Have stranger things happened than the events of Stranger Things Season Four? We're not sure.

Split into two parts, the Duffer Brothers, who wrote Stranger Things, had fans on the edge of their seats, finishing both parts on squirm-inducing cliff hangers. 

This season fans met the gang's ultimate villain, Vecna, lost yet another main character, and were left with an ending that gave them more questions than answers - seriously, is Max Mayfield going to be ok? 

While we have to wait for the much anticipated fifth season, and therefore the answers to our burning questions, there are some fan queries that can be quickly cleared up. Namely, where is Stranger Things filmed?

Where was Stranger Things filmed?

Stranger Things is primarily shot in Atlanta, Georgia. Until now the paranormal goings-on in the Netflix sci-fi horror have been confined to the fictional, slightly drab, midwestern town of Hawkins meaning the cast and crew had little reason to leave the Southern State. 

But the ending of season three saw the characters split up and venture out, both willingly and unwillingly, meaning the cast and crew got to travel to more locations than ever before to film the fourth season.

Where is Hawkins in Stranger Things?

The fictional town of Hawkins is actually the town of Jackson in Atlanta, Georgia. The Southern city is a far cry from the Midwest where Hawkins is supposed to be, but it is where you will find iconic spots from across the seasons. Drop by the Wheeler house at 2530 Piney Wood Lane, bike past the Sinclair house just a few doors down at 2550 Piney Wood Lane, and stop by the Henderson house at 2886 Piney Wood Drive. 

Jackson is also home to both Hawkins Middle and High Schools, the Hawkins community pool, the arcade, the rotten pumpkin patch, and even the battlefield for season three's infamous showdown with the Mind Flayer, the Starcourt Mall.

Where is the Stranger Things house located?

The creepy Creel House can be found in Rome, Georgia just north of Atlanta at 906 E 2nd Ave SW. The home was built in 1882 and most recently operated as a bed and breakfast called the Claremont House until it was permanently closed in March of 2019. 

Production designer Chris Trujillo told CN Traveller, "Atlanta is full of really beautiful and interesting old Victorian houses, but we wanted to get away from the rounded spires and the elements that are really Victorian-inspired. When we found this house, it just had a weight and shape to it. It was more squared off in its details in the upper story, the shape of the roofline was unique. It almost felt like it was leaning toward you in a way that felt heavy and scary."

Like the Creel House in the show, the home is no place to go trespassing - admire the pristine structure from afar.

Will and El’s new home

Stranger Thing's fictional Californian town of Lenora Hills, California came to life in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Byers, accompanied by El, left the hubbub of Hawkins, opting instead for a quiet time in California. The set of their Lenora Hills home can be found at 13212 Montgomery Boulevard NE in Glenwood Hills, Albuquerque - again, admire from afar.

Stranger Things’ production designer Chris Trujillo discussed the Southwest city with CN Traveler, saying, “I wanted to go to New Mexico and make sure we could accurately recreate Southern California and the Nevada [desert] there.…As soon as I got out there, I knew we could definitely find that world around Albuquerque - the beautiful foothills outside of Albuquerque very much look like parts of Southern California.”

As for the iconic roller rink? The 80s dreamscape was filmed at a New Mexico location called Skate-O-Mania.

Where is the Russian prison that Hopper is in?

The haunting Russian prison that Hopper finds himself breaking both out of and into, is called Lukiškės Prison and can be found in the Lithuanian city of Vilnius. The scenes showing the remote, snowy part of Russia Hopper finds himself in were filmed in the prison's surrounding wilderness. 

Chris Trujillo said to CN Traveller, “There’s an old - and only recently decommissioned - prison right in the centre of Vilnius, Lukiškės Prison, that’s architecturally very special. It’s an old Tsarist prison and the backstory on it is pretty dark. But as an example of architecture, it’s incredible and inspired us immediately. It has all these multi-story cell blocks that were so cool-looking that made it into the series.” 

David Harbour, who plays Hopper, maybe did not have as good of a time enjoying the snowy hills and Lithuanian architecture as say, all the crew who got to wear shoes. Speaking to Netflix at the Stranger Things premiere the actor revealed, “It was very difficult this year. For me, it was a lot of cold weather. It was barefoot in the snow in Lithuania 20℉ below, and I wasn’t eating a lot of food because I was very emaciated this season. And so it was a brutal season on me, physically and emotionally.”

How did they film the Upside Down?

The Upside Down is filmed using the real world set to ensure exact parallels between the two worlds. While you might assume the Upside Down is built in post-production using visual effects and CGI, the creepy alternate dimension is actually physically built by adding raw building materials like foam, plastic and something called pussy willow fluff to existing set designs.

Speaking to Netflix, Chris Trujillo revealed more secrets, "Generally, we shoot the real world of the script and then shoot the Upside Down. It’s all the same set.

"We arrived at this approach where we build all these crazy vines and we adhere them to everything and then we have this whole method of painting around them. 

"Visual effects does a lot of extension when we're outside in these vast environments. But when we're inside the Wheeler's house, for instance, or the Byers’ house or any interior environment where we're doing the nether, it's almost always 95% practical. We float different kinds of organic material in the air [when we shoot]. It's some sort of organic pussy willow fluff, basically. It’s a lot of trial and error, but we have a method down, and we’ve got assembly [down] — an Upside Down tentacle-building factory, essentially. "

When was Stranger Things filmed?

Filming for Stranger Things season 4 began in February 2020, though production was halted not long after due to the pandemic. Cast and crew resumed filming in June 2021 and continued on-and-off for over a year, finally wrapping in September 2021.

"The pandemic definitely massively delayed shooting and therefore the launch of our current season 4," executive producer and director Shawn Levy told Collider. "But it impacted very positively by allowing the Duffer brothers, for the first time ever, to write the entire season before we shoot it and to have time to rewrite in a way that they rarely had before so the quality of these screenplays are exceptional, maybe better than ever."

