'Stranger Things' Season 5: Vecna 2.0 Revealed — Why the Villain Got a 'Snatched' New Look

At the end of Stranger Things Season 4, Vecna was 'defeated' by Nancy, Robin, and Steve, who shot his body and set him ablaze. Yet, as the series returns for Season 5, the main antagonist of the Netflix hit has been reborn with a new, even more terrifying look.

Some fans have jokingly suggested that Vecna has been 'snatched' this season, but the reality is far darker and more grotesque.

Here's an inside look at Vecna 2.0, the redesigned version for the series finale.

Redesigning Vecna's Make Up and Visual Effects

In the season's finale, the entire Hawkins gang will confront Vecna once more. This time, he appears larger, with a skeletal frame made of veins, bones, muscles, and ligaments intertwined in a ghastly display.

The redesign marks a dramatic evolution for the character, and Netflix shared a behind-the-scenes look on YouTube in Volume 1's fourth episode, 'Sorcerer.'

In that episode, Vecna emerges through a colossal Upside Down gate, his new appearance more menacing than ever, spreading fear among those around him.

Jamie Campbell Bower, who portrays Vecna, admitted that the experience was 'really enjoyable' during a behind-the-scenes interview.

Matt Duffer, co-creator of the show, explained the character's transformation: 'His body, thanks to Nancy, is completely ravaged at the end of Season 4.'

He added that horror iconography, particularly Hellraiser's Pinhead, has always influenced Vecna's character design. 'You have a monster or a body rebuilt supernaturally. So, he is able to rebuild his body, bigger and badder,' Matt said.

In the BTS video, Bower demonstrated how he tested the new suit, 'We are in the BGFX lair. We are testing Vecna 2.0.'

Barrie Gower, head of the makeup effects department, elaborated on the redesign, 'We called him Vecna 2.0. His body was increased in size. We had lots of negative space on the body so you could see through these vines and shapes.'

Gower explained that Vecna's appearance could not be achieved with practical makeup alone.

'This is something we would not be able to achieve with practical makeup effects, so we fell on this middle ground where we did head and shoulders on Jamie.'

To complement this, the team created a Lycra, skintight catsuit covered in tracking markers. 'From the top of the chest down, all of his body would be augmented and created digitally,' he added.

Furthermore, on Bower's interview with Variety, he recalled discussing the changes with Gower to ensure that, even without the full costume during shooting, Vecna retained his imposing presence, given that playing Vecna this time was a markedly different experience.

Season 4 required Bower to perform under an inch and a half of foam latex, whereas Season 5 only used a millimetre.

'This allowed for more fluidity and a smaller membrane for my performance to translate through,' Bower explained.

To make Vecna appear larger, Gower incorporated shoulder pads and two large blocks into the sides of the suit so that Bower's arms naturally sat slightly away from his body, giving him a menacing silhouette. Also, a three-inch lift in Bower's shoes ensured that Vecna towered over the other characters.

Weaponised Arm

On the other hand, Michael Maher, the show's second-unit director and VFX art director, described further enhancements for the final look of Vecna 2.0.

'With the aspect of him being less human, we wanted to push the envelope with his weaponised arm. The left hand that he used so much in Season 4, we wanted to take that up a notch. It can expand, flex, and change form in a way that is new this season,' Maher Said.

The new approach gave Bower a greater freedom to bring Vecna 2.0 to life, combining prosthetics, digital effects, and sheer presence to create one of the most memorable villains in modern television.

With Vecna 2.0, Stranger Things Season 5 promises a darker, more terrifying chapter, and fans can expect that the Upside Down's most menacing presence has never looked—or felt—more formidable.