The second season of the hit Netflix series Strange things introduced a new series of characters, one of which is Max Mayfield, brave, intelligent and red-haired (Sadie sink). She quickly captured our hearts and the love has only continued to grow throughout the seasons. She is a perfect addition to the group, creating a whole new and fresh dynamic as well as a new story. everyone loves MAD MAX.
However, from the very beginning, viewers already know how difficult her home life is, especially when she lives with someone like Billy (Dacre Montgomery) who is not only a stalker but also abusive towards Max. His family is dysfunctional, and Max often receives little to no support from any of them. This leads her to keep her guard up and act quite aloof around people. She doesn’t like staying home because of the abuse of her, so she channels her energy into skating, an arcade game, or trying to find people to hang out with, even though the latter is difficult. At the end of the day, Max just wants to feel like she belongs in a group, to feel like other people genuinely love her.
The relationship between Max and Billy never really improves as it’s too broken to begin with. Like Max, Billy was also abused since he was a child, causing him to suppress his intense emotions and later resent Max as his step-sister. Billy actively refused to bond with Max, which explains his toxic relationship. But Max worried whenever Billy got into trouble because he knew they only had each other in his neglected home. Nevertheless, all it changed when season 3 was released. Here, Billy is possessed by the Mind Flayer, who uses it to attract people. In the end, in the middle of the battle of Starcourt, Billy regains consciousness and, realizing that Max and his friends are in danger, he decides to sacrifice himself at the last hour, which led to his death. Max is unable to do anything, watching as the Mind Flayer destroys his stepbrother. Even though they didn’t have the best relationship, Max feels defeated and is eventually clouded with enormous guilt.
Stranger Things Season 4 Features Vecna As A Physical Manifestation Of Fear
A couple of months ago, Netflix finally released the highly anticipated Season 4, which takes place eight months after the events of the previous season. Viewers can see what the characters have been up to during those times. Joyce (Winona Ryder), their children and Eleven (millie bobby brown) are now in California; hopper (port david) is in a Russian prison camp; in Hawkins, the kids are officially in high school. Max is seen keeping his distance from his friends as he is still trying to get over what happened to Billy. She is struggling to come to terms with the tragic event that has been haunting her ever since. Even when she meets with the school’s guidance counselor, Ms. Kelly, Max never reveals the whole truth to her, making it difficult for Ms. Kelly to help the struggling teen understand her trauma. With Max withdrawing from people, losing interest in things she liked, and feeling lost, it’s clear that she’s going through a depression, which is something that Season 4 largely addresses through the use of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
The main antagonist of season 4 is Vecna, also known as Henry Creel and One, and he is probably the most dangerous creature the gang has ever faced. Vecna is incredibly intelligent and can manipulate people, specifically Hawkins’s, and would have his victims relive his traumas until they are vulnerable enough to kill. There have always been discussions of various mental health issues in the series, but it’s in season 4 where it’s done in a more allegorical way and it’s easier to understand Vecna’s purpose through that.
Vecna attacked a couple of people, but perhaps the most well-known and heartbreaking is Max. While there are no direct statements, it is still clear that Max suffers from mental illnesses, including depression, trauma, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. These things manifest through Vecna and Max would be haunted by them to the point where he spirals down and accepts that being alive isn’t something she deserves, which is something a lot of people can relate to in the real world. For many, Max is one of the most grounded and realistic characters on the show because many can see themselves reflected in his character and could find themselves being persecuted by Vecna as a result.
Max’s devastating journey with guilt remains unsolved
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In “Dear Billy”, Max visits Billy’s grave to read a letter she wrote to him, knowing that she is Vecna’s next target. There, it is revealed that the reason he feels so guilty is that he didn’t feel bad about Billy’s death, as he is not a good guy. She feels that she is a horrible sister for even thinking about it, and she thinks that she deserves to be punished. These things led to her mental state worsening, and she is further amplified when Vecna attacks her. Also, after the big fight in “The Piggyback”, Max, after nearly dying, ends up in a coma, with no eyes and most of his limbs broken. While it’s heartwarming to see her friends, especially Lucas and Eleven, be with her and love her, it’s still a heartbreaking sight because even if she didn’t die, Vecna still won.
Max’s journey from Seasons 2-4 is incredibly emotional and heartbreaking, but it’s a great depiction of what it’s like to deal with mental illness. Max suffers so much that he decides to isolate himself. But along the way he meets new friends who would soon become his true family. They are the ones who helped Max feel that she is not alone. The sad thing is that she may have survived, but the things Vecna did can and will continue to haunt her because she never really goes away. No one knows what Max’s fate will be, but hopefully, in Season 5, viewers will get to see his path to recovery, all of which will surely be handled with care.
