Summary
The fate of Sadie Sink’s character at the end ofStranger Thingsseason 4 made me worried Max Mayfield would spend much of the final season sidelined, but a comment from the actress has eased my concerns. Thecast ofStranger Thingsseason 5seems largely unchanged, which should allow time for a fitting farewell to all the main characters.Max only made her debut inStranger Thingsseason 2, but she’s become a pivotal character who I think deserves to be part of what will surely be a thrilling finale - and it seems as though she will.
Stranger Thingsseason 4’s endingaired in July 2022, meaning I’ll have been waiting along with the rest of the show’s fan base for roughly three years by the time the final installment of the Duffer Brothers' saga begins in 2025. That’s a long time to wait for any TV show to return, let alone Netflix’s flagship project.Max’s story is the one I’m most eager to see continued, andSink has quietly declared she’ll have a larger role to playthan simply being in a hospital bed.
The Complete Stranger Things Timeline Explained
Take a closer look at the complete Stranger Things timeline, beginning with the founding of Hawkins, Indiana, and what we know about season 5.
Sadie Sink’s “Running” Comment Could Be A Good Sign For Max In Stranger Things Season 5
Something interesting will need to happen for Max to run
Speaking withVariety, Sadie Sink responded to questions about Max still being in a coma inStranger Thingsseason 5 by saying, “They love having me run. That’s all I’ll say.” Given the extreme nature of Max’s injuries at the end ofStranger Thingsseason 4, finding out theSink is being asked to run on camera came as something of a welcome surpriseto me. Coma patients don’t typically run around, so the actor’s statement thankfully suggests Max’s role won’t be limited by her injuries.
What I think is more likely is that Max’s connection to the Upside Down will allow her to continue to interact with the spooky alternate dimension despite being unable to move.
That being said, it’s currently unclear in what context Max will be running. It could be that she makes a miraculous recovery and joins her friends in a bid to stop Vecna, but what I think is more likely is that Max’s connection to the Upside Down will allow her to continue to interact with the spooky alternate dimension despite being unable to move in her native reality. Either way,I’m interpreting Sink’s tease as a great signof her physical involvement inStranger Things' final season.
Max Will Still Have A Major Role In Stranger Things Season 5
Stranger Things' showrunners have addressed Sink’s finale involvement
The Duffer brothers confirmed in the same interview thatSadie Sink will, “Play a part in the season,“but they, “Don’t want to reveal how that’s possible.” I don’t blame them for keeping the twist under wraps, and I’m grateful they’ve chosen not to spoil the reveal either. It could be that Max is involved in the show’s final season in a way that anyone has yet to theorize. With any luck, it’ll be closer to the start than the end of 2025 that I finally find out how Sadie Sink’s character will be used in theStranger Thingsfinale.
Stranger Things
Cast
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
