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Spoiler Warning!
This article or section reveals details from the fourth season. |
Vecna[2] is the main antagonist from the fourth season of Stranger Things. He is portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower as an adult and by Raphael Luce as a child.
A fearsome sentient creature aligned with the Upside Down, Vecna had humble origins as the human Henry Creel. After moving to a new home in Hawkins in March 1959, the young Henry discovered he had remarkable psychokinetic abilities, and could alter the perception of others. Motivated by a nihilistic and misanthropic philosophy, Henry used his powers to psychologically torture his family, eventually killing his mother and sister, and then framing his father for these crimes, which drove him to madness.
These events would draw the interest of Dr. Martin Brenner, who took him to Hawkins National Laboratory to be studied; Henry was designated 001, becoming the laboratory's first test subject. Brenner implanted Soteria into Henry's neck, a miniature device that suppressed his powers and tracked his every movement; in Henry's own words, he had become a 'prisoner'. In time, Henry became one of several orderlies who assisted Brenner and attended to the lab. Brenner would go on to replicate Henry's powers in a number of child test subjects, who also had their movements restricted to the lab's confines.
In 1979, Henry tricked test subject Eleven into removing the Soteria chip with her powers. In a fit of rage, Henry used his restored powers to brutally murder the other test subjects, and attempted to do the same to Eleven. However, Eleven stood her ground and ultimately overpowered him, sending him to the Upside Down, where he was gradually transformed into the being known as Vecna.
In 1986, Vecna resurfaced and began murdering a host of Hawkins residents, tormenting his victims with his curse power and using their deaths to open a series of new gates. Dustin, Nancy, Max and others began investigating the murders, nicknaming the murderer 'Vecna' after a character from Dungeons & Dragons.
History
- Main Article: Vecna/History
Personality
Henry Creel was motivated by a nihilistic, misanthropic and egocentric philosophy; he desired to reshape the world to his own design, considering humanity a species of corrupted and power-hungry parasites who have no regard of the world and the other living being. As a consequence, he doesn't have mercy or empathy for other humans, and find himself gratified by killing, torturing and tormenting people, massacring almost all of his family and all the other test subjects. In general, he is sadistic, cruel and viscid with every human that he encounters, at the point that he is ready to do everything possible to eradicate all of humanity and re-create the world. However, his sadistic and predatorial nature go beyond every of his convictions: he tortures and torments emotionally unstable teenagers, making them revive their traumas and obscure past, all for his own enjoyment, before slowly massacring them by breaking their bones and gauging their eyes out.
Henry would prove to be highly manipulative and intelligent when he convinced Eleven to remove the 'Soteria' neck chip suppressing his powers. Although his kind demeanor proved to be a facade, he seemed to show genuine interest in furthering his friendship with Eleven; however, Eleven had no interest in helping Henry execute his plans and turned against him.
After Henry transforms into the being known as Vecna, he becomes even more malevolent, delighting in the torment that he brings to those that he curses. In his mindscape, corpses of his victims are displayed in a horrific fashion, showing that Vecna is proud of the unspeakable crimes that he has committed.
Powers and Abilities
- Telepathy: As one of the most powerful psychics introduced thus far, Henry Creel is able to see into the minds of others and search their memories as a means to obtain personal and private information that he might later use to terrorize his victims. It appears that Henry has recently learned to connect himself to the Mind Flayer, which seems to enhance his abilities so greatly that he is now able to telepathically reach across time and space in order to haunt the residents of Hawkins, Indiana in spite of existing within a completely separate dimension.
Vecna while connected to vines in the Upside Down Creel House
- Illusions: Henry has the psychic ability to induce mental hallucinations that cause his victim(s) to sense and experience nonexistent phenomena that are not actually playing out in the physical world. Whilst his ability to manipulate one's perception of reality appears to be strongest in the "dream world", even in their waking state, Henry can create realistic daydreams that are completely believable to those he chooses to experience. Whilst he often creates scenarios that are unique and personal to his target (i.e. Chrissy's abusive mother banging on the restroom stall or Max's mother hanging laundry in the backyard), his signature illusion is causing his victims to see and hear the loud chime of an antique grandfather clock.
- Astral Projection: Through his connection with the Mind Flayer, Henry is able to cast his consciousness from outside of his physical body to explore the private lives of the people living in Hawkins. It is currently unknown if Henry can project his consciousness beyond the borders of this one city, however, it is more than likely that he can given the numerous times that Jane Hopper has astral projected across state lines and Henry is believed to be equally as powerful, if not more so, than his "sister" Eleven.
