Warning: This list contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4!
Along with July of 2022 came the finale of the penultimate season of Stranger Things and in that fourth season, plenty of great characters like Max and Dustin were front and center with all of the fantastic and emotional moments.
However, other characters seemed to be sidelined in favor of other plots. For season 5 to be as incredible as season 4, the major members of the cast that didn't get as many highlights should probably get a little extra development. If not, multiple main characters will have unsatisfactory endings in the show's final season.
Suzie
Dustin's girlfriend Suzie has been (and should stay as) a smaller part in the story throughout the last two seasons. However, a satisfactory ending for Dustin would likely involve her joining the team in some way in season 5.
Suzie is a fun intelligent character that could offer a lot by being slightly more prevalent. She shouldn't be so prominent that she takes screentime from other important members, but adding her to one of the squads for season 5 could help raise the stakes a bit. Including Suzie would also mean not needing to add new characters in the final season.
Lucas
Lucas and Max were certainly great as a duo in Stranger Things season 4, but Lucas himself could still use some more time developing outside his relationship with Max.
Season 5 will be a great chance for Lucas to spend more time with the original gang. He never got great moments with Will and Mike in the season, and even his interactions with Dustin and Steve were overshadowed by his relationship with Max. It seems inevitable that he'll be reunited with Max at some point in season 5, but before then, he should re-establish some old friendships.
Eleven
Eleven has stayed one of the primary characters in the show, but she'll need a slightly larger role in this season if she's going to finally defeat Vecna once and for all.
Throughout much of Stranger Things 4, El was relegated to a psychic training arc with Papa that was very helpful in establishing much about the season's backstory. However, those episodes didn't help El grow as much as a person or grow any of her relationships as much as fans would have initially hoped.
Steve
Steve's group got major focus throughout the season, but the character with some of the best development in the early seasons seemed to have his role relegated to unrequited love.
Romance for Steve would be a nice subplot, but at this stage in the game, there should be more going on with one of the show's most beloved characters. Season 5 should give Steve a more heroic moment than what he was given in season 4, especially one that doesn't revolve at all around his love triangle with Nancy and Jonathan.
Nancy
Nancy was one of the main Stranger Things 4 MVPs, and unlike her friend Steve, had some great moments outside of the series' biggest love triangle.
The Nancy/Jonathan/Steve saga should certainly be given some attention and be resolved, but each of the three will need some great individual moments to shine as well. Nancy has become one of the show's main characters, and she'll need a proper finale deserving of that status, one that encompasses both the adventure and romance side.
Hopper
Hopper's Russian side arc ended up with a surprisingly satisfying conclusion. However, now that he's been reunited with his adopted daughter and friends, Hopper is going to need to take a more active role in the fight.
Throughout the entire season, Hopper was never actively fighting Vecna or the greater forces in the Upside Down. This season, it isn't Hopper's screen time that needs to be adjusted: it's his relevance to the main story. For one of the show's main protagonists among the adults to truly shine, Hopper is going to need to be upgraded from Demogorgon slayer to something greater.
Vecna/Henry/One
Henry is by far the best antagonist in the show, and he seems to still be around for the show's final season. If done right, he'll be remembered as the main villain of the entire series by its end.
Henry's psychic powers will assuredly be a huge part of season 4, but this time it could serve the show well even to go as far as having short scenes that are entirely through Vecna's lens. His character could even be the one that brings light to the origins of the Upside Down: one mystery fans have wondered about since the show's first season.
Will
Will's final moments in season 4 sparked plenty of fan theories revolving around him in season 5. If Will is going to be used properly in season 5, his connection to the Upside Down will need to play a part.
Will has been a key figure in the story since the first season, but in season 4, Will didn't get the same opportunities. He did have some nice moments with Mike and Jonathan, but that seemed to be laying the groundwork for bigger moments in season 5. Ideally, Will is a key piece in stopping Vecna once and for all.
Jonathan
Jonathan was one of the most important characters in the first few seasons of Stranger Things, but he was mostly relegated to a side character role in season 4.
Aside from the obvious love triangle that developed in season 4, Jonathan will need to come to terms with his hangup about leaving his family behind. Jonathan has more skill, potential, and empathy than both himself and the writers gave him credit for in season 4, and season 5 should give Jonathan a truly heroic moment to showcase that.
Mike
Mike used to be one of the best teen show protagonists on Netflix, but season 4 reduced him to being Eleven's cheerleader at the end and doing almost nothing else all season.
If Mike's character is going to have a satisfying conclusion, he's going to need to be more than just the "heart" of the team. Characters like Steve, Nancy, and Dustin have proved that it doesn't take superpowers to be useful to the team. With that in mind, Mike just shouting encouraging words at El isn't going to cut it for a main character's final moments in season 5.