Stranger Things Season 5, which has recently launched on Netflix, unfolds its narrative three days prior to the fourth anniversary of Will’s disappearance, which occurred on November 3, 1987. The antagonist Vecna, portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower, continues to pose a significant threat as he seeks the opportune moment to attack. Additionally, the character Holly engages in a conversation with Mike about an imaginary friend named Mr. Whatsit, introducing a layer of intrigue to the storyline in Volume 1 of Season 5.
In Season 5 of Stranger Things, Mr. Whatsit is referenced by Holly (Nell Fisher) as a friend who has pledged to protect her from the monsters in Hawkins. This character is a nod to Mrs. Whatsit from the classic 1962 fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time. The story takes an intriguing turn when the ending of Episode 2 discloses that Mr. Whatsit actually represents Vecna’s human identity, Henry Creel, thus intertwining the series’ narrative with themes of cosmic guardianship and the duality of good and evil.
Vecna’s plan reveals his malicious intentions centered on kidnapping several children from Hawkins, including Holly, to transport them to a realm reflective of his psyche and childhood environment. Will comes to the realization that his visions grant him the ability to perceive the world through the eyes of Vecna’s current targets, facilitated by the hive mind of the Upside Down. In response, the group formulates a strategy to attach a tracker to the Demogorgon that Vecna has targeted, specifically aimed at a young boy named Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly), in an effort to trace the creature and ultimately locate Holly.
In Episode 3 of Stranger Things season 5, Holly discovers that Max, portrayed by Sadie Sink, has been psychically imprisoned within Vecna’s mindscape since the traumatic encounter in the Season 4 finale. The season is structured into two parts, with Volume 1 consisting of four episodes, while Volume 2 is set to release on Christmas, featuring three episodes in total. The highly anticipated finale is scheduled for New Year’s Eve.
