‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Preview: Where Did We Leave Off at the End of Season 4?

It’s time to start running up that hill again. But since it’s been more than three years since “Stranger Things” aired its fourth season finale, the trek might be a little rough for those who haven’t re-binged the Duffer brothers’ hit Netflix series before it debuts Volume I of the fifth and final season Nov. 26 at 5pm PT.

Since carving out a 2-hour, 21-minute window to re-watch the “Stranger Things” Season 4 finale before you carve the bird on Thanksgiving Day isn’t a possibility for everyone, Variety has a character-by-character recap of where everyone in Hawkins circa 1986 left off ahead of Season 5. So see below for where Eleven and the gang were at the end of “Stranger Things” Season 4, before we return to the Upside Down this Thanksgiving.

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Eleven

She’s back in Hawkins — actually, everyone is now. At the end of Season 5, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is with Mike, Will, Joyce, Hopper, Nancy and Jonathan in a field in Hawkins, watching as the Upside Down seeps up into the Indiana town. Ash-like material darkens the air, coming out of the giant cracks in the world Vecna ripped open by using the lives of four people, including the now-comatose Max, to open four gates from the Upside Down.

Eleven has discovered that Vecna is also Henry Creel and One (the first subject of Dr. Brenner’s). Eleven has also learned that she is responsible for pushing him into the Upside Down, when she rejected his offer to transform the world together, essentially creating Vecna, the evil she and her friends have been fighting.

She tried to save Max from Vecna through dream walking into Max’s brain, but managed only to bring Max back to life after she technically died for long enough for the fourth gate into the Upside Down to open.

Vecna/Henry Creel/One

Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) once wanted to join forces with Eleven, back when he was One/Henry Creel, to reshape the world into his own twisted vision. After Eleven unintentionally threw him into the Upside Down and made him into his current form, Vecna began to seek out ways to reach the outside world and control kids in Hawkins — like Will and Max.

Though Eleven tried to take him out during her dream-walking in Max’s mind, and Steve, Nancy and Robin blasted him with shotguns and torched his body in the Upside Down, Will can feel his presence and knows he’s not dead.

Mike Wheeler

Mike (Finn Wolfhard) is back in Hawkins, and back on good terms with his girlfriend, El. With Will’s help, Mike supported Eleven through her dream-walking battle with Vecna in Max’s mind. However, Mike is unaware that Will has feelings for him, and is suffering in silence over this unrequited love, all as the Upside Down enters Hawkins.

Will Byers

Will (Noah Schnapp) feels Vecna’s presence in the final moments of “Stranger Things 4,” confirming that he has not been killed and that Will’s connection to the Upside Down is still intact. Will worked with Mike, Jonathan and Argyle to get Eleven access to Max’s mind via dream-walking so El could try to save Max and everyone else from Vecna from afar.

Despite his romantic feelings for Mike, Will encouraged Mike to offer his love and support to El to help her try to defeat Vecna. After spending Season 4 living with his brother Jonathan, his mom Joyce and El in California, he and the rest of his family have now returned to Hawkins to help in the fight.

Lucas Sinclair

Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) had spent the season trying to save Max from Vecna and repair their romantic relationship after she became depressed following her stepbrother Billy’s death. Lucas stayed with her while Vecna entered her mind and tried to bring her back with the trigger of her favorite song, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” but her heart stopped. Max was revived by Eleven through dream-walking, but the damage was done, and Max is now in a coma in the hospital with Lucas staying close by her side.

Dustin Henderson

Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) watched Eddie Munson die after they valiantly fought off a mess of Demobats in the Upside Down to give Steve, Nancy and Robin coverage while they went to attack Vecna. As a result, everyone else was able to safely return home, and Dustin told the story of Eddie’s heroism to Eddie’s uncle, knowing the rest of the town still thinks Eddie is a villain and responsible for several deaths in Hawkins.

Max Mayfield

Currently comatose in the hospital. All Max’s (Sadie Sink) bones were broken by Vecna, and she was dead for a full minute before being brought back to life via dream-walking by Eleven. Lucas is by her side in the hospital, hoping she pulls through and wakes up, though the doctors say she may never come out of her coma.

Steve Harrington

Steve (Joe Keery) survived the fight against Vecna alongside Nancy and Robin in the Creel House in the Upside Down. He’s returned with the gang to Hawkins, but they have no idea where Vecna has gone to after they couldn’t find the body.

Nancy Wheeler

Nancy (Natalia Dyer) fought Vecna, shooting him, along with Steve and Robin, who managed to torch him with fire and send him flying through the attic window of the Creel House in the Upside Down. However, his body was missing before they could confirm his death. At one point during a trance, Nancy walked through Vecna’s memories and learned his backstory as the troubled Henry Creel.

Jonathan Byers

Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) returned to Hawkins alongside Will, Mike and Eleven. He’s spent time consoling his brother, Will, who is clearly heartbroken over his unrequited feelings for Mike. When Jonathan and girlfriend Nancy are reunited, he makes a crack about Nancy’s ex, Steve, and Nancy refutes it. Before the Upside Down begins to creep into Hawkins, Jonathan asks Nancy if things are OK between them in their romantic relationship, and she responds with an unconvincing yes.

Robin Buckley

Robin (Maya Hawke) survived the Vecna battle with Nancy and Steve in the Upside Down. Upon returning to the now-in-shambles Hawkins, she finds a silver lining: her crush, Vickie, is potentially returning her affections.

Jim Hopper

Hopper (David Harbour) is back from his hostage situation in Soviet Russia, and reunited with Eleven, thanks to a rescue mission led by Joyce. While in the U.S.S.R., he fought off a Demogorgon in hopes of weakening the overall power of the Upside Down to help out the kids back home.

Joyce Byers

Joyce (Winona Ryder) returned Hopper safe and sound to the mess that is Hawkins. They were even talking about finally making it to their date at Enzo’s — though that’s likely going to be difficult with the giant cracks in the world.

Erica Sinclair

Erica (Priah Ferguson) was at the Creel House in the Rightside Up when Vecna took over Max, and she called the ambulance for Lucas to get Max help after Vecna broke all the bones in her body. Erica is with the rest of the crew in Hawkins as the Upside Down seeps into the world.

The Wheelers

The other members of Mike and Nancy’s family — mom Karen (Cara Buono), dad Ted (Joe Chrest) and little sister Holly (played in Season 5 by Nell Fisher) — were all at home when the ground cracked open. Young Holly is seemingly able to notice what is going on more so than her parents, and appears to perceive the impact the unseen Vecna is having on their world.