Stranger Things: The First Shadow **EXPLAINED**

In this video, we break down Stranger Things: The First Shadow and how it fits in to the timeline of the Stranger Things show. I give a synopsis of the play, create a timeline to help breakdown how the play fits in to the narrative of the show we already know, and break down key information that the play uses!
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0:00 - Intro
1:08 - What is The First Shadow?
1:30 - Synopsis
3:03 - Disclaimer
3:54 - 1943
4:50 - Dimension X
6:59 - Early 1950's
8:20 - 1953
9:35 - Indianapolis Gazette vs. The Weekly Watcher
13:31 - 1957-1959
15:08 - 1959 (Pre-Murders)
18:18 - 1959 (Post-Murders)
21:12 - 1971
22:34 - What ST5 will take from the play
23:52 - Who is the "big bad"?
28:21 - Final thoughts
31:36 - Outro
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[@JackPlayzTwo]

Perfect timing. Im in my stranger things phase rn and was just looking into the comics and how some of those could tie into the show or season 5

[@user-wb3xb9mn2x]

Ever since season 4 I’ve been in my stranger things phase

[@Kennli-kh4nk]

I started transitioning into my Stranger Things phase maybe November 6 I mean I’m not sure. I started watching season one in early November but I don’t really know for sure but it would be cool if I started watching the first episode on stranger things day!

[@mattkaplan8015]

I think Henry fell through Dimension X when the gate first opened. When Eleven opened it a second time, I think she directly opened it to the Upside down, skipping dimension X, merging the upside down with Earth, making it a copy of earth OR Dimension X is the upside down before it became a reverse Hawkins

[@blakelandry9313]

Or maybe they could’ve took an over a dimension similar to ours, which would add steaks showing that they’ve already took an over a similar dimension to ours

[@blackphnix264]

I’ve seen the play almost two months ago, and that’s a good recap ! I don’t remember very well the part when Victor found Alice and Henry dead in the play, but i don’t think it appeared to me as something incoherent with the depiction of the scene in the series. I can’t be sure because I don’t remember that part of the play very well, but the way i put it together in my head is that Victor finds Henry unconscious on the floor and thinks that he’s dead, but he gets arrested before finding out that his son is in fact alive. For the inconsistencies with the newspaper, I think it’s not a big deal, the Duffers must have thought that these weren’t reliable sources, hence the lack of care put in the articles. But yeah, the big reveals of the play that got me thinking when it ended were really Henry’s blood being used by Brenner and the way the Mindflayer is already there at this point of the timeline. The blood thing might be useful in season five, as it establishes that there is something linking Eleven directly to Henry (she has his blood in her veins ! Or at least, he is the origin of her power !). This really feels like something that can play a big role in the final season. Then there’s this Mindflayer thing that got me really confused while watching the play, as season four clearly seemed to establish that the Mindflayer is only a creation of Henry’s (I mean, we can see him shape the shadow monster). And this is the real game changer from this show, since it changes a lot of things. As you said, in the play the Mindflayer is presented as something that used Henry or took control over him, and we can see the shape of the shadow monster at some point while Henry is at Hawkins lab (Henry makes it appear on a TV screen). I think it could mean multiple things, but these are only theories at this point. Maybe the Mindflayer is a part of Henry himself that was awakened when he entered in contact with dimension X (and it’s slowly taking control, like some sort of schizophrenia). Maybe it was an entity that existed already, but needed Henry’s powers to get a physical shape, or that can’t act on its own and needs Henry to do the work for it. It might even manipulate Henry into believing that he is in control of himself, hence the speech in season four. Or (maybe it’s too far fetched), the Mindflayer is Henry coming back to the past, to trick himself into this path. He would use dimension X in season five or later to do it, which would work if we make the theory that it’s a dimension where time doesn’t exist the same way as here (or not at all). This would link dimension X with the fact that the upside down is stuck in 1983 (eleven would have sort of "anchored" dimension X it in time). Anyway, these are just theories but I think it at least proves that this mindflayer thing is a big deal. Finally, the play revealed something really important that you didn’t really spend time developing : the parents of the teens knew Henry ! It would be so weird if there isn’t a scene in season five where the teens ask their parents about him to get some information… they could lead them to go look for Patty Newby, which was still alive at the end of the show and which was Henry’s first (and only) love. Maybe she would be the key to defeating him ! I really hope that they release the play on Netflix or something. It was so good visually, and I’d really like to watch it again as I’m already starting to forget some pieces of it… plus, the way it’s written as real episodes of the series (there’s even title cards during the play) would make it fit really well on Netflix. And if you have any question about the play, don’t hesitate ! (By the way, sorry if I made some writing mistakes, english is not my first language.)