The pandemic wasn't the only setback when filming Stranger Things season 4. A large fire broke out at Netflix's studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico in early August of 2021. This is where production for Stranger Things had moved to for the fourth season. Thankfully, a Netflix representative confirmed to Newsweek that the fire broke out in an old building that was due to be demolished. And that no sets or personnel were harmed during the incident.

Those final episodes fans have been waiting for have been given a release date

The Walking Dead has always taken a mid-season break, and fans are used to waiting for the remaining episodes following a cliffhanger. Season 11 has ramped up the waiting game, this time splitting the 24 episodes into 3 parts - that’s 2 mid-season breaks. The first 8 episodes ran during August to October, 2021. Picking up again in February 2022, another break was taken from April 2022. Now the wait for those final episodes is nearly over, with their release date confirmed. There’s also a trailer to build the excitement even further.

Not the only zombie series generating strong fan reactions, the latest incarnation of the Resident Evil franchise can currently be found on Netflix. Fans of supernatural beings can also find all six seasons of Lucifer streaming on Netflix. Telekinetic children fighting monsters from another dimension can be found in Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2. The nostalgic supernatural horror series is still dominating the Netflix top 10.   

The Walking Dead season 11 part 3 release date 

The Walking Dead season 11 part 3 begins with episode 17 airing on AMC in the US on Sunday October 2, 2022. It will air in the UK the following day on Star on Disney Plus, on October 3, 2022.

The official synopsis for the final episodes states “In the upcoming final episodes of The Walking Dead, threats lurk around every corner, dead and alive, as each group continues to get caught in uncontrollable situations. The looming pressure is cresting towards a day of reckoning for all. Will the sum of their individual journeys cumulate into one, or divide them forever?”

For those wanting to stream the episodes, A Disney Plus subscription costs £7.99 per month in the UK, or £79.90 for a year’s access. 

The majority of Disney Plus content is available with the subscription, although Disney occasionally releases Disney Plus Premier Access titles, requiring additional payment. However, such titles are usually added to the catalogue a short time later, where they are free to watch. UK subscribers can stream on four screens simultaneously, and register up to 10 devices - the service will support 7 profiles. 

 The Walking Dead season 11 part 3 trailer 

The Walking Dead season 11 recap 

Season 11 opened with a desperate hunt for food dividing the survivors. Daryl, Maggie, Negan, and other outlying characters take the dangerous trip into a walker infested subway, in their quest for sustenance. The remaining crew stay behind in Alexandria in an attempt to rebuild it, after the final battle with the Whisperers saw it destroyed. 

The Alexandrian’s attempt to rebuild their home comes under continuous threat when a storm hits. Already exposed to walkers, it looks like the group won’t survive when their fragile structures are battered further, and Judith and Gracie find themselves trapped in a flooding basement with walkers snapping at their toes. Raising a few heart rates, they do manage to survive, and celebration abounds when Connie - missing presumed dead - arrives back at camp. 

This series’ antagonists The Reapers make a dramatic appearance. Predominantly paramilitary experts - led by a religious zealot self-named The Pope - they lure Daryl into their ranks. His former girlfriend Leah is with them, much to everybody’s surprise. She seemed nice when she and Daryl were together, and they are an awful branch of what remains of humanity.

The Reapers use Daryl as intel to try and take out the Alexandrians. He luckily manages to kill several of their members and The Pope, before this can happen. Meanwhile, Princess, Eugene, Yukimo and Ezekiel are finally let into the Commonwealth, and at first glance, it’s every apocalypse survivor’s dream.

The secure retreat has schools, shops, a hospital, and its own President and legal system. The four can’t believe their luck. Yukimo even finds her surgeon brother, also presumed dead since her arrival to the show. But of course, all is not as it seems. Stephanie - the mysterious voice Eugene heard over the radio that brought them to the Commonwealth - is not romantically interested in him at all. She lured the group there as part of the Commonwealth plans to control all survivors.

Outside of the Commonwealth walls, Negan is found - he ran after he tried to have Maggie killed by walkers. He is living with a fairly peaceful group of survivors and surprises everyone by revealing he is married and his wife is pregnant. His semi-peaceful existence is shattered when Commonwealth authorities arrive at his building and start pushing his people from the top of the building.

Now the Alexandrians and those who defected to the Commonwealth realise it is corrupt to its very core, the remaining episodes could bring an explosive showdown between the communities.

 The Walking Dead season 11: Reviews 

For the length the series has been running, The Walking Dead has done a stellar job in maintaining consistently favourable reviews. Review site Rotten Tomatoes asserts season 11 has an 83% critic rating, and a 74% audience score.     

One reviewer wrote “The Final Season is The Walking Dead like you've never seen it before. Even at the beginning of the end, The Walking Dead isn't dying, it's living again”. Another added “The Walking Dead really did go far enough to create compelling reasons to see how things get resolved”.

Talking about season 11 episode 9, one fan posted to Twitter saying “I've not seen one person complain about 1109. Literally everyone who has watched it, is saying what an amazing episode it was. This makes me so happy man. I feel like everyone has been so negative about the show this season, so this feels...refreshing”.

Another fan praised the season, adding that it had landed with a bang. Commending the performances of the main cast, they said “you can’t teach that raw emotion in acting”.

Will there be The Walking Dead season 12? 

Sadly, the decision has been made to end The Walking Dead with season 11. However, the show has many spinoffs currently running, and more planned for the future.

Fear The Walking Dead began in 2015, and charted the onset of the apocalypse - something The Walking Dead didn’t touch on. The show has run for 7 seasons, and has been renewed for an 8th. 

The Walking Dead: World Beyond, ran for 2 seasons between 2020-2021. There are 20 episodes in the female led series. Despite rumours the show was cancelled, it was only designed for a 2 series run, where producers felt this would be sufficient to complete the story arc.

In September 2020, AMC announced they were developing an episodic anthology series, exploring main character backstories. Entitled Tales of The Walking Dead, the first season consisting of 6 episodes, will premiere on August 14, 2022.

Isle of the Dead will star Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan, following their characters Negan and Maggie as they find themselves tackling New York. Season 1 containing 6 episodes, will premiere sometime in 2023.

