Is Stranger Things' Upside Down The Same as Vecna's Mind?
How far are the creators willing to go in their quest to compare the series to D&D? Perhaps all the answers lie beneath the surface?
The Upside Down ruled by Vecna is a dark, eerie dimension which has been the subject of much speculation among Stranger Things fans, with many theories proposed as to what it is and where it came from.
In Dungeons & Dragons, the board game that inspired Stranger Things, Vecna is a powerful and evil deity who was once a mortal wizard.
He became obsessed with attaining godhood and made a deal with a demon prince to gain immense magical abilities.
However, his ambition led to his downfall, as his own body and soul were consumed by his power.
Vecna's legacy has been featured in several D&D campaigns and adaptations, including the Greyhawk setting, which is the main inspiration for Stranger Things.
The theory that the Upside Down is the same as Vecna's mind has some intriguing similarities and differences.
On the one hand, both concepts involve a parallel dimension that is linked to the normal world but distorted by supernatural forces.
The Upside Down is described as a dark and decaying version of Hawkins, populated by creatures called demogorgons who hunt and kill humans.
The Mind of Vecna, on the other hand, is a more abstract and metaphysical realm that represents the corruption of power and knowledge.
It is not a physical place that can be entered or explored like the Upside Down, but a mental state that can infect and control the minds of those exposed to its influence.
In season 4, we saw Henry Creel (aka Vecna, aka 001) rebuild his home in the Upside Down, with special attention paid to the odd clock that plays a key role in the series.
But the consciousness of a little boy, and then of a terrible villain, is a little different from the real world he tried to recreate in another dimension.
For example, Nancy found differences in her diary, which was not complete. Time flows differently in the Upside Down (if it does at all), and Henry's mind is unable to fully transfer Hawkins into his own dimension.
Despite these differences, the theory that the Upside Down is the same as Vecna's mind raises some interesting questions about the nature of reality, power, and morality in both Stranger Things and D&D.
For example, it suggests that the Upside Down may not be a simple case of good vs. evil, but a more ambiguous and complex phenomenon that reflects the human condition.
But while admirers of the series crave their answers, the show's creators are in no hurry to provide them. Filming of the fifth and final season will not begin until June 2023.
Source: Reddit