Winona Ryder in Stranger Things Finale and Joyce’s Ax decapitates Vecna

Winona Ryder recently revealed on Netflix Tudum that in the “Stranger Things” series finale, she only twice filmed the climactic moment in which Joyce decapitates Vecna ​​with an axe. The scene marked Ryder’s last with Vecna ​​actor Jamie Campbell Bower.

“I love Jamie so much,” Ryder said. “I remember he was in that position and we were talking about bands, and he’s a very nice person. I came that day just for that. You can’t rehearse a scene like that. You just have to save it for the recording. I think I only did it twice.”

The beheading takes place right after Joyce tells Vecna, “You fucked the wrong family.” The iconic lines mark the rare use of the F-word in the history of ‘Stranger Things’.

“We didn’t use the F-word on the show, and we’ve been looking forward to it for a while,” series co-creator Matt Duffer told Tudum. ‘I think Dacre [Montgomery, who played Billy] muttered without meaning to in Season 3’s “The Sauna Test.” [Episode 4]. So I guess this doesn’t technically count as the first time, but we were looking for a real moment that would deserve stronger language and we saved it and felt like, if we’re going to go there, this is the moment for it. Let’s give it to Winona.’

Ross Duffer said in an interview with Variety that the ‘Stranger Things’ writers room debated which character should get the final blow on Vecna ​​and that having Joyce decapitate the villain felt right for a lot of reasons.

“She’s kind of the mother of this group, the protector,” Ross said. “And we never saw her hit anything with that ax either, so that felt like a satisfying way to give Vecna the final blow. But it was actually in the editorial office, where as we were working on it, we had the first flashbacks to her memories of Bob, and that anger built up. It felt good that it just wasn’t just a ‘fuck yeah’ moment. It was also, in a way, a cathartic moment for our characters, who are clearing out all this trauma that’s been caused here. It’s not just a moment to stand up and cheer up. It is the reminder that this evil has caused them so much pain.’

Matt Duffer added: I remember working with our editor and our composer and just talking to them and saying, ‘Let’s make this the most emotional beheading in history.’ That was the goal.”

“Stranger Things 5” is streaming in its entirety on Netflix.