The fourth season of Stranger Things was pivotal for the growth of Max Mayfield, played expertly by Sadie Sink. Following the death of her step-brother Billy in season three, Max distances herself from her friends until being targeted by the terrifying monster Vecna. Max is essentially marked for death, which ends up resulting in her actual death in the season four finale. Despite being killed by Vecna, Eleven was able to enter Max’s mind and bring her back to the point where she goes into a deep coma by the end of the episode. Given where Max ended season four, Sink told Deadline she’s unsure what the fifth and final season holds for her character:

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As Lucas mentioned in the hospital, Max’s heart stopped for a full minute in the Creel house, meaning she clinically died after being attacked by Vecna. Her death caused the four gates around Hawkins to split open, resulting in mass destruction and breaking down the barrier between the Indiana town and the Upside Down. It seems like the final season will see Hawkins become a battleground between Vecna and the extended members of Hellfire, but Max may be sitting out at least the early part of the showdown. Hopefully, Max recovers quickly enough to join her friends in the fight for both Hawkins and the world as a whole.

“They’ve [the Duffer brothers] been very secretive about season five in general. We did have a conversation. They called me before I read the ninth episode because in the script it literally says that Max dies. So they called me beforehand and were like, ‘just warning you, this is in here, so you’re not like truly shocked.’ I have no idea what’s coming in five and what that looks like. Max’s storyline is very up in the air, cause obviously she’s in a coma and Eleven can’t find her in the void. So who knows where she is and what state she’s in.”

RELATED: Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink Says Max Has Some Brave Choices to Make in Season Finale

All Main Characters Are Fair Game in Stranger Things Season Five

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Looking at the season four finale, Eddie was the only main character not to make it out alive, even though Max also technically died before being revived by Eleven. With the entire cast returning to Hawkins by the end of the episode, all bets are off as far as who may be on the chopping block for season five. With the conclusion of the Stranger Things story, the fifth and final season could be filled with impactful deaths to close the series out on a highly emotional note. In the same interview with Deadline, Sink spoke about the Duffers’ mindset when it comes to choosing which characters will and won’t survive a Stranger Things season:

The season four finale sets up an exciting conclusion for Stranger Things, but it’s unknown when the final season will premiere. Production on season four was heavily impacted by the pandemic, but season five should have a smoother shoot thanks to COVID vaccinations and other protective measures that can be used. Season five isn’t expected to begin production anytime soon, so it’s going to be some time before one of the biggest original series in Netflix history comes to its ultimate climax.

“With season five being the last season, I don’t know what they have planned. But there are so many characters. Some of the deaths on the show are so impactful to audience members and the other characters in general. But they really moved the story. I know the Duffers are always very careful and calculated with who they’re killing off. They’re never gonna kill a character for the sake of just killing someone off. It always has to move the plot along and be right in that moment and in the story.”