How Did ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 End for Each Character?
Stranger Things‘ final season may not arrive for a few months, but it’s never too early to refresh your memory about where the series left things for key characters in Season 4.
As some viewers may recall, Season 4’s finale clocked in at just over two hours; in other words, it was a movie-length conclusion filled with reveals and setup for Season 5. Whether it was Max’s (Sadie Sink) uncertain fate, Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) major loss of fan-favorite Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), or Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) face-off with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), there was no shortage of excitement.
While the Netflix series has a massive ensemble, we’re putting focus on 13 key characters from the show, below, and recapping where each of their stories left off by the conclusion of Season 4, which arrived all the way back in 2022! Scroll down for a closer look and reminder of Season 4’s plot points, and let us know what you’d like to see for these characters and others as we gear up for the three-part conclusion, which will drop across the holiday season this fall and winter.
Stranger Things, Season 5 Volume 1, Premiere, November 26, 2025, Netflix
Stranger Things, Season 5 Volume 2, Premiere, December 25, 2025, Netflix
Stranger Things, Season 5 Finale, Premiere, December 31, 2025, Netflix
Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink)
In an attempt to lure big bad Vecna to his demise, Max used herself as bait to bring the monster into the light after previously being targeted by him. Ultimately, the trap worked, but after Max’s Walkman, which contained Kate Bush’s song, “Running Up That Hill,” was broken, the surefire path to evading extreme harm was removed, leaving her to fight the monster in another dimension, with only Eleven’s telepathic assistance as a backup. In the end, Max nearly died as her limbs were crudely broken, and she seemingly lost her vision due to Vecna’s harmful powers. According to Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max’s heart even stopped, but it seemed Eleven’s healing touch helped bring her back. The last fans saw Max, she was fighting for her life in a coma.
Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown)
Eleven tried helping her friends fight against Vecna with her supernatural abilities, and along the way, she learned the truth about Vecna and his dark motivations. While she was able to overpower him enough to give her pals the upper hand, the results were seemingly catastrophic for the town of Hawkins, which began to quake and open up to the other dimension. After she roadtripped back to the Indiana town, she was reunited with her adoptive dad, Hopper (David Harbour), and witnessed the impact her and Vecna’s face-off had on the town as clouds moved in over the ill-fated Hawkins and flecks from the Upside Down dotted the sky like snow.
Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo)
Dustin was deep in grief over Eddie Munson’s death at the end of Season 4, after the Hellfire Club leader sacrificed himself to help save Hawkins. In the aftermath of the town’s fracture, Dustin, left limping from an Upside Down-induced injury, bumped into Eddie’s uncle, Wayne (Joel Stoffer), and gave the man his friend’s necklace, informing him that, despite news reports that claimed Eddie was responsible for various deaths around town, that the young man died a hero as he attempted to save a town that hated him. It was rather emotional, and it makes us worried about what Dustin’s state of mind might be in Season 5.
Jim Hopper (David Harbour)
After he escaped a Russian prison with the help of Joyce (Winona Ryder), Murray (Brett Gelman), and more, Hawkins’ former chief of police, Jim Hopper, returned to the high-security spot to battle Demagorgons as a means to the kids in Hawkins with the battle they were fighting stateside, unaware of the extent of the situation. He even faced off one-on-one with the big OG Stranger Things creature and decapitated it with a sword. Once he was able to make his way back to Indiana, Hopper had a sweet reunion with Eleven, but their peace didn’t last long as the looming threat to Hawkins encroached in Season 4’s final minutes.
Will Byers (Noah Schnapp)
Much of Season 4 saw Will (Noah Schnapp) as he struggled to connect with his friends and felt different. His connection to the Upside Down was reintroduced when he returned to Hawkins as he noted that he could feel Vecna there, despite the friends’ seeming temporary victory over the villain. In the season’s closing shots, Will got goosebumps on the back of his neck, and he turned to look up at the sky, haunted by the darkness taking over his hometown.
Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower)
While he was on the receiving end of a flamethrower powered by Nancy (Natalia Dyer), and supported by Steve (Joe Keery) and Robin (Maya Hawke), Vecna’s lost battle didn’t feel like the book had closed on his evil agenda. Only time will tell how the big bad will proceed, but for now, the monster is missing.
Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin)
Lucas was by Max’s side as she tried luring Vecna in, but when the captain of the Hawkins High School basketball team, Jason (Mason Dye) crashed the Creel House attic, Lucas was forced to fight for his life, Max’s, and the town’s. Jason was seeking answers and vengeance for the death of his cheerleader girlfriend, Chrissy (Grace Van Dien), after he believed Eddie was responsible, and while Eddie wasn’t in the attic, he took out his rage on Lucas as he pulled a gun on his teammate. In the end, Jason died, and Lucas was left to watch as Max suffered violence imposed upon her by Vecna. He was last seen by her side in the hospital, hoping she’d wake up for the movie date they planned before everything fell apart.
Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard)
Mike’s biggest moment in the Season 4 finale was his motivational talk to Eleven as she battled Vecna within her mind. He told the girl he loved her and promised he always would. Mike’s words proved useful in pulling Eleven out of the trance after her fight, and the pair returned to Hawkins with Jonathan, Will, and new friend Argyle (Eduardo Franco), where he reunited with his family and shared a sentimental moment with Hopper before a dark cloud closed in.
Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer)
Nancy confirmed her status as a badass as she took a flamethrower to Vecna in the Upside Down of Creel House. There, she was helped by Steve and Robin, who managed to torch the monster with her. Once she was back in Hawkins, she was reunited with long-distance boyfriend Jonathan for the first time in forever. Their reunion is sweet but a little tense, leaving fans unclear on where they stand despite Nancy’s assurance that they were all good.
Steve Harrington (Joe Keery)
Steve managed to play it cool as he entered yet another supernatural battle alongside Nancy and Robin. But before he went all in on the fight, he admitted to Nancy that he still had feelings for her, as he envisioned a future with kids and an RV. He told Nancy he always pictured her there alongside him. The declaration is candid and definitely left Nancy with a lot to consider. As if to further amplify Steve’s growth, he closed out Season 4 helping citizens of Hawkins with supplies, food, and more amid the disaster that swallowed parts of the town.
Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton)
Meanwhile, Jonathan connected with his younger brother Will, as he told the boy he’d always be there for him, no matter what. The supportive speech was a sweet moment that reaffirmed their relationship. But when it came to his relationship with Nancy, their differences in opinion on college left them in limbo. Will Jonathan be able to reconnect with Nancy, or will their romance fizzle? Only time will tell.
Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke)
Although Robin had her foibles in the Upside Down in the fight against Vecna, she got out fairly unscathed and was last seen working in the high school’s makeshift shelter. While there, Robin reconnected with classmate Vickie (Amybeth McNulty), whom she has a crush on. The pair seemed flirty, despite Robin being uncertain about Vickie’s sexuality. Could the spark seen onscreen turn into something more? We’ll keep our fingers crossed for Robin.
Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder)
After her adventure in Russia, Joyce returned to Hawkins, where she reunited with her kids and Eleven. While we never saw her and Hopper define their relationship, we’d imagine they’re a couple following their big smooch at the beginning of the finale episode. Even though Season 4 ended with serious implications for Hawkins, surely Season 5 could make way for her and Hopper’s long-awaited date at Enzo’s, right?
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