The Stranger Things script provided evidence for the theory that Max is alive inside Vecna in the sinister Upside Down dimension. Led by creators Matt and Ross Duffer, the Stranger Things writers' room leaked an apparent parallel between Max and One. Max's ambiguous fate already seemed bleak at the end of season 4, with the damage induced by Vecna leaving her in a coma. Although Max appears to be alive, the reveal from the script supports worrying theories connecting Max's future to Vecna in Stranger Things season 5.
Before his sinister transition into Vecna, Henry Creel was the first of Dr. Martin Brenner's test subjects at Hawkins National Laboratory, earning him the designation One. Brenner's experiments expanded with more subjects, which eventually led to him discovering Eleven. After feigning a friendship with Eleven, One betrayed and attempted to use his powers against her. Eleven stood up to One and turned the man that was once Henry Creel into Vecna in Stranger Things season 4's shocking identity twist. The script divulged that when Eleven sent Henry into the Upside Down dimension, "a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors fly at the camera." This same effect was used when Eleven attempted to revive Max after her bout with Vecna in season 4, indicating that Max could still be trapped in the Upside Down.
How Max's Fate Connects With Vecna In Stranger Things 4
Stranger Things season 4 featured Vecna claiming multiple victims with his curse. Max was his last casualty before she was partially resurrected by Eleven. Although Max was saved from Vecna temporarily, Eleven couldn't revive Max's soul in the alternate dimension, rendering her body void of full consciousness in the real world. While the future of Vecna's other subjects is sealed, Max's fate in Stranger Things 5 remains clouded and obscure, and could lead to a happy or sad ending for the character.
The fact that Eleven couldn't locate Max's consciousness leaves her physical body in a state of limbo. More consequently, Eleven's efforts to save Max could have reiterated an earlier occurrence. Just as Eleven cast One into the Upside Down dimension in 1979, her attempt to save Max could have inadvertently propelled her consciousness into Vecna in 1986. This repeated result appears to be supported by the Duffer Brothers, as suggested by the matching kaleidoscope visual effect. While Eleven may have saved Max from death, her endeavors could entail the tragic cost of binding Max and Vecna together, presenting a precarious situation for Stranger Things season 5.
What Max Being Trapped With Vecna Means For Stranger Things 5
While this revelation from the writers may foreshadow a dire destiny for Max, it's unlikely that her imprisonment with Vecna will bear fatal consequences. Max's actor Sadie Sink teased a reunion with Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) in Stranger Things season 5, hinting that Max could return to a fully conscious form. Further, after season 4 gradually built to Max's death and ensuing resurrection, it wouldn't be fitting for her to be killed off yet again.
The Stranger Things ending will undoubtedly culminate with Eleven's quest to defeat Vecna with the help of her friends, and the repercussions of Eleven's actions that trapped Max with Vecna could be chronicled in a variety of ways. Given that Max's consciousness lives on in Vecna, in a familiar fashion for Stranger Things, Max could be used as a mind trap for Vecna. This route would plausibly lead to a sacrificial ending for Max, as there may not be a way to defeat Vecna without also endangering Max's life. Ultimately, Vecna's demise, Max's mortality, and the fate of Hawkins are all at stake in Stranger Things season 5.
While the theory that Max could be trapped inside Vecna is worrying, the show isn't known for its depictions of tragedy, and the main themes of the show may suggest Max will finally get a happy ending in the series. With the core focus of Stranger Things being the portrayal of a found family and their inseparable nature - a bond that can even transcend the clutches of Vecna and the Upside Down - there is hope yet that Max will end the series alive, even if she's not unscathed.