Stranger Things Season 5 Fully Embraces the Vecna Retcon
Stranger Things season 5 confirms and expands the show's major retcon that reshapes the entire series history. The finale of season 4 revealed that Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower, was the true mastermind behind the events in Hawkins. This powerful psychic antagonist is a dark reflection of Eleven who created the Mind Flayer and took control of the Upside Down.
Vecna’s Influence and Hawkins’ Crises
Season 5 clarifies the extent of Vecna’s control and responsibility for Hawkins’ troubles. The new opening scene features a flashback to season 1, showcasing a younger Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) trapped in the Upside Down. This scene reveals that even the Demogorgon had been serving Vecna, and Will was intentionally exposed to the Mind Flayer’s influence.
Season 4 Retcon Completion
"It was you," Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven realized as she confronted Vecna in season 4. "It was always you."
This moment completes the narrative twist introduced in season 4, dramatically altering the show’s overarching storyline by confirming Vecna as the ultimate villain behind Hawkins’ darkest events.
Author’s Summary
Stranger Things season 5 deepens the series’ mythology by confirming Vecna as the true evil, reshaping past events and setting up a climactic final battle involving Eleven.