An Untitled Daryl and Carol spinoff was announced in 2020. However, Melissa McBride has since announced she isn’t able to travel to Europe and spend the amount of time there required for filming. The series is set to continue with Norman Reedus as Daryl, airing sometime in 2023. 

An untitled Rick & Michonne spinoff is also in the works. When Rick Grimes departed the show in season 9, it was felt his character arc was not complete. Actor Andrew Lincoln then signed up for 3 films that would finish his character's story. This idea was then shelved, and a six-episode series announced. Lincoln will star alongside Michonne actress Danai Gurira, concluding their narratives and bringing closure to their enduring love story.

Video of the Week

One of the most popular video game franchises in the world has been given the series treatment. And fans eager to feast their eyes on the new offering want to know if Resident Evil is on Netflix to watch.

The latest instalment of the Resident Evil franchise has landed. Starting life as a horror video game series for the PlayStation in 1996, it has spawned a host of media forms since its inception. For over 2 decades, Resident Evil has been found in the form of animated and live action films, comic books and more. On July 14, the highest grossing horror franchise of all time began its latest life as a television series. The show follows twin sisters Jade and Billie Wesker, across 2 different timelines. Here’s everything we know about the blood-filled zombie thriller series.

Joining Resident Evil in ramping up viewer excitement, is the popular Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2, plus all six seasons of Lucifer - the original fallen angel. And somewhat similar to Resident Evil's Umbrella Corporation, is The Umbrella Academy which gave viewers a dramatic season 3 ending to get their heads around.

Is the new Resident Evil series on Netflix?

Yes, the new Resident Evil series is available to watch exclusively on Netflix. The eight-part series arrived on the streaming platform on July 14, 2022, with all episodes available to watch immediately. Each episode is around 1 hour long in length.

In 2020 when the series was announced, Netflix reported Andrew Dabb would act as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Speaking about the show being exclusive to Netflix, Dabb said “Resident Evil is my favourite game of all time. I'm incredibly excited to tell a new chapter in this amazing story and bring the first ever Resident Evil series to Netflix members around the world."

He added: "For every type of Resident Evil fan, including those joining us for the first time, the series will be complete with a lot of old friends, and some things (bloodthirsty, insane things) people have never seen before”.

There are 3 Netflix packages available to purchase. The cheapest is £6.99 per month, and this basic package includes unlimited access to the Netflix catalogue, but you can only stream from one device at a time. A £10.99 per month standard package also includes the entire catalogue of shows and films, but allows viewers to stream simultaneously from 2 devices. This package also has HD shows, and allows downloads to mobile devices. The final £15.99 per month premium package has the added bonuses of allowing streaming across 4 devices, and an Ultra HD option for most of the catalogue.

What is the Resident Evil series about? 

The new Resident Evil series follows one of Umbrella Corporation’s top executives Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick), who oversees the company’s latest pharmaceutical breakthrough - a multipurpose drug, named ‘Joy’. Designed to eliminate depression and anxiety, the wonder drug is also set to make the company a profit of billions. 

When Wesker uncovers unwanted complications arising from using the drug, he tries to prevent it from being made available to the public.

According to The Verge, the show jumps between 2022 and 2036. It follows real series’ protagonists Jade and Billie - who happen to be Weskers’ fraternal twin daughters. With Jade and Billie created specifically for the new Netflix series, the show’s 2022 arc focuses on their younger versions living in New Racoon City, and the tense relationship with their father. 

The year the girls uncover secrets their father is hiding about Umbrella Corporation, is the year the deadly T-Virus is unleashed. This leads to the zombie apocalypse fans are familiar with.

The 2036 narrative follows Jade - now 30-years-old - in a zombie infested London as she fights against the undead. On the run from Umbrella Corporation, Jade lives in a world where the human race has rapidly depleted, and flesh eating zombies make up the population majority.

What is the Resident Evil series based on?

The series is based on the original video game. It is the second time the video game has been adapted for television audiences - following the animated miniseries Infinite Darkness. This was also adapted by Netflix, arriving on the streaming platform in July 2021.

The show also marks the ninth live-action adaptation of the video game, with other forms of media preceding the animation. A new universe has been created for the series, with some characters and backstories from the game woven in.  

Resident Evil: Series cast 

• Lance Reddick  (The Wire, John Wick) as Albert Wesker 
• Ella Balinska (Charlie’s Angels, Midsomer Murders) as Jade Wesker
• Tamara Smart (The Worst Witch, Artemis Fowl) as young Jade Wesker 
• Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Riverdale)  as Billie Wesker
• Siena Agudong (Star Falls, Alex & Me) as young Billie Wesker
• Paola Núñez (The Purge, Deputy) as Evelyn Marcus  
• Mpho Osei Tutu (The Imposter, Seriously Single) as Yen
• Anthony Oseyemi (Our Girl, Shadow) as Roth
• Marisa Drummond (Actually Quite A Lot, O Vet!)  as Guard
• Lea Vivier (Legacy) as Susana Franco 
• Ahad Raza Mir (Sammi, Aangan) as Arjun Batra 

Speaking to CBR, actress Ella Balinska - who plays Jade Wesker - told of the work that went into filming the series. She said “Honestly, it was incredible to see the amount of work that had gone into the world-building. The art department did such an incredible job. The prosthetics and special effects were incredible."

"These zeroes… the supporting artists were in the chair from 4 am in the morning, and they went through physical-training sessions to be able to get their movements down," she added. "It made it very easy, as an actor, to fully immerse yourself into this world. That really reflects in the show because we are so in it”.

Are the Resident Evil films on Netflix?

No, only Resident Evil: Extinction (the second film) is available to watch on Netflix. All other Resident Evil films - minus the final film - are available to watch on NOW TV and Sky TV.

The last Resident Evil film - The Final Chapter - is available to watch on Sky, but viewers will have to pay extra to see it. Otherwise the other five films are free with your subscription.

A NOW TV movie pass costs £9.99 per month, with a 7 day free trial prior to any commitment. Sky have a range of packages available, beginning at £26 per month, with no free trial. 