[@cameronsilas]

Wow!!!! Thank you so much for your comment!!! this was so great to read. I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@chocobro77]

I wonder if the play would be broadcast online soon coz alot of people can't make it to see the play way across pond....

[@thomashallmark4065]

It would make sense for him to not be a reliable narrator if it is the mind flayer talking and using Henry's memories, that he misunderstands because he is not human. The "Key" is probably the Newby sister still being alive and showing herself to Henry, allowing him to turn on the mind flayer and help Will and Eleven fight him. And Bob Newby was already a character, who died, so it would make sense also that the sister would come back to get his things and get caught in the hubub of the upside down, and still not technically be a "new" character, because she was in the play.

[@ekaterinaartuz8646]

I saw the play. I think Patty is the therapist. 😉 the key

[@blakelandry9313]

This is a pretty good theory

[@RyanCalebSmith]

Great Breakdown of the Prequel as it sounds pretty interesting as expected. Also, I would love to see a full timeline for the ST franchise in the future 😎🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@EditsAreOnTop]

Great video. Why are you so underrated? I just subscribed to Chris’ patreon and am about to start watching stranger things with you guys. I’m 14 and am a movie/tv show FREAK! Love you guys!

[@cameronsilas]

Thanks for joining his patreon!!! Those tracks are SO fun!

[@EditsAreOnTop]

@@cameronsilas I genuinely am OBSESSED with stranger things. I have watched every theory video for season 5 I have rewatched the whole show 5 times, about be my 6th. Max and Steve are my 1 A and 1 B. The way I would die to meet you guys. I could talk to you guys about stranger things for HOURS!!!

[@sharadthehedgehog]

Do you consider the novels comics and games Canon? ​@@cameronsilas

[@tysxd7775]

​@@EditsAreOnTopme too! I watch everything about ST5 everyday since ST4 came out :D just love that so much.

[@sunnydcf7775]

been waiting for someone to go in depth with first shadow and of course you are it

[@zartig09]

It’s been a couple months since I saw the show, but for the 19:30 section, I vaguely recall in the show that the father woke up to Victor beside him believed to be dead. But Victor then escaped the guards after the father was taken away, and he went to the school. It’s a little silly, but I guess they needed to do something to get Victor to continue in the show. Otherwise his story would have ended abruptly, and the option they went with technically works for the canon.

[@zartig09]

They also cut some scenes, which I understand were only shown a few times during the first previews. The most notable is when Henry interact with a Demogorgon. 7:53 has an image of this, and this is no longer in the show. I believe it was cut due to the show being too long, and the scene adding little narratively (plus the Demo costume does look a little clunky on stage). So only a few thousand people potentially saw the scene, and the play no longer literally shows Henry in the other dimension, it only mentions it. Maybe some day they will add back the scene (as early reviews praised it, and the show loved it enough to release it as the first image), but I highly doubt it at this point.

[@KazPlayZz]

Also….this means it’s not really Henry’s fault, it was the shadow thingy controlling him- 😅

[@joshuajohnson1796]

More stranger things videos Cam!

[@ndudiobichi3515]

What if the Upside Down is like a hybrid of the real world and Dimension X. Like what if whatever happened on November 6th joined the two worlds together and made some sort of Dimension X/Real World hybrid world…

[@DontChaseReplace]

Thx for explaning this sis, i cant see the play and i prefer listening to someone rather than reading💘✨️

[@cameronsilas]

This is so real, reading too much reddit can give you a headache for sure!

