[Editor’s note: This piece discusses the plot of Stranger Things season four.]
It’s hard to determine who tops the scoreboard in Stranger Things’ monumental fourth season. As it always goes with Netflix’s beloved sci-fi series, multiple characters rely on each other to survive whatever alternate dimension creature is attacking at any given time. It’s never been truer than in season four. Even if the gang is geographically spread out—Hawkins, the Upside Down, a Russian prison, California, and eventually a highway somewhere in Nevada—they come through for one another to (apparently temporarily) help beat Vecna in volume two. Give it up for the power of the “hive mind,” huh?
There are several contenders for the show’s MVP this time around, including smaller roles like Suzie or Dmitri Antonov, without whom Hopper wouldn’t have been able to contact Joyce in the first place. And then there’s everyone’s favorite babysitter, Steve Harrington, who is always ready to step up and be the hero. Let’s not forget Joyce, who drops everything for the chance of saving Hop.
Even so, there are five characters who had season-long arcs that make them season four’s true standouts. Although, in all honesty, the real winner of this situation is obviously Kate Bush.
Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink)
Max’s unexpected yet powerful growth in season four evokes Stranger Things’ ability to unpack relationships at a granular level. Due to feeling guilty over her brother Billy’s death (which she continually wished for while growing up with him), she is tormented by Vecna’s mind invasion. She’s already isolated herself from everyone else, and he capitalizes on her loneliness. But being targeted and nearly dying in “Dear Billy” allows Max to reflect on and embrace her friendships even more closely. Her emotionally charged arc is undoubtedly the most memorable part of season four, further aided by Sink’s captivating, vulnerable performance. It’s no wonder Max springs out as the winner.
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Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown)
Okay, admittedly, without Eleven’s powers, nobody would still be alive in Hawkins. She’s automatically the series’ all-time winner. So it’s a good thing then that she regains her abilities, even if it unfortunately meant reliving a traumatizing event from her past—pushing 001 into the Upside Down, which allowed him to turn into the tentacled Vecna.
El absolutely goes through shit in season four. Remember her Lenora school bully, Angela, and how El nearly went to jail for smacking her in the face with a rollerblade? Flashbacks reveal she was bullied just as much while growing up at Hawkins Lab. That’s a lot of trauma for her to unpack in one sensory deprivation tank. But if anyone can withstand it, it’s her. She not only piggybacks into Max’s mind to defeat Vecna but also saves her friend’s life (literally). Of course, El has to be on this list.
Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer)
Nancy becomes the de facto leader of the Hawkins crew in Stranger Things season four. Her plans set a lot major events in motion, from meeting Victor Creel with Robin to actually burning up Vecna in the Upside Down when his guard is, well, down. She gets to show off her level-headedness this time around (even if Steve tries to be a total distraction). In turn, Dyer delivers the kind potent performance she hasn’t been able to in the past. There’s a reason Vecna must have chosen her as a messenger for his destructive visions.
Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman)
Hear me out: Murray has been a much-needed comic relief throughout Stranger Things’ run. In season four, he really comes through for Joyce and travels with her to save Hopper, all while continuing to be a comedic joy. So what if he ended up crashing the plane from Alaska to Russia? He impersonated Yuri and got them into the goddamn hidden prison. But his actions in the finale immediately make him an MVP. If he hadn’t started flaming all the demodogs in the Russian prison at exactly the right time—once Joyce and Hopper drew them into the pit—Vecna wouldn’t have been weakened enough for El to take him down. As I said, physical distance didn’t stop anyone from saving each other, so why not let Murray get the deserved spotlight?
Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo)
Dustin is usually also an overall MVP because he is well-informed about all the madness that might be happening in Hawkins. It’s what being an expert in Dungeons & Dragons does to you, so the lesson here is to embrace your nerdiness. In season four, he steps up for Eddie when everyone else deems him a killer—going as far as to convince everyone else on the team to take his side. That’s why it’s heartbreaking when he has to witness Eddie dying in the Upside Down (what a killer performance from Matarazzo right there). Dustin might need to be humbled a notch or two, but without his know-how and in El’s absence, it would’ve been impossible for anyone to survive Vecna.