A viral TikTok theory suggests viewers of Stranger Things may have been psychologically manipulated by the antagonist Vecna, similar to the characters within the show. The theory, posted by TikTok creator in_the_west_7, posits that Will Byers and Kali might still be compromised and acting as Vecna's spies. It reinterprets perceived deleted or missing scenes as intentional 'timeline wipes' designed to influence the audience's perception ahead of the show's finale.