Jamie Campbell Bower Embraces Vecna's Death in Stranger Things Finale
The actor who brought Vecna to life reveals he learned about his character's demise during a remote table read and explains why the villain's fate was inevitable for the beloved Netflix series.
Jamie Campbell Bower has made peace with Vecna's demise in the Stranger Things season 5 finale. The actor believes his character's death was inevitable for the Netflix series.
"It's the ending the show deserves," Bower told The Tonight Show audience. He's been watching since day one, making his casting feel like a major win. "I felt very honored and blessed to be a part of it," he said.
Why Vecna Had to Die
Even playing the villain, Bower understood the narrative necessity. "This show is so much about friendship and love and hope and joy and of course the person who is not that has to go," he explained. Then he added with sympathy: "All he really needs is a hug, though."
Joyce Byers, played by Winona Ryder, delivered the fatal blow with an ax in episode 8. The series finale marked the end of Vecna's reign of terror.
Learning His Fate
Bower discovered his character's death during the table read for that final episode. The timing couldn't have been more ironic.
"It was a really strange experience, because I got COVID for that table read and so everyone's in the studio in Atlanta and I'm stuck behind a computer screen in my little apartment in Atlanta," he recalled. "Isolated, alone, lonely... like Vecna," he joked.
The remote setup meant Bower learned about his character's end while physically separated from his castmates. Life imitating art in the most unexpected way.