Stranger Things 4 arrived on Netflix at the end of May and most die-hard fans have already binged the first action, and demon, packed seven episodes already. 

The fourth installment begins six months since the epic Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. 

We catch up with the gang – Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery) and Robin (Maya Hawke) as they all struggle with the aftermath in their own way. 

And of course there is a very scary new supernatural threat from the Upside Down (in the form of aesthetically challenged demon Vecna). to contend with. 

Reviews for the fourth series have been rapturous, not only did we get more of all that Goonies/ Ghostbusters/Back To The Future-seeped 80s nostalgia but season 4 also delivered some standout performances (shout out to Priah Ferguson who plays Lucas’s sarcastic little sister), challenging mental health storylines and the superb soundtrack we’ve come to expect (Max’s love of the iconic Kate Bush has pushed the genius 1985 hit Running Up That Hill back to the top of the charts). 

One of the most dramatic plotlines in the series revolves around Eleven’s journey back to her beginnings and the dark dealings with ‘Papa’ aka Dr. Martin Brenner (played by Matthew Modine, who people who were actually born in the 80s will know from Full Metal Jacket). 

Most viewers seemed to assume Eleven’s flashbacks were filmed way back in 2016 when Stranger Things first hit Netflix with a young Millie Bobby Brown, others thought it was the work of clever CGI. But minds were collectively blown on 31 May when the official Stranger Things writers’ room account @strangerwriters tweeted a behind the scenes photograph from the set of ST4. 

Millie’s mini me was in fact down to excellent casting, a super costume and hair and makeup department and one brilliant little actor in the form of Martie Marie Blair (oh and some hands on direction from the OG herself). 

Blair has posted behind-the-scenes photos detailing her experience on set and tributes to her co-stars. 

She wrote: “Thank you @milliebobbybrown for being such an inspiration to me, when I showed up on set, you came right up to me. You made me feel so comfortable and welcomed. Thanks for spending time with me and helping me make my scenes AWESOME!!!”

She also thanked legit 80s legend Matthew Modine, writing on her Instagram page: “Thank you @matthewmodine for being so nice to me on set, acting scenes with you was such an incredible experience and surreal at the same time. You made it so easy for me to perform my scenes as Young Eleven. I will be forever grateful to you.”

The young actor also posted a video showing the transformation she went through to become the young and powerful Eleven. 

Fans were equal parts gagged and impressed by the revelation. 

“Not me thinking they filmed all that with younger Millie “, tweeted one fan. 

“WAIT !!! WHAAATTT !!!??? I thought YOUNG ELEVEN was CGI !!!!” wrote another. 

The post has now been retweeted over 30,0000 times. 

For those fans who have already binged Stranger Things 4 volume 1, never fear, volume 2 will arrive on 1 July and there is always season 5 (which creators The Duffer Brothers have confirmed) to get excited about.

Matt Duffer told EW:  “I don’t want to spoil anything. But I will say, I think when fans reach the end of season 4, they’ll see more clearly than perhaps with previous seasons, where season 5 is headed. But again, there’s some big reveals still to come.”

Stranger Things 4 Vol. 1 is now available on Netflix. Vol. 2 will premiere on 1 July 2022. 

Images: Netflix