[@azulaaaaa01]

THANK GOD BECAUSE i’m so sick of people KEEP TALKING about how “oh it’s canon to the show” blah blah okay i didn’t see the theatre shit so SOMEONE explain!!!!! so thank you!!!! and so if the play is canon to the show does that mean it answers questions for seasons 1-4??? and spoils s5? so will they still answer questions from s1-4 for us in s5 or do they expect us to go to london and watch the play?

[@jhbbhj876]

whats amazing about stranger things is the more questions they answer in this prequel the more follow up questions I have….I gotta see this play

[@swagrjackrdraws420]

I think the reason it was released as a play is because it’s just a rough draft of a prequel series they are planning to produce exploring the past since the duffer brothers have said they were planning a new series

[@swagrjackrdraws420]

Which I could definitely see happening considering we also have The Suspicious Minds book exploring Terry Ives past. I think a prequel show exploring all the past characters would be amazing with the show ending with terry ives storming the Hawkins Lab

[@swagrjackrdraws420]

I could definitely see them produce this and have it last like 3 seasons or more

[@HellfireClubLegacy]

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, confirms that The Mind Flayer Is The Real Antagonist on Stranger Things. i am so HAPPY.

[@blakelandry9313]

Same because I’ve always felt that they mind flayer is a more interesting villain

[@chocobro77]

Seems like the mind flayer keeps the flame raging...

[@simonberwick6191]

Love this and love the use of a timeline. Thank you for taking the time to put together and sharing 🙏🙌❤️

[@TentacledProductions]

My mum works in a theatre. We’re praying it goes on tour, as we’d likely get free tickets.

[@tysxd7775]

Thanks for that vid Cam! I watch Chris and yours videos about Stranger Things, actually Chris is my favorite KZbinr! This video was very well done. Even that I am from Europe, it is quite difficult to travel to London since they are not in EU. So I just decided to listen to you! However I did not expect it to be that hard to understand. I had to put it on 0,75 speed because a lot of new terms and you speak very quickly. English is not my native language, but i never had to slow down video, but you are very excited story teller and speak quickly, chris speaks way slower :D Had to rewatch it more times! :--) it well trains my English. Thanks and wish you the best!

[@editinglife97]

thank you for this video. ur channel and chris’s are both awesome and i can’t wait to watch more of ur videos!!!

[@cameronsilas]

thank you so much!!

[@megs4193]

Woohoo yes!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 I had to read up on the play, I didn't care, I don't believe in spoilers, it's always different than you think when the show starts again 😃❤❤❤.

[@alexandrabrumelhappyplace9427]

Thanks, girl! loved it!

[@shannonroesgen9288]

You did a great job

[@MickGenuine]

Thank you for doing this background breakdown timeline. Excellent job!

[@MickGenuine]

Do we know if Bob Newby's radio show was on WSQK?

[@AvluvsMJ]

Great video! I know it’s going to Scotland and I’ve heard rumblings about it possibly coming to NY! 🤞🏽

[@SamTachment]

THANK U SO MUCH

[@lapizlazuli3959]

Thank you for making this video, it looks like you put a lot of effort to make it 😊, just subbed. Btw there is this theory called birthdaygate, which basically talks about the fact that the Duffer brothers probably lied in the interview where they said that they forgot will's birthday was on march 22nd, the proof to back this up is : 1. In the interview they said that they forgot will's birthday and that they would go back and change it, BUT they never changed it and they also tweeted on twitter (from the official writer's twitter account) that they have never and will never change any scenes in stranger things. 2. They also talked about how watching season 2 before watching season 4 will give a lot of context for some scenes, and they also made many parallels referring to season 2 in season 4.Will getting possessed was a big part of season 2 and the fact that his birthday was on march 22nd was heavily talked about. 3. In season 4 in the rink o mania scenes if you look at the background you will notice tones of birthday decor everywhere, i think it is for a flashback scene that vecna will give will in season 4. 4. The word birthday pops up multiple times throughout season 4. 5. And as a cherry on top the writers official twitter account has been wishing will happy birthday every year, including this year ! Anyway this is just a theory but its very interesting so i just wanted to share 😄

