Stranger Things season 5 seems to be heading toward a battle between Eleven and Vecna, but there is a serious problem with Eleven potentially killing Vecna. Stranger Things has been a defining success for Netflix, but the show will be wrapping up for good with its fifth and final season. Stranger Things has been a streaming sensation, attracting fans from all ages and walks of life, so it's critical that Netflix ends the series in a satisfying and complete manner.
In Stranger Things season 4, Vecna was revealed as the series' ultimate villain. It turns out that Eleven and co. have been fighting against Vecna from the very beginning, they just did not know. It is fitting that Vecna, and all the trouble with Hawkins, can ultimately be traced back to Dr. Brenner and his cruel experiments. Regardless of where the trouble started though, Eleven will have to deal with Vecna one way or another in Stranger Things season 5, and it might be for the best if she does not kill him.
Eleven Killing Vecna May Not Solve Hawkins' Problems
The first problem with killing Vecna is that it might not solve Hawkins' problems. There is no way to say with certainty if killing Vecna in Stranger Things season 5 would close the Upside Down and remove the various horrors Vecna has inflicted upon Hawkins. Vecna is certainly the biggest threat to the town of Hawkins, but the creatures he has employed throughout Stranger Things would not necessarily be eliminated by his death, nor would the gates to the Upside Down he has opened be shut.
If Vecna dies without closing the gates or destroying the monsters in his employ, it would leave and Eleven with loads of work to do. Dealing with Vecna will likely take up the vast majority of Stranger Things season 5, which would leave little time for Eleven to close off the Upside Down if Vecna's death did not accomplish that. It may be that finding a way to turn Vecna away from evil is the only way to fit everything into one season. Moreover, a tidy battle between Eleven and Vecna that solves everything all at once, seems far too simple for a show like Stranger Things.
Eleven Proved She Can Enter Minds In Stranger Things 4
Stranger Things season 4 may have demonstrated how Eleven could deal with Vecna without killing him by proving that she can enter people's minds. She does so towards the end of Stranger Things season 4 when she remotely enters Max's mind to protect her from Vecna. This power could be the key to defeating Vecna whether she kills him or not. If she can enter Vecna's mind, she may be able to convince him to stand down or close the Upside Down.
Eleven could probably defeat Vecna solely with her telekinetic powers, she already did so once after all, but the ability to enter people's minds seems too important to add to Stranger Things season 4 if it does not have a further purpose. Her ability to enter Max's mind was critical in Stranger Things season 4, but it still seems like that particular power should have a larger role to play. It could be the perfect tool for dealing with Vecna in Stranger Things season 5, and it could serve whatever ending Stranger Things has in mind.
Henry Creel Is A Stranger Things Brenner Victim (Like Eleven)
Just like Eleven, Henry Creel, also known as Vecna or Number 1, is just another victim of Dr. Martin Brenner's twisted experiments. This connection could be the key to Eleven's defeat or conversion of Vecna. If Eleven can make Vecna realize that it is Brenner alone who is to blame, and that he should not try to destroy the world just to get back at one man, then perhaps she can convince him to seal off the Upside Down for good. Moreover, their history together in Brenner's lab makes Eleven the only person who has a chance of changing Vecna.
If Vecna dies in Stranger Things season 5, his story would become the most tragic in the series, if it is not already. Vecna was twisted from his early childhood by Dr. Brenner and shaped into the horrifying monster shown in Stranger Things season 5. His actions might be irredeemable, but at the heart of it, he is a victim. At the least, Eleven should attempt to change Vecna and make him realize that they are not so different, even if she is forced to kill him anyway.
Eleven Redeeming Vecna Fits Stranger Things' Themes Better
The most important reason that Eleven should try to redeem Vecna is that it would fit Stranger Things' themes better. As hated as Vecna is, Eleven simply blowing him apart with her powers would not be the most satisfying ending. The redemption of Vecna, on the other hand, would fit Stranger Things' themes and scope much more neatly. The idea of using reason and emotion to defeat an enemy is much more meaningful than violently destroying them. Especially, when considering how similar Eleven and Vecna's stories are.
Eleven must see some of herself in Vecna, considering how well they know each other and that they were once allies. Both were corrupted by Brenner, and both struggled to be normal when they lived in the real world. It would therefore make more sense for Eleven to show Vecna that it's possible to go through what they did without turning evil. Their journeys are too parallel for Eleven not to be conflicted about killing Vecna. As evil as he is, it could have been her that was broken by Brenner and turned into a monster, and Eleven is sure to recognize that.
That being said, Stranger Things season 5 could end the show by showing that redemption is possible instead of making violence the answer. Eleven's victimhood is thematically central to her character, and she is bound to sympathize with Vecna because of that. Their differences show the variability of outcomes when someone is so cruelly victimized, and it would be a shame if Stranger Things season 5 did not wrap that theme up by emphasizing the possibility of redemption, even for someone like Vecna. At the least, Stranger Things needs to make a point of attempting redemption before committing to violence.