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During the bulk of season 5 of the popular Netflix show, Holly Wheeler and Max find themselves trapped in a realm of memories built from the memories of Vecna. Their mission for freedom in "Escape from Camazotz" leads them to experience a defining event from Henry's early years—a moment that could contain the key to defeating him once and for all.

Spoiler Warning: This discussion details significant events for the concluding episodes.

Unearthing the Secrets of the Mine Shaft

Upon meeting Max in the world called Camazotz, Max reveals she is hiding out in a grotto that Henry strangely fears. By leaving the lens cap on a telescope taken from Henry's old home lets Holly see that the source of fear lies not within the cave. When she lines up her view to the cut-out, she and Max plummet into a deep mine shaft.

They watch a Henry as a boy find an wounded, fearful individual. When Henry tries to help, the man reacts violently, striking Henry in the hand. In a desperate act of self-defense, Henry kills the man with a rock. "Did this make Henry evil?" Holly questions through tears. The answer is affirmative, but the trauma went deeper than a defensive killing.

Similar to other plot points of the final season, the full story behind the mine shaft incident originates in the live show The First Shadow.

The Philadelphia Experiment and Secret Science

This backstory explains the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, which reportedly teleported a warship into a dimension dubbed the Abyss. Demogorgons assaulted it, and the sole survivor was the captain, who returned in a vegetative state with an different blood composition.

The captain's son, the future Dr. Brenner, attempted to recreate this dimensional breach in the Nevada desert. But a disloyal lab worker took experimental components to give to the Soviets, who were eager to begin their version of the tests. The man in the tunnel was that very thief.

Unlocking the Mystery

Considering what is known about Brenner's work, the case almost certainly contained vials of the altered blood. At that moment, Henry is bleeding from his hand. Exposure likely occurred upon opening the case, which triggered the origin of his telekinetic gifts—traits he would inadvertently transfer to the kids under Brenner's care.

Another possibility, the case could have held exotic matter that eventually found its way to the Hawkins lab, where it helps stabilize the mirror dimension. The stage play explains that Henry somehow wound up in the Abyss, coming back after half a day with a new blood type and personality. As a youth, he battles the whispers of a dark entity, similar to how Will was possessed by the Mind Flayer in season 2.

Confronting Terror

Henry's enduring terror of that cave highlights how deeply scarring the incident was for him. While he orchestrates the army of monsters and seeks to merge the Abyss into Hawkins, a piece of the scared boy still exists. Fear is his tool, and the show is setting up a showdown between the monster and Will, who has confronted his personal demons to gain strength.

Will's growth has taken a weapon from Vecna. More importantly, Will now knows what his enemy truly fears, potentially giving him a key upper hand in the endgame conflict ahead.