode of the third season of Stranger Things, Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy, starts off with a group of scientists in a secret underground facility in Russia. They are working on opening up a gate to the Upside Down, a parallel dimension that is home to dangerous creatures.

Back in Hawkins, it’s summertime and the characters have moved on with their own lives. Eleven and Mike are in a relationship, Lucas and Max are still together, and Dustin has just returned from Camp Know Where. However, Dustin is convinced that he has discovered a secret Russian transmission, and he enlists the help of Steve to decode it.

Meanwhile, Joyce is trying to find a new job and takes an interest in magnets which seem to be malfunctioning. She meets with Hopper and they speculate that the Upside Down is somehow involved. They also discuss their concerns for their kids growing up and how their relationship is progressing.

As the episode progresses, strange events begin to unfold in Hawkins. Rats are slowly dying in the town and there are reports of strange electromagnetic activity. Will also starts to feel like the Upside Down is somehow still a part of him.

Towards the end of the episode, we see the group of scientists successfully open the gate to the Upside Down in Russia. A mysterious figure appears, perhaps the Mind Flayer, and the Russians celebrate their success.

The episode ends with Dustin’s discovery that the Russian transmission was indeed real and that the message was coming from the Upside Down. Dustin hears a girl’s voice on the other end, asking him to respond to the message with what sounds like a song he used to sing. Dustin is confused but is excited that he may have found a new friend. The episode ends with the girl singing ‘NeverEnding Story’ to Dustin, her name is revealed to be Suzie.