The Stranger Things Season 4 Episodes Ranked

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Stranger Things Season 4 ramps up the stakes as the Hawkins crew faces a new and terrifying threat: Vecna, a malevolent entity from the Upside Down whose attacks unravel traumatic memories. The season is split between multiple locations—Hawkins, California, Russia—and follows parallel storylines that eventually converge. Visually darker and more horror-driven than previous seasons, it explores themes of grief, guilt, and identity while expanding the mythology behind the Upside Down. The scale is bigger, the tone more mature, and the emotional beats hit harder as the characters grow into new phases of their lives.

The performances play a huge role in the season’s impact. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) navigates the character’s struggle to regain her powers with emotional nuance, while Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield) delivers one of the standout performances of the series—especially in the “Running Up That Hill” arc. Joseph Quinn joins the cast as Eddie Munson, quickly becoming a fan favorite for his charismatic, metal-head energy and pivotal role in the season’s climax. Returning cast members like Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, and David Harbour (Hopper) deepen their characters’ arcs, while Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer, and Charlie Heaton continue to anchor the ensemble with strong performances. Together, the cast’s chemistry and growth help make Season 4 one of the show’s most ambitious and emotionally resonant chapters.

Here’s our rankings for the season 4 episodes.