The grand finale of Stranger Things 4 relied on Eleven’s concern that Vecna would kill Max. Eleven’s plan was to piggyback from Max into the mindscape to protect Max there. While Eleven’s plan may be solid, Max’s plan comes to a devastating end anyway. Stranger Things 4 emphasized many friendships throughout the season as the group was split. However, Eleven and Max’s friendship was not one of them, thus creating a slightly emotionally confusing decision by the season’s end. Eleven and Max had significantly developed in season 3, showing them as coming into a friendship of their own and showing they care about each other.

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Season 4 seemed to have other plans, mostly having Eleven focus on her relationship with Mike while Max dealt with the horrors of Hawkins. There are no actual mentions of Eleven and Max communicating back and forth on their own after Eleven and Will’s move. To a degree, Eleven’s essentialness to the Hawkins group is degraded to a quip about how they used to run around with a girl with superpowers. The season’s final episodes attempt to portray the protectiveness Eleven feels over Max. Still, given how little they had to do with each other throughout the season, their friendship needed to play a more significant role.

Their Battle Against Vecna

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Max’s fight against Vecna takes up most of “The Piggyback.” Unknown to her, simultaneously, Eleven is trying to join Max in her mindscape to protect Max from Vecna. When Eleven finally does show up to help Max, the duo is left to fight against Vecna until the rest of the group can help take him down from the Upside Down. Although Eleven cares about Max, it is not Eleven’s desire to protect Max that inspires her to fight as Vecna tries to steal Max’s life. Instead, Mike’s speech to Eleven is the catalyst for causing Eleven to step up.

While it is a perfect moment for Mike, as it finally gives him something to do, it is not an epic acknowledgment of Eleven and Max’s friendship. Eleven jumps at the chance to protect Max, and yet, seeing Max nearly die is not enough of a reason to cause Eleven to step up against Vecna even though she was just as recently shown to be extremely powerful. Eleven’s friendship with Max should have been enough to cause Eleven to jump into action. However, given their lack of time together throughout season 4, the emotional connection between them had not been as present.

Eleven’s Life-Saving Decision

Refusing to allow Max to die after their battle with Vecna, Eleven pulls out the stops to save her life. As Lucas begs Max to stay alive, cradling her in his arms, Eleven uses just enough power to get Max’s heart beating again. While a testament to their friendship, it may have meant even more had they been given more time together. “The Piggyback” does give Eleven and Max a great reunion, but it takes so long to get there that all their bonding must be done within one episode. Eleven using her abilities to know what the Hawkins group is up to, makes Eleven realize what is going on. Still, given that she could not communicate with the rest of the group, it leaves her at a disadvantage.

Eleven saves Max’s life, but it comes at a price. Max is brain-dead and would be undergoing severe medical trauma. Whatever happens, as the series moves on to season five must address Max’s state and how that may affect the show’s final episodes. Giving Eleven and Max the chance to discuss Eleven’s choice in season 5, if Max wakes up, could help show their growing relationship.

Their Significance To The Main Plot

Although in vastly different areas, Eleven and Max are essential to the plot. Max is right at the center of it, becoming one of Vecna’s targets and joining in with attempts to kill him. Meanwhile, as Eleven goes through memories to get her powers back, she discovers that Vecna was actually One, and that Eleven had sent One into the Upside Down after he had massacred the other children. Having both characters so involved in the main plot could have been a reason to have them communicate more, or at least lean into their friendship more often throughout the season.

Given the finale partially relies on their dynamic to be at the center of the episode, it would have made sense to have them communicate in some way leading up to their reunion. However, if Stranger Things wanted to keep them apart, they could have at least had the two characters mention each other more often or reference their friendship. Out of context, Eleven and Max’s relationship in season 4 does not make sense given their lack of a dynamic throughout the season.