Stranger Things Sets Up Vecna’s Replacement For Will Byers In Season 5

Summary Holly Wheeler is a new target for Vecna, repeating Will Byers' storyline.

Holly may be sent to the Upside Down, making her the perfect target for Vecna.

Holly's danger creates a last-battle scenario, exploring protective instincts as the series ends.

The latest Stranger Things video hints that Vecna may set his sights on a new target to terrorize. While Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) was the kid dragged into the Upside Down, which set the series in motion, Vecna's hold on the core Stranger Things party has weakened since then. The kids are older and have learned enough about how the Upside Down works to evade him. He needs another person, close to the group, to manipulate.

The Wheelers have always existed in the background of Stranger Things despite Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) working to save humanity every season. Mike and Nancy's parents seem utterly oblivious to what their children are doing, and their youngest child, Holly, has always been kept away from any action. Stranger Things recast Holly Wheeler for the fifth season, which is likely because she has a significant impact on the story moving forward.

2:29 Related Stranger Things Season 5's Time Jump Gets A Major Clue From New Eleven Reveal The latest behind-the-scenes video from Stranger Things season 5 sees Eleven's actor Millie Bobby Brown prove whether a time jump is likely.

It Looks Like Holly Wheeler Is Repeating Will Byers/Vecna's Season 1 Story In Stranger Things Season 5

Holly Wheeler May Be Sent To The Upside Down

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The latest behind-the-scenes look at Stranger Things shows Holly looking terrified as the lights flicker around her in her bedroom. While connected to the core cast, Holly has been entirely oblivious to what is happening in the town around her. She is unaware of the hellscape that lurks beneath Hawkins. Her ignorance could make her the perfect target for Vecna because it has the potential to draw out the core cast members to fight with him.

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Mike and Nancy would be motivated to defend their younger sister, while the rest of the cast would support their lifelong friends. Holly would be the most vulnerable because her siblings have spent years protecting her and their parents from what is happening around them. This conflict might also create an exciting story arc for Nancy and Mike, who could deal with the guilt of keeping this secret for so long.

Holly's Stranger Things Season 5 Setup Hints At Her Fulfilling Her Season 1 Steven Spielberg Comparisons

Holly is Stranger Thing's Carol Ann

The new focus on Mike and Nancy's sister could wind up tying back to some interesting comparisons to the work of Steven Spielberg early on in the series. Stranger Things has paid significant homage to Spielberg's work throughout its run. The bike scenes are often reminiscent of Elliot and the group rushing to get E.T. to his ship. As the show delves deeper into the horrific side of things, it seems fitting that they would model Holly after Carol Anne Freeling. Carol Anne was the primary figure in the Poltergeist films. Her family fights to save her from the unseen force.

As the series ends, watching everyone come together for one last battle to save someone they care about will be interesting.

Placing Holly in danger gives the crew a new reason to fight and provides a less repetitive season. The core Hawkins team gets to remain part of the action, but there is still a real threat to the group. Part of what made Poltergeist compelling was watching the family fight for Carol Anne. As the series ends, watching everyone come together for one last battle to save someone they care about will be interesting.

As Stranger Things enters its final season, the creators must show that the stakes are higher than ever. Vecna's shifting focus to Holly can potentially create a heart-wrenching and action-packed conclusion. The show continues to draw inspiration from Spielberg's classics to explore the characters' protective instincts as it enters the end of its epic saga.