Major spoilers for the fourth season of Netflix's Stranger Things down below.
The final two episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 were a lot to take in. Even before Vol. 2 was released fans were already faced with those serious Vecna-related deaths (which featured some amazing effects), and they were enough to give anyone all the feels. Also, Millie Bobby Brown -- whose character Eleven goes through a very emotional journey while taking down the evil threatening Hawkins -- found herself breaking down into tears on the set. But why?
Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 4 may have given viewers a serious telepathic fight between Eleven and Vecna back when he was 001, but that had nothing on their rematch in Vol. 2! Of course, the biggest difference was that the teen was now facing the villain in his mutated form. While speaking with Variety, Vecna/001 actor Jamie Campbell Bower revealed that Millie Bobby Brown broke down in tears when she saw him decked out in his creature attire:
They brought her up into a position where she’s bound. I walked up to her [as Vecna] and she burst into tears. She wouldn’t look at me and she was visibly just disgusted by the whole thing.
I don't know what's scarier: the character's ultimate look or his backstory. At the end of Volume 1, fans learned that his name was Henry Creel, a disturbed young boy who murdered his mother and sister and fell into a coma before killing his dad. When he woke up, Dr. Brenner (Papa) took custody of him, and he became his first test subject (001). After manipulating Eleven to remove a chip that was controlling his telepathic powers, the young man went on a killing spree at Hawkins Lab, though El defeated him and sent him into the Upside Down. It was there that he was hit by lightning bolts and physically disfigured as a result.
By the events of Season 4, Vecna had been killing teens in an attempt to open a barrier between the Upside Down and Hawkins. Jamie Campbell Bower, who absolutely nails the role, knows just how creepy his character is. But thankfully, Millie Bobby Brown found a way to distinguish the man from the monster:
After she cried and I made it obvious that she knew it was me, one of the things she said was that, ‘I knew it was you when I could smell cigarettes,’ because I’m a smoker.
Just about anyone would probably lose it when coming face-to-face with the horrific character, especially when practical effects were used to transform the actor into Vecna. The Sweeney Todd alum needed 25 pieces of latex and silicone rubber material glued to his body using a medical adhesive. While 10% of the vine extensions attached to his body were CGI, everything else was as real as it gets. As a result, he would start his day at 3:00 a.m., spending seven and a half hours becoming Vecna. After filming his scenes for 10-12 hours, he would be back in the makeup chair for another hour to get it all removed. Talk about dedication!
It was wonderful to see more of Jamie Campbell Bower's work during the final episodes. Though unfortunately, we now won't see any more of it until the final season of Stranger Things series arrives. Surely it'll be worth the wait, though, as Bower and his co-stars will likely bring their A-game. It'll probably be an emotional send-off as well, one that could have us in tears like Millie Bobby Brown.
To see Vecna's look in all of its scary glory, watch the entire fourth season of Stranger Things using your Netflix subscription. Those looking for other shows to watch can find them through CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule.
