Summary
In 2022,Stranger Thingsleft fans with more questions than answers, including the fate of Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink). After being targeted by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) for his nefarious plans,Max came close to dyingbut fortunately got revived by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) at the last minute. Severely injured, Max ended up in a coma that she had not yet woken from.
Sadie Sink remains to have a seemingly active role in the final season.Her presence in the official photosof theStranger Thingscrew during filming more or less confirms that Max’s story is far from over. However, considering her state, fans wonder how Max would be involved in the story. Is she going to be a side character whose sole purpose is to fuel her friends' desire to take Vecna down? It’s a good point to suggest that, despite being unconscious, Max serves a purpose and can have a plot that could play out in many ways.
Stranger Things’s Max Mayfield Will Be The Link Between Hawkins And The Upside Down
The ability to gain powers or a connection with the Upside Down seems linked to the extent of interactions someone has with it. Max’s encounter withVecna, the five-star general of the Mindflayer, makes her case unique. Max will likely regain consciousness at the beginning or end ofStranger Thingsseason 5, volume 1. Once she wakes up, people will ask questions that only she can answer, especially what it was like on the night that Vecna wreaked havoc in their town.
While in a coma, Max could have gained abilities reminiscent of the numbered children like El and, perhaps, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). She might start sharing information that surprises everyone. After feeling helpless about theinvasion of the Upside Down in Hawkins, the main characters will finally begin feeling hopeful. With this exposure, Max could become an asset to her friends and everyone going against Vecna.
In a situation where Max acts asthe bridge between the Upside Down and Hawkins, she can give the other heroes intel on Vecna’s plans as he bides his time healing and scheming in the other dimension. With the insights that Max gains on the enemy, the gang will strategize how they could counter his moves and prevent more casualties. However, being a link to two dimensions could be dangerous to Max and her state of mind.
Stranger Things’s Max Mayfield Will Undoubtedly Struggle With Two Different Realities
The trauma caused by the torture and near-death experience Max had with Vecna will take a toll on her mind. With everything going on in the post-invasion Hawkins, Max would constantly be surrounded by everything that traumatized her. The triggers and need to fight for survival after waking up could easily topple Max’s current physical and mental stability. Oddly enough, her struggles between what is Hawkins and what is the Upside Down will be eerily reminiscent ofWill Byers' experience in season 2.
As she goes between two dimensions, unsure of which is the Upside Down and which one is Hawkins, Max will fight for her life again. As she revealed to Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) inStranger Thingsseason 4, episode 9, “Chapter Nine: The Piggyback,” she doesn’t want to die. And killing off the girl who was one ofVecna’s victims in season 4wouldn’t be a satisfying or meaningful move for the show’s creators. Despite everything that happened and continues to happen to her, Max will most likely choose to live.
Stranger ThingsAntagonist Vecna Will Use Max Mayfield For False Prophecies And Visions
Max won’t be the only one getting a new way of accessing the enemy’s mind to gain leverage in the ongoing war between the Upside Down and Hawkins. By this point, Vecna would have discovered that music plays a role in combating his powers. With this in mind, the show’s main villain will be smart enough to recalibrate and plan new ways to target his victims successfully. Once he realizes Max is lurking and spying on him, he could use her abilities against her.
Vecna manipulates people’s minds and makes them fall into his traps. Feigning ignorance,Vecna could start giving Max fake visionsand false prophecies. On the other hand, Max would not know the difference between the two at first. When she shares the initial fake visions with her friends, who will act on them, they could suffer losses in battle, potentially losing people on their side.
Guilt driven by the casualties, Max will likely blame herself for giving false information. She might feel torn about her abilities and purpose in this fight. With her unstable sense of self and state of mind, Max would be more susceptible to the taunts and attacks from Vecna. She might consider herself unreliable and a liability. However, realizing that this is far from the truth is part of her journey, and she will discover this as she does her part indefeating Vecna in season 5.
Max Mayfield’s Story Will Be A Symbol Of Hope And Rebirth In Hawkins
Max surviving Vecna’s attacks and waking up from her coma is a miracle that will resonate with the people of Hawkins. Thedevastation from the Upside Down invasionwill see the death of many citizens, including characters people have come to know and love for years. However, Max’s existence is proof that there is hope left. Her pain and suffering get transmuted into a deeper connection with herself. As she learns the full capacity of her new abilities, she will also learn how to find peace with her past and herself.
In their fight against Vecna, Max and her friends, otherwise seen as the outcasts, are at the forefront. Although many will fall,the ending will be a bittersweet victory. And against all odds, Max will survive in season 5, proving that Vecna’s schemes and powers are no match for these outcasts banding together to save their small town. And once the sky clears and a new day dawns upon the small town of Hawkins inStranger Things, Max will be seen as a symbol of hope that peaks through the darkness.
Stranger Things
Stranger Things is a horror and supernatural franchise that was originally a popular show on Netflix. The viral success of the television program cause it to have its very own mobile game, Stranger Things 3: The Game, where you play one of 12 characters in a SNES-like version of Hawkins.