- Pain Inducement: Henry is able to inflict minor forms of physical injuries on his victims such as nosebleeds and severe headaches. Whether he is inflicting this pain intentionally or if this is merely a side effect of linking his mind to another remains unknown. However, because Henry seems to require a certain level of vulnerability from his victims in order to fully possess them, it is possible that this pain inducement is the first step to weakening his target in order to gain more and more power over them.
- Psionic Connection: Henry has the ability to develop a deep and powerful psychic connection with his victims. It is through this connection that Henry is able to open multiple wormholes between the Upside Down and Hawkins, Indiana due to the powerful expulsion of energy that is released through the ritualistic murders of his victims.
- Psionic Resistance: As demonstrated in Jane Hopper's memories, psychics can resist each other's influence if their will is powerful enough. However, this resistance can be overwhelmed by whichever psychic has the stronger willpower.
- Telekinesis: Henry has the ability to control and manipulate solid matter with his mind. At first, this power was limited to lightweight materials, such as small animals and the hands on a grandfather clock, but through practice and training, Henry is now powerful enough to influence objects as heavy as fully grown adults and solid steel doors. Henry famously uses this power to levitate his victims in midair before breaking all of the bones in their body and crushing their eyes into the back of their skull.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: It appears that since his banishment to the Upside Down, Henry has developed the ability to rapidly regenerate his cells at will. This enables him to quickly heal from any and all non-fatal injuries as proven when his tentacles were shown to fully recover mere seconds after Max slashed him. Therefore, minor damages like cuts and flesh wounds will rejuvenate almost immediately, whilst greater injuries like broken bones or gunshot wounds will presumably take longer to heal but will still recover significantly faster than it does most humans. Even more so, his healing powers have apparently made him immune to most, if not all, forms of toxins and disease due to the fact that he has survived several years in the Upside Down in spite of the atmosphere becoming toxic to humans after prolonged exposure.
Weaknesses
- Exhaustion: Similar to the physical muscles that are found within the human body, excessive use of his psionic abilities without proper rest or treatment will result in deadly levels of fatigue and weariness. Henry explained to Eleven how he almost died after using too much of his power as a child which surrendered him into a coma for two to three weeks.
- Music: It appears that the soundwaves that are created by the rhythmic frequencies of musical sources can reach sensitive centers of the human brain that basic vocabulary cannot. As such, the barrier between the real world and the dream world where Henry imprisons his victims is temporarily opened. This process will disillusion his victims whilst also providing them a means to escape.
- Soteria: A scientific device of unknown technology that apparently neutralizes all forms of psychic energy.
- Willpower: Psychics with a stronger force of will can overpower Henry and attack him with their own abilities.
Description
Vecna was a human being who has been transformed by The Upside Down in an unknown manner. He retains the psychic abilities that Henry Creel once possessed; the ability to reach into the minds of others, as well as the power of telekinesis.
When connected to tendrils in The Upside Down, Vecna is able to see into the minds of people living in Hawkins. His victims are, so far, teenagers with vulnerable minds. His choice of victims appears to be random, but it is likely that they are chosen primarily due to one trait shared among them all; they reject and hide from a part of themselves (Chrissy; Bulimia, Fred; Murder, Patrick; Alcoholism, Max; Losing Billy), which is a habit that Henry Creel despised about human beings.
Victims
Deceased
Sufferers of Vecna's curse
- Virginia Creel - Bones snapped/eyes gouged out on March 25, 1959. Subjected to visions of black widow spiders.
- Chrissy Cunningham — Bones snapped and eyes gouged out on March 21, 1986.[3] Subjected to distressing hallucinations involving her parents.
- Fred Benson — Bones snapped, and eyes gouged out on March 22, 1986.[4] Subjected to visions of traumatic memories.
- Patrick McKinney — Bones snapped, and eyes gouged out on March 25, 1986.[5] Likely subjected to visions related to familial abuse.
Other
- Alice Creel - Bones snapped/eyes gouged out on March 25, 1959.
- Unnamed Hawkins National Laboratory guard - Neck snapped on September 8, 1979.
- Selee - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
- Miller - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
- Six - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
- Dr. Ellis - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
- Alec - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
- Ten - Injuries apparently sustained from being hit by a door on September 8, 1979.
- Four unnamed Hawkins National Laboratory guards - Killed on September 8, 1979.
- Two unnamed Hawkins National Laboratory orderlies - Killed on September 8, 1979.
