Stranger Things season 4 recap: What to remember ahead of season 5

Stranger Things is entering its endgame – and there’s a lot of lore to remember before we enter the gang’s final fight against Vecna in the Upside Down in season 5.

But that’s what we’re here for, with a full season 4 breakdown to get you up to speed just in time for the Netflix series’ finale, which is being released in three drops across this holiday season.

Here’s what happened, and where everyone stands before the finale.

Stranger Things season 4 recap: What happened ahead of the final season

Across season 4, our gang is divided and the story is split into four main factions – 1979, California, Hawkins and Russia.

The story of 1979, told through flashbacks, shows what happened during a massacre at Hawkins Lab, where Eleven was the only survivor.

In present day (well, 1986), Joyce has moved a now powerless Eleven (El), Will and Jonathan to California for a life away from the supernatural goings on of Hawkins. However, when she gets word via a creepy Russian doll that Hopper is still alive, Joyce heads to Russia with Murray to retrieve him.

In Hawkins, the gang have started to grow apart. Lucas is now a member of the basketball team with little time to hang out with Mike and Dustin, who have joined DnD-playing social group The Hellfire Club, led by metalhead drug dealer Eddie Munson. Max has split from Lucas and, after the death of brother Billy in season 3, has become introverted, spending her days with her headphones on and ignoring the world.

At least Steve and Robin are still besties, now working at the video store, while Nancy is working at the local paper alongside fellow journalist, Fred.

But as the story unfolds and the fate of the world lies in the hands of these brave teens, it’s only a matter of time before they are reunited to face their biggest threat yet – a monster/human hybrid called Vecna.

Who is Vecna and how is he connected to the gang?

Vecna targets and murders teens with unprocessed trauma, plaguing them with terrifying hallucinations of the Upside Down, tearing down their mental state before throwing them in the air and sucking the life out of them, snapping all their bones in the process and leaving behind a mangled corpse.

His first victim is Chrissy Cunningham, a cheerleader and girlfriend to macho-jock Jason. She dies in the presence of Eddie, whom she visited to get drugs in a bid to stop her visions. With the town blaming Eddie for her death, he goes into hiding as he’s hunted, with our gang (especially Dustin) desperate to prove his innocence.

Soon, Vecna takes out Nancy’s co-worker Fred, before targeting Max. Each death creates a tear in reality, which allows the Upside Down to push through a little bit more. The gang discover thanks to psychiatric patient, Victor Creel, that music is a deterrent, allowing the traumatised to remember happier moments to keep Vecna at bay. This ultimately saves Max’s life, with them using Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill to pull her away from his grip with moments to spare.

Victor Creel knew the trick because decades prior, his wife and daughter died in a similar way. What he doesn’t mention is his son, Henry, was to blame. Henry, as a teen, had started displaying psychic and telekinetic abilities, which he eventually used against his family. Victor was later arrested and took the fall.

Henry was then taken in by Dr Brenner for experimentation at Hawkins Lab – and became 001 (One). After years at the facility, he befriended 011 (Eleven), and began a plot to reshape the world, considering himself almost God-like.

When El refused to join him after he killed everyone at the lab, they engaged in a brutal stand-off – one which Eleven ultimately won, sending Henry to the Upside Down. There, he was manipulated by the Mind Flayer and turned into Vecna. He continued to live in the twisted version of the Creel House, with demobats protecting him.

What happened in California?

In California, El is relentlessly bullied and, without powers, feels useless. After lashing out at one of her worst tormentors at a roller rink during a date with Mike, who’s come to visit, she’s arrested.

However, after being processed, she is handed over to Dr Owens, who informs her of what’s going on in Hawkins, offering her the chance to get her powers back. In order to do that, they head to a secret lab in Nevada, where El is begrudgingly reunited with her “Papa”, lead scientist Dr Brenner.

With the help of a sensory machine known as NINA, she eventually succeeds.

Meanwhile, Mike, Jonathan and Will end up on a road trip in a pizza van driven by stoner friend Argylle, after protection at their house is breached. Will continues to struggle with his long-hidden feelings for Mike, who remains oblivious, but is comforted by Jonathan. Tracking El down, they manage to save her before the military gets to her, but Brenner is killed in the process.

With her powers back in full force, she’s able to telepathically see what the gang back in Hawkins is up to.

What happened in Russia?

After being pulled through a portal in season three, Hopper has been held captive in a Russian prison ever since, with everyone thinking he was dead.

At the prison, Russians had been able to access the Upside Down, capturing demogorgons to experiment on.

When Joyce gets word he’s alive thanks to Enzo, she flies to Russia with Murray, before proceeding to get into scrapes with the KGB, are betrayed by those meant to help them, before finally reuniting, sealing his rescue with a kiss before destroying the creatures the Russians captured and returning to Hawkins.

What happened in the Upside Down?

After Vecna claims another life and opens a portal over a lake, the gang go to investigate – only for Steve, Nancy, Robin and Eddie to end up stuck in the Upside Down, battling demobats in the process.

Dustin uses light to communicate with them from the other side, where they arrange to meet at another portal point to get them back to Hawkins. While they make it out, Nancy is temporarily pulled back in, and is almost taken by Vecna. They later head back in – this time armed with weapons – to take Vecna down.

Eddie distracts the demobats by creating a scene (via shredding guitar solo) to draw them away from Vecna. Their plan works – but as they try to make their escape, Eddie decides to stay, sacrificing himself to ensure the demobats are distracted long enough for their plan. He later dies in Dustin’s arms.

Meanwhile El – in a homemade salt bath – infiltrates Max’s mind and memories in order to get into the Upside Down. When she does, she discovers Vecna has come to claim Max once again. This is made worse considering Jason, who has triggered a Satanic Panic in the town by believing Eddie to be a devil-worshipping serial killer, finds them at the same time, and thinks they’re conducting an evil ritual on an unmoving Max.

Steve, Nancy and Robin head to the Creel House – another portal point – with Lucas and Max waiting for them in their reality. They almost die as they’re captured and choked by vines engulfing the house, but break free before attacking Vecna’s body, setting fire to him and shooting at him.

How does season 4 end?

As Lucas and little sister Erica try to stop Jason and his friends, El is able to reach Max and Vecna in the Upside Down, but unfortunately this time he’s too strong for her, and he takes them both inside his mind.

El helplessly watches as he 'kills' Max, and with a new portal created, the Upside Down finally bleeds into Hawkins, Indiana, tearing the city apart with fire, killing Jason and dozens of others in the process.

El is later able to revive Max, but it’s too late. With her body mangled, she’s in incredibly bad shape in hospital, with her chances of survival uncertain.

In Hawkins, survivors leave and loved ones desperately try to find those who have gone missing as a result of the catastrophe – but nearly all blame Eddie, with Jason having convinced them he was Satanic.

As his uncle desperately looks for him, Dustin tragically tells him Eddie died a hero, and that he was with him when he passed.

With the gang reunited, Will gets tingles alerting him to the Mind Flayer still being alive, and the group vow to make sure the Upside Down is destroyed for good – no matter what.

Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 will be released on Thursday 27th November in the UK. Seasons 1-4 are available on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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