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Noah discussing his wishes for Will Byers as a character, at the Outdoor Film Festival in Italy 5/7/25

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What's in an Eye: Speculation on S5 Will Byers, Now-Memories, and the Demogorgon

(Note: thank you, @/nattyonebard for the gif!)

While there are many incredible shots in the Stranger Things 5 teaser, there's one that stuck out to me in particular: the shot of Will Byers's eye. In the teaser, the shot serves as a slick transition into Lucas and some kids fleeing through a tunnel. However, within the context of the season, it's clear that this shot serves as a transition to a different scene. A scene that Will is exclusively witnessing, since it's a vision from the hive mind's now-memories.

Because what he's seeing isn't necessarily happening right in front of him, more so being projected into his mind, there should be a clue as to what he's seeing within the frame. This lead me to look more closely at Will's eye, in which I made a potential discovery. Although it sounds far fetched, the closer one looks at Will's pupil the more a hidden image starts to materialize. It's a bit difficult to discern due to the overlaid visual of what Will is seeing, in person, at WSQK.

(Note: You can place Will at WSQK because of the industrial lighting fixtures reflected on his iris, as well a the warmth of the projector light on the side of his face. See pictures below for reference.)

Beneath the first layer (WSQK reflections), you can begin to see the vague outline of some kind of structure. There are only a few stand out elements: a traditionally slanted roof with a lighter (white) trim, windows, and some sort of protrusion coming out of the top of the building. There are two structures that are key locations in Stranger Things 5 that immediately come to mind. The first being the Wheeler house (with its chimney), and the second being the unknown church (with its spires).

The Wheeler house is an important location early on in Volume 1, due to the confirmed attack on the aforementioned family. This attack coinciding with our main cast beginning their mission is no accident. It seems half retribution—Nancy did flambé Vecna last season—and half distraction.

Like @/reo-bylerwagon also theorized, I believe Will could be experiencing a vision in which he accesses now-memories of the Demogorgon stalking then brutalizing Karen and Ted at the Wheeler home. This is eerily similar to a situation in The Order of the Phoenix in which Harry witnesses, via Nagini's perspective, the potential murder of Arthur Weasley, his best friend's father. Later on, it's revealed that Voldemort is intentionally sharing these violent visions in order to manipulate a vulnerable Harry, who's wrestling with PTSD and abandonment issues in the wake of his friend Cedric's death.

"It's hard to explain. It's like old memories in the back of my head, only they're not my memories [...] I mean, I don't think they're old memories at all. They're now-memories, happening all at once, now." - Will, 2x04

The only caveat with Will's now-memories is that he can only access them while possessed. Therefore, there is credence to the assumption Vecna is forcing specific visions on a vulnerable Will to isolate him. This further aligns with the leak shared by user @/conflictofthemind in which, after the attack on the Wheelers, Will arrives at the hospital crying and "blaming himself for what happened". It seems like Will's proximity to evil, the danger it brings to others as well as what it "means" about himself, is beginning to wear him down. For those of you familiar with The Conjuring, like user @grandmags (thank you for mentioning), Will would be classified as falling in the second stage of demonic activity, oppression, in which the demon targets a victim and breaks them down, so they don't have the will power to resist the final stage. Possession.

It's not difficult to surmise that, like Hopper, Will shall come to view himself as a curse on his loved ones if not already. Just last season, Will revealed that he "sometimes" feels like a mistake. With the stakes at an all time high in Stranger Things 5, it's evident that his connection to Vecna carries more danger—and also more self-reproach. His screams of "Run" to his friends may imply that he himself is the danger as much as any other monster from the Upside Down.

Will understands he's a liability. In fact, he's much too aware of his real and imagined shortcomings. While he's a risk the group is willing to take, Will likely doesn't feel the same way. However, the larger group isn't ignorant of Will's connection and may already be taking some precautionary measures for his safety and against his spying. For example, keeping him with a larger group and not including him on special missions. I'm sure Will understands their concerns, but that doesn't mean their distrust stings any less. Coupled with his pre-existing fear of being useless, Will's self-blame may compel him to alienate himself and engage in risk taking behavior, in order to prove that he can be an agent of good rather than a herald of evil.

