Stranger Things Season 5 Cave Connection To First Shadow Prequel Explained By Duffer Brothers

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the first part of Stranger Things season 5! The creators of Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer, have explained how the season’s cave storyline ties into the prequel play, The First Shadow. That play, currently showing in London and New York, reveals the backstory of Henry Creel and how he eventually became Vecna.

Season 5 of Stranger Things reveals that Max Mayfield is still alive, but she’s trapped inside Vecna’s memories. Within those memories, there’s a cave that Vecna avoids and appears to fear, making it a safe haven for Max.

In an interview with Variety, the creators of the show, the Duffer brothers, confirmed that the cave mentioned in The First Shadow play is the same one featured in the upcoming fifth season of Stranger Things. They explained that both the season and the play required careful planning to avoid revealing spoilers for each other. The Duffer brothers hinted at “more overlap with the play,” but assured fans that you can still enjoy and understand season 5 even if you don’t see the stage production. You can read their full comments below.

The new play, “The First Shadow,” which is playing on Broadway and in London’s West End, mentions a cave in Nevada close to an army base. This is where a young Henry Creel apparently had his first experience with the Upside Down. Is this the same cave seen in the show?

We actually developed Henry’s history while working on the stage play with Kate Trefry. The challenge was deciding how much of that backstory to include in the play itself. The director, Stephen Daldry, and producer, Sonia Friedman, wanted to reveal more, but we felt some details were better saved for the show. You’ll notice, particularly in the final episode, that the play and the show share more of the same story elements.

Ross Duffer explained that Max discovers a poster for the musical “Oklahoma!” Some viewers might wonder why Henry is connected to it, but the Duffer brothers intended this as a way to subtly link Henry’s backstory to the present storyline.

You don’t need to have seen the play to follow the story. Those references are just little extras for those who are familiar with it.

According to The First Shadow, young Henry stumbled into Dimension X – a reality existing before the Upside Down and the town of Hawkins – while exploring caves in Nevada near an army base. This is where he initially encountered the Mind Flayer.

The Duffers’ confirmation not only links Vecna strongly to the original Shadow monster, but also suggests why he avoids revisiting the cave from his past. This memory, where he first encountered the Mind Flayer and other dimensions, might be too disturbing for him to face, and he could be afraid of the Mind Flayer’s strength.

Although recent seasons have built Vecna up as the main villain, the play The First Shadow reveals how the Mind Flayer actually controlled Henry. Henry’s strong reaction to a memory of the cave suggests the Mind Flayer might still be the true overarching threat.

While the cave plays an important role in the story, the creators, the Duffer Brothers, have said its secrets will be revealed in the final episodes of season 5. They were careful to avoid spoiling the mystery in the play so that everyone could discover the answers together.

I loved spotting a small detail in the show – a memory Max has of young Joyce Byers handing out flyers for a production of Oklahoma! with Henry in it. It’s such a clever Easter egg because we later learn Henry actually was in Oklahoma! when he was at Hawkins High, as shown in The First Shadow. It’s those little connections that really get me!

Fans have discovered another connection between Stranger Things and its prequel play, The First Shadow. The actor Alex Breaux plays two different characters: Lieutenant Robert Akers in Stranger Things season 5, and Dr. Martin Brenner in The First Shadow. The Duffer brothers, creators of Stranger Things, haven’t publicly pointed out this casting detail.

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2025-11-29 21:01