Sadie Sink's Stranger Things character, Max Mayfield, was left in a coma at the end of Season 4, and she may remain that way for some time in the final season. Fans have been on edge waiting to see what will become of Max in Season 5 of the Netflix sci-fi hit, after she was attacked by Vecna and saved from death by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). Teasers for the new season have confirmed that Max remains bound to her hospital bed for at least some of the new season, but just how long she will be inactive may have been revealed by a new report.
A new report from TIME, which visited the set of Stranger Things 5, has revealed that Max will remain comatose until seemingly midway through Season 5. The outlet reported viewing a scene in the editing booth that showed Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Robin (Maya Hawke) in a hospital elevator, visiting Max, who will seemingly still be hospital-bound "midway through Season 5."
The final season comprises eight episodes, split across three Stranger Things 5 volumes, which suggests that Max may remain comatose for at least the first three to four episodes of Season 5. This is something of a surprise given that Stranger Things 5 takes place around 18 months after the events of Season 4, meaning Max has been out of action for over a year when the show picks up.
The first teaser for Stranger Things 5 revealed that Max had healed from some physical injuries she suffered from Vecna's attack, as she was no longer seen in the bandages and casts she had worn in Season 4.
But it seems time has not been able to heal the issues in her subconscious. It was expected that the characters may have been close to finding a cure for Max between seasons, allowing Sink to return to the action early on in Season 5, but this new report reveals fans will be waiting a while to see the pivotal character back on her feet.
TIME's report indicates that Max's state may be somehow linked to the group's plan to defeat Vecna, hinting that she will be reanimated at some point in the season to join the fight.
The creators, the Duffer Brothers, commented to the outlet that "Tony nominee Sadie Sink is too good not to keep," more or less confirming that Max will eventually be out of her coma. Sink later reiterated this to TIME in an interview, saying that Max has a "purpose" in Season 5 of Stranger Things.
Sadie Sink: "They wouldn’t have kept me around if they didn’t have a purpose for me. They would have killed me off."
Stranger Things 5 is the fifth and final season of the chart-topping Netflix original starring David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, and many more. Season 5 will bring an end to the mystery that began when Will Byers disappeared from the small town of Hawkins, leading his friends to uncover a portal to an alternate and terrifying dimension.
The final volumes will be released on November 26, December 25, and December 31, 2025.
What Will Max's Role Be in Stranger Things 5?
The delay in Max's recovery in Season 5 suggests that her comatose state is perhaps linked to Vecna, whom she became a target of in Season 4 of Stranger Things.
After Vecna possesses Max and she succumbs to her injuries, Eleven was able to revive her using her powers. When Eleven tries to enter her friend's mind, she finds Max's consciousness isn't accessible. This suggests that Max's subconscious could be kept as a prisoner elsewhere, perhaps by Vecna in the Upside Down.
Stranger Things 5 marketing has confirmed that the group will be on the hunt for Vecna in Season 5 of the show, as they attempt to stop the world of the Upside Down from spilling into Hawkins. If Max's consciousness is somehow linked to Vecna's, she could be the key to the group tracking down the major villain.
Another popular Stranger Things 5 theory suggests that the final season will utilize time in a new way, possibly indicating that time travel could be the method to save Hawkins, and perhaps Max as well.
