'Stranger Things' Season 4: Who is Vecna? Monstrous 'D&D' villain can alter reality at will

The newest villain in the 'Stranger Things' universe is definitely the strongest and the eviliest of them all
Vecna, the new villain in 'Stranger Things' Season 4 (Netflix)
Vecna, the new villain in 'Stranger Things' Season 4 (Netflix)

The premiere of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 is just around the corner and fans cannot wait to see what new challenges will be faced by our gang and the people of Hawkins. The ending of Season 3 gave us an idea that it’s going to be a new era for the group. Everyone tried doing what they wanted to, but it seems, the evil of Upside Down wants something more from Hawkins residents, and this time, things are going to get more dangerous because of the new villain named Vecna.

Now, if you are a fan of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’, then you might have an idea who Vecna is. But if you are new to the ‘D&D’ world and don’t know much about it, don’t worry, we got you covered with all the facts.

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After battling the Demogorgon for the previous three editions, it’s time for the stakes to go higher and that’s why the series introduces a menacing villain like Vecna in the upcoming edition. So, who is Vecna? And what kind of powers does he possess? Let’s take a look.

Eduardo Franco as Argyle, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, and Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in 'Stranger Things' Season 4 (Netflix)

Who is Vecna? The menacing villain is known by different aliases

According to ‘D&D’, Vecna is the evil god of secrets, the undead, and necromancy. He is known by different names like the Arch-Lich, the Maimed God, and the Whispered One. For the uninitiated, Vecna was born as a mortal wizard, but he practiced the elements of dark arts that have never been achieved before or since. He is considered to be the most powerful wizard and lich to ever exist, as well as the evilest.

In the recent editions of ‘D&D’, Vecna rose to godhood and now seeks to kill all other gods until he is the only god left in existence. After his appearance in the early editions of the game, the lich lord went on to star in ‘Advanced Dungeons & Dragons’ in the 1990s.

He possesses some of the most tremendous powers such as the ability to paralyze others, cast a variety of spells, and even alter reality at will. As a deity, Vecna appeared as a lich missing his left hand and left eye.

Vecna in 'Dungeons and Dragons' (Wizards of the Coast)

The Vecna of ‘Stranger Things’ 4

Even though the villain is undoubtedly inspired by the ‘D&D’ villain, the Vecna of ‘Stranger Things 4’ is different in many ways. After seeing him in the trailer, we realized that Vecna might not be a god. However, that doesn’t mean that he can’t summon the undead at will. He is shadowy, gooey, and solid, which is much different than how he looks in the ‘D&D’ games.

It’ll be interesting to see how this new villain wreaks havoc in Hawkins, and who knows, we might see him turning into a god at the ending of the season.

‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 will be streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, May 27.

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