If your household has been commandeered by the Upside Down on the festive season, you're not alone. Stranger Things fans all over the world have been sitting down to enjoy the second volume of the Netflix show's fifth and final season - which obviously means that emotions are probably running high right about now.
With just four episodes to go until the final ever episode (and three of those coming out this Christmas Day), Stranger Things has a lot to resolve in season 5. It's looking to do that with super-sized episodes and larger-than-life stakes designed to make sure that fans are fully aware that this is the Hawkins Squad's last adventure in the Upside Down.
There was one element that fans knew was coming, having long suspected that it would happen in season 5. After Volume 1 confirmed that the story is moving in that direction, the show finally made it happen in season 5 episode 7.
Max returns to the land of the living in Stranger Things 5 Vol. 2
Max Mayfield finally returned to the land of the living in Stranger Things season 5 episode 7. Titled "The Bridge", it opened with emotional scenes that saw Max talk to Lucas as feeling returned to her body upon waking up from her coma. The gang had just survived a run-in with the Demodogs as they were saved by the icon that is Karen Wheeler herself - who, might I add, was still recovering from a very near-death experience with a Demogorgon. That was an epic moment in and of itself, but the emotions of Max's recovery shortly afterwards was just the icing on the cake.
Although Sadie Sink has already appeared in Stranger Things 5 as Max, the character was stranded in a different realm. Or, well, Henry / Vecna's mind, to be exact. That meant that, in the real world, she was in a coma so deep that she wasn't expected to wake up by medical professionals. But Lucas never gave up the faith. And he had good reason to hold onto hope.
Max was killed by Vecna in the season 4 finale but Eleven managed to bring her back to life. But the major development wasn't able to restore her consciousness, which we learned earlier in season 5 had been transported to Vecna's mind. But, with the help of Lucas, Will, and the music of Kate Bush, she was able to escape in the sixth episode of the season, "Escape from Camazotz". When we kicked off episode 7, she slowly, emotionally woke up.
Undoubtedly one of the best aspects of "The Bridge" was seeing Max interact with all of her loved ones again. Her reunions with Eleven, Will, Mike, Dustin, and everyone else were every bit as emotional as her heartfelt reunion with Lucas. After that truly heartbreaking season 4 finale made it seem like the character was lost forever, we're all so happy - and did I mention emotional - to see Max Mayfield back in the land of the living!
Welcome back, Max!
Stranger Things 5 Vol. 2 is now streaming on Netflix.