There's no doubt that the final scene of Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 had all of our jaws on the floor, but star Noah Schnapp says that the inspiration behind that tense showdown actually came from Harry Potter movies, and we can really see it.
Warning: major spoilers follow for Stranger Things season 5 volume 1, so turn back now if you haven't seen it, and check out our Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review.
At the end of volume 1, Vecna finally made his dramatic entrance when he stepped out of the Upside Down into Hawkins. He holds Will in the air and tells him of his plan to take the children of Hawkins and use them to "reshape the world," and that Will showed him it was possible all those years ago (for more on that, read our Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 ending explained). Vecna then drops Will and goes back into the Upside Down, leaving the Domogorgons to finish off Will and his friends.
However, through channeling his emotions, Will is able to harness Vecna's powers via their connection and kill the Demogorgons. It becomes clear that what Vecna did to Will when he kidnapped him in 1983 may be the very thing that ends him. In this sense, Will and Vecna's relationship sure does have a familiar feeling, and that is no mistake, as star Noah Schanpp says that it is akin to that of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series.
"For Will, we start to learn the parallels between Will and Vecna, and it almost felt very Harry Potter to me that I had to go back and re-watch the movies, because the Harry Potter-Voldemort relationship felt very close to Will and Vecna," said Schnapp to Deadline, adding that the similarities between the two will become clearer in volume 2. "So just kind of exploring those parallels and what that means."
Not only does Stranger Things reflect the fantastical hero and villain duo in the writing, but it looks like the Harry Potter series inspired the sci-fi show visually, too. One fan took to Twitter to share a side-by-side from episode 4 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and the side-by-side shot is uncanny. Check out the post below.
Noah Schnapp teases that the connection between Will and Vecna mirrors Harry Potter and Voldemort, and it will be more obvious in Volume 2. pic.twitter.com/2fZqtUDy3TNovember 28, 2025
As we know, in the final Harry Potter film, the young wizard is able to use Voldemort's powers against him, finally killing him. We have a feeling that Will may just do the same to Vecna in the Stranger Things season 5 finale.
Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is out on Netflix, with volume 2 set to arrive on Christmas Day. See our Stranger Things season release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to stream right now.
