Stranger Things Season 5 Totally Wasted One of the Show’s Best Characters

by

The criticism of Stranger Things continues, particularly after the release of its behind-the-scenes documentary. Many fans are frustrated that as the show reaches its final season, it seems to have lost direction with some of its most compelling characters. While fans have discussed problems with character development since the finale aired, one case is particularly disappointing because it feels like the writers simply forgot about that character’s storyline. This isn’t about the show running out of money or ideas – though some argue that may have played a part – it’s more about a missed opportunity with a key character.

The main problem is about who the show focuses on. It’s hard to ignore when a character who was central to the emotional heart of the series for several seasons gets overlooked. While Season 5 of Stranger Things aimed to wrap things up satisfyingly, it felt like some deserving characters didn’t get the attention they deserved, leaving a key element feeling missing.

Max Was Badly Underused in Stranger Things‘ Final Season

Max’s role has been minimal since the start of this season, going all the way back to Volume 1. Considering the traumatic events she experienced at the end of Season 4, this is somewhat understandable. Before the new season aired, fans wondered what would happen with her, but she remained unchanged. While the other characters dealt with the aftermath of the previous season and prepared to fight Vecna, Max’s lack of involvement was noticeable and, frankly, a little disappointing, especially because she’s a popular character.

I remember when Max was first introduced in Season 2 – she was a good character, but she really started to grow on me in Season 3. Then, Season 4? Wow. She became the emotional center of everything, and honestly, that scene of her running through the Upside Down with Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” playing? That’s what everyone talks about when they talk about the show, and for good reason. She quickly became one of the strongest characters, period. But after everything she went through, I felt frustrated that the story kind of… left her hanging for so long. It took a while to even figure out what was happening while she was in a coma, and when you consider how much build-up she had over those seasons, I started to wonder if keeping her sidelined for so long was really necessary. It just didn’t feel right.

Max’s storyline stalls at a critical point. She returns in Episode 3, “Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap,” to help Holly navigate Vecna’s mind and reveal what happened to her during her absence. This makes her essential to understanding how to defeat the villain, but her role doesn’t develop any further. While important, her contribution remains limited to that single explanation.

As a film enthusiast, I felt like a really interesting opportunity was missed with this character. Instead of diving deep into her emotional journey – things like her survivor’s guilt, her fear of being left behind, or even the frustration of losing control – she was mostly used to just explain the villain’s backstory. I get that time is often a constraint, but I honestly think the writers could have woven those internal struggles into her existing scenes with just a few clever choices. There was definitely space to make her story more impactful and emotionally resonant.

Season 5 spends a lot of time on lengthy explanations and conversations that don’t really advance the story, with characters repeatedly revisiting feelings we’ve already seen. If the show could dedicate time to those moments, it could have also given Max a clear personal struggle and shown the lasting impact of her experiences. We never learn what she wrote to her friends before visiting Billy’s grave, leaving us wondering what she was thinking. As the final season, the show should have aimed for a higher level of depth and resolution.

When a show keeps a character around – not just alive, but actively involved and important enough to be connected to the main conflict – it also needs to give that character a meaningful ending. Failing to do so leaves audiences with a character who feels pointless, simply existing in the story without growing or changing, and that’s a major letdown.

The Series Finale Shows How Stranger Things Gave Up on Max

The situation is frustrating because even after Max wakes up and returns to reality, the core problem isn’t fixed – it simply transforms. Instead of actively regaining her place in things, she becomes a bystander. She’s present, but doesn’t really get involved, observing more than acting and feeling things without driving the story forward. While the show explains her cautious recovery is understandable given her long illness, it ultimately feels like a step backward, as if she’s already fulfilled her purpose and is now simply resting on her laurels.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Max, and while it’s true she wasn’t physically the most active member of the group, I believe she had so much more potential to contribute strategically. Being inside Vecna’s mind clearly gave her a unique insight, and honestly, she was often just as good as Will at picking up on danger. I always felt she could have been the one making the tough calls – deciding if a mission was too risky, how to use memories against the villain, or even whether it was right to exploit a weakness she’d discovered. It felt like a missed opportunity that she mostly just helped Eleven and Kali find Henry and the other kids. It was a helpful contribution, sure, but it just didn’t feel like enough for a character with her particular strengths.

While the story attempts to create emotional impact, especially through scenes with Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), these moments feel disconnected from the bigger picture. The actors do a good job with what they’re given, but they can’t overcome the fact that Max doesn’t really affect how the story ends. She feels unnecessary, which is particularly upsetting considering everything she’s been through and what she represents – overcoming trauma, fear, and guilt. It’s a letdown to see her sidelined.

A lot of the disappointment stems from comparing the current season to the last one. Max was a central, emotionally resonant character in Season 4, and the show seemed to have a clear path for her story. Her struggles with fear and mortality added a new level of depth and drama that really connected with viewers. It felt like she was going to be a crucial part of the ongoing narrative. But in the final season, she’s been sidelined, feeling more like a prop than a developed character. This makes it seem like the show didn’t know what to do with the momentum she’d built. Instead of building on her story, it’s stalled it, which is not only frustrating but also doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Wow, the ending of Stranger Things really hit me hard! Overall, it’s still a fantastic show and it’s no surprise it’s been so popular. But I have to admit, the way they handled Max’s story left me feeling really disappointed. It wasn’t that the writers didn’t care about her, it just felt like they didn’t know what to do with her. It’s frustrating because the show always made it clear that everyone in the group was important, and they were usually so good at giving everyone a purpose, even if they didn’t have superpowers. But with Max, that just vanished, and it felt like a real letdown for such a compelling character.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/list/5-greatest-performances-in-stranger-things-3-was-wasted-in-the-end/embed/#

Read More

2026-01-15 04:17