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For much of the fifth and final season of the popular Netflix show, the young Holly Wheeler and Max are held captive in a realm of memories constructed from the recollections of Henry Creel. Their quest for an escape route in the pivotal sixth episode forces them to witness again a life-altering moment from Henry's youth—a discovery that could contain the key to defeating him permanently.

Heads Up: This discussion details significant events for the second part of the final season.

The Discovery in the Tunnel

Upon meeting Max in the psychic realm called Camazotz, Max reveals she is hiding out in a cave that Henry strangely fears. A clever observation a spyglass pilfered from Henry's old home allows Holly to realize that the danger lies outside of the cave. By aligning her view through the cap, she and Max suddenly fall into a subterranean passage.

They watch a young, eight-year-old Henry find an wounded, fearful individual. As the boy offers aid, the man reacts violently, striking Henry in the hand. In a desperate act of self-defense, Henry kills the man with a rock. "Is this what corrupted him?" Holly asks tearfully. The answer is affirmative, but the event wasn't just a simple act of survival.

In keeping with mysteries in volume 2, the full story behind the events in the tunnel is detailed in the stage play the prequel play.

A Naval Mystery and Stolen Research

*The First Shadow* opens with the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, which reportedly teleported a vessel into a plane known as the Abyss. The ship was attacked, and the lone returnee was the ship's commander, who returned in a vegetative state with an altered blood type.

That survivor's offspring, a young Martin Brenner, sought to replicate this phenomenon in remote Nevada. However, a treacherous employee took experimental components to hand over to the Communist spies, who were desperate to launch their own interdimensional projects. That traitor in the cavern is the one who stole the materials.

Unlocking the Mystery

Considering what is revealed about Brenner's work, the case most likely held some of Captain Brenner's infected blood. As shown, Henry is wounded and bleeding. He likely becomes contaminated upon handling the contents, leading to the awakening of his powers—traits he would genetically impart to the test subjects in Hawkins Lab.

A second theory, the case could have held dark matter that was destined to travel to the secret facility, where it helps stabilize the mirror dimension. The prequel shows that Henry somehow wound up in the Abyss, returning after half a day with a new blood type and personality. As a youth, he battles the whispers of a malevolent force, much like how Will was influenced by the Mind Flayer in season 2.

Confronting Terror

Henry's enduring terror linked to that memory highlights how profoundly traumatic the incident was for him. While he controls the army of monsters and attempts to pull the Abyss into Hawkins, a part of him still exists. The villain weaponizes terror, and the narrative points to a climactic battle between the monster and Will, who has overcome his personal demons to gain strength.

His confrontation has taken a weapon from Vecna. More importantly, Will now is aware of what his enemy truly fears, which could provide a key upper hand in the ultimate battle that awaits.