Do you need to have seen the films to watch the new Resident Evil series?

No, you don’t need to see the films before watching the Resident Evil series on Netflix. The films are based on the video game in the same way the series is - so the films and series aren’t related. 

According to Fansided, there are Easter Eggs from the game and films dotted throughout the series, which only those who have seen both will understand. However, these aren’t necessary to understand the narratives.

How many Resident Evil films are there?

• Resident Evil (2002) 
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
• Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
• Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
• Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
• Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

Will there be a Resident Evil season 2? 

A season 2 of the Resident Evil series remains unconfirmed. There is speculation that with the huge popularity of the franchise - a second season is likely. However, others are of the opinion that due to mixed reviews, the show could be cancelled. So time will tell.

Rotten Tomatoes gave the new series a critics score of 59% and an even lower audience rating of 36%, which doesn’t look promising. Critics on the site described it as “muddled” and “tacky”. 

The Guardian on the other hand, described the show as “this gory, cliffhanger-packed video game adaptation is eight hours of mindless, blood-soaked zombie fun”, offering 4 out of 5 stars.

Social media fans were equally as divided. One Twitter user raved about the new Netflix series, admitting to “digging the adaptation's focus on Umbrella, viral mysteries, and yes, zombie action”.

Another viewer pointed out they thought the characters and writing were of a poor standard. Others were quick to agree, calling out the show for being “ludicrous” and not staying true to the Resident Evil universe fans have come to expect from the franchise.

Video of the Week

Stranger Things season 5 looks set to be one of the most anticipated television arrivals following the epic season 4 conclusion. 

When Netflix dropped the final episodes of Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2, the fantasy horror series broke streaming records. Viewers' hearts were also broken with the emotional scenes delivered by the exceptional cast. So it's no surprise that fans are eager to know when season 5 is set to be released - to find out what the ending of season 4 means for the future of the Hawkins gang.

Not only are viewers keen to find out when season 5 could land, but the introduction of a new enemy from the Upside Down raised the question can Demobats kill. The pesky minions of season 5 monster Vecna - we saw the two creatures cause havoc and end lives in the gripping grand finale.

When is Stranger Things season 5 coming out? 

There is currently no confirmed season 5 release date. However actor David Harbour - who plays Jim Hopper - suggested that "it’d probably come out mid-2024, based on our track record.” In the interview with GQ, he said that filming will likely begin in 2023, and that “they’re finishing writing it this year, and they need to prep and stuff, so hopefully it’ll be this year”.

From previous experience, the time frame given by Harbour sounds correct. There were similar gaps between the release of season 1 - 3, of approximately 18 months. However, Season 4 was delayed due to pandemic restrictions.

With the filming process now able to proceed unhindered by any restrictions, an early or mid 2024 release date is feasible. 

The Duffer Brothers confirmed this in a chat with Variety. They said “don’t hold us to it, but the gap should be quite a bit shorter this time, due to the fact that we already have an initial outline, and we can’t imagine there will be another six-month forced hiatus."

What do we know so far about Stranger Things season 5 

There will likely be a time jump in season 5. The Duffer Brothers have spoken about introducing a time jump in season 5, due to the ages of the cast. 

When Stranger Things first aired, the younger cast members were around 12 - 14 years old. With the timeline in Hawkins only moving on 2 years over 4 seasons, and the cast now into adulthood, they are a little old to realistically play young teenagers. 

In an interview with E! News, Vecna actor Jamie Campbell Bower also hinted at what would be in store for season 5. He began by saying “I think Matt and Ross [Duffer] have something beautiful cooking, and they’ll let us know in good time”. He also hinted a storyline involving Vecna and Will Byers (played by Noah Shnapp) could take centre-stage in season 5. 

At the end of season 4, Will awkwardly touched his neck, appearing to feel something there with an awareness of Vecna’s presence. Will has a previous connection with the Mind Flayer after being trapped in the Upside Down in season 1. 

Talking about a Will and Vecna season 5 showdown, Campbell Bower said “put it this way, I think we all know by now that potentially Vecna and Will have history. So, it would be a joy to get back in there [and work with Shnapp]”.

What cast members will return for Stranger Things season 5? 

• Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
• David Harbour as Detective Jim Hopper
• Millie Bobby Brown as 'Eleven'/Jane Hopper 
• Noah Schnapp as Will Byers 
• Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler 
• Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair 
• Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
• Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler  
• Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers 
• Joe Keery as Steve Harington
• Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield 
• Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley 
• Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair 
• Jamie Campbell Bower as Peter Ballard/One//Henry
• Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman
• Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler 
• Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler 
• Eduardo Franco as Argyle 
• Amybeth McNulty as Vickie

Who died in Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2

Eddie Munson died in the season 4 finale, whilst the fate of Max Mayfield remains very much up in the air. Max could be dead or alive. She isn’t brain dead, but when Eleven visits her mind, it is totally black, leading to speculation that her soul is dead. 

Another key question for season 5 if she’s alive, will be is Max blind? It appears likely Sadie Sink will reprise her role as Max Mayfield in some form. Vecna had broken multiple bones, and left her eyes scarred and bleeding. Fans have been wondering how she will return, and what blindness could mean for the character. 

Eddie met an untimely ending in the Upside Down, after using Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ to bait the Demobats. After being pecked almost to death by them, a devastated Dustin sat with him until he finally passed away. 

Speaking to the Radio Times, Eddie actor Joseph Quinn spoke about the character returning. He had a conversation with Joe Keery who plays Steve, and said “I was thinking… me and Joe Keery were discussing ways in which I could [come back]. Maybe I'd be a figment of Gaten's imagination or something like that if there could be some room for something a bit supernatural". 

Of the two characters meeting their demise, one fan posted to Twitter saying “Max saying she’s not ready to die, Lucas screaming for Erica to help, Eddie dying and Dustin being there… Don’t think I’ve ever been so heartbroken”.

One character not on the receiving end of any sympathy following his death, was Jason Carver. He’d spent the majority of the series hunting down Eddie, believing him to be responsible for the deaths caused by Vecna, and leading a satanic cult. 

