Jamie Campbell Bower, renowned for embodying the formidable characters of Vecna, One, and Henry in “Stranger Things,” elevates his portrayal to possibly its most unsettling form yet in Season 5, Volume 2, introducing a new persona: Mr. WhatsIt. Bower meticulously crafted this character with a cult-leader-like demeanor, citing Jim Jones, the notorious leader of the Peoples Temple cult, as a primary influence. Jones, who orchestrated the mass suicide of over 900 followers in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978, was a significant figure on Bower’s mood board, influencing even subtle linguistic choices. Bower deliberated between using “you” or “we” in Mr. WhatsIt’s address to the children, ultimately choosing phrases like “We’re a family now” to subtly strip away their autonomy, a grim tactic characteristic of cult leaders.

Despite Mr. WhatsIt lacking the overt villainous appearance of Vecna, Bower described the challenge of bringing this different character to life as equally “terrifying,” admitting to significant fear in his approach. His preparation for Season 5 diverged significantly from Season 4, where he focused on developing Henry’s memories. For the latest season, Bower concentrated on presenting an outwardly benevolent facade to the vulnerable children, while meticulously burying his character’s true, sinister intentions. This deliberate performance of deep-seated dishonesty, particularly when interacting with child actors, presented a unique and challenging acting prospect.

Even as the character descends into greater villainy, responsible for more deaths, Bower insists that a core humanity remains. While acknowledging that the extent of this humanity portrayed in Volume 2 is open to interpretation, he affirms the presence of trauma and experience that, though currently unexplored, underpins the character’s actions.

A pivotal element to understanding Henry’s transformation stemmed from a “monumental experience” at age 8 within a cave, which proved to be “life-altering.” Having gained insight from the prequel play “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” ahead of Season 5, Bower felt compelled to uncover more about Henry’s backstory directly from the Duffer brothers. He described having to “pry” this information from Matt and Ross Duffer, who were initially protective of these details but eventually shared them, recognizing their importance for Bower’s performance.

The mystery of Henry’s past begins to unravel in Episode 6, as Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly (Nell Fisher) navigate Henry’s mindscape. They stumble upon a crucial memory in a mine shaft: a young Henry encountering an injured man clutching a silver suitcase. In a moment of panic, the man shoots Henry in the hand, prompting Henry to beat him to death in self-defense. As Max and Holly begin to open the mysterious silver suitcase, Max urgently pulls Holly away. When pressed about the contents of this enigmatic suitcase, Bower offered a single, intriguing word: “reason.”

Looking ahead to the series finale, set to stream on Netflix on December 31, Bower cryptically advises viewers to “expect the unexpected.” The concluding scene of Episode 7, “The Bridge,” sets the stage for a dramatic climax, showing Henry, surrounded by 12 kidnapped children who largely worship him as a cult leader, joining hands around the Creel dinner table. His ultimate objective is to fulfill Vecna’s overarching quest: to reshape the world, presumably transforming the Rightside Up into the Abyss. Bower strongly hints that any preconceived notions about Episode 8 will be shattered, promising an explosive and utterly surprising conclusion, stating, “Whatever you think you know will be exceeded.”