It’s time to start climbing that hill again. But since it’s been more than three years since “Stranger Things” aired its fourth season finale, the journey might be a little difficult for those who didn’t rewatch the Duffer brothers’ hit Netflix series before it debuted Volume I of the fifth and final season on Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. PT.
Since carving out a 2-hour, 21-minute window to rewatch the Season 4 finale of “Stranger Things” before carving the bird on Thanksgiving isn’t an option for everyone, Variety has a character-by-character recap of where everyone in Hawkins left off circa 1986 before Season 5. So see below where Eleven and the gang were at the end of “Stranger Things” Season 4, before returning in reverse this Thanksgiving.
Eleven
She’s back in Hawkins – well, everyone is now. At the end of season 5, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is with Mike, Will, Joyce, Hopper, Nancy and Jonathan in a field in Hawkins, watching the Upside Down infiltrate the Indiana town. Ash-like material darkens the air, rising from giant fissures in the world that Vecna opened using the lives of four people, including the now comatose Max, to open four gates to the Upside Down.
Eleven discovered that Vecna is also Henry Creel and One (Dr. Brenner’s first subject). Eleven also learned that she is responsible for pushing him into the Upside Down World, when she rejected his offer to transform the world together, essentially creating Vecna, the evil she and her friends are fighting.
She tried to save Max from Vecna by entering Max’s brain, but only managed to bring Max back to life after she had technically died long enough for the fourth gate to the Upside Down to open.
Vecna/Henry Creel/Un
Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) once wanted to team up with Eleven, back when he was One/Henry Creel, to reshape the world according to his own twisted vision. After Eleven unwittingly threw him into the Upside Down and gave him his current form, Vecna began looking for ways to reach the outside world and control Hawkins’ children – like Will and Max.
Although Eleven tried to eliminate him during her dreamwalk in Max’s mind, and Steve, Nancy, and Robin shot him with shotguns and set his body on fire in the Upside Down, Will can sense his presence and knows he is not dead.
Mike Wheeler
Mike (Finn Wolfhard) is back in Hawkins and on good terms with his girlfriend, El. With Will’s help, Mike supported Eleven in her dream battle with Vecna in Max’s mind. However, Mike is unaware that Will has feelings for him and silently suffers from this unrequited love, as the Upside Down enters Hawkins.
Will Byers
Will (Noah Schnapp) senses Vecna’s presence in the final moments of “Stranger Things 4,” confirming that he was not killed and that Will’s connection to the Upside Down is still intact. Will worked with Mike, Jonathan, and Argyle to allow Eleven to access Max’s mind via dreamwalking so that El could try to save Max and everyone else from Vecna from afar.
Despite his romantic feelings for Mike, Will encouraged Mike to offer his love and support to El to help her defeat Vecna. After spending season 4 living with his brother Jonathan, mother Joyce and El in California, he and the rest of his family have now returned to Hawkins to help in the fight.
Lucas Sinclair
Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) had spent the season trying to save Max from Vecna and repair their romantic relationship after she became depressed following the death of her half-brother Billy. Lucas stayed with her while Vecna entered her mind and tried to bring her back with the trigger of her favorite song, “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush, but her heart stopped. Max was revived by Eleven through dreamwalking, but the damage was done, and Max is now in a coma in the hospital with Lucas remaining by his side.
Dustin Henderson
Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) watched Eddie Munson die after valiantly fighting off a mess of Demobats in the Upside Down to give Steve, Nancy, and Robin cover while they went to attack Vecna. As a result, everyone was able to return home safely and Dustin told the story of Eddie’s heroism to Eddie’s uncle, knowing that the rest of the town still thinks Eddie is a villain and responsible for several deaths in Hawkins.
Max Mayfield
Currently in a coma in the hospital. All of Max’s (Sadie Sink) bones were broken by Vecna, and she lay dead for a full minute before being brought back to life through Eleven’s dream walking. Lucas is by her side at the hospital, hoping she will pull through and wake up, even though doctors say she may never come out of her coma.
Steve Harrington
Steve (Joe Keery) survived the fight against Vecna alongside Nancy and Robin in the Upside Down Creel House. He returned with the gang to Hawkins, but they have no idea where Vecna went after not being able to find the body.
Nancy Wheeler
Nancy (Natalia Dyer) fought Vecna, shooting her, along with Steve and Robin, who managed to set her on fire with fire and send her flying through the attic window of the Creel house into the Upside Down. However, his body was missing before they could confirm his death. At one point, during a trance, Nancy looked through Vecna’s memories and learned of his history as the troubled Henry Creel.
Jonathan Byers
Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) returned to Hawkins alongside Will, Mike and Eleven. He spent time consoling his brother, Will, who is clearly heartbroken over his unrequited feelings for Mike. When Jonathan and his girlfriend Nancy are reunited, he makes a joke about Nancy’s ex, Steve, and Nancy refutes him. Before the Upside Down begins to creep into Hawkins, Jonathan asks Nancy if everything is okay between them in their romantic relationship, and she responds with an unconvincing yes.
Robin Buckley
Robin (Maya Hawke) survived the Battle of Vecna with Nancy and Steve in the Upside Down. Returning to Hawkins, now in ruins, she finds a glimmer of hope: her crush, Vickie, potentially returns her affections.
Jim Hopper
Hopper (David Harbour) has returned from his hostage situation in Soviet Russia and reunited with Eleven, thanks to a rescue mission led by Joyce. In the USSR, he fought a Demogorgon in hopes of weakening the overall power of the Upside Down to help his country’s children.
Joyce Byers
Joyce (Winona Ryder) returned Hopper safe and sound to the mess that is Hawkins. They were even talking about finally making it to their date at Enzo’s house – although that’s probably going to be difficult with the giant cracks in the world.
Erica Sinclair
Erica (Priah Ferguson) was at the Creel House in the Rightide Up when Vecna took over Max, and she called the ambulance for Lucas to get help from Max after Vecna broke every bone in his body. Erica is with the rest of the crew in Hawkins as the Upside Down infiltrates the world.
The Wheelers
The other members of Mike and Nancy’s family – mom Karen (Cara Buono), dad Ted (Joe Chrest) and little sister Holly (played in season 5 by Nell Fisher) – were all home when the ground opened up. Young Holly is apparently able to notice what is happening more than her parents and seems to perceive the impact of the invisible Vecna on their world.