The moment Jason caught up with Lucas in the Creel house and stamped on Max’s headphones - all remaining sympathy for the character dissipated. 

Max needed the headphones to use Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ to get Vecna out of her head. Fans believe she could’ve been saved if Jason wasn’t beating Lucas and if Lucas was able to play the song. The general consensus across social media was that the character was disliked, and his death deserved. 

Stranger Things season 4: Ending explained 

Vecna is down, but he’s not defeated. Season 4 Volume 2 episode ‘The Piggyback’, brought the series to its conclusion. Although it was hoped Vecna would meet his end, this wasn’t the case. Eleven is nearly defeated by Vecna, and it’s the power of Mike shouting at her in the sensory deprivation tank that he loves her, that gives her the final push to blast him before he can kill Max.

Elsewhere in the Upside Down, Steve, Nancy, and Robin play their part in releasing Max from Vecna by setting him on fire. 

Killing Max (if only temporarily - her heart stopped for 1 minute), has given Vecna the power he needs to remove the barrier between the Upside Down and Hawkins. The force of the gate opening is put down to an earthquake, initially killing 22 Hawkins residents and causing many to flee. 

In the aftermath of the damage, it doesn’t seem that Hawkins citizens will believe natural events are responsible. A child is delighted at seeing snowfall - though what she can actually see are particles from the Upside Down drifting to earth. 

Eleven looks dismayed as a flowering plant dies and turns to dust before her eyes. These events can’t be hidden for long before the supernatural connection is unveiled.

Video of the Week

The ending for one Stranger Things character was left unclear as fans want to know is Max Mayfield blind?

Stranger Things season 4 part 2 concluded with 2 thrilling final episodes, that saw the fate of Max Mayfield left hanging in the balance. Max has been under series’ antagonist Vecna’s curse throughout much of season 4. It’s only with the power of her connection to Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ that she has managed to stay free of the horrific end befalling those ahead of her. 

Vecna and his evil comrades the Demobats nearly completed his killing ritual on Max at the end of episode 9, ‘The Piggyback’. Laying in a hospital bed with potentially life-altering injuries, fans are concerned for the future of one of the show’s favourite characters.

Is Max Mayfield blind in Stranger Things? 

At the end of Stranger Things episode 9, Max is left blind. A trademark of Vecna’s killing ritual is to blind his victims as he breaks their limbs. He has been taking the eyes of his victims since he began killing as a child in his human form as Henry Creel. He doesn’t get to finish his ritual on Max, as a collective effort from the adults in Russia, and the teens in Hawkins and the Upside Down to destroy him, leave him seriously weakened.  

Max stops breathing for an entire minute, but is brought back to life by Eleven from inside her mind while in a sensory deprivation tank. A sobbing Lucas cradles Max with her shattered limbs and bleeding eyes. A terrified Max says to him “I can’t feel or see anything, I’m so scared, I’m so scared, I don’t want to die, I’m not ready”. One fan mused on Twitter that Max will remain blind for season 5, but will develop the ability to see what the others can’t, in the way Will feels things others can’t. 

Is Max brain dead in Stranger things? 

No, Max is not brain dead at the end of the Stranger Things season 4 finale. In technical terms she did stop breathing, but only for 1 minute. This isn’t long enough for brain death to occur. She is also seen in hospital at the end of the episode without a ventilator. She has oxygen running through a cannula into her nose, but if she were brain dead, she would require a ventilator. Those suffering brain death are unable to breathe for themselves.

This little ray of hope was reiterated by several Twitter users. One posted “GUYS MAX CANNOT BE BRAIN DEAD BECAUSE SHE’S NOT INTUBATED WHICH MEANS SHE’S BREATHING ON HER OWN”. To the apparent relief of other social media users.

Some disagreed with this idea. When El entered Max’s mind, there was nothing there but darkness. They felt this was a metaphor for her being brain dead. Although clinically this is not possible, creatively the Duffer Brothers could be moving in any number of directions with this. The black mind and altered brain activity could be one of them.     

What was the book Lucas was reading to Max? 

Lucas is seen reading from ‘The Talisman’, a 1984 fantasy novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. During the epilogue of the season 4 finale, Lucas is enthusiastically reading to Max from the fantasy book. 

It turns out that this is a strategically placed Easter Egg, as Netflix are adapting the book into a series, and the Duffer Brothers are executive producers. They will be joined by Steven Spielberg as fellow executive producer, and Curtis Gwinn as showrunner.

‘The Talisman’ follows a boy named Jack Sawyer who sets out on a quest to save his mother who is dying. Jack has the ability to switch between the present reality and a parallel world known as ‘The Territories’. The reveal of this plotline has drawn inevitable parallels with Stranger Things. Sharing a picture of Lucas’s battered copy of ‘The Talisman’ and sharing to Twitter, one fan said “Anyone else catch that Stephen King The Talisman Easter egg in Stranger Things? I hear they’re still making it so it was a nice little clue!”

What year was Max Mayfield born in Stranger Things? 

Max was born in 1971. Max was born Maxine Mayfield in California to parents Sam and Susan Mayfield. Her parents divorced, and Susan married Neil Hargrove, who already had a son, Billy. The family moved to Hawkins in 1984, and Max arrived at her new home resentful of leaving California and her father. 

Max spends a lot of her early time in Hawkins at the Palace Arcade, using the name ‘MADMAX’ to log her scores on the video games. Dustin notices this user name is beating a lot of his highest scores and sets out to track Max down. Later when Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Will watch her skateboarding, she leaves them a note saying "Stop Spying On Me! Creeps!" She later becomes a valuable part of the gang.

Why did Max move to Hawkins? 

Max’s stepfather moved the family to Hawkins to put distance between Max and her mother, and Max’s real father. His reasons for doing this remain unclear, although fans have surmised that it could be related to him being an abuser. He is known to have inflicted abuse on his first wife, Billy’s mother, and Billy himself. Knowing Max had a close relationship with her father, Neil Hargrove could’ve got a brutal satisfaction at separating Max even further from him.

