Max's Fate Is Awful, But Stranger Things 5 Can't Magically Fix It
Warning! SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 4.
In Stranger Things season 4’s finale “The Piggyback,” Max Mayfield experiences an awful fate, but Stranger Things 5 can’t magically fix it. After losing her brother Billy during the Battle of Starcourt Mall in Stranger Things season 3, Max became depressed and distanced from her friends. She was overwhelmed with guilt that she didn’t try to save him, experiencing severe PTSD in the aftermath. This made her a perfect target for season 4’s villain Vecna to mark her, as he specifically targets youths suffering from trauma.
After an emotional scene set to Kate Bush’s re-popularized song “Running Up That Hill,” Max escaped Vecna’s first attack. However, he was still terrorizing Hawkins and Max knew she was still on his hit list. Bravely, Max agreed to bait Vecna into re-entering her mind, allowing the rest of the Hawkin’s gang to execute a meticulous plan to kill him. Initially, Max successfully hid herself away in a happy memory. This gave Eleven time to piggyback into her mind “from a pizza dough freezer.” Unfortunately, Eleven wasn’t strong enough to defeat Vecna and Max didn’t escape unscathed the second time around.
Related: Stranger Things: Biggest Unanswred Questions & Mysteries After Season 4
Vecna broke Max’s limbs and blinded her before she heartbreakingly “died” in Lucas’ arms. All hope seemed lost, but Eleven – who was still with Max via the void – used a never-before-seen power and resurrected Max. The next time Max was seen, she was laying comatose in a Hawkins hospital with her entire body in casts. Max survived, but Eleven was unable to find Max in the void, indicating she may be braindead or still under Vecna’s control. Max’s fate in season 4 is awful, and
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