They didn't start as friends. Honestly, it was pretty frosty at first. If you go back to the second season, you’ll remember Eleven watching through a school window, seeing Max on her skateboard, and immediately assuming the worst. She literally used her powers to knock Max off that board because she was jealous. It was a classic "new girl" trope, but what the Duffer Brothers did next with Stranger Things Eleven and Max is exactly why the show remains a cultural juggernaut.
Friendship is the engine of the show. We know that. But while the boys—Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will—had years of shared history and D&D campaigns, El and Max had to build something from zero.
It wasn't just about fighting Demogorgons. It was about finding an identity outside of the men in their lives. Eleven had spent her life being defined by "Papa" (Dr. Brenner) or Mike. Max was dealing with a literal monster of a stepbrother in Billy. When they finally clicked in Season 3, it changed the vibe of the entire series. It shifted from a story about a girl being protected by boys to a story about two girls protecting each other.
The Starcourt Mall Turning Point
Remember the "dump his ass" moment? That wasn't just a funny meme. It was a massive character beat. Up until that point, Eleven's worldview was basically whatever Mike Wheeler told her it was. Max Mayfield showed up with a copy of Wonder Woman and a "don't take any crap" attitude and blew El's mind.
They went to the mall. They tried on neon-colored clothes. They ate ice cream while "Material Girl" played. Critics like Emily VanDerWerff have pointed out that these scenes were vital because they grounded the supernatural stakes in something human. If we don't care about El and Max getting to be normal teenagers, we don't care if the Mind Flayer eats the town.
Max taught El that she didn't have to be a weapon 24/7. She could just be a girl who likes shopping and hates boys who lie. This wasn't just filler content; it was the emotional backbone of Season 3. Without Max, Eleven would have remained a stagnant character, forever trapped in that "experimental subject" headspace. Max gave her a choice.
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Trauma and the Season 4 Fallout
Then things got heavy. Really heavy.
The death of Billy at the end of the Battle of Starcourt changed everything for Max. She pulled away. She wore those chunky headphones and listened to Kate Bush on a loop. And while Eleven was miles away in California, losing her powers and getting bullied by girls who weren't half as cool as Max, the distance between Stranger Things Eleven and Max felt painful for the audience.
When they finally reunited—sort of—in the "Mindscape" during Season 4, it wasn't the fun mall trip anymore. It was life or death.
Why the "Piggyback" Scene Matters
When Eleven "piggybacks" into Max’s mind to fight Vecna, she isn't just trying to save a teammate. She’s trying to save her first real friend. The visuals in that scene are incredible—the crumbling blue lockers of the school, the red haze of Vecna’s lair. But the heart of it is El’s desperation.
- Max was the first person to treat El like a normal human.
- El was the only one who truly understood the "freak" label Max felt burdened with.
- Their bond was the only thing standing between Hawkins and total annihilation.
People often argue about who the strongest character is. Is it Eleven because of the telekinesis? Maybe. But you could make a case for Max. She survived Vecna's first three "clocks" through sheer willpower and a love for her friends. When Eleven finally finds her in that darkness, the vulnerability is staggering.
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Misconceptions About Their Dynamic
There's a weird segment of the fandom that thinks Max was "corrupting" Eleven or making her "mean" in Season 3. That’s a fundamentally flawed take. Max wasn't teaching El to be mean; she was teaching her boundaries.
Before Max, El didn't know she could say "no." She didn't know she could have a life that didn't involve sitting in a basement waiting for a boy to call on a walkie-talkie. If you look at the scripts, the Duffers specifically leaned into the idea of female empowerment without making it feel like a lecture. It was just two kids being kids.
Also, some people forget that Max was actually terrified of Eleven's powers at first. She saw what El could do. She saw the nosebleeds and the screaming. But she didn't run away. She stepped closer. That's a nuance people miss when they just look at the memes.
What Season 5 Holds for El and Max
We’re all waiting. The cliffhanger of Season 4 left Max in a coma—blind, broken, and "empty" according to Eleven. When El searched for her in the void at the very end of the finale, there was nothing. Just blackness.
This is the biggest stakes-setter for the final season. The relationship between Stranger Things Eleven and Max is currently the show's biggest unanswered question. Will Max wake up? Is her soul trapped inside Vecna?
If Max stays in a coma, Eleven loses her primary link to humanity. Mike represents her heart, sure, but Max represents her independence. For Eleven to truly defeat Vecna and "win," she probably has to find a way to pull Max back from the brink. It’s not just about closing a gate anymore. It’s about a rescue mission for a soul.
The production of Season 5 has been plagued by delays, but the leaked set photos and teasers suggest that the "party" is back together. However, Sadie Sink (Max) has been spotted in ways that keep fans guessing. Is she filming flashbacks? Or is she playing a version of Max that exists only in El’s head?
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're rewatching the series to prepare for the final showdown, pay close attention to the small details in their scenes.
- Watch the eyes: In Season 2, El won't even look at Max. By Season 3, she's constantly looking to Max for cues on how to act.
- The letters: In Season 4, Max writes letters to everyone. We haven't heard what El's letter says. That's going to be a massive plot point.
- The fashion: Eleven’s style shift in the later seasons is almost entirely influenced by Max’s "California cool" aesthetic.
Keep an eye on official Netflix social channels for the "Inside the Episode" clips. The writers often talk about how they specifically crafted the El-Max bond to contrast the more "logical" bond of the boys. It’s about emotional resonance over tactical planning.
The best way to stay ahead of the Season 5 theories is to track the "Max’s Mind" theories. Most experts agree that because El couldn't find her in the void, Max's consciousness is likely "consumed" by Vecna, similar to how he told Dr. Brenner that his victims live on inside him. This means the final battle isn't just a physical fight in Hawkins; it’s a psychological heist where Eleven has to go into Vecna’s "collection" to get her best friend back.
This friendship started with a skateboard and a trip to the mall. It will likely end with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Don't expect a simple "she wakes up" ending. The Duffers like pain, and the El-Max story has always been about growing up through that pain.