Sadie Sink says that her Stranger Things character Max will fall to the dark side — where teenagers are concerned, at least — when the show returns this week.
In an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Sink said what viewers can expect from season 4 and where Max is emotionally.
“It’s darker and scarier than ever. The kids are obviously a lot more mature now, so the show has kind of matured with it in a way. And Max, you know, she’s not doing too hot. You’re kind of getting to see her in like her emo phase a bit. And I don’t want to say it was fun to explore, but it was a nice challenge.”
With all the danger and drama and loss that has happened to the characters in the past three seasons, it should come as no surprise that it would change dramatically over time. In Stranger Things season 3, Max’s stepbrother Billy (Dacre Montgomery) is killed by the Mind Flayer, and she mourns for him despite their complicated relationship.
In the Stranger Things season 4 trailer, Max is seen at Billy’s grave, sitting in front of it and staring at it, hinting at where she’ll be mentally. Later, she’s seen with new powers floating above Billy’s graveyard as Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) stare in wonder.
Max will have a bigger role in Stranger Things this time around, and the producers have even called her the emotional center of the show. It’s theorized that because of Billy’s corrupted soul as a result of the Mind Flayer, he could possess useful knowledge about their latest threat, and she might be able to communicate with him to understand it, though Sink said she couldn’t reveal anything about her powers.
For those looking for more Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers are considering plans for a spinoff series for more monster mayhem. They recently said that actor Finn Wolfhard was the only person to figure it out, so there might be even more clues in the next season.
Stranger Things season 4 part 1 premieres May 27 on Netflix.