"... I saw a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins, downtown on fire, dead soldiers, and this giant creature with a gaping mouth. And this creature wasn't alone. There were so many monsters, an army, and they were coming into Hawkins, into our neighborhoods, our homes. And then, he showed me my mom, Holly, Mike... And they... they were all..." - Nancy, 4x08

Speaking of heralding evil, near the end of Stranger Things 4, Vecna shares prophetic visions with Nancy. His ability to see the future is a revelation, since Will's experience with now-memories in Stranger Things 2 suggests that these visions are only based in the present. This information, along with confirmation that the Upside Down froze on the day of Will's disappearance, indicates the writers are doubling down on exploring nonlinear time in the upcoming season.

By the season four finale, several of Vecna's visions have become reality, with the rest ominously poised to come to pass later. However, per leaks, we know Mike Wheeler is alive enough to graduate in 1989. And, per common sense, it's unlikely his (seven going on) eleven year old sister and mother die. These visions are less definitive than Vecna would like others to believe. Therefore, there is something or someone that has the ability to alter them.

"I have seen into the future..." - Will, 3x03

Will is the most likely candidate to play a pivotal role in disrupting these potential futures. Not just because it's been hinted at but he's also the only person with Mind Flayer-linked psychic abilities that would allow him to navigate time like Paul Atreides in Dune or Johnny Smith in Stephen King's The Dead Zone. While Dune's influence is more ambiguous on the show, the Duffers have spoken on how Stephen King's work heavily inspire the show, ex. Carrie or It. The main character of The Dead Zone is similar to Will, in the sense that they gain psychic abilities after acquiring brain damage from an accident. While Will gains true sight (and a few more once possessed), Johnny gains the ability to see people's past, present, and future via touch. More importantly though, Johnny learns that his prophetic visions have a window in which they can be changed.

Returning to Nancy's vision for a moment, one of the most important details is what's not included in it: her father. Most fans dismissed Ted's disappearance as evidence of her lack of care for him, but my instinct says otherwise. If Mike voiced his concern for his entire family when he heard about the murders in Hawkins, I doubt Nancy would be any different. Furthermore, Ted Wheeler's actor Joe Chrest had an interesting response to an interviewer pointing out this detail.

"Oh yeah! You caught that, huh?" - Joe Chrest to Darek Thomas, Monday Morning Critic, Episode 405, 58:53

His reaction is implicit confirmation that this is an intentional omission with larger implications than Nancy disliking her dad. Could it be that he's a variable that Vecna overlooked? Could Ted's exclusion mean that his death is a fixed point, meaning he'll die regardless of any interference? The latter supports the notion that the deaths of Karen, Holly, and Mike are avoidable with care. This means that Will's warning to Nancy—although it couldn't prevent bloodshed—could've actually saved Karen from her original death. Given her youngest child is in Vecna's clutches, I'm sure there will be more near death experiences for Karen but, with the potential expansion and refinement of Will's abilities, he could become an invaluable asset in helping her and the others defy fate.

The idea of "defying fate" is familiar to the writers of Stranger Things, who often touch on the themes of free will and determinism via generational patterns, abuse, systemic issues (classism and sexism), trauma, and conformity. As discussed in a prior post of mine, the show is encouraging a compatibilist approach to the debate which, to put it roughly, argues that peoples actions can still be considered free, even if determined, as long as they are determined by internal rather than external forces.

Each character, including Vecna, are attempting to resist their predetermined paths. In Vecna's case, he believes he has overcome it but, as shown in The First Shadow, his possession via the Mind Flayer calls into question how much choice he's ever had to begin with. Rather than overcome the path, he's actually reinvented it, making him a rather tragic embodiment of determinism living an "illusion of free will" (quote from Donnie Darko analysis HERE). Vecna, as Will's foil, serves as important contrast to Will in that regard. As I've said before, "Will's coming of age is dependent on resolving the a critical identity crisis related to free will: whether or not he can reclaim control over his life and self by choosing to overcome the past."

The past weighs heavy upon the main cast of characters in Stranger Things 5, from the callbacks to their wardrobe to the locations. It's as if they're trapped in a loop, until they defeat Vecna and the Mind Flayer once and for all. One location from the past that's reappearing in season five is the church. The background on this location is unknown, but it's reasonable to guess that this church is the same as the one in which Patty and Henry first bonded over their background and dreams in The First Shadow.

