Stranger Things 4 Made Henry Creel’s Parents Even More Tragic

The full screenplay for Stranger Things season 4, episode 7, “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab,” makes the horrifying fates of Henry Creel’s parents worse.

A key change to young Henry Creel’s origins in Stranger Things season 4’s original script makes the fates of his parents Victor and Virginia even more tragic. The full screenplay for Stranger Things season 4, episode 7, “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” has been released, which gives more insight into crucial scenes. One of the most important sequences in this episode featured Vecna showing Nancy the real circumstances of the “eyeball murders” in the 1950s, with flashbacks indicating that young Henry Creel murdered his family when his mother tried to get him psychological help and he intentionally framed his father Victor for the crimes.

While Henry Creel/Number One’s story about murdering his family is largely the same in the final version of the episode, there were still a few changes that made the demise of Stranger Things‘ Creel Family more upsetting. The screenplay for “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” has key differences in how Henry describes his mother’s role in his potential institutionalization and the circumstances behind Victor Creel being arrested for the murders. While Vecna is still sadistic in the original script, his decision to attack his family members wasn’t as vengeful as Stranger Things season 4 depicted.

Related: How Old Is Vecna (& Henry Creel) In Stranger Things?

Henry Creel Didn’t Intend To Frame Victor In Stranger Things 4’s Original Script

The screenplay for Stranger Things season 4, episode 7 doesn’t mention that Virginia Creel resented Henry and wanted him locked up for holding up a mirror to their sins, implying that she originally hadn’t been active in putting him away. This means that young Henry Creel coldly murdered his mother with no instigation or vengeance for her perceived resentment. Additionally, Henry didn’t nonchalantly wipe away blood after killing his mother in the script, only staring at her dead body with “cold fascination,” indicating Virginia was nothing more to him than a nuisance and potential victim. The actual episode is still far more sinister, as it changed Henry to be personally vindictive and sadistically proud of Virginia’s cruel murder.

“The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” script is even worse for Victor Creel’s ultimate fate in Stranger Things’ episode. Originally, Henry didn’t purposefully try to frame Victor Creel for the murders, believing that his “weak father” simply chose not to suspect Henry of the crimes by lying to himself. In the episode, the murderous Number One states that Victor was arrested for the murders, “just as [he] planned.” While the original version of the script still made Victor tragic by cradling the son who caused the murders, Stranger Things’ episode is even worse because Victor cradled the sadistic son who was framing him for the tragedies.

Why Victor Creel Needs To Return In Stranger Things Season 5

After revealing how much more vengeful Stranger Things season 4 made Henry Creel’s murders of his family, Robert Englund’s Victor Creel must return for the final season. Victor’s return could actually be the key to making Vecna realize how sadistic he has truly become, with Victor also being the only person apart from Kali and Eleven who truly knows Henry Creel. Stranger Things has only told the story of Henry’s childhood from his own perspective, so Victor confronting Vecna about the fateful night of the murders could change the context of what really led to Henry snapping.

Killing Vecna in Stranger Things season 5 also inherently means killing Henry Creel, so his ending would be far more emotionally powerful if Victor was able to finally confront his son before his demise. Whether it be apologizing for burying his own sins, asking for clarity on why Henry did what he did, or simply needing to see what Henry has become, Victor must return to give full closure to Henry Creel’s story. At the very least, Vecna’s father Victor Creel will want justice for Virginia and Alice before the villain is defeated in Stranger Things’ ending.

Next: Stranger Things Season 4’s Creel House Vecna Connection Explained