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Jamie Campbell Bower Says Vecna’s Plea Was Tried in ADR, Cut From Stranger Things Finale

Producers say they aimed to preserve the finale’s tonal clarity for viewers unfamiliar with the stage play.

Overview

  • On Jan. 7, Jamie Campbell Bower told The Tonight Show he attempted to have Vecna whisper “please don’t” in his final scene, but the ADR line “didn’t work.”
  • He said the idea was rooted in The First Shadow, which portrays Henry Creel’s past connection with Joyce and informed his bid to show a flicker of humanity.
  • Bower noted he previously added a subtle ADR beat in season 4 that was approved, which encouraged him to try a final line in season 5.
  • Co-creator Ross Duffer said a separate moment explicitly linking Joyce and Hopper to Henry from their school days was removed to avoid confusing viewers who hadn’t seen the play.
  • Critics highlighted that keeping the plea out preserved the intended tone of the climax, and season 5 is streaming now on Netflix.