Henry, now Vecna, has long since let go of indulging in dreams in favor of nightmares. However, it's for that reason that we may have a clue as to what could happen in the church. The Duffers have a known fondness for the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise which heavily influences the horror in season four. In the fourth installment of the franchise, The Dream Master (1988), Alice Johnson has her "final" confrontation with Freddy Krueger at the nightmare church. She defeats Krueger upon showing his own reflection, compelling the souls of the victims trapped within to rip him apart (Part 1, Part 2).

"They're not gone, Eleven. They're still with me. In here." - Vecna, 4x07

This isn't to say Vecna will die the same way or at this location, but it's good to keep in mind that Vecna has the exact same "storage issue" as Krueger. Sounds like a promising clue to me. Anyways, there's a decent reason to believe some form of confrontation happens at this location given the amount of character traffic. Nancy, Dustin, Jonathan, and Steve appear to discover this church, during their drive through the Upside Down in 5x04. Later on, potentially 5x05 or 5x06, Hopper, Eleven, Holly, and Will (also allegedly Mike, Lucas, and Max) find their way there too.

If Vecna shows Will a vision of the attack at the Wheeler home, I doubt that will be the only thing he shares. He's rather heavy handed with hinting, so Vecna may show Will a variety of cryptic visuals which the core characters will work together on decoding. One of those could be the church. That could explain why Nancy, Jonathan, Dustin, and Steve stop at that location, during their scouting mission.

Given Stranger Things 2, as well as the rather obvious evidence that Will is once again Vecna's spy, this could be a trap. Like his shy and quiet counterpart Alice Johnson in The Dream Master (1988), Will could be inadvertently leading the monster he's psychically linked with to potential victims. This reaffirms why the Demogorgon knew to target the Wheelers and when to attack. It could also explain why Will is seemingly warning Steve and gang, who are in the Upside Down, to run from a threat (leaked audio HERE, TUDUM announcement HERE).

(Note: the name Steve sounds clear to me, but I recognize some people believe that Will is actually saying Mike's name in the leaked audio. However, people also insisted Will didn't say the line "Run" which the TUDUM clip disproved.)

While Vecna's interest in reclaiming his spy is par for the course, it seems like Will's "episodes" are changing. In season two, Will's "episodes" prior to his possession consisted of him slipping into true sight. Only when possessed did convulsions come into play. However, the newly released teaser is suggesting more aggressive symptomology: regular seizures and fainting. While Will is connected to Vecna (see 4x09 script below), he's not fully possessed yet and shouldn't be exhibiting such behaviors. Because these are already occurring without full possession, it's possible that long term exposure to the open rifts and Vecna's growing power is strengthening Will's tether to the Upside Down.

What's most alarming is the violent way Will falls to the ground in the teaser. The only time the audience sees Stranger Things characters collapse like that is when they overexert themselves using their powers. Although many analysts, including myself, believe Will has powers beyond those connected to the Mind Flayer, none are confirmed as of the beginning of S5—so there would need to be a bit more lead in to Will unlocking his powers. Furthermore, Vecna shouldn't be able to tap into Will's suppressed powers as early as episode one, given Will's mind isn't weak enough for him to possess.

(Note: Many thanks to @pinkeoni and @skywillbyers for hypothesizing with me!)

Powers aside, one hypothesis for Will's exhaustion is Vecna syphoning off his energy. Something similar has happened before in season three, when El collapsed because the Flesh Flayer drained her power. Since Vecna is still regaining his strength at the beginning of Stranger Things 5, he may need a boost when ordering creatures to do his bidding. As shown in Stranger Things 4, the best way to increase his power is by letting him feed on other living beings. While Will is too useful to kill, that doesn't mean Will isn't being gradually "digested". In The First Shadow, Patty points out to Henry that his powers from the Mind Flayers are meant to distract him from the fact he's being "eaten alive". Given Will's also connected to the Mind Flayer, it's logical to conclude he's being similarly cannibalized but in less of an extreme state than Vecna. However, the more Vecna exploits Will's vulnerabilities the more dire his state will become.

