Stranger Things pt 2’s connection to the stage play finally explains how Henry Creel turned evil

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Spoilers for Stranger Things season 5 episodes 5-7 follow.

New episodes of Stranger Things are now available on Netflix, arriving just after Christmas. Chapter Six reveals a major secret about the villain, Vecna.

After a long wait, the Duffer Brothers have released the final three episodes of season 5 for their popular sci-fi show, delighting fans.

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After the first part of the finale was released on November 26th, right before Thanksgiving in the US, fans had just under a month to share and debate their theories.

Everyone was understandably worried about who might die in the battle between dimensions, but the first episode of season 5 also hinted at something else—a quieter development that could have major implications for Hawkins, and even the world.

The sixth episode, ‘Escape from Camazotz,’ explores Vecna’s past as a child named Henry Creel, and reveals connections to the play ‘The First Shadow,’ which tells the story of his origins.

Written by Kate Trefry, who also works on Stranger Things, the play first launched in London’s West End in December 2023. It recently came to Broadway, with Jamie Campbell Bower – known for playing Vecna – attending a performance in December.

Everyone knew Season 5 of Stranger Things would probably tease The First Shadow a little, but honestly, the final season is still a total thrill ride even if you haven’t seen the play. I was hooked either way!

Let’s rewind a bit. In season four’s ‘Sorcerer’ episode, the show didn’t just reveal Vecna’s backstory; it also showed that Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) has been unknowingly absorbing power from the hive mind for years, which explained his constant chills.

The show revealed that even Vecna has a surprising weakness: the cave where Max is mentally hiding within his own mind.

In ‘Escape from Camazotz’, we learn what Vecna (formerly known as Henry and One) is actually trying to conceal. While Max and Holly (who is Nell Fisher) desperately seek a way out of the reality Vecna has created for them, they’re forced to revisit memories—but these aren’t their own.

In season 4 of Stranger Things, characters discovered a way to hide from Vecna’s attacks by escaping into cherished memories. Max was able to fight back against Vecna by concentrating on happy times with her friends, specifically her friendship with Eleven and a special school dance called the Snow Ball.

Memories aren’t always reliable, as Max pointed out to Holly in ‘Sorcerer’. When trying to escape Vecna’s mental world in ‘Escape from Camazotz’, they had to confront painful memories, forcing Holly to relive the Demogorgon attack that nearly killed her mother, Karen (Cara Buono). It’s also worth noting that everyone seems to have forgotten about Holly’s dad, Ted – a legitimate question!

As Max and Holly recalled different memories, they unexpectedly discovered a network of underground tunnels hidden in the desert. Strangely, neither of them recognized the place from their past.

Moving forward, the group finds an injured man clutching a briefcase. He yells for help, and then a young Henry Creel (played by Maksim Blatt) appears, revealing the connection they’d been missing.

‘Escape from Camazotz,’ penned by Trefry, the author of The First Shadow, is most closely linked to that earlier play.

We, along with Max and Holly, are stunned to see Henry kill someone for the first time, even though it’s in self-defense. In The First Shadow, Henry disappears inside a Nevada cave and comes out a different person. At the same time, a scientist is found dead in what seems like a separate incident.

‘Escape from Camazotz’ confirms that Henry was, in fact, the one who killed the scientist.

The scientist shot Henry and hurt his own hand, then took the time to reload his gun. This gave Henry an opportunity to fight back, and he not only took the gun away but also killed the scientist by crushing his skull with a rock.

Holly was defending Henry to me, saying he really was just trying to do the right thing. Honestly, I felt bad for the guy – he had to make a split-second choice, and it totally changed everything, not just for him, but for a lot of people involved.

Holly wonders if this is what turned Henry into a villain, but Max is tired of being inside Vecna’s memories and wants to focus on Kate Bush instead, and honestly, we understand why.

Max tells Holly to run, but she quietly goes back to watch Henry. He’s crying as he opens the briefcase he was protecting – it holds the key to Dimension X, just like in the book, The First Shadow.

During the play, Henry unintentionally brings himself and a scientist to another dimension, which exposes him to the Mind Flayer, also known as the Shadow Monster. Twelve hours later, Henry returns changed – his blood type and personality are different – and things quickly start to fall apart.

This season of Stranger Things revealed that the Upside Down isn’t actually a separate dimension. Instead, it’s a connection—a kind of bridge—between our world and another dimension the characters call the Abyss.

With the series finale, ‘The Rightside Up’, approaching, the kids of Hawkins have a big task ahead of them: not only defeat Vecna, but also sever the connection between our world and the dangerous Upside Down.

Similar to what we saw in season four, ‘Escape from Camazotz’ showed a more sympathetic side to Henry/Vecna. He wasn’t simply a villain; Dr. Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) experiments deeply affected him, just like Eleven and the other children with powers, and he’s not entirely to blame for becoming who he is.

The latest episodes reveal a connection to the play, suggesting a new way for Eleven to reach Henry and prevent Vecna from joining the Upside Down with our world.

With the final showdown approaching, Henry and Vecna seem beyond saving – Henry lost to darkness and Vecna too powerful and cruel. However, we wouldn’t be shocked if Stranger Things has a few last surprises up its sleeve to make the ending both spectacular and surprisingly compassionate.

The final episodes of Stranger Things will be released on Netflix on New Year’s Eve in the United States. Viewers in the UK can watch the finale starting at 1 AM on New Year’s Day because of the time difference.

Season 5 episodes 1-7 are streaming now, as are seasons 1-4.

The latest issue of Living Legends is out now, and it’s a special tribute to Dolly Parton! You can find ‘Dolly at 80’ in shops or order it online for only £8.99.

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2025-12-27 00:20