Warning: Season Four spoilers ahead
The concept artist for Stranger Things has revealed the early designs for Vecna and reasons why the villain's appearance evolved over time.
Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is terrifying enough already. Suspended from slithering tentacles, with a fleshy and raw exterior, appearing out of nowhere behind his latest victim, before raising his claw-like hand to crunch their limbs and leave blood oozing from their eyes. It's enough to infiltrate the nightmares of any viewer.
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However, the concept artist for the series, Michael Maher Jr, has since posted some of the earlier designs for the villain of the Upside Down, with many having been hailed by Stranger Things fans as even more terrifying than the end result.
The Emmy-nominated concept artist has taken to TikTok to document the changes made to Vecna's design.
In the first video, he reveals one of the designs 'features moldy rot' on Vecna as an effect of 'living in the Upside Down'.
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"A tumorous gangrene that would eat away the flesh," he explained.
However, Maher explained the design 'failed' because it 'didn't hide the character's identity enough'.
Another early Vecna concept was 'based on a prehistoric fish' with an 'armour-like shell' - Vecna's skin having been 'hardened and separated [...] over time'.
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It even developed into a 'spiked version,' but that similarly 'didn't make the cut'.
One horrifying design featured 'insect like arms and legs' - similar to the spidery drawings of Henry Creel.
However, the 'multiple appendages' which Vecna would use to kill his victims was resolved as being too 'hard to shoot practically'.
The most harrowing design - which would have probably resulted in the series receiving an age rating of 18 rather than 15 - was a design with 'skin that would loosen and fall off in patches'.
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With skin hanging from his jaw, or 'melted over his eyes,' the design is truly horrifying and caused fans of the supernatural Netflix hit to leap to the comments in fear.
One said: "I would've passed out," as another added: That was an entire jumpscare."
A third resolved: "This one is more creepy."
Luckily it wasn't used because it would've apparently restricted Vecna's ability to be 'expressive'.
While Vecna didn't end up with mould, spikes, insect-like arms and legs or hanging skin, Campbell Bower still had to be subjected to a lengthy skincare routine and hours of transformation into the baddie.
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Even more impressive is that no CGI was used to create the body and Vecna's voice was a result of Campbell Bower's impressive vocal range and skill.
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Topics: Stranger Things, Netflix, Film and TV, Entertainment, Art