Vecna’s return in Stranger Things Season 5 isn’t shocking for fans, but his latest plan is far more complex than viewers might expect. After a three-year wait, Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 finally updates fans on the entire Hawkins gang.

Whether viewers want to see more of Eleven and Hopper, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will, or Robin, Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy, Volume 1 offers storylines for everyone. Unlike Season 4, the group isn’t as split up, making the action feel more fluid and the stakes even higher.

Yet not all is positive—Henry Creel/Vecna/001 returns as a bigger threat than ever. Using abducted children as psychic batteries, Vecna’s ultimate goal is to destroy Hawkins by targeting the town’s most innocent citizens. Here’s a detailed look at his plan.

Vecna’s Goal: “Reshape the World”

In Season 5, Volume 1, Vecna declares his goal: to “Reshape the world.” The season opens with a flashback to Season 1, showing the Demogorgon capturing Will in the Upside-Down and dragging him to Vecna’s lair. There, Will is injected with an unidentified substance that appears to strengthen the psychic bond between him and Vecna.

Vecna intends to repeat this process with more children, beginning with Holly Wheeler, Mike and Nancy’s younger sister. At the end of Episode 1, a Demogorgon bursts into Holly’s bedroom, overpowers her parents in the following episode, and drags her into the Upside-Down.

Holly then appears to walk toward a bright, serene house with her imaginary friend, “Mr. Whatsit.” But the friendliness of the scene quickly fades when Mr. Whatsit’s face is revealed—it’s Vecna. Holly has been led to the Creel House, which, thanks to Vecna’s manipulation of memories, seems undamaged and peaceful to both her and Henry.

Henry Creel informs Holly that her classmate Derek will soon join them, and that eventually, the rest of Hawkins’ schoolchildren will follow.

Why Vecna Targets Children

Vecna’s focus on Hawkins’ children serves several purposes:

1. Perceived Weakness: He believes children are weak in body and mind, making them easier to manipulate.

2. Vessels for Power: Like he did with Will, he uses abducted children as conduits, injecting them with a mysterious substance to create a psychic bond.

3. Strengthening Himself: The psychic link with the children powers Vecna, enhancing his abilities for the ultimate takeover of Hawkins.

Adults are expendable—Vecna does not hesitate to use Demogorgons to kill soldiers and civilians indiscriminately. But children serve a strategic purpose, fueling his plan psychically.

Vecna abducts children over consecutive nights: one on the first night (Holly), three the next, and eight more by the end of Episode 4. Will notices that Vecna’s lair has twelve places, indicating that he already has enough “vessels” to carry out his plan.

However, the flaw in Vecna’s strategy becomes evident when Will discovers he can turn the psychic link against Vecna. By the end of Episode 4, Will kills multiple Demogorgons at once, proving that Vecna underestimated him.

Will Byers’ Role in Vecna’s Plan

Vecna calls Will “the first”, recognizing him as the one who demonstrated what could be achieved by using children as vessels. Vecna’s history—including killing multiple children at Hawkins Lab during his escape—reinforced his belief that children are weak and expendable.

Yet this belief becomes Vecna’s downfall. In Hawkins Lab, Eleven defeated Henry Creel, disfiguring him and transforming him into Vecna. Similarly, in the present, Will draws strength from his past experiences, friendships, and family support.

By reconnecting with these moments, Will defies Vecna’s expectations. He uses his psychic power to take down numerous Demogorgons, showing that he is far from weak and turning the villain’s plan against him.

Vecna’s strategy of abducting children, using them as psychic batteries, and attempting to reshape Hawkins is ambitious, but it is also flawed. Will’s unexpected power, combined with his strong support network, begins to unravel Vecna’s plan.

While Vecna is stronger and more dangerous than ever, Volume 1 establishes that the heroes of Hawkins still have a chance to fight back—and that even the seemingly weakest individuals, like Will, can turn the tide against him.

Vecna’s return in Season 5 Volume 1 demonstrates his terrifying intelligence and power. His plan to abduct children and fuel his takeover of Hawkins is both complex and brutal. But Will’s growth, courage, and the strength of his relationships prove that even Vecna’s intricate strategy has vulnerabilities.

Fans can expect a tense, high-stakes continuation in the next episodes, with the battle between Hawkins’ heroes and Vecna reaching new heights.