“We knew that when he arrived, we wanted it to feel like this huge moment,” said co-creator Ross Duffer, describing Vecna’s dramatic entrance inspired by one of cinema’s most iconic villains.
The final season of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things leans heavily into its 1980s pop-culture DNA, weaving direct cinematic nods to the Star Wars franchise into its climactic story. Co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer have openly cited Star Wars as inspiration for a pivotal Vecna scene, while eagle-eyed fans have spotted clever references to both a beloved classic and a more controversial sequel within Volume 2‘s new episodes.
With the core group’s final battle against the Upside Down underway, these homages serve as both a nostalgic wink and a narrative tool, framing the high-stakes adventure in Hawkins with the familiar language of galactic rebellion and discovery.
A Villain’s Entrance Inspired by Darth Vader
The most direct link between the two franchises was confirmed by the show’s creators. Ross Duffer revealed that Vecna’s dramatic return through a military gateway in Season 5, Volume 1 was explicitly modeled after Darth Vader’s corridor scene in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The goal was to instantly re-establish the villain’s terrifying presence. “The minute he walked out of that gate, you felt the power of Vecna. You felt how scary he was,” Duffer explained. This visual parallel draws a direct line between two of modern sci-fi’s most formidable antagonists, using the iconic, menacing imagery of Vader’s arrival to amplify the threat of Vecna’s comeback.
A Nod to “Return of the Jedi” in the Upside Down
Within the newly released Volume 2 episodes, characters themselves begin drawing Star Wars comparisons. In Chapter 5: “Shock Jock,” Dustin Henderson devises a plan to infiltrate the Hawkins National Laboratory in the Upside Down.
To explain their mission, he analogizes it to the Rebel Alliance’s attack on the Death Star in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Dustin posits that the strange, fleshy growths protecting the lab act as a shield generator, similar to the one guarding the Death Star. His strategy hinges on finding and destroying this “generator” to expose the heart of Vecna’s operation, mirroring the classic Star Wars trench run.
A subtler, more emotional connection to Return of the Jedi appears later. In Chapter 7: “The Bridge,” after Max Mayfield awakens from a prolonged, Vecna-induced state, she is disoriented, with swollen eyes and difficulty moving. Many viewers have compared her fragile awakening to the moment Han Solo is thawed from his carbonite prisonโboth characters struggle to regain their senses and mobility after a long period of helpless stasis.
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A Playful Homage to “The Rise of Skywalker”
Volume 2 also includes a reference that showcases the Duffer Brothers’ sense of humor regarding the Star Wars franchise they love. Chapter 6: “Escape from Camazotz” features a plot point that playfully riffs on a much-criticized scene from Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.
In that film, Rey uses a Sith dagger’s etchings to align with a specific landscape and locate a hidden path. In Stranger Things, Holly (a new character) notices markings on a looking-glass device. She suggests to Max that if these shapes align with the rocks around a desert cave, it might reveal a hidden location. The duo tests the theory and it works, leading them to a crucial mine shaft.
The scene mirrors the Star Wars sequence but executes it with a simpler, less convoluted logic. Many see this as the Duffers having fun with a famously odd moment from the sequel trilogy, adapting it into their story with a knowing wink.
The Deeper Connection: Will Byers’ Heroic Arc
These Star Wars references are more than just Easter eggs; they resonate with a core character’s journey. Will Byers, whose connection to the Upside Down has defined the series, steps into a central, powerful role in Season 5. The Duffers have stated that re-centering the final season on Will, the boy who started it all, brings the story full circle.
His emergence as a key figure with unique powersโharnessed from his link to Vecnaโparallels the heroic journeys and confrontations with dark-side forces that are central to Star Wars. As the characters of Hawkins prepare for their final stand, they do so within a narrative framework built from the same mythic blocks as the galaxy far, far away, uniting them in a shared legacy of resistance against overwhelming darkness.
Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 (Episodes 5-7) is now streaming globally on Netflix. The series finale, Chapter Eight: “The Rightside Up,” is scheduled for release on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
Also Read: Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2: The Duffer Brothers Reveal the Episode That Made Them Cry
