Stranger Things Nearly Linked Hopper and Joyce to Vecna’s Past

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have disclosed that an early version of the fifth series featured a moment where Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper come to the realisation that their acquaintance with the show’s main antagonist, Vecna, stretches back much further than anyone suspected. Rather than their connection beginning with the events surrounding Will’s disappearance, it turns out both characters once attended school alongside Henry Creel, the boy who would later become the infamous villain of the Upside Down.

When asked whether such a scene ever existed in the script, Ross Duffer responded,

“Yeah, I’m sure there was. We had to walk a fine line with the play – we don’t want to frustrate, because so much of our audience is unable to see it. To have them start talking about it would have been confusing in the context of someone who hasn’t seen the play. But I’m sure they did have that conversation.”

The Stage Play Connection

Currently running both on Broadway and in London’s West End, Stranger Things: The First Shadow serves as a prequel, set in 1959. The play follows the Creel family as they settle in Hawkins, with their son Henry displaying telekinetic abilities. As the family’s arrival coincides with a series of unsettling events in the town, the play also introduces younger versions of Joyce and Hopper as Henry’s classmates, providing a glimpse into their early lives and relationships.

Matt Duffer explained the delicate balance required when integrating the play’s narrative with the television series, stating,

“We really needed the final season to be exactly as it would have been without the play. The play is Henry’s backstory after he’s infected by the Mind Flayer. But this is how the season was going to play out regardless.”

Maintaining Narrative Consistency

The Duffers were careful not to let the events of the stage production overly influence the television storyline, ensuring that viewers who had not seen the play would not be left confused. The omitted scene, which would have seen Joyce and Hopper discussing their shared past with Henry Creel, was ultimately left out to avoid alienating a significant portion of the audience.

All episodes of the fifth series are now available to stream, with the show’s conclusion prompting much discussion among fans. For those interested in further exploration, reviews and detailed breakdowns of the finale are readily accessible.