This One Stranger Things Detail Totally Disproves the Biggest Season 5 Theory

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Season 5 of Stranger Things is already incredibly popular on Netflix, and excitement is building as the Christmas season approaches. Part 2 of the season is about to be released, and fans and industry experts are buzzing with theories about what the Duffer Brothers have planned. Viewers can expect some heartbreaking moments and surprising twists that will hopefully lead to an unforgettable series finale.

As fans anticipate Season 5 of Stranger Things, a major question has emerged: who is the show’s ultimate villain? Season 4 revealed that Henry Creel, also known as test subject “001,” became unstable with his psychic abilities and was defeated by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). However, instead of being destroyed, he was sent to the alternate dimension known as “the Upside Down,” where he transformed into the terrifying, monstrous creature called Vecna.

Vecna & The Mind Flayer: A Chicken-n-Egg Conundrum

According to the story of Stranger Things, Henry Creel found a strange, living collection of particles in the Upside Down. He used his powers to shape these particles into a massive, spider-like entity. This creature allowed him to control people—like Will Byers and the teenagers in Season 4—from across dimensions. Essentially, it acted as a central nervous system, letting Vecna command his monsters, including Demogorgons and other creatures from the Upside Down.

The backstory of Henry Creel, as explored in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, reveals he was connected to the Mind Flayer much earlier than previously known. The play shows that Creel didn’t originally belong in the Upside Down; he accidentally stumbled upon stolen Hawkins Lab equipment hidden by a Russian spy, which transported him there. It was in the Upside Down that he was first exposed to the entity that would later become the Mind Flayer, corrupting him and leading to the tragic murder of his family. Therefore, when Eleven sent Henry to the Upside Down, it wasn’t an exile, but a return – a meeting between the one controlling the entity and the entity itself, which he then shaped into the Mind Flayer.

The events revealed in First Shadow have left Stranger Things fans wondering who the real villain is. If Henry Creel was influenced and corrupted by the shadow creature, does that make him a victim, similar to Will Byers? Was he truly responsible for becoming Vecna, or was he manipulated by the Mind Flayer, who might actually be the one pulling the strings?

Stranger Things Season 5 Confirms Vecna is THE Big Bad (Not the Mind Flayer)

The latest episode of Stranger Things Season 5, “Chapter Four: Sorcerer,” delivered the showdown fans have been waiting for: a rematch between Vecna and the Hawkins group. This time, however, Eleven wasn’t there to protect them. The scene unfolds as Will, Joyce, Mike, Lucas, and the others find themselves caught in a fierce battle between the Demogorgons and a military unit led by Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton), who has set up a base in the Upside Down. Dr. Kay’s team uses flamethrowers against the Demogorgons, which causes a painful reaction throughout their connected hive mind – a pain felt by all Demogorgons, including those in the real world, and also by Will, who is linked to the hive mind. Just then, Vecna dramatically appears, eliminating the soldiers and bringing his monsters back to life. He then kidnaps the Hawkins children, planning to use them to fulfill his sinister goals.

At first, this didn’t seem like a major discovery, but fans have noticed something crucial: Vecna isn’t controlled by the hive mind like the other creatures. While the Demogorgons are being destroyed and Will can feel their pain, Vecna remains completely separate and unaffected. This suggests that Henry Creel, originally influenced by the shadowy entity, eventually became powerful enough to control it, shaping it into the Mind Flayer and using it to attack our world. In essence, the one who was controlled became the controller.

Some fans haven’t loved The First Shadow because it creates inconsistencies with the established story of Stranger Things. However, the creators, the Duffer Brothers, have clarified that the story focuses on the fight against Henry Creel/Vecna, and it won’t offer a sympathetic explanation for his villainous actions.

Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix. Discuss Season 5 with us on the ComicBook Forums!

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2025-12-24 21:11