[@meganingram6482]

Could the high school counselor be Henry Creels daughter possibly? Or some type of Creel family relative that may tie to her? I.e. the clock necklace she wears could be a charm to stop time? She could be another sister of Bob Newby, possibly? She really enforced to Max that she can’t help her unless she tells her what’s going on to unlock that clock necklace, and can’t say it herself ?

[@prof.evilpictures8696]

Alice surely can’t be 15… ignoring the newspaper and based on the actual actors, she seems to be the younger sister. I assumed she was like 10. Also if Henry is 12, he couldn’t be a freshman that year and would be six years younger than Joyce and Hopper not 3 years so yeah the timeline is definitely confusing

[@cameronsilas]

Oh I agree 100%!!!! The ages of Alice AND Henry just do not make sense to me! She’s also clearly younger than Henry in the play… the duffers need to give me answers’

[@ndudiobichi3515]

I think the newspapers’ inconsistencies might be intentional. Newspapers get facts wrong all the time. Maybe that’s what contributed the Creel murders to becoming an urban legend

[@vaughnchambers856]

Great video and really interesting to see the timeline from the play. I went to see it with my daughter in December when it was in its preview stage and really came out with more questions than answers. We would love to go back to see it and are trying hard to get tickets again! Just a couple of questions. One of the lines we picked up in the play's promo was that it 'may hold the key to the end,' which we have no idea about - I wondered if anyone else had any thoughts. Also, I may be wrong, but Patty Newby is introduced for the first time in the play and she isn't mentioned in the TV series at all, as far as I am aware. Any thoughts on whether she will make an appearance in Season 5 or not? She is a major character in the play and at the end it is teased that either she has powers or that Henry is watching her somehow from the Lab because the lights flicker where she is.

[@patriciaelea9142]

Wow yes do a timeline!

[@stancartmankenny]

"eldritch"... as in "eldritch wizardry"... another D&D reference.

[@stancartmankenny]

But is Terry Ives really 11's mom? Seems like Terry Ives didn't particularly want to see 11 when 11 comes to see her; seems more like she sent 11 to go find her actual daughter. But 11, believing herself to be Terry's daughter, misinterpreted and thought Terry wanted her to go find that other girl who turns out to be 8. But why would Terry care about that girl? Terry's long-lost daughter finally returns to her many years later and she tells her "No, buzz off kid, go find that other girl that I only saw briefly once a dozen or so years ago". If 11 was Jane I would think all Terry would want would be to be with her.

[@Eren_D_Founder12]

I think i simp for venca

[@Jackie_P_MVP]

I’m going to see it in June

[@cameronsilas]

I hope you enjoy it!!!

[@chocylachy1]

New sub

[@Kennli-kh4nk]

Do you have a camp half-blood bag?! I just noticed it in the background so I’m just wondering. EDIT: And I also just noticed a YANKEES BASEBALL CAP! If that is not Percy Jackson I will lose my mind!

[@cameronsilas]

I do!!!! I love percy Jackson, if you look at my page I make quite a lot of PJO content!

[@Kennli-kh4nk]

Oh okay cool!

[@chocobro77]

At end of this video you capped the question as of why this play is only in England and not displayed globally to larger audiences who are fans of tv show....what was the Duffer Brothers thinking?? Im baffled!!

[@jhbbhj876]

Someone tell me why london only why not london and new york or something

[@KazPlayZz]

When you realize Vecna and Joyce could’ve been “related” in some way, bc Joyce dated Bob and Bob’s sister is Patty and Patty and Vecna liked each other- (But Bob died and Patty died). Buttt that never happened. 😅

[@ashleyk2999]

Please make a timeline of the whole show :)

[@misslaurabolt]

Thank you for this! Also, just so you’re aware MKultra is pronounced like “em kay ultra” and was a real CIA program!

