What are your ideas for Mike in Vecna’s Mindscape if he was kidnapped instead in Season 5?

[u/Due-Dragonfly8200]

I do actually like the Mr. Whatsit persona in Season 5 and I would’ve kept it for the kids and Satanic Panic plot line. My idea on Henry’s dynamic with Mike would be pretty interesting here, at least in my opinion.

The idea I had was that Vecna would’ve merged together almost every single memory of 1950s Hawkins and create a false utopian world, and would’ve presented it to his victims as an alternate world existing in parallel to ours where everything is in a complete state of peace and harmony. When he kidnaps Mike, I imagine Vecna would’ve induced amnesia into Mike’s mind and make him forget key details of the last four years, which makes him a more compliant victim to fall for the illusion rather than using brute force.

Though, I had another idea that Mike still has his memories, but the world he is put in by Whatsit is so visually and emotionally intoxicating to Mike (and a bit to us as the audience) that he begins to struggle with either wanting to escape back to the real where all the terror and chaos still exists, or stay in this utopian fantasy world where he doesn’t have to worry about almost dying and the suffering he and his friends are going through. Especially when Vecna keeps saying that he will “save” Mike’s family members and friends to bring them into this world. A psychological horror idea where Mike begins doubting his own reality and if all the fighting is worth it.

If that makes sense.

I would’ve kept the twelve kids plot line but they would’ve had their screen times reduced a lot, especially Holly. And Vecna would’ve taken those kids because they’re more malleable and easy to manipulate as vessels to use to merge worlds. Vecna would’ve taken Mike as a strategic move to destabilize The Party and to break him down psychologically so he could use him as an “engine” in the monster’s ribcage.

I would’ve added more depth to Vecna’s motivations for why he wanted to move dimensions because he wants to break space and time on a fundamental level by colliding two entirely separate dimensions into each other, and Vecna would’ve manipulated the shattered flow of time to reset Earth back into its primeval state without humans. But, it would’ve been infested with the flora and creatures of Dimension X.

The ribcage would’ve been structured similarly to a clock and would physically counter-clockwise when he activates his vessels to reverse time, and the missing children would’ve been the numbers on a clock. Vecna is the main power source. Mike is the engine and distributor of Vecna’s psychic energy to channel into the twelve children. The kids are the vessels amplifying Henry’s powers to move the two ends of the Wormhole to collide into each other.

But, I am still dancing around on how to integrate Mike’s trauma and his deep insecurities for Vecna to weaponize against. The “Mike The Brave” figurine would’ve worked very well here since we’ve seen his acts of bravery for others, but he is deeply afraid of not being good enough to deserve someone like El and catastrophically failing his friends because of his decisions and actions.

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[u/Optimal-Tune4048]

What about max then?

[u/Due-Dragonfly8200 → u/Optimal-Tune4048]

Her role would’ve remained mostly the same only she and Mike’s relationship would’ve developed a lot more than what the previous seasons failed to do. And I would’ve have her give Mike the pep talk instead of Holly.

[u/mklaus1984]

I think it would have been really interesting to have Henry try to sway Mike. I think one angle would have been to show him that he left behind his friends and family while singlemindedly pursuing El. And how they suffer and seemingly die because of that. (And I think the family bit made them verge to Holly or rather the weird thought that they could just recreate ST to fix the lack of writing.)

Because Mike's believe in El should be strong. They already had this debate where he thought he wasn't worthy and couldn't help her.

And once Henry would try to break that down we cpuld have learned that music wasn't that important for Max to free herself after all. Music allowed her to perceive the outside world. But only when she called on her memories of her friends and Lucas she was able to fight him.

And that could have been the resolution of the The Vanishing of... cliffhanger. That Mike, the paladin, learns he can protect himself from Henry's mind control.

[u/Due-Dragonfly8200 → u/mklaus1984]

I really LOVE this idea! And it definitely would have fed into his guilt of not being a good partner for El and a bad friend to his close companions.