People think Vecna is secretly related to this Stranger Things icon, and it changes everything

People are fully convinced that Karen Wheeler is secretly Alice Creel, the long-thought dead sister of Stranger Things’ big bad, Vecna.

Look, I know this Stranger Things theory seems a little far-fetched; after all, Henry Creel brutally murdered his mother and sister. Henry, who would later become Vecna, fell into a coma as a result of the psychic attack, and we were all led to believe that it was the end of the Creels’ story – but what if it wasn’t?

You don’t believe me right now, but read the “evidence” people have accumulated. You might change your mind.

wait if the theory that Karen is actually Alice is real then that's his niece LMAO 😭😭 https://t.co/WwVsbTLgxQ

— hope ⁷ (@koobisarang) November 30, 2025

We never actually see Alice Creel die in Stranger Things

First off, let’s start at the beginning: We never actually saw Henry kill his sister. His mum recieved a particularly brutal death, but we only see Henry and Alice incapacitated on the floor. She might not have died; we just assumed as much because we’re hearing the story from Henry, who believed he’d killed her.

The posters for season five bear some clues

@dripxzyt

Karen Wheeler Is Related To Vecna In Stranger Things 😳‼️ #strangerthings #strangerthings5 #karenwheeler #vecna @Stranger Things @Netflix

♬ original sound – dripxz

People have also realised that the Stranger Things season four posters have a few significant details. Specifically, the architecture below each of the character portraits.

Last season, Joyce, Murray, and Hopper all had Russian buildings beneath them, an obvious reference to the Russia storyline. The same could be said for Max, Dustin, Lucas, and Eddie, who are all behind the Creel house, where they spent the majority of the season. Jonathan, Mike, and Will also have a building for California, where they spent season four.

So, why does Karen Wheeler, of all people, also have the Creel house on her poster? A hidden reference to a future plotline, perhaps?

Their actors are ALWAYS sitting next to each other

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While this isn’t exactly a home run, people also noticed that Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Vecna, is always seated next to Karen’s actress, Cara Buono, during press rounds.

Karen is not hugely important to the story, yet!

We all love Karen Wheeler, but if we’re being honest, she’s not hugely important to the plot. You could remove her and not lose too many storylines, and besides Joyce, none of the other parents have recieved as much screentime as our resident alcho.

While this could just be the fact that Karen is an icon, again, perhaps the Duffer brothers have always known where they were going to take it.

Stranger Things’ Karen is set to undergo a transformation of sorts

Interesting theory that Karen Wheeler is actually Alice Creel hmmm 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/ji3nkziQYK

— Jim Hopper { SEEN VOL1 } (@HybridKing666) November 19, 2025

Cara Buono recently spoke about a transformation Karen is going to undergo in the next episode drop later in December. It seemed to hint at a greater plan at work, with people speculating that she’s going to be uncovered as Alice Creel.

“Well, I knew I wasn’t going to die [in Episode 2] because I knew there was a thing in future we talked about that had to do with a hair change. Those things take some time to construct,” she said.

“I love the physical transformation that happens for Karen, which I think you’ll really get a kick out of. I can’t talk about that now.”

Whether she knows she’s Alice or has had her memory wiped is yet to be seen. Netflix, hurry up and drop those episodes.

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