STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

After almost 3 years of waiting, Stranger Things season 4 is finally here! With longer episodes, bigger stories, and more characters than ever before, this highly-anticipated season is set to be the best yet. But will every character make it through the season alive?

Stranger Things season 4 will track characters in Hawkins, as well as follow Hopper in Russia and the Byers family (plus Eleven!) in California. From what’s been released about the story so far, we know that it takes place 6 months after the Battle of Starcourt — and that characters will still be significantly impacted by its events while having to face a new supernatural enemy.

This will also be the first time that the group of kids has been separated, facing challenges of long-distance friendships and the social issues of high school without their full “party”. After seeing Eleven lose her powers in the end of season 3, it’s also the first time we’ll see Eleven unable to use her telekinetic abilities (for now).

Based on several of the trailers that have been released for the new episodes, fans have searched frame by frame for clues about the fates of their favorite characters this season. Some hints are much more clear than others, but there are a few theories that stand out.

In past seasons, we haven’t seen any of the core main characters die on Stranger Things, but that could change in these upcoming episodes. We’re also expecting some major cliffhangers and raised stakes at the conclusion of the first batch of episodes being released in May. Here’s which Stranger Things characters are most likely to die in Stranger Things season 4.

Max is played by Sadie Sink who joined Stranger Things in season 2. Some fans believe that the trailer reveals that Max will die in Stranger Things season 4. From the trailers released so far, we know that Max will see the grandfather clock that showrunner Matt Duffer told IGN “If you see the clock, it’s not great. Max, unfortunately, did see the clock, and as we see her levitating later in the trailer, it doesn’t seem like that was a good thing.”

Along with the shot of Max levitating over Billy’s grave, we also see the silhouettes of Lucas, Dustin, and Steve huddled over Max’s body. We can’t tell if she’s just unconscious or if she’s died, but we know her character will be deeply impacted by the events in Stranger Things season 4.

In the original plans for the first season of Stranger Things, Steve Harrington was written as an unlikeable character who was never redeemed. The show’s creators planned for Steve to die toward the end of the season — he was never supposed to save the day in the fight against the demagorgon.

Of course, plans changed once Joe Keery brought the role to life, and now Steve is undeniably one of the top fan-favorite characters. But will he make it to season 5? We’ve seen Steve put his life on the line to save the group in the past, and we think there’s a strong chance the same could happen in Stranger Things season 4.

One of the new main characters this season is Victor Creel, who will be imprisoned at a psychiatric hospital because of murders he’s committed. In the trailer below, we see that the Creel family moves into a new house but quickly becomes haunted. In one frame, you see two bodies lying on the ground, and we think Victor may kill members of his own family in Stranger Things season 4.

Stranger Things Season 4 introduces Creel House & #TUDUM just gave you the first peek inside. pic.twitter.com/PbMfo9e87r

The first group of episodes for Stranger Things season 4 drops May 27 on Netflix, with the second batch coming in July 1.

Build your custom FanSided TV email newsletter with news and analysis on All Television and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more.

Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices.

© 2022 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.