By James Hibbs

Published: Friday, 27 May 2022 at 12:00 am

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There’s a new danger threatening our heroes – but are they new at all?

Stranger Things season 4 is almost upon us, and with a new batch of (very long) episodes, comes a new villain to terrorise the Hawkins heroes.

While we’re sure those dastardly demogorgons will return for another bout, after one appeared in the season 3 post-credits scene, the main focus this time will be on brand-new antagonist Vecna.

Vecna is described by Netflix as “a new and horrifying supernatural threat” which presents “a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down”.

But just who is the new monster and what does he want? Read on for everything you need to know about season 4 villain Vecna?

**Spoiler warning for Stranger Things season 4**

Who is Vecna in Stranger Things season 4?

Vecna is the main antagonist of Stranger Things season 4.

Hailing from the Upside Down, Vecna has the ability to create illusions in people’s minds and then while they’re trapped in them, in the real world they stand there catatonic, start floating, then he breaks all their bones and their jaws and pops their eyes out – and then they die.

Just like the Demogorgons in seasons 1 and 2, Vecna is named after a Dungeons and Dragons antagonist, yet as is often the case with Stranger Things bears little resemblance to his namesake.

The creators have stated that they wanted Vecna to be unlike other Upside Down villains – providing a more cerebral character and one who moves slowly and is more humanoid.

Dustin Henderson star Gaten Matarazzo previously told RadioTimes.com that Nightmare on Elm Street was “a big inspiration” for the Duffer Brothers going into season 4, and that they had “wanted to really take it up a notch with everything… particularly in the horror realm”.

It, therefore, makes sense that Vecna shares clear similarities with Elm Street’s villain Freedy Krueger, in that he also insinuated himself into his victim’s minds, and pursues them through dream sequences before enacting his gruesome will.

Appropriately, Robert Englund, who played Krueger in that franchise, appears as creepy Victor Creel in this season.

The Duffer Brothers have also noted Pinhead from the Hellraiser series as an inspiration.

Now, **major spoiler warning**

Who is Vecna’s true identity?

Arturo Holmes/WireImage

Vecna is actually Peter Ballard, played by Jamie Campell Bower.

Initially appearing to be a kindly lab orderly in flashbacks, Peter turned out to be One – or 001 – the original subject of Dr Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) telekinetic/psychic experiments, but whose psychosis was so severe that the doctors repressed his powers with the chip while trying to recreate them in other children.

After previously having tricked Eleven into destroying the chip, Peter goes on a killing spree in the lab until a confrontation with Eleven ended in her casting him into the Upside Down – where after falling through various dimensions and sustaining various injuries, Peter was transformed into Vecna.

Vecna’s abilities mirror Eleven’s and his years in the Upside Down have only made him more powerful, setting the stage for an almighty showdown.

How does Vecna affect our heroes in Stranger Things 4?

Courtesy of Netflix

Vecna’s abilities mean that this is the biggest danger that our characters have faced yet.

Hopper star David Harbour telling Variety that “Vecna is a psychological horror that I don’t think we’ve really seen. The Upside Down has been this wild west world where there are creatures running around, there’s violence, but we’ve never seen something as calculatedly psychologically evil as this. That’s exciting because he is a true big bad that we’ve needed in the series.”

The new episodes suggest Vecna has been pulling the strings this entire time and sets him up as the central villain for the series.

With Harbour talking about Vecna as a “big bad” for the “series” does that mean he will continue on into season 5? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, Erica Sinclair actress Priah Ferguson told Variety that “Vecna is very scary. It’s something that messes with your mind. I think that’s gonna get the audience a little bit more freaked out because that freaks me out more than jumpscares.”

Stranger Things 4 part 1 is released on Netflix on Friday 27th May, with more coming on July 1st. Stranger Things seasons 1-3 are now available on Netflix. 

Check out our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.

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