Another hypothesis is Will somehow summoning or luring the Demogorgon. I know that sounds bizarre, however there are three separate instances across the TUDUM announcement and teaser which show Will's "episodes" occurring alongside the arrival of a Demogorgon. The first instance being the Will's "episode" at WSQK and the Demogorgon's appearing at the Wheelers. The second instance being Will's "episode" at the barn and the Demogorgon beating down said barn's door. The third instance being Will's "episode" in downtown Hawkins and the Demogorgon breaching the blocked rift right next to him. While once can be consider an accident and twice can be considered a coincidence, three times is a pattern.

"I think about that night all the time. The night it came for you. The night... all of this started" - Joyce to Will, 5x0?

The word choice in the TUDUM announcement implies that there's intentionality behind the Demogorgon's actions. Will was chosen, not an accidental victim. Unfortunately, there isn't enough material on the Demogorgon's motivations at this time. However, there is an argument to be made that, similar to how Will is drawn to that tree or trees, Will is subconsciously drawn to the Demogorgon.

Will, on some level, may recognize that this creature could help him find the answers he's been seeking for years. One thing that's made it so difficult for him to find answers is his repressed memories. But, it seems like those memories are on the cusp of spilling over into Will's consciousness, as one of them is the season five cold opening. Perhaps the Demogorgon would create the right amount of push to let these memories overflow. Because the Demogorgon is a physical reminder of the past, it's renewed stalking evokes feelings of helplessness and fear that transcend time. Will may have grown. Years may have passed. But, deep down, he's still that twelve year old version of himself who's fleeing from a monster on a cold November night in 1983. It's through this form of time travel (Joyce and El agree, see HERE 0:02 - 0:12) that Will can overcome the past in order to determine his own future. Reaffirming this idea, the leaked art from the Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 Style Guide (see above) suggests Will and Max are spending a lot of time within their own minds, evading and confronting their respective personal demons: the Demogorgon and Vecna.

... Wow, I talked for a while. I don't have a proper conclusion for this post, since it's a smorgasbord of theorizing, character analysis, and thematic exploration. The only thing I have left to say is: regardless of whether you see the Wheeler house or the church in Will's eye, isn't it great that there's so much potential in how his story can unfold? I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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I think it would be really funny if 'canonically has no gaydar' Dustin Henderson continues his bit in S5. He sees Robin and Will suddenly talking to eachother a lot more often and is like this is it. This is his moment. Even if Steve won't go for it, I can finally get my friend who suspiciously-doesn't-have-a-girlfriend-despite-having-the-most-game-in-the-party together with the cool older girl I've trauma bonded with (in the colloquial sense) over the last few seasons.

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Any idea if/how Mike is involved with the upside down plot beyond his relation to holly and karen?

Mike’s purpose is to support, encourage, and protect his loved ones. He’s not intrinsically tied to the supernatural and he never will be (sorry).

Mike is the closest thing the show has to an audience surrogate and that includes being the most “normal” character — the fact that he has no powers and does not experience the supernatural phenomena himself.

Navigating his own powerless-ness was a big point of the van talk. He feels defeated because he can’t do anything himself. But little does he know how much he inspires Will to keep going.

His point is to create and lead plans and be one of the emotional supports that Will especially this season needs to be able to fall back on as he is manipulated by Vecna and told that nobody cares for him.

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Thank you for referencing my Byler reaction video! I’m StrawberryBlonde21 on YouTube btw.

I wholeheartedly agree with this post so much!

I would like to add that a lot of people love, enjoy and appreciate Mike and Will as a duo (regardless of them seeing it in a romantic light) so Byler won’t be as negatively received by them as we might think.

They are also aware of how Will is gonna be very important in Season 5, as demonstrated in this clip from my “Mostly Will Commentary and Reaction Compilation”.

Why I'm less concerned about homophobic backlash against Byler

I've already said that this show has made the General Audience want to have a happy ending for Will.

Almost certainly, ALL OF THAT IS RATCHETED UP IN THE FINAL SEASON, Will's "main character" season. All the complete and UNEARNED suffering he has endured will be back and SURPASS THAT OF PAST SEASONS. And it's extremely likely he will offer to sacrifice himself for his family and friends. He, in his own quiet, unassuming, unconventional and very GAY way, will be the main HERO of the season:

The CENTRAL aspect of Will's emotional suffering is being gay, never feeling loved, as exemplified by never being with the love of his life, Mike. His supernatural suffering is real, yes, but what is resonant to the real world is his emotional journey as a gay teen -- and THAT is what the show set up with Season 4.

