Why Vecna Didn't Just Attack Hawkins Himself Earlier

Stranger Things season 4 revealed Vecna was always behind Hawkins's destruction, but there's a reason why he used the Mind Flayer to do his bidding.

Warning! SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 4, volume 2.

Stranger Things season 4, volume 2 left viewers with many questions, such as why Vecna didn’t attack Hawkins earlier. At the end of season 4, volume 1, the series revealed that Vecna is Number One, who Eleven banished to the Upside Down when she was a young child. In the seven years since that incident, Vecna had been incubating inside the Upside Down, planning his revenge to destroy Hawkins.

Stranger Things season 4 slowly revealed Vecna’s plan to open various gates to the Upside Down around the town of Hawkins. To complete his task, Vecna needed four victims, and it became apparent in the first few episodes of season 4 that Max was to be one of them. Thanks in part to the powerful song “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush, Max escaped from Vecna’s grip. However, Vecna’s second attempt to take her proved successful, causing Hawkins to literally crack apart from the four gate points. While Eleven was able to tear Vecna away from Max, she didn’t survive, technically dying before being resurrected. In a final attempt to save her, Eleven put Max in a coma, but she has yet to wake from it.

In Stranger Things season 4, volume 2, Vecna and Eleven engaged in a mind battle where Eleven at first looked victorious. However, Vecna didn’t waste any time putting Eleven in her place. He tied Eleven up in the Upside Down and, in movie villain fashion, Vecna explained his evil plan. He told her, “I found the means to realize my potential” through the Mind Flayer. Since Vecna could absorb powers, he absorbed the Mind Flayer to use as a weapon. After some of his attempts to destroy the world failed, Vecna sought to open his own doors to Hawkins by building his own power.

Why Vecna Used Demogorgons & The Mind Flayer In Stranger Things 1-3

Before Stranger Things season 4, Vecna used the evil dormant in the Upside Down to do his bidding. Since Eleven created a gateway to the Upside Down when she tried to destroy One, Vecna could be physically merged with the dark realm. As part of the Upside Down, Vecna needed Hawkins and the Upside Down to crumble, as it might be the only way to fully break down the barrier between the two worlds. If he couldn’t physically leave the Upside Down, Vecna needed to use the Mind Flayer to attack Hawkins. He also needed to figure out how strong Eleven’s power had gotten since their last face-off. Through Demogorgons and The Mind Flayer, Vecna began to slowly break down the barriers between the two worlds.

Stranger Things season 4, volume 2 marked the first time that the Hawkins children lost to the Upside Down. The Duffer Brothers’ decision to end the season with their defeat was a bold move, not just for the Stranger Things universe but for any major television show starring children. The bittersweet end was hard to swallow, but it answered many questions that the first three seasons raised. Vecna may have won this round, but if Eleven brought him down before, she can do it again.