For those who guessed that Max’s consciousness would be trapped inside of Vecna’s mindscape, congratulations! Pat yourselves on the back cause it’s officially canon!
Max is alive but comatose, while her mind is trapped inside Vecna’s mindscape.
How Max Ended Up Inside Vecna’s Mind
Season 4 established that Vecna doesn’t just kill his victims. He absorbs everything that makes up who they are.
However, the combination of Eleven interrupting Vecna’s assault, plus using her telekinesis to restart Max’s heart blocked Vecna from permanently killing Max.
It wasn’t enough to stop Vecna from absorbing Max’s mind though. She clinically died long enough for her consciousness to slip into his mental prison. Yet she was revived before she could be erased.
The Return of the Rainbow Room
Max’s first moment in this psychic realm is waking up in the Rainbow Room. The Rainbow Room is the core of Vecna’s origin story. It’s the place where he was Henry Creel, a psychopathic murder who was experimented on by Dr. Brenner. It’s where his massacre of children/test subjects in Hawkins Lab was thrawted by Eleven. Who would then banish him to the Upside Down where he mutates into the monster he is now.
The Rainbow Room acts as the doorway into Vecna’s mind. From there she moves through the Creel House, the red wasteland, and the labyrinth of Henry’s worst moments. All of these locations are fragments of him. Max realizes she is walking through a prison built from Henry’s past.
The Power of Music is Still in Effect
While Max is trying to find her way out, she hears her favorite song ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush.
When Lucas plays it for Max’s bedside, it creates a portal back to the real world. Max is able to hear Lucas speak to her and even feel him holding her hand. Unfortunately, the portal closes before Max can go through it after the song ends.
This does confirm that music still affects Vecna’s control over his victims. He can terrorize a person’s mind, but he can’t erase their connection to the things that bring them joy. Max’s love for ‘Running Up That Hill’ could be the key that saves her.
Why She’s Able to Hide for Over a Year
After failing to escape, Vecna senses her presence. He chases her through his own memories until Max stumbles upon a cave.
It’s tucked behind a rock wall near the Creel property. It’s attached to one of Vecna’s childhood memories, but for some reason, he refuses to step inside.
What happened in Vecna’s/Henry’s life that was so traumatizing, he refuses to relive those memories? The show never reveals what this mystery memory is or why it’s so upsetting. Whatever it is, the cave acts as the only place where Max is safe within Vecna’s mind.
Where Holly Wheeler Fits Into All Of This
Season 5 brings Mike and Nancy’s little sister Holly Wheeler, into the main story. Vecna appears to her as an imaginary friend named Mr. Whatsit. He based this persona on Holly’s favorite book A Wrinkle in Time so she will trust him.
He has a Demogorgon kidnap Holly and drag her to his mind. Vecna brings her to a pristine version of the Creel House, which Holly later names Camazotz.
By the end of Episode 3, Max finds Holly inside this mindscape. Max explains what happened to her. More importantly, she helps Holly realize what’s going to happen to her.
Thankfully, Max has been working on a plan to stop Vecna, but she needs more time. For now, Holly has to go back to Vecna and pretend she doesn’t know he’s a monster. Volume 1 ends without revealing what Max is planning. Volume 2 should give us more details. After all she’s been through, it would be nice to see Max Mayfield turn Vecna’s mind against him.