Every person with a maternal/caring/HUMANE instinct in their body will CARE FOR WILL and want his suffering to end. (If you're unconvinced, just watch these reactions compiled by StrawberryBlonde21 on YouTube, from people who are NOT tuned in to Byler! ) Plus, a lot of the GA's hate directed at Mike is for how he has treated WILL.

If Byler happens, it puts the homophobes in the position of having to be AGAINST WILL FUCKING BYERS saying he doesn't deserve to feel loved. The claim that Byler was "forced" will simply be extinguished, like water thrown on a red-hot pan, when the Duffers do interviews (together with YouTube analysis videos, some of which are already up!) pointing out 4+ seasons of evidence showing Byler was planned all along. And El will almost certainly be happy for Mike and Will, so there's that, too.

I'm not saying the homophobes won't harp about it. But I've been a radical political activist for 30 years. And I know that people of this nature are ALWAYS louder and act more confidently because the ANONYMITY of the internet allows them to. I also know, from my political experience and what I've learned from history, to trust your own reactions to something, in this case our empathy for Will Byers. And to KNOW that how you feel about something is what many other people are feeling, even if that may not be represented by people with platforms, power, or privilege.

The majority of the GA, even people who have some discomfort/homophobia, will view Will as their "gay adopted son." They'll feel the emotional triumph together with Will as he gets the happy ending he deserves. And all this will have the endorsement of the show creators and Netflix. That combined will be far greater and more powerful than the homophobes and sadists who want Will to die unhappy. Those people will be louder, but because they LOST.

The Duffers have not only set up a writing coup of a fully-prepared in-plain-sight plot twist, but they have put all the pieces in place that they need to deal a critical hit against homophobia, for LGBT equality and love, for the marginalized and the outcasts they are ON RECORD saying their show is for.

We now wait to see if they carry through on their own mission statement.

-teambyler

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Deleted my account in 2023 and now I’m back, here’s old art I posted then deleted too

(More might be coming idk)

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The boy who lived has come to die.

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Will Byers ships mileven and thinks their relationship is great. Mike Wheeler headcanons Will as straight.

Our boys are GA

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thinking many thoughts right now

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Dont ask him anything hes only 2 seconds old

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Here I am, promoting my own video once again, but I think it’s really relevant for the upcoming Season 5!

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if there's one thing about Max Mayfield it's that she's gonna have her eyes closed during the Jurassic Park raptor kitchen homage

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Why Will Byer's is Far More Important than it seems in Season Three of Stranger Things

I remember when I first watched Season Three of Stranger Things, I was disappointed by a number of plot points, one of which was how the Duffers seemingly sidelined Will's character. The first three episodes seem to include him in a plot where his friends ignore him, he tries and fails to get them to play DnD, and him and Mike get into a fight over it. Then, it's like the plot for the rest of the season forgot he existed. Will never played his game of DnD, and it seemed like he never made up with Mike or the party.

However, after having rewatched the season recently, I realized the Duffer Brothers had actually, very subtlety, made Will a very crucial character in the season and did it in a way that was so subtle that it flew over the heads of most of the audience. Will's plot was resolved and not forgotten, because him and his friends played through a real-life version of his DnD campaign, and he got his group of friends to act like a party again. In the process, he restored his friendship with Mike, who was beginning to realize just how important Will was to him. The season also points towards a strong possibility that Will and Mike are going to be a couple by the end of the series. Let me explain.

The main story arc of season 3 is how puberty and the transition into adolescence is driving the party members apart. Mike, the party's leader, becomes obsessed over his girlfriend eleven. To be with her as a couple, Mike has to change his personality, which means spending less time with his friends and not engaging in the things he loves to do. Will, obviously struggling with his homosexuality, is feeling left out as each of his friends get girlfriends. Will desperately wants to get his friends back together. In particular, he wants the boy he loves, Mike, to spend time with him. The party needs to learn the importance of their friendship and not only prioritize their romantic relationships as they transition into adulthood. The monster in this season symbolizes the struggles young people experience with puberty. It literally turns people into zombies and transforms them into something else to the point where their personality becomes unrecognizable. The party needs to overcome the monster if they are to keep their friend group intact. Will is the emotional center of this story, and it is Will that actually gets the party to act in unison.

