Stranger Things season 4 recap: All to know before season 5 arrives

With only a few days left for the release of season 5, fans are eager to witness the final adventures of Eleven and her friends after Stranger Things season 4. Vecna returns more powerful than before, ready to wreak havoc in Hawkins. It is up to the iconic team of the town to restore peace and put an end to the dark character through their last mission. While new developments and tense moments are expected to come ahead in Stranger Things 5, there are several key points that the fans must remember before watching the new season. From Vecna's introduction to the twisted ending, check these main happenings from season 4 to brush up your memory ahead of season 5. Here's a quick recap of all that happened in the fourth season.Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4. Reader's discretion is advised.Hawkins faces Vecna's wrath in Stranger Things season 4A still from the series (Image via Netflix)After the tragic incident involving Hopper in season 3, the Byers family and Eleven headed to California in Stranger Things season 4. Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, and the rest stayed back in Hawkins. Mike and Dustin joined a new D&D group at high school called The Hellfire Club, led by Eddie Munson. Lucas's new entry into the Hawkins High basketball team reduced his involvement in the club. Max remained aloof after Billy's tragic death in season 3. Things took a dark turn in Stranger Things season 4 when a mysterious character started unleashing chaos in Hawkins. One of the students, Chrissy, became his first victim. Disturbed by his visions, she sought Eddie's help in securing drugs that could help her. However, her haunting death begins a series of similar cases in Hawkins, making Eddie a suspected culprit. Max's observations from the incident hint that a new evil power from the Upside Down was behind Chrissy's death. Max, Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Nancy begin looking into the case. Dustin believed in Eddie's innocence, and the team tracked down his whereabouts. The evil character is later named Vecna by the team after the undead spellcaster in D&D. Nancy's assistant, Fred, and Lucas's basketball teammate, Patrick, die similarly to Chrissy, raising doubts about Vecna's choice of victim. Connecting all the deceased to their visits to the school guidance counselor, the team realizes that Vecna's next target could be Max.Eleven has a tough time in California in Stranger Things season 4 A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)Will and Eleven began attending high school in California, away from their friends in Hawkins. Jonathan did odd jobs while pretending to wait for his acceptance letter from Emerson College. He had made it to college but was planning to skip it to be there for his family. This issue and the distance between him and Nancy had created a rift in their relationship. Joyce found a new job selling encyclopedias in the new location. A mysterious parcel arrived from Russia with hints that indicate Hopper might be alive. She called Murray for help, who arrived at her home soon. On contacting an unknown personality, Enzo, the duo is called to Alaska to rescue Hopper in exchange for $400,000. As they left for Russia, they kept the purpose under wraps from the kids. Meanwhile, Eleven, who lost her powers and Hopper in season 3, struggled to adjust in school. A girl named Angela and her friends bullied her at school, making her new life in California difficult. Mike later visited her in California, which changed her mood, and she chose to lie to him about her new life. Will, on the other hand, felt left out as Mike and Eleven spent time together. In a traumatic incident at a skating rink, Angela and her gang humiliated Eleven publicly, ruining her date with Mike. Eleven angrily charged at Angela, further complicating the entire situation. She is taken into custody after the incident, with Mike, Will, and Jonathan pushed to stay back at home by the authorities. It is soon revealed that Eleven was taken by Dr. Sam Owens to Nevada. The military had been on the lookout for Eleven as they suspected her connection in the ruckus at Hawkins. While Dr. Owens was also approached for investigation, he made a quick plan to rescue Eleven and take her to an unexpected person. Max's rescue and Victor Creel's past story in Stranger Things season 4A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)Back at Hawkins, after the team learnt about the danger looming over Max, they plan to find a way to save her. Chrissy's boyfriend, Jason, blamed the Hellfire Club for being satanic, convinced that Eddie and his club were behind Chrissy's death. He also convinced the entire town against the club. Lucas then joined Max, Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Nancy, as he knew there was more to the case than the D&D club. Nancy recalled a police officer telling her about the similarity between Chrissy's case and the old incident involving Victor Creel. She and Robin tracked down Creel and found that he was in Pennhurst Mental Hospital. They planned to find a way to save Max through him use a risky disguise. Max anticipated her end at the hands of Vecna, giving emotional letters to her close ones before anything happened to her. Nancy and Robin reached Victor in time and learnt about how things went down with his family in the past. As they were caught by the authorities, the two realized that music could help save Max, as it had helped Victor to escape Vecna's trance in the past. Vecna eventually took hold of Max as she went to Billy's grave, making her witness some of her darkest fears. Robin and Nancy informed Dustin about the music trick just in time as he, Lucas, and Steve tried to help Max. The tense moment in the Upside Down came to an end with the help of Max's favorite song, Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) by Kate Bush. Hopper's rescue mission fails in Stranger Things season 