Billy and Max are not biologically related, only step-brother and sister. During season 3, Billy becomes possessed by the Mind Flayer. This caused him to kill a lot of Hawkins citizens, and collude with the Mind Flayer to kill Eleven. In the process of killing Eleven, she relays memories she can see from Billy’s past, back to him. Memories of his mother and her kindness momentarily breaks him free from the Mind Flayer’s trance. In a lucid moment, Billy sacrifices himself to the Mind Flayer to allow Eleven to escape, and the Mind Flayer stabs him to death.

Speaking to The Independent about Billy’s death scene, Dacre Montgomery who plays Billy said “We constructed it this way from the beginning. I knew it was coming in that this was going to be the outcome. And I don’t think I would have been given the season that Billy had if I wasn’t dying — I think because I was on my way out, I was given an amazing opportunity to do a wide array of things. I’m very grateful”. 

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Demobats have been a feature of the Upside Down throughout Stranger Things season 4. Fans have been quick to ask can Demobats kill?

The latest installment of Stranger Things came to an epic conclusion on Friday 1 July, when Season 4 part 2 of the sci-fi series landing on Netflix. With a running time of 1 hour and 25 minutes and 2 hours and 30 minutes respectively, Volume 2 feels like watching 2 films back to back. The fragmented collection of Upside Down battling high schoolers and some of their parents, worked together from different sides of the world for a long awaited showdown with season antagonist Vecna.

Whilst fans await details for a Stranger Things season 5, many should consider filling the void with similar action packed sci-fi fantasy series, the Umbrella Academy currently streaming on Netflix.

Can the Demobats kill? 

No, the Demobats as a lone entity cannot kill. During episode 6, ‘The Dive’, Maya Hawke’s character Robin voices concern that a bite from one of the bats could induce something akin to rabies. However, the part-bat part-demon additions to the Upside Down have been confirmed by one half of the series’ co-creator Ross Duffer, as lacking the ability to kill. 

Speaking to Variety, Duffer reassured fans that Demobat rabies doesn’t exist. In response to the question posed by Robin, he said “I wouldn’t worry about the bat thing. That’s more my thing. I have this thing, I’m worried about bats. That was just me, I was just fixating on bats at the moment I wrote that”.  

It appears that the volume of Demobats attacking at any one time can result in death. They move in huge swarms, and appear to viciously peck at their victims. It is the collective injuries from these violent bites that lead to death when they become relentless and heavy bleeding, shock and injury ensues.

Who do the Demobats kill? 

Eddie Munson is the only victim of the Demobats to die from his injuries. During the final episode, ‘The Piggyback’, the season 6 newcomer played by Joseph Quinn, sacrifices himself to the Demobats. Along with Gaten Matarazzo’s Dustin Henderson, the two use Eddie’s love of heavy metal to play Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' to distract the Demobats in the Upside Down version of Hawkins. Distracting the demonic creatures allows Steve, Nancy and Robin to creep into the Creel House to attempt bringing down Vecna.

Things don’t go to plan when Eddie and Dustin are swamped by Demobats and find solace in Eddie's trailer to escape them. The Demobats make their way into the trailer and while Dustin escapes through the gate back into the real Hawkins, Eddie stays in the Upside Down to fight them and give the others more time to kill Vecna. One of the bats knocks Eddie off his bike while he’s cycling at speed, and while on the floor they ferociously bite him until he succumbs to his injuries.

Steve has also been attacked by the Demobats, but survived. Fans were upset at the loss of Eddie, who had quickly established himself as a fan favourite. Posting on Twitter, one fan expressed hope that Eddie could still be alive. They said “all of us just denying Eddie's death because at some point the Duffer Brothers said that the Demobats can't kill, let's go delusional people we can keep hope up, if Hopper survived that explosion our boy can survive this too, he's alive, he has to be”.

Another fan wasn’t alone in their theory that Eddie could return as a vampire next season, with several others agreeing. Sharing a montage of moments relating to Eddie’s death in an emotional video, one Instagram user had fans getting upset in the comments. Many were upset that Eddie had died for a town that had treated him so badly. One said “he fought and protected a town that hated him” alongside a broken heart emoji.

What episode do the Demobats appear in?

The Demobats first appear in season 4, episode 6 ‘The Dive’. Nancy recalls that when Demogorgons have attacked in the past, they created a new gate at the site of the attack. Believing that Vecna will likely do the same thing, the Hawkins contingent of evil fighters do indeed find an electromagnetic field at the site of his last attack where Patrick died. 

Finding themselves in the middle of Lovers Lake, Steve discovers the gate at the bottom of the lake. Dustin names it ‘Water gate’, and Nancy, Eddie, Robin, and Steve pass through it into the Upside Down. First through the gate, Steve is immediately attacked by the Demobats. They attempt to strangle him with long tentacle-type appendages they have attached to them. They also bite at his torso which appears their favourite area to attack. Steve manages to fight them off, and is patched up by Nancy and Robin when he finds shelter.

Speaking about the earlier expressed fear that Steve could contract a form of Demobat rabies, one fan wrote on Twitter in response to his fight with the creatures “Robin's biggest concern not being fighting with Demobats in the upside down, but taking steve to the doctor because she's afraid he'll get rabies”.

Of Steve’s triumph over the demonic beasts, another fan defended him after some viewers accused him of doing very little this season. They argued that killing Demobats with his bare hands surely amounted to doing something extremely productive.  

Will the Demobats be in Stranger Things season 5? 

Although unconfirmed, it appears likely the Demobats will return in season 5. They are associated with Vecna and respond to his wishes. With Vecna still alive, it is probable the Demobats will return with him. They appear to act as Vecna’s spies and protectors - they are on high alert to anyone who enters the Upside Down, and are quick to alert Vecna to the presence of intruders. 

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times about filming scenes including Demobats, Joseph Quinn who plays Eddie said “It was so funny. You get these hilarious instructions from Matt and Ross [Duffer] like ‘... and bat! And bat! And broom!’ They’re shouting ‘bat!’ at you and you have to pretend there’s a bat there’”. 

