Stranger Things Season 4 Ending Explained

gamespot.com:

On July 1, Volume 2 of Stranger Things Season 4 was released. While it was only two episodes long, it clocked in at four hours, with the finale coming in at nearly two and a half hours. A lot happened towards the end, and it may be a bit tough to piece together everything that happened. Don't worry, we're here to explain it all.

Warning: Spoilers for the end of Season 4 of Stranger Things below.

Chrissy, this is for you: Stranger Things 4 Vol 2. is now streaming! pic.twitter.com/HDLEpFaL9w

While Volume 1 wrapped up with an expositional drop about who Vecna is and was, the season finale explains a little bit more about the character and the creation of the Upside Down to what we know it as today.

When Eleven sent Vecna to the Upside Down, it wasn't the place we know it is now. It was a parallel world, with floating islands, and yes, the Demogorgons were there, but no one was controlling them. Vecna explained he became an explorer of this realm, and what changed everything for him was finding a way to become the «predator [he] was always meant to be.» This meant learning to control the Mind Flayer. He explains that it was always him behind the monsters.

However, while these monsters always existed in the Upside Down, Vecna knew they were there--as he drew pictures of them as a child. He just needed someone to open up the door to let him in--and that person was Eleven. Vecna found a way to open his own doors though.

Vecna explains this all to Eleven, also telling her that there's no way to stop it. Vecna plans on burning Hawkins and the world to the ground, and reshaping the world to something «beautiful» as he puts it.

Eleven fights back with her powers inside Vecna's mind, where all of this exposition has been happening.