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For much of the fifth and final season of the popular Netflix show, Holly Wheeler and Max Mayfield are imprisoned in a realm of memories forged from the past of the villain Henry. Their quest for an escape route in episode 6 has them relive a life-altering moment from Henry's youth—an event that potentially carries the means to overcome him once and for all.

Editor's Note: This discussion contains major spoilers for the concluding episodes.

A Journey Into the Tunnel

After locating Max in the mental landscape dubbed Camazotz, Holly discovers she is taking refuge in a cave that Henry avoids at all costs. An accidental discovery a viewing device found in Henry's old home allows Holly to realize that the true terror lies not within the cave. When she lines up her view with the shape, she and Max plummet into a deep mine shaft.

In this place, they observe a child version of Henry find an injured and paranoid man. As the boy offers aid, the man panics and shoots, hitting him in the hand. To protect himself, Henry strikes the man down with a rock. "Did this make Henry evil?" Holly wonders aloud. Essentially, yes, but the act went deeper than a simple act of survival.

In keeping with mysteries of the final season, the truth about the events in the tunnel is detailed in the live show The First Shadow.

A Naval Mystery and Secret Science

This backstory explains the 1943 event, which transported a U.S. Navy ship into a dimension later called the Abyss. It faced creatures, and the only one to return was the ship's commander, who emerged in a catatonic condition with an entirely new blood.

This man's son, the future Dr. Brenner, wanted to repeat this phenomenon in Nevada. However, a treacherous employee took experimental components to sell to the Soviets, who were desperate to launch their own interdimensional projects. The man in the mine shaft is the one who stole the materials.

So, What's in the Case?

Given what is understood of his research, the briefcase would assuredly have samples of Captain Brenner's infected blood. As shown, Henry is bleeding from his hand. It's probable he was infected upon opening the case, leading to the awakening of his powers—traits he would genetically impart to the kids in Hawkins Lab.

Another possibility, the container could have held exotic matter that eventually found its way to Hawkins Laboratory, where it maintains the stability of the Upside Down. The stage play explains that the boy somehow wound up in the Abyss, reappearing hours later fundamentally changed. From then on, he battles the influence of a dark entity, similar to how Will was possessed by the shadow monster in an earlier season.

Confronting Terror

His lasting fear associated with the mine shows how utterly horrifying the event was for him. While he controls the army of monsters and attempts to pull the Abyss into Hawkins, a fragment of his psyche still exists. The villain weaponizes terror, and the show is setting up a showdown between Vecna and Will, who has deliberately faced his personal demons to gain strength.

His confrontation has effectively disarmed Vecna. More importantly, Will now knows what Vecna himself fears, which could provide a key upper hand in the series finale that awaits.