It’s been over three years since “Stranger Things” Season 4 hit Netflix, leaving plenty of fans in need of refresher heading into Wednesday’s release of Season 5. Namely, many are trying to remember what exactly happened to Sadie Sink’s beloved character, Max Mayfield, after being ruthlessly pursued by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) throughout last season’s nine episodes.
Alas, Max had a less than “tubular” time in Season 4, given she was struggling with her mental health after witnessing the death of her stepbrother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), leaving her vulnerable to Vecna’s telepathic mind games. While Max was able to fend off Vecna via the power of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” and the emotional support of on-again, off-again boyfriend Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), the former Hawkins newbie found herself in a perilous situation with an unavoidable, tragic ending.
For the need-to-know specifics about Max’s arc in Season 4, keep reading:
What happened to Max in “Stranger Things” Season 4?
As we mentioned, Max blamed herself for Billy’s death at the end of Season 3, as her stepbrother selflessly put himself in the Mind Flayer’s deadly path in an attempt to protect Max and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) during the destructive mall battle. Because of these events, Max struggled with depression and isolated herself from her friends, finding solace only in Bush’s poignant anthem.
Unfortunately for Max, Vecna was targeting teenagers who were struggling with their mental health, as they were susceptible to his powers — allowing him to create gates from the Upside Down (where he was trapped) to parts of Hawkins.
After killing Chrissy Cunningham (Grace Van Dien), Fred Benson (Logan Riley Bruner) and Patrick McKinney (Myles Truitt), Vecna set his sights on Max. She was able to keep him at bay by blasting “Running Up That Hill” and finding comfort in Lucas’ love, but she ultimately ditched these protective tools at the end of Season 4, offering herself up as bait as a way to lure Vecna into a trap planned by her friends.
Yet, things did not go according to plan, as Hawkins High School jock Jason (Mason Dye) — who was convinced the Hellfire Club was to blame for the recent deaths — showed up and got into a fist fight with Lucas. This beatdown resulted in Max’s Kate Bush cassette breaking, leaving her defenseless amid her Vecna face-off.
Vecna eventually made contact with Max, lifting her up in the air, breaking her arms and legs and draining blood from her eyes.
Did Max die in Season 4, Episode 9?
Yes, technically, Max did die for a minute in Season 4, Episode 9 of “Stranger Things.” However, she was revived by Eleven, who had psychically joined Max’s fight against Vecna. Eleven was only able to restart Max’s heart, however, leaving the latter in a coma.
The last time viewers saw Max, she was hospitalized and unresponsive with Lucas holding vigil next to her bedside. In the hospital, Eleven tried to telepathically connect with Max, seeing only darkness — suggesting the latter is in a vegetative state.
Caleb McLaughlin and Sadie Sink in “Stranger Things” Season 5 (Netflix)
Is Sadie Sink in “Stranger Things” Season 5?
Even though Max is in a coma, the character will still appear in “Stranger Things” Season 5. Sink even walked the red carpet with the rest of the cast at the “Stranger Things” World Premiere on Nov. 6 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.
Though, it is unclear if Max will wake up in Part One for the new season, as she’s still seemingly comatose in the trailer. Specifically, McLaughlin’s Lucas is seen carrying Sink’s Max while being pursued by a demodog.
Additionally, in a sneak peek scene, Lucas begs Max to wake up ahead of a pending battle with Vecna. “[Eleven] can’t do this alone. She’s gonna need all the help she can get,” he says to the unconscious Max. “She’s going to need the party, the full party, which is why I’m here. The final battle, I feel like it started tonight. And Max, we can’t win this without you.”
The first volume of “Stranger Things 5” premieres on Netflix Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. PT, with the second volume premiering on Christmas Day at the same time. The final episode of the series will premiere at 5 p.m. PT on New Year’s Eve.
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