Is Billy in Stranger Things season 4? (Is he back from the dead?)

The wait is finally over, Stranger Things fans! The first seven episodes of season 4 have dropped and we cannot wait to hear reactions to all the biggest parts. The new installment is definitely the most ambitious, as we travel to new locations, meet new characters, and even see a character or two come back from the dead.

Of course, we’ve known for a while that Jim Hopper (David Harbour) didn’t actually die during the explosion at the Starcourt Mall at the end of season 3, and the trailers for season 4 show the fan-favorite out as a prisoner in Russia. We find out what happened to him and how he made it out alive in the newly-released episodes.

There are a handful of beloved characters we’d love to see somehow return on the show, like Bob Newby (Sean Astin) or Alexei (Alec Utgoff). Surprisingly, a lot of fans want to see Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery) come back, despite the character being a complete jerk for the majority of seasons 2 and 3.

Whatever reason you might have for wanting to see Billy make a comeback in Stranger Things, the question remains: Is he in season 4?

Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 4 volume 1.

Though Billy dies in the finale of season 3, he’s still mentioned a bunch in season 4 because of how his stepsister Max (Sadie Sink) is handling his death. She’s still very much grieving, understandably, and cuts off her friends because of it, including her now-ex-boyfriend Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin). Even though she and Billy didn’t get along, that doesn’t make the loss any easier.

Plus, Max’s family had to move to a trailer park after Billy’s death and her mom struggles with alcohol abuse. Max opens up a little bit about this to the school counselor, Ms. Kelly (Regina Ting Che), and it’s obvious she’s really struggling. Because of this, it makes her the perfect target for the season’s new villain from the Upside Down, Vecna. He preys on vulnerable kids who have troubled home lives, which leads to a scene where Max and Billy are reunited… sort of.

Is Billy alive in Stranger Things season 4?

Billy is not alive in Stranger Things season 4. Not in volume 1, anyway. However, he does make an appearance in Episode 4, appropriately titled “Dear Billy.” After Max realizes that Vecna is after her and she might be killed any day now, she writes letters to her loved ones, including Billy. She reads her note aloud at his gravesite, which is when Vecna comes to get her. She becomes possessed and her mind is taken into the Upside Down. There, Billy — or some form of Billy — shows up and has a thing or two to say to her.

Vecna knows that Max feels guilty about Billy’s death, and he uses a vision of Billy to make that point. Like I mentioned, the step-siblings never got along, which makes Max feel terrible when Billy sacrifices himself at the end of season 3 to save her and her friends. This apparition of Billy tells Max that he thinks there’s a part of her that wanted him to die and was relieved when it happened. She says it’s not true, but he doesn’t give it up. He tells her she feels guilty because she’s happy he’s gone.

Billy then turns into Vecna, who tells Max it’s time for her to join him. Fortunately, she’s able to get away and eventually escapes out of the Upside Down.

Fans might not find it entirely surprising that Billy makes an appearance in season 4, especially after people realized IMDb listed Dacre Montgomery as part of the cast. I’m glad they didn’t resurrect him from the dead, mostly because he really wasn’t that great of a character and because so much already happens in the new season. It would be way too much to add that as a plot point.

What do you think about Billy’s return in Stranger Things season 4 volume 1? We’ll be curious to see if he comes back again in volume 2, which will be released on Netflix on July 1.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels