Will That Max Change Be Reversed In Stranger Things Season 5?

Max's Stranger Things season 4 ending introduced a major twist for the character's fate, though season 5 could quickly undo this change.

WARNING! Major spoilers ahead for Stranger Things‘ season 4 finale!

Vecna’s second attempt to kill Max left her blind, but Stranger Things season 5 may be able to undo this twist. Stranger Things season 4 was certainly the installment that pulled out all the stops for Max Mayfield’s journey, with Sadie Sink giving a phenomenal performance as her character explored grief, trauma, her own mortality, and a sacrifice that required constant focus on the happiest memories of her life. With the help of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” beautifully mixed into the show’s score, unconditional love from her friends, and Eleven’s powers, Max was ultimately able to avoid an early grave–but she wasn’t free from any long-term or permanent impairments in the highly anticipated Stranger Things season 4 finale.

After escaping Vecna’s first attempt to kill her in Stranger Things season 4’s powerful episode “Dear Billy”, Max continued to listen to Kate Bush while working out a plan to finally kill Vecna for good. The Hawkins characters realized that after Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick’s deaths, Max was marked to become Vecna’s fourth victim, with her death set to trigger the fourth and final gate. Max devised a plan to kill Vecna in which she, Lucas, and Erica would bait the villain in the real Creel House while Steve, Nancy, and Robin would kill Vecna with fire while he remained vulnerable in the Upside Down. Meanwhile, Dustin and Eddie would distract the hoards of Demobat guards by shredding Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” on guitar. The plan went awry, with fan-favorite character Eddie dying and Max finally being taken as Vecna’s fourth victim, where her death officially destroyed the barrier between Hawkins and the Upside Down.

Eleven, Steve, Robin, and Nancy were able to kill Vecna’s physical body before Max officially died, but with her eyes damaged and limbs distorted, she died scared in Lucas’s arms only moments later. While traveling through the void, Eleven exhibited a new power that allowed her to resurrect Max, miraculously bringing her best friend back to life after her heart had stopped for over a minute. At the end of Stranger Things’ season 4 finale, Max is in a coma at the hospital, where her arms and legs are in casts and the Hawkins characters wonder if she’ll ever wake.

Is Max Blind In Stranger Things?

When Max falls into Lucas’ arms after Vecna’s curse is broken, she opens her clouded eyes and reveals that she can’t “see or feel anything.” Moments later, Max died as Lucas screamed in agony for help. While Max was certainly blind in this instance leading up to her death, the Stranger Things season 4 ending didn’t confirm whether Eleven’s powers to resurrect Max also revived her sight. Since her limbs were still broken and she’s now comatose, it seems Max will still be blind after Stranger Things‘ season 5 time-jump, as Vecna had already “taken her eyes.”

Will Stranger Things 5 Undo Its Max Being Blind Twist?

Max being blind in Stranger Things season 5 offers a new twist for the series, with potential for more supernatural connections to Vecna and the Upside Down once she awakes. However, Max may not be as useful to Vecna if she’s blind, as Vecna/The Mind Flayer used Will as a vessel in Stranger Things season 2, using his eyes to track where the other characters were located. Perhaps once Vecna’s spirit is officially defeated she can regain her sight, but Stranger Things season 5 isn’t apt to undo its Max being blind twist so soon unless Eleven exhibits yet another new healing power.