Vecna is the name of several related fictional villains, most famously a dark god-like lich in Dungeons & Dragons and the main antagonist in later seasons of Stranger Things.

In Dungeons & Dragons

• Vecna is originally a mortal human wizard who becomes an undead lich and later ascends to godhood, associated with secrets, undeath, and forbidden magic.

• In classic lore, he is betrayed and nearly destroyed, leaving only his Eye and Hand as infamous magical artifacts that corrupt their wielders.

In Stranger Things

• In Stranger Things, Vecna is the alias of Henry Creel, also known as One, a powerful psychic who becomes a monstrous ruler of the Upside Down.

• He is portrayed primarily by Jamie Campbell Bower and serves as the overarching villain manipulating many of the show’s supernatural events.

Other uses of the name

• The Stranger Things version of Vecna is explicitly inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons villain, continuing the show’s tradition of naming monsters after D&D creatures.

• Vecna also appears in other fantasy settings, such as Exandria in Critical Role, where he is again a powerful betrayer god tied to secrets and necromancy.