One of the most talked-about moments in Stranger Things season 5, volume 2 comes in episode five, “Shock Jock,” when Jamie Campbell Bower rapidly shifts through Vecna’s many forms in a single, chilling sequence.
The scene takes place as Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly (Nell Fisher) try to escape a “mindscape” prison created by Vecna. Hoping to find a way out hidden inside his memories, they revisit the moment Vecna first encountered Holly — even though she didn’t know he was there at the time.
When Vecna realizes his gentler disguise, Mr. Whatsit, no longer works on Holly, he loses control. In seconds, he morphs between that persona, his original human form Henry Creel, and finally the fully monstrous Vecna. It’s a visual representation of his fractured identity — and one of the most technically demanding scenes of the season.
Horror classics, and an unexpected influence
Bower says his performance was shaped by a wide mix of inspirations. Earlier seasons leaned heavily on gothic horror, including Dracula-style imagery. For season 4, he drew from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and the unsettling body language seen in Funny Games.
Season 5, however, brought in some new and surprising references.
Alongside the 2020 survival horror film Alone and actor Van Johnson’s performance in The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957), Bower revealed a very unexpected influence: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
He explained that he studied Fred Rogers, particularly as portrayed by Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. What stood out wasn’t warmth, but how calmness and gentleness could feel eerie when twisted into something darker.
Precision behind the transformation
To make the shape-shifting believable, Bower rehearsed obsessively. He practiced walking down the staircase in multiple versions of the character, carefully matching posture, movement, and timing.
The goal was consistency — keeping the body in the same physical space so the transitions wouldn’t feel jarring once edited together. The result is a seamless visual that reflects Vecna’s inner chaos rather than distracting from it.
Understanding Vecna as memory and loss
Bower sees Vecna not just as a monster, but as the embodiment of resentment — what he describes as a “vine around love.” Memory plays a huge role in that idea.
He questioned why Vecna would recreate the Creel house inside his mind. For Bower, it represents a twisted attempt to rebuild a sense of safety that Henry never truly had. The home should have been a refuge, but instead became the place where his childhood ended.
He also thought deeply about the smaller details: where Vecna might sleep, which room he’d choose, and why Henry’s childlike innocence still lingers beneath the horror.
Ties to The First Shadow
Season 5, volume 2 also connects directly to Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the prequel stage play that explores Henry’s early years.
In one key scene, Max and Holly uncover a memory Henry refuses to revisit — his first violent encounter during a secret government experiment in Nevada, which ultimately led to his powers and connection to the other dimension. While the contents of the mysterious briefcase remain unseen, its importance is clear.
Bower says the stage play helped validate ideas he already had about Henry, especially the character’s deep isolation and loneliness. Moments like Henry being struck by his mother reinforced the emotional foundation behind Vecna’s rage.
A villain shaped by broken innocence
For Bower, Vecna, Henry, and One are all expressions of the same broken core — a child who lost his innocence too early and never recovered.
That emotional depth is what makes Vecna so unsettling. He isn’t just a monster from another dimension — he’s a reflection of memory, trauma, and a warped desire for safety.
Stranger Things is streaming now on Netflix.
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