Jamie Campbell Bower Says Stranger Things Fans Have Missed A Mr. Whatsit Detail, And They Have Theories

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Warning: This contains spoilers for the final episodes of Stranger Things Season 5! If you haven’t finished watching yet, you can stream it on Netflix.

While we’re starting to plan Netflix releases for 2026, many viewers are still discussing the recent finale of Stranger Things. People are especially curious about what the ending means for Eleven, and what will happen to characters like Max and Dustin. Beyond the finale, fans are also revisiting earlier moments in the series – a popular clip of Jamie Campbell Bower hinting that viewers overlooked a clue about Mr. Whatsit has sparked a lot of discussion and theories online.

What Jamie Campbell Bower Said About Fans Missing A Mr. Whatsit Detail

Before the final part of Stranger Things Season 5 is released, Sarah El-Mahmoud from TopMob interviewed Jamie Campbell Bower. She asked if there were any hidden details in Mr. Whatsit’s outfits for fans to watch out for. Bower didn’t give a direct answer, but he mentioned a detail he and director Frank Darabont (who directed “The Turnbow Trap” in the first volume) discussed that viewers haven’t noticed yet.

You know, something interesting came up when I was talking with Frank Darabont about Volume 1. It’s a detail nobody seems to have noticed yet. We had a really in-depth conversation about it, and while it doesn’t become a major plot point, we both thought it would be amazing to explore further. It was one of those ‘what if?’ ideas that really stuck with us, and honestly, I’m still thinking about it.

@cinemablend ♬ original sound – cinemablend

This comment followed Campbell Bower’s mention of small but noticeable details, such as his red tie. But it was his remark about what viewers hadn’t noticed that really sparked conversation among fans online.

The Theories Fans Came Up With About Mr. Whatsit

Interestingly, when Holly arrives in Mr. Whatsit’s world, she discovers a Tiffany cassette tape and a boombox. This detail about Vecna’s preferences in this dimension really caught the attention of many fans, as several pointed out in the comments. For instance, one commenter, maryashton7, wrote:

Henry gave Holly a cassette player and a tape of her favorite song, hoping it would help her escape. He’s trying to be subtle about it, though, so the Mind Flayer doesn’t suspect his plan.

Now that Stranger Things has finished, while I briefly felt some sympathy for Henry and even wondered if he might help Will and the others, that didn’t pan out. One thing that felt unresolved was the reason behind the cassette tape and boombox – the show never really explained their purpose, which left fans to come up with their own theories.

  • Probably talking about mr whatsit giving holly the boombox and her favorite song -lncidensen
  • Henry gave Holly a boom box and a tape of her favorite song. my theory: he gave it to her so she could find her way out like Max with the Kate Bush song. -jax
  • Henry gave Holly his favourite song… what if Henry is trying to escape too. Honestly I think the Upside Down was a psychic prison Kali created after realizing how dangerous Henry was. Vecna isn’t the original villain, he’s just what Henry became inside her illusion. He’s not trying to destroy the world, he’s trying to escape it, and that’s why he needs Eleven. And Will being spared makes total sense too… he’s Vecna’s anchor, the one thing tying him to the real world, so killing him would mean losing his only way out. -siompao

It’s now clear that Kali wasn’t the villain, and Vecna and the Mind Flayer were actually responsible for everything. I’m starting to think the boombox—and why Mr. Clarke gave it to Holly—is what Campbell Bower hinted at in our interview. This seems likely since that scene happened in the episode Frank Darabont directed in the first volume.

I also found other theories interesting. For instance, in Episode 6, Holly connects the cave’s ‘M’ shape to a design on her spyglass, which leads her and Max to a tunnel. This tunnel reveals a memory of Henry killing a man with a briefcase and ultimately shows them how to escape Camazotz. Interestingly, one fan figured this out even before Volume 2 was released – and before Holly or I did! Another fan, Dreja, pointed out that Mr. Whatsit’s hat also shared this same shape.

OMG THE TOP OF HIS HAT LOOKS LIKE THE SHAPE OF THE CAVE AND THE CAP OF THE TELESCOPE

That was a surprising revelation and honestly made me think about something Jamie Campbell Bower mentioned. There were also a lot of other interesting theories shared in the comments. One fan noticed that Holly’s outfit included a red Boy Scout tie, which is the same one Henry wore in the scene where he killed the man with the briefcase. Yxen commented:

Could be how Holly puts on Henry’s Boy Scout tie before heading into the woods.

It’s also interesting to point out that Mr. Whatsit’s clothes share the same colors as young Henry’s Boy Scout uniform.

Fans came up with some really interesting ideas, and even though we never got a definitive answer – not even after the show finished – they’re still fun to think about.

Now that Stranger Things has finished, I’m really fascinated to see what fans will continue to focus on – things like the details about Mr. Whatsit and his choices, for example. There’s so much to think about with that show, and I love seeing everyone on social media dissecting it and sharing how much they enjoyed it. It’s amazing how much adoration there is for that Netflix hit!

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2026-01-02 19:10