Warning: Spoilers for Stranger Things season 4, volume 2
A moment in Stranger Things season 4, episode 1 perfecting foreshadowed Eleven not killing Vecna. Despite being hundreds of miles away from the main conflict in Stranger Things season 4, Eleven always felt like the characters’ best hope of stopping the villain. But even though she got her powers back, Henry Creel was able to live to see another day.
A shocking revelation that came at the end of Stranger Things season 4 volume 1 confirmed that not only do Vecna and Eleven have history, but she actually defeated him in the secret government facility several years ago. That seemingly increased the chances of her being able to take him down at the end of the season. And while she did ultimately gain an advantage against Vecna when they faced off in Max’s mind in the finale, she didn’t kill him, nor could she stop him from making Max his fourth victim. Finishing him off was left up to Nancy, Robin, and Steve, who couldn’t stop the monster from escaping Creel’s house in the Upside Down. As a result, Vecna is poised to return as the show’s final villain for Stranger Things season 5.
While there may have been an expectation for season 4 to end with Eleven triumphing over Number One, Vecna surviving his battle with her was quietly hinted at in the premiere. During Eddie Munson’s Dungeon & Dragons campaign where the Hellfire Club had to pit their party against Vecna’s namesake, there was a point where it was down to just Dustin and Erica to finish him off. Dustin rolled an “11”, which did damage to Vecna, but not enough to take away all of the lich’s remaining hit points. It was Erica’s “20” that proved to be the nail in the coffin for the D&D antagonist. The group being able to hurt (but not kill) Vecna with a roll of “11” is essentially a secret metaphor for what went down in the season’s final battle.
Why Eleven Could Be Powerful Enough To Kill Vecna In Season 5
Eleven didn’t kill Vecna, but that doesn’t mean she won’t beat him in Stranger Things season 5. “Piggybacking” into Max’s consciousness gave her a chance to fight him, but it’s hard to say if it was ever possible for her to kill him without being in proximity to his physical body. Things could be different if and when they meet again, especially since Eleven has found a better way to use her powers. Like Vecna, Eleven drew her strength from anger in the past, but two moments in season 4 saw her use love as an amplifier for her abilities. Her mother’s love was the key to Eleven’s victory in Stranger Things’ flashback story, and Mike’s assurance of his love for Eleven was what turned the tide in the finale. This new knowledge of how her powers work can be the key to defeating Vecna for good.
The main characters had a solid plan to kill Vecna in Stranger Things season 4 volume 2, but in spite of all of their hard efforts to win, nothing they did was enough to stop Vecna from unleashing the Upside Down on Hawkins. Eleven succeeded in temporarily incapacitating Vecna, but her big moment came too late and enabled him to finish his plan. It also didn’t help that Steve, Nancy, and Robin failed to prevent his escape. They’ll need a better-executed plan – and a stronger performance from Eleven – to rectify this in Stranger Things season 5.