Video of the Week 

With fans having already binged the first installment of the new sci-fi series, many are now curious to know when does Stranger Things season 4 part 2 come out?

Nostalgic, action-packed and at times all-out strange, Netflix's Stranger Things has earnt a huge cult following since it first aired on the streaming platform in July 2016. Audiences welcomed Winona Ryder back to screens, revelled in the 80s soundtrack and fell in love with the young and sweet Hawkins High kids who found their world turned upside down with the introduction of newly engaged Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven.

Season 4 has proved as popular than ever, with many especially delighted to learn that our beloved Sheriff Jim Hopper was still alive (albeit not necessarily safe) after THAT season 3 cliffhanger. So far this series, we've been treated to new cast members - plus monster Vecnawho might just be the scariest opponent yet. The fate of our favourite teens and their families are yet to be shown in the final two episodes - as per season 4 part 2. And here's exactly when they're available on Netflix.

When does Stranger Things season 4 part 2 come out?

Part 2 of Stranger Things season 4 was released on Netflix on Friday 1 July, 2022. The final 2 episodes dropped at 8am for viewers in the UK, whilst across the pond episodes arrived at midnight (Pacific time), 2am (Central time) and 3am (Eastern time).

Fans have had to wait five weeks for the last two episodes, with the first installment arriving on Netflix on 27 May. Stranger Things creators - the Duffer brothers - have explained that they decided to the split season 4 into two parts because the episode lengths are longer.

"Episode 7 is as big as any season finale we’ve ever had, so it made sense to everyone involved to split the season there," Matt Duffer told Variety. "Episode 7 really serves as the end of the second act — and we feel that our final act had enough meat on the bone to make up Volume 2."

Ross Duffer agrees. In terms of the season 4 structure he breaks Volume 2 down as essentially the "third act". "We really see Volume 1 as the first two acts of this story, and then Volume 2 is the final act," he tells Netflix's Tudum.

How long are the Stranger Things 4 episodes?

1. The Hellfire Club (Chapter One) – 1hr 16mins
2. Vecna's Curse (Chapter Two) – 1hr 15mins
3. The Monster and the Superhero (Chapter Three) – 1hr 3mins
4. Dear Billy (Chapter Four) – 1hr 17 mins
5. The Nina Project (Chapter Five) – 1hr 14mins
6. The Dive (Chapter Six) – 1hr 13mins
7. The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (Chapter Seven) – 1hr 38mins
8. Papa (Chapter Eight) – 1hr 25mins
9. The Piggyback (Chapter Nine) – 2hr 30mins

How long is the season 4 finale of Strange Things?

Season 4's grand finale - called Piggyback - will run for 2 hours and 30 minutes. This holds the record for the longest Stranger Things episode to date.

"They truly are movies, at least in terms of length," Ross Duffer says of the new episodes. Fellow brother Matt argues that Chapter Nine is actually longer than your regular movie. This being said, they both agree that the last episode is like "a long movie."

A ninth episode was originally not part of the Duffer Brothers' plan for Stranger Things season four. But as time went on, the two creators realised a need for it:

"Partway through outlining, we realized we needed another episode," Matt shares. "It was originally going to be eight episodes, and we asked Netflix if they would be open to us having another episode, Episode 9. Which they were super supportive of."

Season 2 is the only other series of Stranger Things to have nine episodes in total. Seasons 1 and 3 both have eight.

What is Stranger Things season 4 about?

"It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins," reads the official season 4 synopsis from Netflix. "Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier.

"In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down."

Stranger Things season 4: Cast members returning

• David Harbour (Hellboy, Black Widow, Suicide Squad) returns as Jim Hopper
• Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands) returns as Joyce Byers
• Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes) returns as Eleven.
• Finn Wolfhard (IT, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) returns as Mike Wheeler
• Gaten Matarazzo (Prank Encounters) returns as Dustin Henderson
• Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy) returns as Lucas Sinclair
• Noah Schnapp (Abe) returns as Will Byers
• Sadie Sink (Fear Street) returns as Max Mayfield
• Natalia Dyer (Yes, God, Yes) returns as Nancy Wheeler
• Charlie Heaton (The New Mutants) returns as Jonathan Byers
• Joe Keery (Free Guy, Spree) returns as Steve Harrington
• Maya Hawke (Little Women, Mainstream) returns as Robin Buckley

The show's breakout star Millie Bobbi Brown told Jimmy Fallon that Stranger Things season 4 is set to emotional. Fans should expect "lots of answers — lots of crying, lots of laughing," she joked.

"The main part, and the slogan of this storyline, is it’s the beginning of the end," she told the talk show host. "We really have to dig deep into [Eleven’s] beginning and how she became who she is with the people around her, and how to gain that autonomy and become this woman on her own. So this storyline this season really digs into that."

Co-star Sadie Sink - who joined the cast in season 2 - promises the new series is even stranger too:

"It's the most bizarre season we've ever had," she said in an interview with People. "Just the scale of it is out of this world. We get to explore a lot of different themes and different sides of the characters that everyone knows and loves, so I'm looking forward to it. It's coming!"

Who are the new characters in Stranger Things season 4?

• Jamie Campbell Bower (The Mortal Instruments, New Moon) plays Peter Ballard
• Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street) plays Victor Creel
• Mason Dye (Teen Wolf) plays student Jason Carver
• Eduardo Franco (Booksmart, American Vandal) plays Jonathan's friend Argyle
• Joseph Quinn (Catherine the Great) plays Hellfire Club founder Eddie Munson
• Sherman Augustus (Into the Badlands) plays Lt Colonel Sullivan
• Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones) plays Russian prison guard Dmitri
• Nikola Djuricko (World War Z, In the Land of Blood and Honey) plays Russian smuggler Yuri

A number of new actors joined the cast in season 4 to shake up the story. Familiar talent includes Jamie Campbell Bower of Twilight and Harry Potter fame who plays Peter Ballard. His character is best described as "a caring man who works as an orderly at a psychiatric hospital". And he proves to have a connection to Millie Bobbi Brown's Eleven.

