Netflix
Get ready, nerds! The final season of Stranger Things 5 is fast approaching and it couldn’t feel more bitter-sweet.
But considering the fourth season was released in 2022, it’s safe to say a Stranger Things recap is in order to help refresh our minds of where we’re picking up.
To get a little taste of what’s to come, Netflix also released the first five minutes of season five which you can watch here.
Read on for a brief recap of where we left off in season four…
Cracks are appearing
Code red! The end of season four saw cracks appear in Hawkins, signalling the Upside Down seeping into the real world.
The fractures don’t just mark physical damage. They confirm Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) succeeded in opening the four gates he needed to merge both dimensions. With those gates now connected, the Upside Down has begun to spread across Hawkins, with the biggest gateway at the Hawkins Library.
Vecna isn’t dead
In the season four finale after their huge effort to try take down Vecna, Will (Noah Schnapp) tells Mike (Finn Wolfhard) that things don’t feel right, and that Vecna isn’t dead – just badly injured.
Will touches the back of his neck, just as he did during the Mind Flayer’s grip on him, and watches the sky begin to darken.
The people of Hawkins watch as particles from the Upside Down begin to fall across the real world. The drifting spores drain the colour from the grass and flowers, turning the landscape into grey decay as black smoke rises from the open cracks and red lightning splits the sky.
Will Max survive?
Max’s confrontation with Vecna remains one of the most devastating moments of season four.
During the ‘piggyback’ fight inside Max’s mind, Vecna overpowered Eleven long enough to begin his ritual, snapping Max’s limbs, blinding her and causing catastrophic internal damage.
Eleven eventually forced Vecna out of Max’s mind, while Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) fought to protect her in the real world, but the damage was already done. Max briefly regained consciousness, only to die in Lucas’ arms as the fourth gate opened.
Eleven managed to restart her heart, yet Max now lies in a coma with an uncertain future. When Eleven attempts to reach her through the Void, she finds only darkness, suggesting Max’s mind may be lost or unreachable.
Will we find out in Stranger Things 5 whether Max will regain complete consciousness?
Eleven has her powers back
A lot of season four saw Eleven try to regain her powers after they were depleted from fighting the Mind Flayer at the end of season three.
With the loss of her powers, and the absence of Hopper (David Harbour), she started to feel out of sorts. However, with Vecna’s wrath unleashing on the gang, they needed her powers more than ever.
After Eleven was tricked into meeting with Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine), aka Papa, he met his demise when Eleven refused to revive him. Mysteriously, her powers retuned after he passed.
In Stranger Things 5, her powers are set to evolve even further, with a glimpse of her being able to levitate through the air in the official trailer.
Joyce and Hopper are back in Hawkins
After Hopper’s gruelling journey in a Russian prison, Joyce (Winona Ryder) came to his rescue – not without fighting a few Demogorgans first.
The two shared a kiss (finally!) and made their return back to Hawkins to reunite with the group.
While in Russia, we saw that the Russians figured out how to isolate the Mind Flayer’s particles.
Eddie isn’t coming back
One of season four’s fan favourites will not be returning for Stranger Things 5 after his heartbreaking death last season.
Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) met his demise last season when he distracted Vecna’s army of bats so he could save Dustin. We’re not crying, you are.
A Nancy-Steve-Jonathan love triangle
While Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) are still very much in a relationship, her and Steve’s spark from season one shone through again in season four.
Will Stranger Things 5 be the season they get back together?
(Stranger Things 5 premieres Thu., Nov 27. on Netflix)