- Two - Bones snapped and eyes gouged out on September 8, 1979.
Survived
Sufferers of Vecna's curse
- Victor Creel — Targeted on March 25, 1959, attempted suicide after witnessing the attack.
- Max Mayfield — Targeted on March 23, 1986. Subjected to visions of her deceased stepbrother Billy Hargrove and Vecna's Mindscape.
- Nancy Wheeler — Targeted on March 26, 1986[6]. Subjected to a vision involving Vecna's Mind Lair, the corpse of her deceased friend Barb, and the secret origins of Henry Creel.
Other
- Martin Brenner — Targeted on September 8, 1979.
- Eleven — Targeted on September 8, 1979.
- Two unnamed Hawkins National Laboratory guards - Attacked on September 8, 1979.
Appearances
Season Four appearances | |||
The Hellfire Club | Vecna's Curse | The Monster and the Superhero | |
Dear Billy | The Nina Project | The Dive | |
The Massacre at Hawkins Lab | Papa | The Piggyback |
Quotes
As Henry Creel
To Eleven:
- "The truth is just the opposite. You are better than they are. Superior. It is why you frighten them."
- "He found his strength in a memory from his past. Something that made him sad. But also, angry."
- "Well, well, look who decided to join us. Someone's a sleepyhead this morning."
As Vecna
To Chrissy:
- "It’s time... for your suffering to end."
To Max:
- “Nothing will happen to you... Nothing that you don’t deserve!”
To Fred:
- "Join me."
Behind the scenes
The human version of the character was first revealed on November 20, 2020 via the show's official social media accounts along with several other new characters.[7] In the announcement, the character was named Peter Ballard. This was later revealed to be an alias most likely used not to give away important story elements. Henry was originally described as, "a caring man who works as an orderly at a psychiatric hospital. Tired of the brutality he witnesses day after day, will Peter finally take a stand?".
In January of 2021, Jamie Campbell Bower was first spotted filming at the studio alongside other cast members.[8]
The transformed version of the character was officially revealed on April 12, 2022 via the show's official trailer.[9]
Conception and design
The Duffers have named classic horror antagonists Freddy Krueger, Pennywise, and Pinhead as the primary inspirations for Vecna. Concept artist Michael Maher worked with the Duffers to develop Vecna’s design.[2]
Production
Wanting to pay homage to the first season and return to practical effects, the effects for Vecna were 90% practical. Makeup artist Barrie Gower, who has previously worked on Game of Thrones and Chernobyl, created the prosthetics for Vecna. The vines protruding from Vecna’s back are CGI.[2]
Gallery
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For this subject's gallery, see Vecna/Gallery. |
Trivia
- Vecna is the third character in Stranger Things to be named after a character from D&D, following the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer.
References
- ↑ In "The Monster and the Superhero," a newspaper clipping states Henry was 12 in 1959. 1959-12 is 1947.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Stranger Things Season 4: Exclusive Trailer Breakdown With The Duffer Brothers" IGN. April 12, 2022
- ↑ "The Hellfire Club"
- ↑ "Vecna's Curse"
- ↑ "The Nina Project"
- ↑ "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab"
- ↑ Official Twitter thread revealing characters introduced in Season 4. November 20, 2020
- ↑ https://twitter.com/StrangerNews11/status/1354470014548668418
- ↑ ST4 Trailer
Locations | The Upside Down • Creel House • Curse gates • Gates • Hawkins • Hawkins National Laboratory • Lover's Lake • Public Library • Hawkins Middle School • Hawkins Tunnel System • Mothergate • Trailer Park |
---|---|
Entities | D'Artagnan • Demobat (species) • The Demogorgon • Demogorgon (species) • The Flayed • Hospital Monster • The Mind Flayer • Russian Demogorgon • The Spider Monster • Hawkins Tunnel System • Vecna • Vines |
The Flayed | Billy Hargrove • Heather Holloway • Bruce Lowe • Tom Holloway • Janet Holloway • Doris Driscoll |
Visitors | Robin Buckley • Joyce Byers • Will Byers • Eleven • Steve Harrington • Dustin Henderson • Barbara Holland • Jim Hopper • Max Mayfield • Eddie Munson • Bob Newby • Shepard • Lucas Sinclair • Mike Wheeler • Nancy Wheeler |
Miscellaneous | Upside Down Egg • Dungeons & Dragons • The Void • The Keys • Vecna's curse • Vecna's Mind Lair |
Articles may contain spoilers. |