Stranger Things Season 5 is already blowing people’s minds and shaking up fan theories, but one of these revelations received the majority of people’s attention. Jamie Campbell Bower, who portrays Vecna and his disturbing alter ego Mr. Whatsit in Stranger Things, told Variety that the character was inspired by actual cult psychology.Mr. Whatsit’s calm voice and polite smile cover a chilling choice of acting technique based on one of the most notorious figures in history. This understanding causes his scenes to strike more oddly, particularly those in which he communicates with the children of Hawkins, such as Holly. In these moments, amiability and danger mingle in an incredibly uncomfortable, psychological manner.Who is Jamie Campbell Bower’s Vecna in Stranger Things Season 5 based onWhen Jamie Campbell Bower began to consider Mr. Whatsit, he did not imagine a dangerless imaginary friend or a simple creepy fantasy figure. Rather, he turned to real-life inspiration from Jim Jones, the cult leader who was able to control people with the power of his words.In a recent interview with Variety, Jamie Campbell Bower said:“Jim Jones was an early reference for me. He was on the mood board, even with regard to certain things that he’s saying when the kids are all in front of him. There were points where I thought, ‘Do I say the word “you” or do I use the word “we”? We’re a family now.’ That’s really grim! It totally can remove the idea of autonomy, so definitely there had to be that level of cult leader-esqueness about him.”Bower examined the way Jones addressed his followers, particularly the use of such words as “we” rather than “you,” and the establishment of a strong familial feeling. He employed this technique in Stranger Things Season 5 to influence the behavior of Mr. Whatsit, to act in a certain way that seemed welcoming and pleasant while quietly taking control. Instead of clear threats, Mr. Whatsit lures children in with the help of emotional proximity.This makes the character in Stranger Things Season 5 particularly creepy, as his manipulation is not only realistic and human, but much more dangerous than what a monster would have done.Acting choices that hit hard View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe act of playing a kind-looking but dark, complex character could be challenging, and Bower pulls this off very well in Stranger Things Season 5. He has also argued that Mr. Whatsit’s kind and friendly façade is, in fact, a deliberate tactic of strategic manipulation to rob others of power. This signaling is not immediately apparent to audiences, which makes it even more unsettling. Jamie Campbell Bower told Variety:“What you saw in Season 4 happened, and it was real. This is very much like, how nice can I be to these poor children to make them feel as comfortable as possible in this world? And how much of my experience am I burying within that? And it’s always a really terrifying prospect when you’re sat opposite another actor, and your intentions are so deeply buried. There’s a level of real dishonesty in that, and that’s really scary. It’s really hard, particularly opposite a child.”It is not merely what he says, but, in fact, how and why he says what he does. It has a very subtle but dreadful impact, much like cult leaders strategically deploy various words to ensure dependence and break down one’s identity. Mr. Whatsit, therefore, in Stranger Things Season 5, does not appear as a one-dimensional villain but as very, very real and disturbing instead.What this means for fans watching Stranger Things Season 5For long-time fans of the series, this cult-themed portrayal of Mr. Whatsit brings something truly frightening to Stranger Things Season 5. Throughout its run, Stranger Things has always balanced ’80s nostalgia, fear, and emotion effectively. However, this element of reality causes Mr. Whatsit to come across as even more unsettling.Rather than playing solely with supernatural elements, Mr. Whatsit is genuinely terrifying in the sense that he has the ability to be both kind and threatening simultaneously. Much like actual people who have very charming demeanors before turning out to be hiding more horrific truths beneath the surface, his dual nature makes him deeply unsettling. Even when he is kind to Holly or the other children in Stranger Things Season 5, there is something somehow very wrong with him, as if his smile seems a little too perfect.For more such insights on Stranger Things Season 5, keep following Soap Central.