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During the bulk of the concluding season of *Stranger Things*, the young Holly Wheeler and Max find themselves trapped inside a mental fortress built from the memories of Henry Creel. Their mission for freedom in "Escape from Camazotz" forces them to relive a defining event from Henry's early years—a moment that potentially carries the secret to his downfall for good.

Heads Up: This article details significant events for *Stranger Things* season 5, volume 2.

The Discovery in the Mine Shaft

When she finds Max in the psychic realm dubbed Camazotz, Max reveals she is hiding out in a grotto that Henry strangely fears. An accidental discovery a spyglass found in Henry's old home helps Holly understand that the danger lies beyond the cave. By aligning her view to the cut-out, she and Max tumble into a abandoned tunnel.

In this place, they observe a Henry as a boy come across an injured and paranoid man. As the boy offers aid, the man reacts violently, wounding the boy in the hand. Fighting for his life, Henry strikes the man down with a rock. "Is this what corrupted him?" Holly wonders aloud. The answer is affirmative, but the act wasn't just a fight for life.

Similar to other plot points in volume 2, the full story behind the mine shaft incident was first explored the live show The First Shadow.

The Philadelphia Experiment and Secret Science

This backstory explains the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, which reportedly teleported a vessel into a realm later called the Abyss. It faced creatures, and the lone returnee was the ship's commander, who returned in a unresponsive state with an entirely new blood.

This man's son, Martin Brenner, wanted to repeat this phenomenon in remote Nevada. However, a treacherous employee pilfered lab samples to give to the Communist spies, who were keen to start their parallel research. That traitor in the cavern is the one who stole the materials.

Unlocking the Mystery

Given what is revealed about Brenner's work, the container most likely held vials of the unique blood type. As shown, Henry is bleeding from his hand. He likely becomes contaminated upon handling the contents, leading to the awakening of his powers—powers he would inadvertently transfer to the children in Hawkins Lab.

A second theory, the container could have held dark matter that later made its way to Hawkins Laboratory, where it maintains the stability of the Upside Down. The prequel shows that Henry was transported in the Abyss, reappearing 12 hours later fundamentally changed. From then on, he fights the influence of a sinister presence, much like how Will was possessed by the shadow monster in season 2.

The Power of Fear

The reason Henry avoids the cave linked to that memory shows how utterly horrifying the encounter was for him. Even as he controls the Hive Mind and seeks to merge the Abyss into Hawkins, a fragment of his psyche still exists. Fear is his tool, and the series is building toward a showdown between the monster and Will, who has confronted his greatest terrors to fortify himself.

His confrontation has taken a weapon from Vecna. More importantly, Will now understands what his enemy truly fears, and this may grant a critical advantage in the series finale ahead.