Will and Vecna's Stranger Things Season 5 opening scene slammed; what happens on Netflix show - controversy explained

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is out, and some are unhappy with the opening scene which shows Vecna with Will when the latter was taken to the Upside Down.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is out, but the Netflix series has generated some controversy with the opening scene. Many have called it out for the interaction between Will and Vecna, some alleging that it depicts the assault of a child.

Will and Vecna in the opening scene of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1.(X/@SThingsMeme)

Among the many slamming Netflix has been Jack Posobiec, the conservative political activist. He's been part of a group of people who've criticized the streaming giant for its ‘woke’ content as well. However, many others also seemed to agree with him, and fingers were pointed at how Vecna was portrayed overall with the villain's fixation on kids raising eyebrows. Netflix or the show creators, Duffer brothers, are yet to respond to this criticism.

One person commented on X, “he's literally preying on and grooming and assaulting kids my dude.. they are his prime targets.” The clamor grew loud enough with Russian state-controlled RT news posting about it as well. “He even strokes the boy’s forehead… deeply disturbing,” they said of Vecna.

What happens in the opening scene between Will and Vecna?

The opening scene shows Will try to outrun a Demogorgon in the Upside Down, but it doesn't quite go to plan, and he's ultimately brought to Vecna's lair. There, Will is held against a wall, while a tentacle enters his mouth and puts in some fluid from Vecna. As the tentacle keeps feeding the fluid to a convulsing Will, Vecna strokes his forehead and remarks they are going to do a lot of ‘beautiful things’ together.

The phallic imagery of the tentacle in a person's mouth has led to the allegations online. However, Posobiec himself has been corrected by X's Community Notes when he made a similar claim. “This is completely made up,” the note begins, adding that Season 5 Episode 1 does not depict what Posobiec and others have been alleging.

However, it is true that Vecna's plan revolves entirely around children. He explains to Will that when he took him to the Upside Down, Will showed Vecna how easily a child's mind could be manipulated and broken. As a psychic, Henry or One or Vecna is more than adequately poised to exploit this. In fact, he goes about doing this very thing – appearing as a kind stranger – Mr Whatsit in Season 5. Thus, Vecna does show manipulative behavior, and he's made it clear to Will that the children are an important part of his plan. In the current season he's trying to get his hands on numerous kids, with some endgame in mind.

However, the allegations appear a bit extreme despite the visual connotations of the opening scene. Given that Stranger Things has a TV-14 rating, meaning those under 14 would need parental guidance, it is unlikely the makers would deliberately send out such a message. Nonetheless, controversy around it is raging on, with the second volume slated to release on December 25, and the finale airing on December 31.