Fans of Stranger Things believe they have identified a new villain in the fifth and final season, and it is not Vecna. The first episode of season five, released on Netflix on November 27, continues the Hawkins gang's struggle after their defeat by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) in season four. Warning: spoilers follow.
In season five, Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) flees from Vecna and discovers a cave in his mind that he is too scared to enter. Fans are convinced that the Mind Flayer, the monstrous entity from season three, is inside. One fan wrote online: 'Guys mind flayer is the real enemy, much bigger than Vecna.' Another added: 'Vecna was legit scared when he approached that cave.'
Some fans suggest that Vecna may be merely an agent of the Mind Flayer. One commenter stated: 'He basically just works as an agent of the mind flayer, it’s right hand man to do as it pleases.' Others speculate about a power struggle between the two entities. A fan noted that in Dungeons & Dragons, Vecna is a general in the Mind Flayer's army, as mentioned by Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) in the show.
Another theory posits that the Shadow Monster from season two is the ultimate evil, using Vecna as a tool to gain physical form. One fan said: 'Personally, I think the shadow monster is the ultimate evil of the show. The parasite invading our world using Vecna as its face, a tool to have physical form.' The Mind Flayer first appeared in season three as a giant, spider-like monster that possessed Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery).