[@ccole99]

Thank you that was driving me insane it took me out of the whole video. Yes it’s. M K ultra!!!

[@patriciaelea9142]

Now the blood in El was only explained to Nancy in season 4 when Vecna grabbed her and was explaining. Will Nancy tell El that gonna be conversation

[@user-od3hd3dy5g]

Im 13/8 so i like stranger things so i like you to now my new KZbinr ❤

[@mohammedjammeh9598]

The First Shadow makes me love Vecna even more. Damn.

[@jarnold]

Fr

[@johnlukenance8977]

Just my take - but I really hope that the mind flayer isn’t the big bad of the show. We already thought that it was from 2017-2022 until Henry revealed he has been controlling it the whole time. I really hope they don’t retcon it

[@jarnold]

See I understand but an unreliable narrator is meant to show us things about the character psychologically, it serves a purpose and isnt a retcon (see; the lights flickering leading Henry into the bathroom in the flashback Nancy sees or the lights flickering around him when Victor is talking to Nancy and Robin) It adds to his character and tells us a lot about how broken he has become, that due to his powerlessness and the loss of his identity and all the other things Kate said she wanted to explore with his character, he just wants control over himself. And the influence from the mind flayer has seriously messed him up that he really thinks that he _is_ the mind flayer

[@Tee_Person]

If Alice is 15 I’m 73

[@jurikii]

Am I the only one my one who is noticing some pretty major similarities between the Stranger Things Henry/Mind Flayer storyline and the FFVII Sephiroth/Jenova storyline? The two are extremely similar and it’s so fun to think about. The question people always had was “who was actually in control? Sephiroth or Jenova?” And now that’s the case with Vecna and the MF. I’m so intrigued by this. Also- the plan and end goal of both are similar as well: to remake the Earth how they see fit and absorb power wherever they can so as to become the ultimate being in control of it all. It’s kind of crazy just how many things are comparable between Stranger Things & Final Fantasy 7. Is Eleven somehow a genetic offspring or clone of Henry’s? Are they essentially the “shadows” we see in FFVII during the reunion storyline? Everyone has a number… just like in Stranger Things and they’re ALL genetically linked to Sephiroth because they’re essentially “failed clones”. This part of the comparison is actually crazy because it’s exactly what we are seeing in ST. Numbered humans with otherworldly powers, experiments, creatures… so is it too far fetched to think … clones? Or somehow otherwise genetically derived from Henry using his DNA? Is he her biological father? It’s so fun to think about the possibilities! See what I mean? I could go on and on citing the similarities between the two franchises!

[@MikeYatesTeamVictory365]

Could Linda Hamilton's character be Patty Newby?

[@evakatrinaa]

That would make sense because Patty could be instrumental in making Henry human again.. though I also kind of hope they have a Black actress in the role like in the play (Ella Karuna Williams, who is phenomenal.) It's relevant to her experience in high school and why she bonded with Henry, and her story afterward.

[@jarnold]

Patty is canonically black.

[@megs4193]

It sounds like something else was behind Henry turning bad, or someone else and maybe Brenner knew it and that's how he ended up after Henry, trying to use whatever changed him to change others 🤔🤔🤔🤔🥴🥴 i so want to know. It sounds like they were replicating real newspapers 🤷‍♀️🦘🇦🇺🦘👍.

[@joshuajohnson1796]

Chris’s videos are amazing for stranger things but you’re a lot more easier on the eyes lol sorry Chris

[@cameronsilas]

I personally love looking at Chris! 😉

[@joshuajohnson1796]

@@cameronsilas ❤️ you two are adorable

[@patriciaelea9142]

Patti Newby mmm could that be ?

[@KazPlayZz]

When you realize Joyce/her family and Vecna could’ve been related in some way- 😟

[@krpowe6663]

There are some incoherences and disappointing things in that one. I hope it is not truely canon, because it wouldn't make any sense.