From one psychiatric hospital to another - in episode four, Robert Englund (aka THE Freddy Kruger) makes a memorable appearance as Victor Creel. Described as "a disturbed and intimidating man", the audience learns of a harrowing family tragedy that has led to his false imprisonment there. Booksmart's Eduardo Franco is another new addition in season 4. Teased by Netflix as "Jonathan's new best friend" Argyle happens to be "a fun-loving stoner and pizza delivery boy".

British actor Joseph Quinn puts in a memorable performance as Eddie Munson in season 4. He's the head of Hawkins High official Dungeons and Dragons game club known as The Hellfire Club. Both Mike and Dustin are members of the D&D gang, but it's Eddie's relationship with head cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham that lands him in deep water.

Tom Wlaschiha (faceless man in Game of Thrones) and Nikola Djuricko also appear as two Russian characters.

Video of the Week:

Fans are keen to know who plays Vecna in Stranger Things as the show returns for its two final episodes.  

Viewers have been waiting for the arrival of Stranger Things Season 4 Part 2 - giving us the final 2 episodes to conclude this season's saga. After 4 exciting seasons, the science fiction horror drama is approaching its finale, bringing closure on telekinetic teenager Eleven, and the rest of the Hawkins gang.  

In what is set to be a finale to draw global audiences, it is expected that Eleven will have a showdown with the series’ villain, Vecna. With her newly restored powers, Eleven not only needs to save Max and Nancy, who are in the grip of Vecna’s curse, but the entire world. Stranger Things season 4 is one of three superhero series gripping audiences this summer, alongside The Umbrella Academy season 3 on Netflix and The Boys on Amazon Prime.

Who plays Vecna in Stranger Things? 

Vecna is played by Jamie Campbell Bower. The 33-year-old British actor and singer is well known to audiences for playing young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 1. He reprised this role within the Fantastic Beasts franchise, appearing in the film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. 

Speaking to Vanity Fair about landing the role of Vecna, Campbell Bower expressed shock at finding out he was to be the villain of the series. He said: “I was surprised from the moment I got the audition! I was like, really? Me? But I was in this total mode of surrender. Like, this is wild. Let it happen. I love villains. And I love the villain in this show, but I don’t see him as a villain. Obviously, he’s our point of contention, as it were. But I never saw him as the villain because I understood him.”

The actor also required the heavy use of prosthetics for the role, and shared a post to Twitter describing the effort going into his transformation into Vecna. 

Alongside a behind-the-scenes picture of Vecna, the caption read: “To really get Vecna's look perfect, the Stranger Things team created a full-body lifecast of Jamie Campbell Bower based on a 3D scan of his body, and used that to make18 prosthetics for his skin – the neck and shoulder pieces ALONE weighed about almost 9lbs”.

Who is Vecna from Stranger Things?

In season 4, episode 7 we learn that in human form, Vecna is Henry Creel (otherwise known as One or Peter Ballard at the Hawkins Lab). Henry moved to Hawkins as a young boy in 1959, and discovered that he possessed psychokinetic abilities. 

He used these to psychologically terrify his family, who were unaware that he had these extraordinary abilities. He eventually killed his mother and sister, framing his father Victor for his crimes. Victor was committed to life imprisonment in an asylum when the trauma of the murders induced madness. 

After faking his own death, Henry was kidnapped by Dr Brenner, who took him to have his powers analysed and tested in Hawkins Lab, along with Eleven and the other telekinetic children. Here he becomes known as One, whom the children are later told no longer exists. 

Feeling that he was too dangerous to keep his abilities, Dr Brenner subdued them by placing a chip in his neck and uses his blood to increase the powers of the other children. A powerless Henry ends up working as an assistant to the children at the lab, using the name Peter Ballard.

In his monster form, Vecna is a vanquished lich, or an undead wizard who becomes immortal by using forbidden magic. He chooses his victims by selecting those who have suffered trauma, or who are emotionally fragile. Their weak mental state makes it easy for him to gain access to their minds and form a connection. This gives him the ability to invoke powerful hallucinations for his victims, and he can kill them from within the Upside Down without needing physical proximity.

Vecna and the Dungeons and Dragons connection

Vecna was not created solely as a Stranger Things character. He exists outside of the Stranger Things universe in the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). He is often depicted as missing his left hand and eye, and does not claim a single domain, instead roaming the entire D&D multiverse.

Vecna’s powers in the game include the ability to induce paralysis with his touch, and the ability to alter the reality of his victims. These traits have crossed over into the Stranger Things portrayal of Vecna, who always begins his psychological assault on his victims by placing horrifying images and scenarios in their minds that they believe are their reality. Vecna isn’t the first D&D character to appear in Stranger Things, as they based each previous season’s villain on a character from the game. 

How is Vecna linked to Eleven in Stranger Things? 

Eleven is responsible for restoring Henry Creel’s powers, and banishing him to the Upside Down where he becomes Vecna. While working as Peter Ballad at Hawkins Lab, Henry befriends Eleven, believing that she is special like him. Paying her particular attention and consoling her when she is bullied by the other children, he builds her faith in him as a friend and guardian. 

He eventually turns Eleven against Dr Brenner, and convinces her to use her powers to remove the chip from his neck, which she does. With his full powers unleashed, Peter/Henry goes on the 1979 rampage that we have seen in flashbacks throughout this season, killing the staff and subjects at the lab. Realising what she has done, Eleven opens the door to the Upside Down and ejects him from this world.

Fan reaction to Vecna 

Fans have reacted positively to Vecna, despite his gruesome misgivings. One fan tweeted: “Vecna’s whole storyline is hands down the best thing Stranger Things ever did. Top-tier way of how to flesh out a villain’s backstory”.

These sentiments were echoed by another fan, who also praised Campbell Bower’s performance to help bring Vecna to life.

As well as praise for the character and its portrayal, fans have shown they are genuinely frightened by Vecna too. One fan tweeted: “Robin saying ‘it might not work out for us this time’ and then Vecna saying ‘your friends have lost’ … I'm actually terrified”.

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