Warning: This article contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4.
A lot has happened in Hawkins since Mike and his friends met a helpless Eleven in the woods. With Season 4 Volume 2, six years after the premiere of Stranger Things' first season, the Duffer Brothers did it again: they released a season that, despite the wait, set a massive streaming record, with 5.14 billion minutes viewed within its premiere week. This time around, season four was made up of two volumes: a first part consisting of seven episodes, and a second part with just two, but lasting almost four hours altogether. Much was said about all the answers that this new season would bring and, to tell the truth, they have kept their word, introducing the audience to the best villain of the series and revealing the origin of all the strange events that have been terrorizing Hawkins and the beloved characters.
Stranger Things season 4 had many peculiarities that set it apart from the previous seasons. For starters, it is by far the darkest season, delving deep into the Upside Down and featuring gruesome deaths striking Hawkins. It even starred horror legend Robert Englund, playing a character that was crucial to the plot. Moreover, after the third season finale, the main characters part ways for the first time, resulting in three storylines happening simultaneously, which allowed the actors to shine in different ways. This latest season finale was one of the most gripping so far, featuring deaths of fan-favorite characters and setting the stage for what will be the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. Still, the story is far from over, as the Duffer Brothers are already thinking about a possible spin-off with a theme that has not yet been revealed.
There is still no release date for the fifth season. In fact, they have not yet started filming, but, per Vanity Fair, the episodes will reportedly be shorter than season four's One thing that we know is that it will not take as long to be released as the fourth season, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, any time period will be rather long for fans, who, after the fourth season finale, were left puzzled, with too many questions and longing for a resolution. That is why, in this article, we will go over some of the things we are looking forward to seeing in Stranger Things' final season.
7 A Final Battle and Vecna's Destruction
Something completely unforeseen happened during the fourth season of the show: Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the crew lost a battle for the first time. While they were able to avoid major damage, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) succeeded in breaking through and starting the merger between the Upside Down and Hawkins. In spite of the great resistance put up by Eleven and Max (Sadie Sink), aided by their friends from the Upside Down, and Hopper and Joyce from Russia, Vecna managed to escape, probably with the help of the creatures he has mastered. What's more, he is ready for a new fight. Therefore, the expectations for the fight between both good and evil are sky-high, especially now that the whole team is together in Hawkins, so the audience's wish is that they will finally get the happy ending they deserve. Will Eleven succeed in overcoming Vecna's powers? What is going to happen to the Upside Down and the town after the fight?
6 Max: Her Recovery & Playing a Vital Part in Defeating Vecna
Max emerged as one of the most important characters in the fourth season of Stranger Things, with an impeccable performance by Sadie Sink. In an extremely brave move, she decided to act as bait so that the rest of the group could locate Vecna's body and kill him, bearing in mind how dangerous her mission would be. Unfortunately, the villain turned out to be stronger than they expected, and ended Max's life, not before breaking her limbs and blinding her. However, in a very emotional scene, Eleven discovered a new power and managed to bring back to life her friend's body, who was eventually hospitalized in a comatose state. This was one of the most important revelations of the season, and after watching El trying to connect with Max's mind and finding a void, it is unclear what will happen to Max in the final season. Based on her strong connection to Vecna, Max is expected to play a major role in the final battle, so let's hope she can heal to finally put an end to Hawkins' curse.
5 Eddie: The New Town Hero
There is an already established dynamic in Stranger Things that involves introducing new characters that quickly become fan favorites only to end up as victims of the monsters from the Upside Down. It happened with Barb, Bob, Billy, and now Eddie (Joseph Quinn). During the latest season, the audience was introduced to Eddie, the Hellfire Club's leader, a seemingly tough character but with a huge heart. Loathed by those who didn't know him and beloved by his friends, Eddie was the primary focus of suspicion when Hawkins murders began, mainly because Chrissy's body was found in his trailer and for his devotion to Dungeons & Dragons. Of course, Eddie was far from a murderer, and he proved it in the season finale: in an attempt to buy some time and save Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) from getting hurt, the young man single-handedly took on the Demobats, something that ended his life but made him a hero. While fans, and even Quinn himself, want the character to return in some way in the next season, at least it is hoped that the rest of his friends will work together to change Hawkins' mind so that Eddie is not remembered as a murderer, but as the hero he was.
4 Will Finally Stepping Up
During the first season, Will's (Noah Schnapp) character was quite crucial to the plot, but in subsequent seasons he lost some of his prominence, turning almost into a secondary character. But throughout season four, the Duffer Brothers once again gave him the spotlight he deserves, delving a bit into his self-discovery, his feelings for Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and, by the finale, reaffirming his connection to the Mind Flayer and, consequently, to Vecna. For all of these reasons, Will is expected to play a huge role in season five and, hopefully, his connection to the Upside Down serves a purpose in helping to defeat Vecna once and for all.
3 Steve, Nancy & Jonathan's Love Triangle Settled
The complex love triangle between Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Steve (Joe Keery) has changed the fans' opinion throughout all four seasons. She began dating heartthrob Steve Harrington during the show's first season, and their romance dragged on until she finally discovered her feelings for Jonathan, and with Steve's approval, she chose to follow her heart. But Harrington really grew up and matured greatly over the seasons, so it's no wonder that, in this latest one, Nancy met a completely different man than the one she walked away from some time before. Even though time went by, Jonathan never stopped loving Nancy, and tried to seek refuge in other relationships in order to forget about her, something he never managed to do. In season four, and following her estrangement with Jonathan, Nancy became much closer to Steve and, evidently, their love began to blossom again, with Steve telling her about his plans of having many children with her and traveling around the country. Yet after Nancy's encounter with Jonathan, it is still unclear where these relationships will go in the future, so hopefully season five will shed some light on this issue.
2 A Bright (and Peaceful) Future for the Kids
Now teenagers, the main characters of Stranger Things have been battling the nastiest monsters to ever haunt Hawkins for four seasons. They faced off against the Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer, and Vecna, the latter of which has yet to reach its climax. And while they have grown up and undergone what any child and teenager would experience, their ongoing battles with the enemies of the Upside Down haven't left them as much time to live like normal kids. So, if there's one thing we hope for if they finally manage to defeat Vecna, it's that Eleven, Mike, Dustin, and the entire group will finally have the freedom to do everything they haven't been able to do for the past few years.
1 Joyce and Hopper's Long-Awaited Date
The complicated relationship between Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Jim, better known as Hopper (David Harbour), has been developing over the seasons. While the audience had been feeling their tension since season three (some even earlier), their love only became clear after their encounter in Russia. However, there is something still pending between them that, in view of the serious events they went through in both seasons, seems like a trifle, yet fans are still eager to see: the long-awaited date they promised each other in the third season. This event, which Hopper dreamed of so much during his time in prison, would be a beautiful closure to these characters' story.