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After an excruciating three-year wait, season four of Stranger Things has finally dropped on Netflix. Although only Volume 1 is currently available, with Volume 2 releasing in July, the streamer’s biggest hit has given us more than enough content to binge while we patiently wait. Most of the episodes go well over an hour, so viewers will be spending plenty of time in Hawkins.
While it’s great to see some of our favorite characters again, including Eleven, Dustin, Joyce, and Steve, the new season also brings a fresh ensemble of faces. With the storyline expanding and going into uncharted territory, more people are becoming involved in these strange happenings, whether as allies or foes to our heroes.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things Season 4: Volume 1.
10. Angela
When El moves to California without the guidance of dad Hopper, boyfriend Mike, or best friend Max, she finds it hard to settle in and faces many challenges. One of those comes in the form of Angela, the school bully, bona fide mean girl, and now the show’s most hated character.
Angela publicly humiliates and bullies El because she’s different and an easy target - or so she thinks. With zero empathy, Angela seems to get pleasure from taunting her, making it all the more satisfying when El smacks a roller skate right into her face.
9. Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan
Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan is a mysterious military figure who is under the impression that Eleven is the cause of all the death and chaos in Hawkins. He believes Dr. Brenner intended to use her as an assassin and will stop at nothing to find her.
Sullivan orders a siege of the Byers household in California and tortures Agent Wallace for information regarding Eleven’s whereabouts. Hopefully, the Colonel discovers the actual truth behind the events in Hawkins, because if he does anything to Eleven, audiences will not be on his side.
8. Yuri
Yuri, the Russian smuggler with a terrible sense of humor, proves to be a real pain for Joyce and Murray. As prison guard Dmitri’s American contact, Yuri promises to smuggle Hopper out of Russia but instead tricks the two Americans to get a better deal for himself.
Upon learning he could make more money, Yuri plans to sell Hopper, Joyce, Murray, and Dmitri to the Russians. His betrayal is thwarted when he is taken hostage by the Americans, and Murray uncannily impersonates him to sneak into the prison and rescue Hopper.
7. Jason Carver
Now that the main characters are in high school, along comes the typical heroic jock, here in the form of Jason Carver. After the death of his cheerleader girlfriend Chrissy, Jason goes on an egocentric hunt for justice and brings the town along with him.
While Jason is understandably upset about his girlfriend’s death, he automatically believes Eddie Munson to be the killer because he’s "a freak," and launches a full attack on him and the Hellfire Club. Jason may think he’s doing the right thing, but he’s only going to cause more damage.
6. Victor Creel
The majority of this season’s plot revolves around the Creel family, whose house was supposedly possessed by Vecna, causing Victor Creel to kill his family. However, there’s much more to this story, and Victor too, as the only survivor.
When Nancy and Robin visit him in the psychiatric ward, it’s a frightening sight, with scarred Victor appearing to have no eyes. He is portrayed by Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare On Elm Street, a film that obviously served as inspiration for Vecna and his kills.
5. Chrissy Cunningham
Chrissy Cunningham may be the head cheerleader, girlfriend of the basketball captain, and most popular girl in school, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. It is revealed that poor Chrissy’s life is far from perfect, which is why she is Vecna’s first victim.
Chrissy dealt with verbal abuse from her mother, which caused her to buy drugs from Eddie. Viewers thought they would be spending much more time with this character, and perhaps see more interaction with Eddie before her brutal death and the end of the first episode.
4. Argyle
Season four is definitely the darkest and most mature of the series thus far, so comedic relief Argyle is a breath of fresh air and exactly what audiences need. Argyle is Jonathan’s new stoner buddy in California and delivers for Surfer Boy Pizza.
Argyle’s chilled-out and philosophical persona are delightful to watch on screen, as he delivers some of the season’s funniest moments. His reactions to the chaotic events happening around him are priceless, and he certainly has the best hair of any character on the show.
3. Dmitri Antonov
Hopper sure does suffer a lot at the hands of the ruthless Russian this season, so it’s lucky he has an ally in prison guard Dmitri, also known as Enzo. The sly and resourceful character is portrayed by Tom Wlaschiha, who viewers will recognize from Game of Thrones.
Dmitri initially only helps out Hopper for material gain but becomes a true confidante to him when Yuri foils their plan and they both become prisoners. The pair reveal their darkest and most personal secrets to each other, forming a strong bond that eventually helps them escape.
2. Eddie Munson
Arguably the fan-favorite and scene-stealer of this season is the leader of the Hellfire Club himself, Eddie Munson. Like Steve, Eddie has become a mentor of sorts for our younger characters, thanks to his D&D skills, musical talent, and charming persona.
Eddie doesn’t care about being popular and totally embraces being an outcast. He also has a heart of gold, whether he’s comforting Chrissy or diving into Lovers Lake to save Steve with the gang. Eddie is also the prime suspect of the current Hawkins murders - hopefully, Volume 2 will see him found innocent.
1) Vecna/001/Henry Creel
Stranger Things has had its fair share of supernatural villains, from the Demogorgon to the Mind Flayer, but the most frightening is this season’s big bad, Vecna. He’s a grotesque monster who brutally murders teens in Hawkins, but there’s much more to him. What makes Vecna so compelling is his backstory and the twists that follow.
Vecna isn’t just a monster from the Upside Down, but he’s also 001 - Eleven’s sibling, and now an orderly working in Brenner’s lab. He also happens to be Henry Creel, who killed his family and framed his father. Vecna’s intriguing and complex origins make him the most fascinating newcomer of the season.