4A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)It is revealed to the audience in Stranger Things season 4 that the Russian message that Joyce received was true. Hopper had survived at the end of season 3 but was captured by the Russians and taken to Alaska. A guard from the prison, Enzo, had contacted Joyce regarding Hopper's escape plan and was also assisting throughout the process for monetary profits. He joined hands with a man named Yuri, who was supposed to take the money from Joyce and Murray and hand over Hopper to them. However, Yuri took advantage of the situation and informed the authorities about the plans for more money. While Hopper made a risky escape from the prison, he was caught again due to Yuri. Hopper and Enzo are taken to the prison again to be fed to a Demogorgon. However, in a twisted turn of events, Joyce and Murray gain an upper hand in the situation and head to rescue Hopper from prison. Dr. Brenner and the Nina Project in Stranger Things season 4A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)As Dr. Owens rescued Eleven, it was revealed to the viewers that he had taken her to none other than Dr. Brenner. He was alive and was planning with Dr. Owens to help Eleven get her powers back. With the recording of the past incidents and a special sensory machine, Nina, Eleven revisited her old days with Dr. Brenner to understand how it all began. Dr. Brenner believed this could help her get back her powers. Through her sessions, the viewers get to know that she was bullied by some other children at the center. One of the workers got close to her and tried to manipulate her using her situation with the others. The worker turns out to be One, or Henry Creel, Victor Creel's son. He was responsible for the massacre that happened at the lab. He explained to Eleven about his elaborate plans behind his family's condition and the lab massacre, pushing her to join him to take over the world together. However, in an intense showdown, young Eleven had pushed Henry into the Upside Down, where he became Vecna. As Eleven realised the truth behind the entire situation, she regained her powers and wanted to rush and help save her friends. While Dr. Owens agreed with her, Dr. Brenner forcefully kept her back at the lab. Elaborate plans bring risks and dangers in Stranger Things season 4 A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)At Hawkins, the team found that the gates to the Upside Down were present at locations where Vecna's victims died. As Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Eddie entered the other dimension through the Lover's Lake gate, Nancy fell into Vecna's trance and learnt about Henry Creel and Vecna's connection. She also learnt that time at the Upside Down was stuck at November 6, 1983, the day Will disappeared in the past. While she informed the rest about what she saw, they planned an elaborate mission to defeat Vecna. Max, Lucas, and Erica remained in the Creel House in their dimension, with Max as bait for Vecna. Steve, Nancy, and Robin planned to attack Vecna by reaching his lair at the Creel House in the Upside Down. Dustin and Eddie had to stop the Demobats to help the trio head to Vecna. While their plan started working, Jason and his gang tried to meddle and stop them. Meanwhile, Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle found a clue about Eleven's location from the dying agent at their home. With Suzie's help, they get the exact address and head to the venue. The military also found out about the secret lab in Nevada and headed to take control. Eleven, sedated by Dr. Brenner to stop her, was taken by him while the armed men took over the lab. However, Eleven managed to stop the military and survived, while Dr. Brenner passed away in the altercation. Mike and the rest reached just in time and rescued Eleven. In Russia, Hopper stole alcohol and a lighter in prison before he and the rest of the inmates were sent to face the demogorgon. Murray and Joyce entered the prison through a disguise and managed to reunite with Hopper as he and Enzo defeated the Demogorgon. What happens at the end of Stranger Things season 4?A still from Stranger Things season 4 (Image via Netflix)Tensions arose as things went out of control towards the end of Stranger Things season 4. Vecna took control of Max while Steve, Nancy, and Robin were entrapped by the vines in Vecna's lair. Eddie died while confronting the Demobats in the Upside Down. Eleven, Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Arglye headed to a Surfer Boy Pizza branch in Nevada, where they created an isolation bath for Eleven to help Max. Hopper, Joyce, Murray, Enzo, and Yuri looked for a way to leave for America, with Yuri trying to stop them in every way possible. While Enzo and Yuri stayed back to fix their return plans through a helicopter, the rest headed back to the prison to kill the Demogorgons. After much effort, they succeed in their mission and head back to America with Yuri and Enzo.In the finale, a tense sequence came when Eleven entered the Upside Down and confronted Vecna. She reunited with Max there. While the latter nearly lost her life in the fight with Vecna, Eleven managed to take control of the antagonist. This weakened the vines, letting Steve, Nancy, and Robin arrive just in time to set Vecna on fire. The burning villain fell out of the attic and disappeared in the end. Max got severely injured in the fight but remained alive. However, the events take a toll on Hawkins as fissures are created across the town, leading to mass destruction. At the end of Stranger Things season 4, Eleven, Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle return to Hawkins. They reunite with the rest. Hopper and Joyce also come back, bringing an emotional moment of reunion for Hopper and Eleven. However, Hawkins remained devastated, and Will felt Vecna's presence in the final moments, hinting that things will be much more difficult in Stranger Things 5. Stranger Things 5 releases on November 26, 2025, on Netflix.