Summary
- Will Byers may be in danger in Stranger Things season 5, as a new behind-the-scenes photo hints at a grim fate for the character.
- Flashback scenes involving a young Will Byers suggest a connection to Vecna, leading to concerns about his survival in the final episodes.
- Killing off Will in Stranger Things season 5 would not only be unsatisfying for his character arc; it would also risk embracing a harmful LGBTQ+ trope.
A new behind-the-scenes photo of Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in Stranger Things season 4, part 2 comes to a close.
It doesn't help that Will still feels a connection to the Upside Down and to Vecna — and that's likely to prove important in Will Byers in Stranger Things season 5, telling Forbes that the show "started with Will, and it'll end with Will." It's great that viewers will get to see more of Will before the Netflix series is through. However, Schnapp's latest BTS photo for Stranger Things raises concerns about whether his character will survive the final episodes.
8 Great Stranger Things Season 5 Theories, Ranked By How Likely They Are To Come True
There are some great theories about Stranger Things season 5 out there, but some seem more likely to come true during the final episodes than others.
Stranger Things Season 5's Young Will Byers Is A Bad Sign For His Survival
A Flashback Scene Doesn't Bode Well For Noah Schnapp's Character
A new set photo for Stranger Things season 5 suggests the final episodes will feature a flashback involving a younger Will Byers. Stranger Things creator Ross Duffer shared two behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram on March 22, wishing Will Byers a happy birthday. And while the first photo, which showcases an older Will, isn't all that concerning, the second shot raises questions about the character's season 5 arc. It features Schnapp lying on the floor of what looks like Castle Byers, while a younger actor lies behind him. See Duffer's Instagram post below:
The dots on the younger star's face are typically used for digital face replacement, and the fact that Schnapp is sporting Will's season 1 attire seems to confirm this theory. This means Stranger Things season 5 is likely to contain a flashback to Will's season 1 storyline — and that doesn't bode well for the character. There are several reasons Will could be revisiting the past, but few of them seem positive. Let's not forget that Max Mayfield also saw old memories when she was being targeted by Vecna in Stranger Things season 4. Given Will's connection, he could be experiencing something similar.
What We Think Is Happening With Young Will In Stranger Things Season 5
Will Could Be Having Visions Because Of Vecna
Considering Max's storyline in Stranger Things season 4, the most probable explanation for Will's flashback scene is that he's being targeted by Vecna. The series has already established that Will is connected to the Stranger Things villain, so it makes sense that Vecna would go after him. His flashbacks to the Upside Down could be visions induced by Vecna to remind Will of what happened to him there. Alternatively, they could be flashbacks Will has before he's about to die — something that happens fairly regularly in TV shows. With a main character likely to die in Stranger Things season 5, Will's chances are looking grim.
The series has already established that Will is connected to the Stranger Things villain, so it makes sense that Vecna would go after him.
Of course, there is one possible explanation for Will's flashback scene that doesn't mean he's in danger or dying: Will could something from his time in the Upside Down that helps the Hawkins gang defeat Vecna. This would fulfill Will's more prominent role in the final season without killing him off. Although Stranger Things season 5 needs to establish higher stakes with a character death, Will Byers shouldn't be the person the series bids farewell to.
Why Will Needs To Survive In Stranger Things Season 5
Will's Story Ending In Tragedy Doesn't Work
There are multiple reasons Stranger Things season 5 shouldn't kill off Will Byers, starting with the fact that a tragic end wouldn't be satisfying for his story. Will suffers from the very beginning of Stranger Things, and he still seems to be struggling in season 4. If any character besides Eleven deserves a happy ending, it's Will. It wouldn't be satisfying for his already tragic arc to end in death, especially at the hands of the Upside Down and its monsters. Will survives season 1 for a reason, and season 5 shouldn't discount that by making it his fate to sacrifice himself fighting Vecna.
Additionally, Stranger Things season 4 hints at Will having feelings for Mike, even if it never outright confirms that he's an LGBTQ+ character. Killing Will would play into Hollywood's harmful "bury your gays" trope, and Stranger Things season 5 must avoid doing that. It will hurt the show's legacy if it kills off its LGBTQ+ main character, so hopefully, Will's flashback scene has another explanation in Stranger Things' final outing.
Stranger Things
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast
Jane 'Eleven' Hopper
Mike Wheeler
WHERE TO WATCH
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
- Directors
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
- Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
- Seasons
- 5
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Franchise
- Stranger Things
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