Season 5 of Stranger Things revealed a lot about the origins of Vecna and the Upside Down, culminating in a final battle between him and the heroes of Hawkins. Fans who saw the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow already had some extra background on Vecna, and that play’s story was incorporated into the show’s final season. Now, the creators are explaining what some viewers saw as a potential inconsistency in the plot, which stemmed from the new details introduced in the play.
The play within the show, The First Shadow, reveals that Hopper and Joyce knew Henry Creel back in school, deepening the connections between the characters and the events in Hawkins. While the season finale included a showdown with Vecna, this shared history wasn’t directly mentioned. According to Ross Duffer, the creators considered having Hopper and Joyce acknowledge this connection, but decided against it. They didn’t want to confuse viewers who hadn’t seen the play, as it would require prior knowledge to understand the significance of the conversation. However, the Duffers believe Hopper and Joyce likely did discuss it privately at some point.
Matt Duffer explained they wanted the final season to follow the original storyline, even with the addition of the play. He clarified that the play details Henry’s history after becoming infected by the Mind Flayer, but the core events of the season were planned that way all along.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow Reveals Major Details About Vecna That You Shouldn’t Miss
Season 5 of the show includes many details first shown in The First Shadow, but the creators deliberately kept things unclear for viewers who hadn’t seen the play. A key scene in both the play and the season involves a cave Holly discovers, which reveals how Victor Creel originally gained his abilities. This memory shows that his powers came from a stone originating from the Abyss, and that stone connected him to the Mind Flayer.
In The First Shadow, we learn what happened after the initial conflict, showing Creel struggling with the Mind Flayer’s control as he tries to navigate school life – including participating in the school play, Dark of the Moon. This period is also when Max and Holly become trapped in Creel’s memories, specifically in 1959, where Joyce mentions the musical Oklahoma!, in which Creel also performs.
Explaining the connection between Joyce, Hopper, and Henry directly in a scene would likely have confused viewers unfamiliar with the stage play and its impact on the show’s backstory. Leaving it unsaid was probably the right decision, even though the characters themselves seem to have figured it out at some point.
Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.
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2026-01-03 07:10