At the start of Season 5 of Stranger Things, fans learn that Sadie Sink's character, Max Mayfield, is not dead, but she is not awake either. Her body lies in a coma, while her mind is trapped somewhere dangerous. Her character is in a strange place, inside what seems to be the memories of the villain, while her friends try to rescue her.Sadie Sink says she was told after Stranger Things Season 4 that although Max would seem to die, her story was not over. The show’s creators warned her,"You’re gonna get the final episode of Season 4, and it’s gonna say that you died, but don’t worry. You’re in a coma, and we do have a plot for you in Season 5."At the start of Season 5, Max's future remains ambiguous; however, in Episode 4: "Sorcerer," there is further explanation as to where Max is now, a psychic prison created from Max's recollections, which exists within Henry's mindscape, and this is named Camazotz. Max has not died but rather exists in a limbo condition and would now be considered one of the big mysteries of Season 5.Where is Sadie Sink's character, Max, in Stranger Things?Sadie Sink's character, Max, lies in a hospital bed, unresponsive. But inside the "mindscape," she is conscious. Her mind is inside a constructed realm of memories belonging to the villain, and that memory world functions like a prison."Not nervous, but just curious what they were going to do with Max, given how we left things off with her in Season 4. But I knew that if they were keeping her around, it was for a reason. They would have just killed her off if she was useless. So I knew something was in store for her," Sink in a conversation with Variety.According to the show, after the events at the end of Stranger Things Season 4, Max's consciousness was pulled into this memory world created by the villain. She walked through various memories, scenes of Hawkins' past, and memories of tragedy and horror, hoping to find a way back to her body. At one point, she heard a song being played for her in the real world. She followed it and almost reached a portal back to her body. She even saw herself lying comatose and saw a friend, but just as she tried to get through the doorway, the music stopped, and the portal closed.After that close escape, Max kept running, trying to survive. She ended up hiding in a cave deep inside the mindscape. For some reason, the villain will not enter that cave, making it a strangely safe place. Inside that cave, she stayed for many months, lost, trapped, but alive.The reunion comes when a new character, Holly Wheeler, finds Max. Holly was also pulled into the mindscape. When Holly meets Max, Max explains that the world they are in is "a memory, which exists inside a world of 1,000 memories." She calls that place Henry's prison."Stranger Things 5" UK Special Screening - Arrivals - Source: GettyFor Sadie Sink's character, Max, this means she is not gone, but she is far from safe. She is in a bizarre prison, aware but trapped. She cannot wake up, and her friends cannot reach her. The danger remains high, and the escape uncertain.What Sadie Sink and the creators say, and what it means?Sadie Sink says that playing this trapped, fragile state was hard. She shared that during filming, she did not know exactly what Max's journey would become, but she understood that the character was not done. The show creators and the people behind Stranger Things praise Sadie Sink's performance. One of them said she gives "the best coma performance of all time." That compliment came with a warning, as they don't want to say too much yet about how Max will return.For the season so far, Max's role has become one of hope and mystery. Even though she is confined to the mindscape, she might hold a key to how the story ends. Her mind-world journey and survival become central to the fight against evil. Meanwhile, fans and viewers must wait. Volume 1 shows how deeply Max is trapped and hints at a rescue plan. But the show leaves many questions unanswered. Will she get out? Will she recover fully? Will her mind return to her body? The creators so far have stayed quiet, offering only hints and teases.For Sadie Sink herself, filming the final season was an emotional experience. She said wrapping the show felt like "saying goodbye to your childhood." Playing Max for many years had made the character part of her life. Still, she trusts the creators. She believes they know Max well, and she is happy with what they gave her. She said she felt ready to end this chapter, even if the end is not yet clear.For viewers, this means: hang on. Max's story is not finished. The show is building to something big. And for Max Mayfield, whatever comes next - rescue, redemption, or ruin - it will be important.