Now that the first batch of episodes of Stranger Things 5 is out, fans can't help but dive headfirst into every corner of the internet, dissecting, debating, and dreaming up what could possibly happen next. From Reddit threads to YouTube deep dives, X fan accounts, and dedicated forums, the fandom is buzzing nonstop with theories ranging from the wildly plausible to the completely outlandish.
But among all these theories, one in particular has caught my attention. Seriously, I can't stop thinking about it. While I don't think it might actually turn out to be true, the idea is so fascinating that I keep imagining how it could completely change the way we see certain characters.
Spoilers from Stranger Things 5 part 1 are ahead!
Vecna has a hidden obsession with Joyce Byers from decades ago
That's the theory! Based on one particular scene in Stranger Things 5 part 1, some fans believe that Vecna has been quietly obsessed with Joyce Byers for decades. They point to subtle clues like a memory from his past that seems oddly tied to her and suggest that his actions against her family might not be random at all but driven by this longstanding fixation.
In episode 4, we find out that Max is trapped in Vecna’s mindscape. While navigating this twisted psychic dimension, she stumbles upon a memory of his from Hawkins High School that seems oddly significant. The memory includes a school corridor, Joyce, and a flyer of a play dated for Nov. 6, 1959, which is suspicious because Vecna later kidnaps Will Byers on Nov. 6, 1983. The matching dates suggest a connection.
Some fans theorize that Vecna remembers this particular memory because Joyce was there, implying that he has a persistent obsession with her going back to his school days. If true, they believe that it could explain why Vecna targeted Will. That it is because he is still focused on Joyce and, by extension, her family.
Some fans even pointed out how Vecna and Joyce shared a brief glance at the very end of the fourth episode before Vecna sent Joyce flying into the air. To some, it didn’t feel like a random moment. It felt loaded, almost as if there was a flicker of recognition in Vecna's expression before he attacked.
But I personally don't know about this fan theory. At the end of the fourth episode, Vecna basically told Will that he chose him because he was weak. This directly contradicts the idea that he targeted him because of some decades-long obsession with Joyce. So while this fan theory is intriguing and fun to think about, it doesn’t really match up with what the show has explicitly shown about Vecna’s motivations.
However, I could be wrong. Maybe Stranger Things has a twist waiting for us that will reveal a deeper connection between Vecna and Joyce. We'll just have to wait until the rest of the season drops to find out.
Stranger Things 5 part 2 is set to be released on Netflix on Dec. 25.