The big question at the end of Stranger Things season 4 is "is Max alive in Stranger Things?" Though seemingly left in a troubled state, the Duffer brothers have a soothing update for Max's (Sadie Sink) fate at the end of the season. The fourth season of the Netflix series marked a pivotal and emotional arc for Max. It saw her deal with the fallout of the events of season 3. Her abusive stepbrother Billy (Dacre Montgomery) came back from being possessed and sacrificed himself to save Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) from the Mind Flayer at the Starcourt Mall, leaving Max with a heavy dose of guilt. Season 4 saw Max struggle to come to terms with Billy's death and suffering from PTSD, only to eventually find herself the target of the evil Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) as he goes on his terrifying murder spree around Hawkins.
While already considered a breakout character in season 3, Sadie Sink's performance as Max in Stranger Things season 4 scored widespread critical acclaim, namely for the "Dear Billy" episode in which she tries to process the fact she may die soon from Vecna and writes letters to her friends and family, including Billy. Season 4 ultimately put Max through the wringer as she narrowly escaped Vecna's grasp in the middle of the season with the help of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" and the support of her friends, though the final episodes would see her briefly die. As audiences eagerly await further details on Stranger Things season 5, the creators behind the show are offered clarification on where some characters will be in the future.
What Is Max's Fate?
While speaking with Josh Horowitz for the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Duffer brothers broke down the major spoilers of Stranger Things season 4. In going over the fates of many major characters, the creators confirmed Max's fate at the end of the season, assuring Max is alive in Stranger Things, but is in a bad way. See what the Duffers explained below:
“Right, she’s braindead, but she’s alive. [Laughs] Braindead and blind and all of her bones broken, but she’s doing great. She’s seen better days.”
The Stranger Things season 4 finale nearly saw Max meet her end as Vecna finally got to her and began his killing method on her, breaking both her arm and leg and making her go blind before Eleven narrowly stopped the villain, and she woke up and died in Lucas' arms. Though Eleven seemingly brought her back to life while watching over her in the void, the final moments of the finale saw Millie Bobby Brown's heroine and her friends visit Max and Lucas in the hospital, where Max is in a coma and appears unresponsive. Despite seemingly being alive and thwarting Vecna's plans to open gates to the Upside Down around Hawkins, Eleven couldn't find Max in the void while at the hospital, leaving many to wonder what the future held for her.
Interestingly, audiences weren't the only ones left uncertain about Max's fate as Sink confirmed right after the release of season 4 that she didn't know whether her character would be alive heading into Stranger Things season 5 as the Duffers have remained tight-lipped with their cast. By the time Sink appeared on Today in January 2023, she could confirm that Max would still appear in season 5, but she couldn't reveal more than that. She explained during the interview, "Spoiler-free, just with the way my character ended in season 4, I have no idea what is going to happen, but I'll be there." She recognized that season 5 would be "scary and sad" for the actors to say goodbye and move on to other projects as the show ends, but also that it would be "exciting to move on to the next chapter" as well.
The creators' confirmation that Max is alive is sure to be soothing news for those concerned about the fan-favorite character, though their note that she's "braindead" does pose a unique challenge for the Duffers going into season 5 in how they either bring Max back or allow her an emotional sendoff.
Could Max Get Better?
Given the wait between seasons 4 and 5, there has been no shortage of theories about Max still being alive in Stranger Things. She might be in a “bad way” at the end of season 4, but theories about just how Max could heal or get better following her initial conflict with Vecna abound. These theories range from her being saved by Eleven again to her being saved by another character Stranger Things fans haven’t seen in a while.
The prevailing theory is that Max’s mind is still trapped in the Upside Down with Vecna, just as One told Eleven that their siblings were still with him after he took their lives. Eleven, being able to travel into the Void and potentially into the spaces of others’ minds, is theorized to be able to reach Max’s mind and help to bring her back to her body. Other theories, however, indicate that after the time jump between seasons, Max’s body could begin to heal on her own, but another one of Eleven’s siblings might give her a hand.
Eight, who chose the name Kali (Linnea Bethelsen), last seen in season 2, has a unique ability compared to those seen from Eleven. She has the ability to make others see things that aren’t there. Her power specifically taps into vision. If she’s spent more time honing her skills over the years since last seeing her little sister, it’s possible that Kali might have tapped into a deeper ability regarding sight than before, that even if Max somehow wakes up, Kali could help to restore her vision.
Still, other theories indicate that Max will not survive the final season of Stranger Things. There is the possibility that, even if her mind is still trapped with Vecna, Max could find a way to fight him from the inside. While many fans expect either Will or Eleven to make the ultimate sacrifice in season 5, others think it could be Max to save her friends, just as Billy did after being possessed by the Mind-Flayer. While Max could recover in Stranger Things season 5, she could also be one of the few main characters in the series to die in battle.
Source: Josh Horowitz/Twitter