Warning: contains SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 4.
Stranger Things season 4 puts many of the show's main characters in life-or-death situations. Eleven faces numerous threats (both in the present and in flashbacks from her past) and Max is targeted by Vecna throughout the season and left severely injured by the time it comes to a close.
Dustin, Steve, Nancy, and the others are also put in peril after they venture into the Upside Down in their quest to take down Vecna. With the stakes higher than ever, many characters almost lose their life in season 4.
Eleven
Flashbacks to Eleven's past reveal her connection to the season's main villain, Vecna. Using her powers, El attempts to save Max and face Vecna but is pushed to her limits.
Although she puts up a strong fight, she makes the mistake of trying to reason with Vecna. She is thrown back and almost strangled by vines, with her friends having to drag her back into the real world as her nose bleeds profusely. As she's one of the show's key characters, it's unlikely she would have been killed but she is still in serious danger in the final episodes of the season.
Max Mayfield
While he successfully claims three victims without much trouble, Vecna has more of a fight on his hands when he goes after Max. One of the best songs featured in Stranger Things manages to save her when he targets her in episode 4. While many fans were relieved by this, Max decides to act as bait for Vecna later on and is put in danger again.
Unfortunately, she isn't as lucky the second time around and is thrown into the air with her arms and legs snapping. She even dies for a whole minute until Eleven manages to revive her. Although she is still technically alive, she is in a critical condition and her fate is left unclear. Even if she does survive, it's likely she'll have a reduced role in the final season.
Lucas Sinclair
Although they have split, Lucas remains supportive of Max throughout her ordeal with Vecna. When she decides to act as bait, he puts himself in charge of guarding her and it's clear there are still strong romantic feelings between the pair.
When he is watching over Max, Jason arrives and demands Lucas wakes her, threatening him with a gun. During their altercation, the gun is fired, leading to a brutal physical fight. Lucas is savagely attacked in an extended beating which is so brutal it leaves viewers fearing for he's about to be killed off.
Dustin Henderson
Although Dustin doesn't come as close to death as some of his friends in season 4, he does find himself in an intense and dangerous situation when he enters the Upside Down. Dustin and Eddie are set up to act as decoys and are soon swarmed by monstrous bat creatures.
As Eddie is killed in one of Stranger Things' most tragic death scenes, there's every chance Dustin could have died too as he cradles his body. Although Dustin does get to safety when Eddie makes the decision to buy the group more time, he goes back and attempts to save him. He risks his life to save his friend which makes their final scene together even more heartbreaking.
Nancy Wheeler
Nancy is already on the case of the latest Hawkins mystery when her colleague, Fred becomes Vecna's next victim. Later in the season, she is taken over by Vecna when trying to leave the Upside Down and he taunts her over Barb's death.
While he has a different motive for taking Nancy over than he did the others, she is still very much in danger. In the final episode, she is attacked and strangled by vines in the Upside Down as Eleven's final fight with Vecna is taking place. Luckily, Nancy manages to survive this and goes on to almost kill Vecna along with Robin and Steve.
Robin Buckley
Robin is one of the Stranger Things characters with main character energy and also finds herself close to death at one point in season 4. Her strong friendship with Steve continues here but also sees her pulled into the dangerous mystery of Vecna's curse.
While she manages to escape her first trip to the Upside Down, she is almost strangled by vines the second time around. The scene where she and the others are being strangled goes on for so long that some viewers wondered how they actually survived. As she's one of the most fun and lovable characters on the show, many were relieved to see her escape this ordeal.
Steve Harrington
Steve has had a lot of character development since season 1 and has transformed from a fairly unlikeable bully to a reluctant but protective babysitter. Season 4 makes it clear that Steve still has feelings for Nancy and is hoping for a reconciliation which is a plot line that will likely be continued in the final season.
While in the Upside Down, Steve is attacked by vicious bat creatures and left with serious wounds. Considering these creatures later kill Eddie, Steve is lucky to be alive. He is also strangled by vines later on, along with Nancy and Robin, and he comes close to death so many times that viewers become nervous he'll be killed.
Jim Hopper
Season 3 ends with the characters believing Hopper has died. However, the latest season shows he survived and is being held captive in Russia. Hopper is forced to fight against Demogorgons on a number of occasions while being kept prisoner.
In the final episode of the season, he has a particularly tense altercation with the monsters. While he manages to decapitate one of the creatures, he is almost killed when another leaps on him and pins him to the ground. Joyce comes to his rescue at the last minute which hopefully means season 5 will show more of them together as a couple.
Henry 'Vecna' Creel
Vecna is the main villain of season 4 and one of the best antagonists from Stranger Things. A big twist mid-way through the season reveals that Vecna is both One and Henry Creel, and that Eleven is responsible for him ending up in the Upside Down.
From the start of the season, he begins killing the teens of Hawkins and even targets Max. Vecna narrowly survived being sent to the Upside Down and also only narrowly escapes his fight with Eleven at the end of the season. In the final episode, he is lit on fire by Steve, Nancy and Robin and although it seems they've killed him, Will later declares that he's still alive which means he'll be targeting the characters again in the season 5.
Dr. Sam Owens
Dr. Owens returns to the show in season 4 and has a significant role in Eleven's story. He clearly has her best interests at heart but finds himself manipulated by Brenner.
When Dr. Owens tries to go against Brenner and allow Eleven to visit her friends, he is attacked and imprisoned in a cell. As Brenner has shown how brutal he can be, Dr. Owens is certainly putting himself in danger by aligning with him and then defying him. The season ends with his fate unclear so it's fairly likely he'll return in the final season, perhaps still imprisoned by Brenner's men.