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During the bulk of the concluding season of *Stranger Things*, the young Holly Wheeler and Max Mayfield find themselves trapped inside a mental fortress built from the memories of Vecna. The search for a way out in episode 6 forces them to witness again a defining event from Henry's childhood—a moment that potentially carries the means to overcome him once and for all.

Heads Up: This article reveals crucial plot points for the second part of the final season.

The Discovery in the Mine Shaft

Upon meeting Max in the world dubbed Camazotz, it becomes clear she is taking refuge in a grotto that Henry avoids at all costs. A clever observation a spyglass pilfered from Henry's old home lets Holly see that the source of fear lies outside of the cave. Matching her view through the cap, she and Max suddenly fall into a subterranean passage.

There, they witness a young, eight-year-old Henry find an injured and paranoid man. When Henry tries to help, the man reacts violently, striking Henry in the hand. In a desperate act of self-defense, Henry kills the man with a rock. "Did this make Henry evil?" Holly asks tearfully. Essentially, yes, but the event went deeper than a defensive killing.

Similar to other plot points this season, the full story behind the events in the tunnel originates in the theatrical production The First Shadow.

An Interdimensional Incident and A Spy's Mission

*The First Shadow* opens with the legendary naval test, which transported a U.S. Navy ship into a plane known as the Abyss. It faced creatures, and the lone returnee was the ship's commander, who returned in a unresponsive state with an altered blood type.

This man's son, a young Martin Brenner, attempted to recreate this phenomenon in remote Nevada. One of his scientists pilfered lab samples to hand over to the Russian agents, who were eager to begin their version of the tests. That traitor in the cavern was that very thief.

Unlocking the Mystery

Considering what is revealed about his research, the container would assuredly have some of the altered blood. At that moment, Henry is wounded and bleeding. Exposure likely occurred upon opening the case, leading to the awakening of his powers—traits he would genetically impart to the children Brenner would experiment on.

Another possibility, the case could have held exotic matter that eventually found its way to Hawkins Laboratory, where it helps stabilize the parallel world. *The First Shadow* reveals that young Henry ended up in the Abyss, returning 12 hours later as a different person. As a youth, he fights the whispers of a dark entity, much like how the character Will was influenced by the entity in the past.

Confronting Terror

His lasting fear associated with the mine demonstrates how profoundly traumatic the encounter was for him. Even as he controls the army of monsters and works to collapse the Abyss into Hawkins, a piece of the scared boy remains. Vecna uses fear, and the series is building toward a showdown between the monster and Will, who has deliberately faced his personal demons to fortify himself.

His confrontation has neutralized a key tactic of Vecna. More importantly, Will now knows what his enemy truly fears, which could provide a key upper hand in the series finale that awaits.