Even with all the Upside-Down battles, the American and Russian Cold War, sci-fi elements, and the complex investigative drama- at its core, Stranger Things is a show about friendship. From the very start, the Millie Bobby Brown starrer has made it clear that its backbone is the camaraderie and heartwarming dynamic between the characters. And from this friendship-laden series came the fan-favorite duos. From Hopper and Joyce, Dustin and Steve, to Mike and Will- there have been many pairs that fans have crowned as their best platonic duo.

There is, however, only one duo that represented the ultimate female friendship goals- and it might be headed for a rough patch soon. 

Anyone who has watched Stranger Things season 3 knows that the female friendship mentioned above was that of the 'Material Girls', Eleven and Max. What began with animosity soon blossomed into the most heartwarming friendship in the third season. However, a popular Reddit sub recently floated the idea that Max, played by Sadie Sink, might wake up as One from her coma in Season 5, given that she was clinically dead for a whole minute in Season 4.

The theory suggests that One could have possibly taken Max's soul, especially since Eleven could not find Max, and is now capable of working against the group through her body. This scenario was also seen with Will in Season 2. One operated through Will in disguise of the Mind Flayer after Noah Schnapp’s character was trapped inside the Upside Down for days in the first season and nearly died. However, if the Max theory turns out to be true, it could be the most drastic twist yet in her friendship with Eleven.

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Eleven and Max may not have been friends for long in Stranger Things, but here are all the reasons they get along better with each other than with any other friend in their group. 

Eleven’s exposure to the outside world since escaping the lab has been quite limited, and so was Max’s when it came to the supernatural world. As a result, both characters introduced each other to worlds they had never seen before. Throughout the show, or at least in the first two seasons, fans saw both Eleven and Max trying to fit into the boy-dominated group rather than the group making adjustments for them.

By becoming friends, Eleven and Max had the chance to discover who they were outside of the group. Their friendship gave both of them a much-needed break from the 24/7 boyfriend drama and the D&D-obsessed group. And that is precisely why, if Eleven were to face off against Max in the final season, it would be not only iconic but also heartbreaking for the show’s protagonist. That said, the only hope is that neither of them ends up erasing the other.

Sadie Sink Reveals a Shocker About Max’s Coma Situation With ‘Stranger Things 5' on the Way

What do you think about this Stranger Things theory? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!