Stranger Things Just Made Its Riskiest Lore Change Yet (& It’s Part of a Problematic Trend)

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After introducing the main villain, Henry Creel/Vecna, in Season 4 of Stranger Things, the creators, the Duffer Brothers, wrote a backstory about him. This story was then developed into a play called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which premiered in London’s West End in 2023 and on Broadway in 2025. The play was a critical and commercial success, winning four Tony Awards, and suggested to the Duffer Brothers that expanding the Stranger Things universe beyond the main series could be a viable option.

Expanding Stranger Things into a larger franchise has unfortunately created potential spoilers and diminished the anticipation for its final season. The pressure to tie everything together with theories and hidden clues actually undermines the mystery that made the show so captivating. Ironically, Stranger Things risks becoming a pale imitation of the thrilling, unpredictable series it once was. The First Shadow play has mostly made it more difficult for viewers who haven’t seen it to understand the show’s hidden references, while simultaneously making it easier for those who have to guess how the story will end.

What Is Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

The story takes place in Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959 – 24 years before the first season’s events. It centers on Henry Creel as a teenager and shows younger versions of familiar adult characters like Dr. Brenner, Jim Hopper, Joyce Byers, Ted Wheeler, Karen Wheeler, and many of the parents of the children we meet in the series. The play primarily focuses on Henry’s experiences in high school and how he developed his psychic powers.

When The First Shadow came out, it didn’t seem essential to watch. It felt like a fun side story that added interesting details to the show’s background, but nothing crucial to understanding the main plot. That’s perfectly fine for most spin-off stories, particularly those in a different format – they offer new information, even if it’s not vital to the overall story.

While not the first expansion of the story, The First Shadow joins a history of Stranger Things projects like comics and video games designed to keep fans engaged between seasons. However, most of these are considered separate stories. The only related work that feels truly connected to the main series is the stage play, likely because it uses the same format and features the familiar characters.

How The First Shadow Connects to the Final Season of Stranger Things

Fans of Stranger Things are very active on social media, and they’re discussing how important the upcoming fifth season will be for revealing more about Henry Creel’s backstory. Details from the play have sparked a lot of questions about Henry’s childhood and what happened to him in the Upside Down – things the show hasn’t explained yet. One scene in particular – Henry’s fearful reaction to the cave where Max hid – is generating a lot of discussion, with fans believing it hints at a traumatic memory from his past.

People who haven’t seen the play are buzzing with theories about the cave’s significance for Henry, but some viewers are being unkind to those who are simply enjoying the speculation. Those who have seen the play are spoiling the surprise for others by revealing the cave’s true meaning, which is frustrating for fans of Stranger Things – both casual viewers and dedicated fans who can’t see the live production of The First Shadow. This behavior is unfortunately another example of negativity within the fandom.

Viewers familiar with the stage play might find the importance of the cave in Season 5 a bit frustrating. The memory it unlocks could be what finally allows Max, Holly, and the other children to escape from Henry’s mind. The play doesn’t directly reveal the solution to their predicament, but it does explain the source of Henry’s deep-seated fear of the cave and why he avoids entering it. We won’t spoil the play’s events, but a summary is readily available online for those interested.

As much as I love seeing a play as it’s meant to be seen, it’s just not possible for most fans, myself included. Let’s be real, not everyone can get to New York or London, or even swing the cost of tickets. And honestly, some people just prefer watching things at home, which is totally fine! Seeing The First Shadow feels like a special experience reserved for a lucky few. It struck me that the Duffer Brothers seem a little out of touch with how much dedicated fandom actually looks like – not everyone has the time, money, or even the desire to consume every single bit of Stranger Things content out there.

The Duffer Brothers have clarified that you don’t need to see the play to follow the story in Season 5; any connections are just minor references for fans. However, even seemingly small details could hint at major plot twists, which might frustrate viewers. Plus, it’s unfair to expect casual fans to travel long distances – potentially hundreds or thousands of miles – just to stay fully informed about the show’s ending.

Stranger Things and The First Shadow Have Wildly Inconsistent Timelines

The new play, The First Shadow, is officially part of the Stranger Things story, but it’s created some timeline problems. Fans have pointed out several inconsistencies between the play and what we’ve seen in the show. For example, Nancy mentions that Ted Wheeler is significantly older than Karen, which explains their complicated marriage, but the play shows them attending school together. More significantly, the play depicts Henry Creel continuing to attend school after the date he’s supposed to have murdered his family, which doesn’t align with his established backstory involving Hawkins Lab.

It’s strange how Henry, Joyce, and Hopper are all around the same age and went to school together, but Joyce and Hopper never mention it in Season 5. Nancy definitely would have told them that their old classmate is now the powerful villain controlling the Upside Down and repeatedly trying to kill their children. It’s odd that they either pretend they don’t know him, or simply don’t seem to care about their shared history.

The problems with the show’s continuity are numerous, and they were easier to overlook when it felt like a minor diversion. However, with the series now concluded, these inconsistencies are glaring and make it difficult to follow the timeline of events. A good science fiction story shouldn’t require viewers to piece together the plot themselves – it’s the writers’ job to create a clear and consistent narrative.

It’s now obvious that the creators didn’t initially plan for Stranger Things to go beyond its first season. While they may have hinted at a larger force behind the Upside Down, the Vecna storyline that unfolded in seasons four and five probably wasn’t part of the original vision. However, the Duffer Brothers deserve credit for successfully expanding a simple, one-season sci-fi mystery into a complex world with multiple dimensions, time periods, and fantastical creatures.

Bringing in Vecna has unfortunately created a lot of problems for Stranger Things. What was once a brilliantly crafted show now feels like it’s being improvised, leaving plot holes and confusing the timeline. This has even caused disagreements among fans. It’s a disappointing direction for a show that defined a generation.

The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 is available to watch on Netflix now. The second part will be released on December 25th, and the very last episodes will premiere on December 31st.

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2025-12-02 18:38