‘Stranger Things' creators redefine Vecna's choices in finale

Stranger Things series showrunners, Ross and Matt Duffer, opened up about the one of the most burning questions from the season finale.

Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the villain in the series, Vecna also known as Henry Creel, transformed into the villain through a combination of traumatic experience to an otherworldly entity the Mind Flayer in the Upside Down.

In an interview with Tadum, Ross shed light on Vecna’s insistence that his alliance with the Mind Flayer was entirely his own choice, despite Will Byers (Noah Schnaap) suggestion of long-term possession.

In the final episode it is revealed that Henry is reflecting on his past while rejecting the idea that he has been controlled like Will was in the earlier seasons.

The moments sparked a debate among fans about the true nature of Herny’s villainy.

“We did discuss with the writers’ room if he could have a Billy [Dacre Montgomery] moment where he turns against the Mind Flayer [in a] Darth Vader-type situation,” Ross explained.

However, the more they talked about it with the writers and with Bower, the showrunner said about the villain, “he’s gone so far at this point to get here, he has to justify everything he’s done. And the only way to justify that is to go, “I chose this, and I believe in this still.”

He noted that while Vecna appeared shaken by his old memories, redemption was in his story. “He’s too far gone at this point to turn against the Mind Flayer,” Ross added.

Ross concluded his statement by saying that he has left it to fans “in terms of whether young Henry did choose this or whether it was simply the Mind Flayer controlling him from beginning to end.”

However, he still emphasised that “in terms of where Henry goes, it doesn’t matter because he chooses the side of the Mind Flayer at the end of the day.”

Stranger Things season five is now streaming on Netflix.