Stranger Things Season 5 delivered one of the biggest twists in TV history: The Mind Flayer was the real mastermind all along, with Vecna just a deluded puppet. Season 4 seemed to flip everything by having Vecna claim he shaped the Mind Flayer – but it was all misdirection.
Fans thought Vecna was the Darth Vader-level villain and might possibly be redeemed some how. But that was not the case with him merging with the hive mind while denying the truth. Here’s the breakdown of the 7 subtle hints that the Mind Flayer was pulling the strings from the start.
7 Hidden Clues Proving the Mind Flayer Was Stranger Things’ Ultimate Villain
The Mind Flayer First Met Henry Creel at Age Eight
The official Broadway prequel The First Shadow shows young Henry encountering the Mind Flayer in Dimension X (later called the Abyss) after a Soviet spy incident. This gave him his powers – directly contradicting Vecna’s Season 4 story of “creating” the entity after banishment. It hinted Vecna was lying or manipulated.
The Mind Flayer Stalked Henry in Childhood
Season 4 flashbacks show kid Henry drawing the Mind Flayer, paralleling Will’s possession in Season 2. The First Shadow confirms it was influencing him early, with scenes of it as a stalking “monster.”
Vecna’s Fear of the Nevada Cave Memory
In Season 5, Vecna avoids reliving his Nevada origins because facing his first Mind Flayer encounter would shatter his ego and “I’m the boss” delusion.
Vecna’s Spyglass Was a Massive Easter Egg
Holly finds Henry’s spyglass in the Camazotz realm (Season 5), tying back to The First Shadow where he left it during his escape – a breadcrumb to his true manipulated origins.
Dustin’s D&D Lore Called Vecna the Mind Flayer’s “General”
The show’s D&D parallels are prophetic. Dustin describes Vecna as the Mind Flayer’s “five-star general” in Season 4 – not the leader, subtly foreshadowing the hierarchy.
Camazotz Realm Symbolism Screamed Mind Flayer Control
Named after the brain-controlled planet in *A Wrinkle in Time*, Season 5’s Camazotz mirrors how the shadowy Mind Flayer rules Vecna’s mind.
Vecna’s Subconscious Fear of “The Shadow”
Vecna tells the kids he’s recruiting them against “the Shadow” (obvious Mind Flayer imagery), but his instinctive terror reveals his buried knowledge of the true master.
Looking back, the Duffer Brothers planted these seeds masterfully – blending TV episodes with ‘The First Shadow’ for the ultimate payoff. Did you catch any of these on first watch?
Elara is a dynamic writer and blogger who specializes in pop culture and movie reviews. With a background in film studies and journalism, she combines her deep knowledge of the entertainment industry with a sharp, insightful writing style that keeps readers coming back for more.
