A new poster for Max Mayfield in Stranger Things 5 confirms a major twist fans discovered in the recently released episodes. Netflix shared the official character art for Sadie Sink‘s Max, marking her first poster for the final season and pulling back the curtain on one of Volume 1’s biggest story surprises. The poster shows Max staring directly at the viewer with the simple caption “Hi,” signaling her active role in the storyline despite her physical body remaining in a coma.
Why Max Was Missing From Earlier Promotions
Before Stranger Things 5 premiered on November 26, Netflix released 17 character posters featuring nearly every major hero and new face. Fans quickly noticed two characters were absent from this lineup: Max Mayfield and Jamie Campbell Bower’s Vecna. This was a deliberate choice by the show’s creators. Their significant roles in the first four episodes were considered major plot secrets. With those episodes now available to stream, Netflix has officially unveiled posters for both characters, confirming their pivotal places in the final season’s narrative.
Max’s Story In Stranger Things 5 Volume 1
The new poster connects directly to Max’s revealed storyline. At the start of Season 5, Max is still in a hospital bed in Hawkins, having been in a coma since her encounter with Vecna at the end of Season 4. Caleb McLaughlin‘s Lucas Sinclair remains faithfully by her side, repeatedly playing Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” in hopes of reaching her.
The major revelation comes in Episode 4, “Sorcerer.” Viewers learn that while Max’s body is comatose, her mind is awake and trapped inside a constructed world within Vecna’s consciousness. This place, referred to as Camazotz, is a twisted, 1950s-style version of Hawkins that serves as a prison. Here, Max is not a helpless victim. She is walking, strategizing, and fighting to find a way out.
Her situation changes when she crosses paths with Holly Wheeler, played by Nell Fisher. Holly has also been pulled into Vecna’s mental maze, and Max immediately takes on a protective role, explaining the dangerous reality of their predicament. Sadie Sink described developing this version of Max as an exciting challenge.
“Trying to figure out who this version of Max would be after holing up in Henry’s twisted mind for a year and a half was the most exciting to come up with,” Sink told Deadline. “She’s just super resilient, and even under the toughest circumstances, she just has this very ‘this is the card I was dealt’ kind of attitude.”
The Dynamic Between Max And Lucas
The story highlights the enduring connection between Max and Lucas, though they are separated by realms. Lucas’s unwavering commitment to Max is a central emotional thread. Caleb McLaughlin spoke about the depth of Lucas’s feelings.
“The passion, the love that he has for his friends… But then we see a different level of that with someone that he connects to on a deeper level… He would die for her. He really would,” McLaughlin said.
From Max’s perspective, trapped in Camazotz, she is aware of Lucas’s efforts on some level. She reveals to Holly that she once saw him at her hospital bedside through a temporary portal and could almost feel his presence before the connection was lost. This moment confirms that their bond persists despite the extraordinary circumstances.
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What The Poster Teases For Volume 2
The release of Max’s poster specifically teases her involvement in the upcoming second volume of episodes. Volume 2 of Stranger Things 5 is scheduled to premiere on Christmas Day, December 25. It will consist of three new episodes. The finale, Volume 3, will then be released on New Year’s Eve, December 31.
The title of Episode 6 is “Escape from Camazotz,” strongly suggesting that Max will lead Holly and potentially other captured children in a bid for freedom from Vecna’s mental prison. This endeavor will likely require a coordinated effort with her friends in the real world to locate the children’s physical bodies. Fans are speculating about Max’s condition if she manages to wake up, with some theories suggesting her injuries could leave her blind.
Sadie Sink has expressed satisfaction with how her character’s journey concludes in the series finale.
“I was satisfied with the whole thing. I think everyone’s really — the Duffers did an amazing job. I think we all got the closure that we wanted,” Sink teased. Regarding what she wanted for Max, she added, “She’s grown up a lot, and she’s tired… I think she just wants peace.”
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