The latest season of Stranger Things provides some of the most devastating story arcs yet for the show's core cast.

The Netflix series Stranger Things first premiered in 2016, but its popularity has only continued to rise following the release of its two-part fourth season. The sci-fi series centers around an ensemble of young friends who investigate the mysterious Upside Down after the disappearance of one of their own.

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Over the course of Stranger Things' four seasons, the show's characters have faced significant heartbreak as they battle threatening villains from the Upside Down. The stakes have only grown higher since the show began, and the latest season provides some of the most devastating story arcs yet for the show's core cast.

Will Byers sets Stranger Things' central plot in motion when he disappears at the start of the first season. After a desperate search by his friends and family, Will is finally found alive in the Upside Down by Joyce and Hopper. Unfortunately, Will's troubles were only beginning when he returned to his normal life, as he retains a haunting connection to the Upside Down.

Season 4 also hints at Will's struggles in coming to terms with his sexuality. Will breaks down in tears after talking to Mike about his relationship with Eleven, strongly implying that Will has unrequited romantic feelings for his best friend.

Eleven always has to be the hero in fighting the villains of the Upside Down because of her special abilities. This responsibility weighs heavily on the young girl as she grapples with a profound sense of guilt when she is unable to defeat Vecna in the Season 4 finale.

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Eleven's family is also a significant source of heartbreak. She was taken away from her mother's care as she involuntarily took part in Dr. Brenner's experiments. From Season 2 onward, Hopper acts as a father for her, and their separation upon his supposed death is another devastating moment for Eleven.

Barbara Holland, the best friend of Nancy Wheeler, disappears during a party in the first season of Stranger Things. Nancy, who is preoccupied with her new relationship with Steve Harrington, left Barb on her own at the party. Tragically, Barb is dragged into the Upside Down and killed by a Demogorgon.

Barb's death is often forgotten about, with Will's disappearance overshadowing it in the plot. Barb, a compassionate friend to Nancy, deserved better. However, Season 4 hinted at Nancy's lingering guilt with haunting flashbacks of Barb's death when she is influenced by Vecna.

Lucas Sinclair is easily one of the most pragmatic and mature characters in Stranger Things. When the gang first encounters Eleven, he is the only one to hesitate in getting involved. Lucas's pragmatic nature stems from a desire to protect his friends, yet those around him often don't see this.

In Season 4, Lucas joins the basketball team, much to the chagrin of his closest friends. Lucas's hardships, including Billy Hargrove's racism towards him in Season 2, are often minimized, and his friends fail to empathize with Lucas as he attempts to find popularity in high school.

Chrissy Cunningham quickly won viewers' hearts in her short time on screen. As the head cheerleader, Chrissy was incredibly popular at Hawkins High School. However, Chrissy was secretly struggling with her life at home. Her mother cruelly criticized her physical appearance, and Chrissy ultimately developed an eating disorder.

Chrissy deserved far better than the outcome she got in Stranger Things 4, as she is brutally killed by Vecna in the first episode. Her obvious charisma and compassion made her death one of the show's saddest, despite her limited screen time.

Steve Harrington has come a long way since viewers first met him as Nancy Wheeler's troublesome boyfriend. After Nancy breaks up with him, Steve unexpectedly finds himself spending time with her younger brother and his friends. He ends up taking on the role of a "damn good babysitter" as he consistently protects the kids as they fight the villains of the Upside Down.

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Steve's character has developed so much that it's time for Steve to find what he's been looking for all along. He deserves a real romance and an exciting job better than Family Video.

In Season 1 of Stranger Things, Joyce was desperate to find her son after he disappeared. Her persistence and dedication to finding Will was a driving force for the show, as it convinced Hopper to help her investigate the disappearance further.

Joyce's worrying for her children is only briefly reprieved when Will is found, and she enters a new relationship. Tragically, her boyfriend, Bob, is killed, and Will continues to struggle with a lingering connection to the Upside Down. After everything she's been through, Joyce deserves a true moment of peace with her family.

Jim Hopper is one of the most beloved characters in Stranger Things. The grumpy yet lovable chief of police in Hawkins won over fans' hearts with his courage and compassion, especially in his relationship with Eleven. Prior to the show's events, Hopper was married and had a daughter, Sarah. Sadly, Sarah died of cancer, and he and his wife divorced.

Although Eleven provides a poignant second chance for Hopper, he continues to face immense difficulties in the show's latest season. After sacrificing himself to close the gate to the Upside Down in Season 3, Hopper is revealed to be alive, and is being held in a Russian prison. Following his rescue at the end of the season, viewers can only hope that Hopper will finally have something of a happy ending.

Season 4 saw Max Mayfield at her lowest. After the death of her brother, Billy, Max struggles with with her trauma and suffers from headaches and nightmares and attends counseling at school. The season's villain, Vecna, targets victims experiencing similar symptoms, using their traumas against them before killing them.

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Max is saved from Vecna's attack as her friends play her favorite song, and she decides that, because of this, she could bait Vecna in a final battle while the rest of the group attacks the Upside Down version of Vecna. When the plan goes awry, Eleven desperately tries to save Max. Max is able to be brought back to life after her heart stops briefly, and she remains severely injured in a coma. After all that Max has been through and her constant selflessness, she deserves a far more optimistic outcome.

Eddie Munson was an instant fan favorite upon his introduction in Season 4 of Stranger Things. Struggling to pass his classes, Eddie proudly declared that 1986 would finally be his year.

Tragically, Eddie meets his end in the Season 4 finale when he suffers fatal injuries fighting off Demobats in the Upside Down. Despite his heroic sacrifice, the town of Hawkins still disapproves of Eddie. A missing-person flyer for Eddie is defaced with devil horns and a pitchfork drawn around his portrait. While Dustin assures Eddie's uncle that he was a hero, his death is unjustly overlooked by the other characters.

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Kelly Christ is a Movies/TV List writer for Comic Book Resources. An avid consumer of all things pop culture, Kelly puts her endless and unnecessary knowledge to good use through writing.