Why Holly Couldn’t Just Escape From Vecna’s Mind With Max

As a huge Stranger Things fan, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened to Max after that shocking ending to season four! Volume one of the final season finally revealed she wasn’t actually gone – her mind was still trapped inside Henry Creel’s psychic prison. It looked like things were heading towards a team-up with Holly Wheeler, who gets pulled into Vecna’s world too, and honestly, I was expecting them to break out together. But Volume two threw a real curveball! The show introduced some completely new rules about how that dream world works, which totally changed the game and what I thought was going to happen.

Warning: Spoilers below for Stranger Things 5, Volume 2.

The latest season of Stranger Things on Netflix shows Max and Holly exploring Henry’s memories. They’re drawn by Kate Bush’s music to a red, dreamlike space that connects them to the real world. There, they discover a way to see Max’s physical body, offering a potential escape. But Max explains that only one person can pass through at a time, so Holly needs to find her own way back to reality.

How the Link Between Reality and Vecna’s Mind Works in Stranger Things

Holly and Max’s experience escaping Vecna’s mind reveals how the dream world actually works. Max realized that while the song “Running Up That Hill” helped her find her way out, it wasn’t what truly kept her connected to reality. Her strong feelings for Lucas Sinclair were the real anchor that pulled her consciousness back from Vecna’s control. This shows that escaping Vecna’s mental realm requires a powerful emotional connection to someone in the real world. Kate Bush’s music simply helped Max focus on that connection, but the bond itself – a specific relationship with another person – is what truly matters.

To stay alive, Holly needs to find something deeply personal that grounds her. This turns out to be the necklace Mike Wheeler gives her, which symbolizes his trust and belief in her. The necklace acts as a mental connection, allowing Holly to open her own unique portal. The scene also highlights a key rule of this world: minds and bodies are fundamentally linked, and people must eventually return to their physical forms.

The second part of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. The final episode will be released on January 31st, concluding the story of the Hawkins group.

What were your thoughts on Max and Holly getting out of Vecna’s control? Share your opinions in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-27 19:41