‘Stranger Things’: What Happened at the End of Season 4?

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4.]

Stranger Things‘ final season is nearly here, and it’s been over three years since fans last visited Hawkins for a new adventure, which means it’s the perfect time for a refresher.

If you can’t remember how Season 4 ended, fret not, because we’re breaking down all of the key need-to-know reveals from the most recent episode. From where things left off to what battle lies ahead, scroll down for a deep dive into how Season 4 wrapped up and how it’s likely to kick off Season 5.

What happened with Vecna?

As viewers may recall, Season 4’s big bad was Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), who was revealed to have been Henry Creel, or 001. In a flashback scene, it was revealed that Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) had been deceived by the fellow Hawkins Lab subject, and when she’d helped deactivate a power-subduing chip in his neck, Henry laid waste to the patients and doctors. Ultimately, young Eleven fought Henry and sent him hurtling into another dimension, known as Dimension X, which is connected to the Upside Down.

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While Vecna’s threat to Max (Sadie Sink) loomed, the gang in Hawkins coordinated an attack that had Robin (Maya Hawke), Steve (Joe Keery), and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) descending into the Upside Down, where they sought out Vecna’s body at the old Creel House. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) also went to the Upside Down, but used music to distract any threats the other three would face. Meanwhile, in the regular world, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max tried to lure Vecna to attack the latter while occupying the Creel House.

The plan didn’t go as smoothly as they’d hoped, especially when school bullies showed up at the Creel House and began to attack Lucas, as they believed he was allowing Max to be harmed as part of a satanic cult ritual. As Max began to fall under Vecna’s trance, Lucas was forced to fend off the jocks, and in the scuffle, her Walkman was broken, which left her without a cure for Vecna’s deadly plan.

Luckily, Eleven had managed to reach Max in the void from a pizza freezer miles away. While Eleven’s efforts were made through her mind, she fought Vecna and attempted to save Max. Along with the efforts in the Upside Down, it was enough to send Vecna into hiding as his burned corpse was thrown from the window of the Upside Down’s Creel House. When Steve, Nancy, and Robin looked out to the ground below, though, the monster had vanished.

Meanwhile, in the real world, a rift began to form between the gates Vecna had opened in Hawkins and tore the city apart. Amid the calamity, Eddie Munson was killed and Max was left wounded and without any certainty that she’d recover.

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What happened in Russia?

Meanwhile, in Russia, Hopper (David Harbour), Joyce (Winona Ryder), and Murray (Brett Gelman) were on the verge of escape when they realized the kids needed their help stateside. So, they returned to the prison Hopper had been captured in, only to find various Demogorgons on the loose. They worked to help from afar by distracting the hive mind connecting creatures from the Upside Down and the dimension itself.

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Ultimately, the trio managed to fend off the monsters and escaped back to Hawkins after some help from Hopper’s connections to Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser). After most believed Hopper was dead, his return to Hawkins reassured Eleven that he was alive and well, and Joyce shared a sweet reunion with her boys, but the brief joy was quickly dashed as a dark cloud moved in over Hawkins with the Upside Down appearing to bleed into their world.

As goosebumps raised on the back of Will’s (Noah Schnapp) neck, it was clear another battle loomed as Vecna remained somewhere out in the other dimension.

Did Max survive?

Max seemingly survived her run-in with Vecna, but not without having endured broken bones and damaged eyes, seemingly leaving her blind. In the void, Eleven seemed to feel Max’s pulse disappear and used her powers to bring her back to life. Max was last seen recovering from her injuries at the hospital, unconscious.

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What is going on in Hawkins?

Last viewers saw of it, the town of Hawkins had become a disaster zone, and many families packed up to leave the Indiana location. The military was moving in, and as viewers may recall, there’s a select group of the government determined to destroy Eleven, as they believed she was a deadly weapon that could threaten the world.

With most of the characters reconvened in Hawkins after they spent much of Season 4 split up into groups, viewers can expect a wild ride as Season 5 approaches. Let us know what you hope to see in the comments section, and stay tuned for more on Stranger Things.

Stranger Things, Season 5 Volume 1 Premiere, November 26, Netflix

Stranger Things, Season 5 Volume 2 Premiere, December 25, Netflix

Stranger Things, Season 5 Finale, December 31, Netflix and Select Theaters

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