Unravelling Vecna: How The First Shadow Shaped Stranger Things’ Villain

With the next instalment of Stranger Things set to delve into storylines introduced in the stage production The First Shadow, speculation has been rife among fans about the extent of the connection between the two. Jamie Campbell Bower, who brings Vecna to life on screen, has now shed light on the matter, revealing that the Henry Creel-focused prequel had a direct impact on his approach to the role in both the fourth series and the upcoming conclusion. He was, however, already considering the complexities of his character’s early years long before attending a performance at London’s Phoenix Theatre.

Reflecting on his process, the actor shared in a recent issue of SFX magazine,

“It's difficult to say this without sounding like a prick, because I'd spent so much time thinking about his childhood during filming. We were in lockdown before we started shooting season 4, so I had six months to stew on this. I would ask myself questions about the parental relationship, about this relationship with the primary caregivers... When I went to the stage show, and I saw that moment where [his mother] Virginia hits Henry, I was like, 'Of course that happens, and of course the father being an alcoholic creates a distance. This is a child screaming for love, just wanting to be loved, wanting to be nurtured. Unfortunately for the two actors who played my parents, the first and only thing I could say to them when I met them was, 'I hate you.' So it does inform those thoughts that I've been thinking, the work that I've been doing. To have that be qualified was good for me.”

Exploring Henry Creel’s Past

The fourth episode of the fifth series, titled ‘Sorcerer’, sees Max, still ensnared within Henry’s mindscape, confiding in young Holly Wheeler about her time spent reliving pivotal moments from Vecna’s life. Each journey through his memories inevitably leads her back to the Hawkins Lab on the day of the infamous Massacre. Yet, there’s a tantalising glimpse of another memory from 1959, when Henry attended school alongside Joyce, Hopper, and others, preparing for a production of Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! The First Shadow centres on this period, following a withdrawn Henry as he joins the school play after relocating from Nevada. During this time, he grapples with burgeoning psychokinetic abilities, acquired after a mysterious encounter with a shadowy presence prior to his arrival in Hawkins.

There’s a subtle nod to these events in the series, with Max taking refuge in the caves at the edge of Henry’s mindscape, where he resides in a seemingly perfect version of Creel House. This choice of setting offers a window into his psyche, hinting at unresolved issues from his formative years.

Recreating Home and the Roots of Resentment

Bower found it particularly striking that, given the freedom to construct any environment within his mindscape, Henry chose to recreate his family home. He mused on what this decision might reveal about the character’s need for healing and belonging. The actor explained that he came to see the house as a space Henry could finally claim as his own, a place to remake and perhaps mend in his own way.

Throughout his portrayal, Bower was guided by the notion that Henry’s bitterness and twisted sense of loss stemmed from a deep-seated feeling of having been deprived of everything he valued.

“When it comes down to it, he has bitter, twisted resentment: 'You took everything from me, so I'm going to take everything from you.' It is monstrous at the end of the day, with Henry, but I mean, poor boy. Just, poor boy.”

This perspective, shaped by both the play and his own reflections, has added new layers to the character’s motivations and the darkness that drives him.