.jpg?width=660)
Max Mayfield has been out of commission since Stranger Things season 4, but season 5 volume 2 brought her right back to her friends. The question is, how exactly? Here's what went down.
WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 5 volume 2, so proceed with caution.
The Secret Behind How Max Finally Escaped Vecna's Dreamscape
Max may have been lost on Mike and the others, but she was still a true part of the group by helping Holly Wheeler escape Vecna's dreamscape reality.
Max, as it turns out, wasn't in a coma this entire time, but rather in a trance, where we're brought back to what nearly saved her in the fourth season: by playing Running Up That Heal (A Deal with God) by Kate Bush to ground her back to reality.
.jpg?width=700&quality=10&blur=40)
But the real secret is that Max and Holly managed to find Henry's deep-seated memory that not only keeps him from entering the cave, but is actually the reason how he manifested the Upside Down into his fortress.
Once Max and Holly slipped right back to the Upside Down (where Max didn't reach her physical body in time), Max listened to the gradually increasing trail of Kate Bush's song.
Long story short, if it hadn't been for Lucas continuously playing her favorite song, Max wouldn't have found the way out. She wouldn't have had the courage to return to the real world and rejoin her friends.
What Happened to Max After Leaving Vecna's Trap in Stranger Things?
Considering the amount of time it took her to return to the real world, Max's body is understandably weak. As Vickie (played by Amybeth McNulty) put it, her body was still adjusting upon her return to life.
Max returns, and as she regains her strength, she tells the others how she found Holly, helped her escape, and what Vecna's planning to do next; this includes what Holly overheard.
As what Holly revealed, Henry is planning to merge Hawkins and the Upside Down to make his own perfect world, through the use of his 12 vessels, aka the other kids Vecna's keeping in his home.
But not to worry. Dustin, Steve, and the gang have a plan to commence in the highly anticipated series finale.
Fans can wait until Stranger Things season 5 volume 3, aka Chapter 8: The Rightside Up, premieres on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025, on Netflix and in select theaters at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. Stay tuned!
Keep it locked on Epicstream.com, the best source for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!