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Jamie Campbell Bower says ‘Stranger Things’ character is ‘rebuilding’

“I don’t think he’s slunk off licking his wounds in misery”

By Hollie Geraghty

Jamie Campbell Bower as Venca and One in ‘Stranger Things‘
Jamie Campbell Bower as Venca and One in ‘Stranger Things‘

Jamie Campbell Bower has hinted at what fans might be able to expect from Vecna in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

In the final episode of season four, Vecna is narrowly defeated by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in a dramatic showdown, but Bower has teased that his character is not backing down just yet.

“He’s pissed, he’s properly vexed,” the British actor told NME. “He’s rebuilding, and he’s out for blood. It’s like, you’ve really fucking pushed the buttons now, that classic Jason Voorhees [from Friday The 13th] thing – you’ve made a big mistake.”

While Bower said he does not yet know the plot of season five, he thinks Vecna and Will (Noah Schnapp) have a “connection that’s yet to be explored”. He added: “As a fan, I’d be interested to see more of that.”

Earlier this month, Bower released a new solo single called ‘I Am’. “I’m so excited,” the actor and singer said, announcing the track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “Everything feels just not real right now.”

In the church-set music video, Bower takes on two roles, “a preacher at the pulpit, delivering an impassioned liturgy, and a wayward congregant who stumbles into the chapel”, per an official statement. At the end of the visuals, the artist’s two alter-egos come face to face. “It’s a haunting display of being confronted by your inner self,” Bower explained.

‘I Am’ marks Bower’s fourth song release of the year, following on from ‘Crow’, ‘Run On’ (feat. King Sugar) and ‘Devil in Me’. Prior to embarking on a solo career, Bower was the frontman of London punk band Counterfeit.

Meanwhile, Bower is not the only musical Stranger Things cast member, with Joseph Quinn (who plays Eddie Munson), recently jamming with Metallica backstage, after he performed their song ‘Master of Puppets’ in the show, which has since seen a huge resurgence in popularity.

Frontman James Hetfield also thanked Quinn – who spent months learning how to actually play the 1986 song on guitar – for doing the track justice. “It’s all I was listening to for two years,” Quinn told the group. “I feel very connected to you guys.”

Meanwhile, Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ has become the defining song of Stranger Things, taking on a life of its own after it appeared several times in season four and has seen a massive charts resurgence since.