First, Will senses this oncoming monster before anyone else. Every time he senses the monster with his Spidey sense (the neck tingle), it coincides with a moment when the party is fracturing. When Mike and El walk away from the party as they are hiking up the hill early in the season, Will feels the monster. When Mike shows up late to the theater because he was spending time with El, Will feels the monster. After Will gets into a fight with Mike over flaking on the party, Will senses the monster. Will's emotional intelligence, and his deep fear of losing his friends, makes him acutely aware of what is happening. He is Will the Wise after all.

Will doesn't just sense the monster. He then actively tries to steer the party, and more specifically Mike, back on course so they can address the problem. He tries to get the party together by begging them to play DnD. He chooses a zombie-based theme inspired by a movie him and his friends watched at the theater. He is persistent. Even when they keep telling him no, he doesn't give up. Eventually, he ambushes Mike and Lucas with a surprise game, trying to force them to play. Will is doing this not because he is obsessed with the game itself, but it is way to get his friends together and remember how important they are to each other.

This all leads to an explosive fight. When Mike and Lucas don't take the game seriously, Will shows he is upset and walks out of the basement. Realizing how much he hurt his friend, Mike follows him and tries to convince him to stay. Will then tells him off by telling him that he is neglecting their friendship and only focusing on his romantic relationship with El. When Mike tells him "its not my fault you don't like girls" and "what did you think, we were going to play games in our basement the rest of our lives?", Will doubles down. By telling "I guess I did", he is basically telling him "Yes, I thought we would always be together." There is a very subtle hint here that Will is in love with Mike. Even though Will then rides back home, it is clear that his words led to a pivotal transformation in Mike's character the rest of the season. He becomes his old self again.

Will proceeds to bike home and destroy Castle Byers, his place of refugee, thinking his friend group is now destroyed. In anger, he rips up a picture of himself with his friends. He then senses the monster again. However, Mike followed him to Castle Byers and brought Lucas with him, indicating that Mike was not going to give up on the party. Will then tells them about the monster. Him and his friends immediately drop their petty fight to work together to solve the problem. What is crucial about this is that Max earlier in the season told El, after she dumped Mike, that Mike would come crawling back asking for forgiveness. However, it is not El that Mike ran towards begging for forgiveness. It was Will. While the general audience might have watched this season thinking Mike and El's relationship was front and center, it was actually Will that Mike ended up prioritizing at the end of the day. Mike and El's breakup is treated as comic relief whereas Will and Mike's fight is treated in a very serious manner accompanied by a thunderstorm.

At first, it seems like Will is then forgotten about in the plot, and him and Mike never resolve their fight. Mike has far more dialogue with El and other characters than he does with Will the rest of the season. However, Mike and Will often communicate without speaking. Mike made it up to Will, not by saying sorry, but by acting like the leader of the party again. He asked then demanded Lucas contact Dustin in front of Will. This is right after a fight where Will claimed Mike did not care about Dustin at all. Mike also contacted El to tell her about the monster, fully trusting Will in the process. Mike, inspired by Will, got the party back together and started acting like the leader.

What is subtle here as well is that Will actually did get his DnD game, but it was a real life one. In Will's DnD game from this season, he has the party fight a horde of zombies. Who does the party fight in real life? A horde of zombies created by the mind flayer. Will proceeds to spend the rest of the season getting exactly what he wants: time with his friends as they seek to deal with the zombie threat.

After this, Will seems to be content staying in the background as he already got exactly what he wanted. For the rest of the season, him and his friends spend time together. Will doesn't have many lines after this, but he is constantly shown standing next to Mike throughout the course of the rest of the season, occasionally reminding Mike and the party of the threat they face when he starts to feel it in his neck or throwing out some suggestion about what they should do next or telling Mike and Lucas to stay focused on the task at hand. When Lucas tried to bring up the fight they had and apologies, it is Will that immediately tells him that there wasn't time to talk about it. When Mike starts to complain that the girls are conspiring against them, Will tells him he needs to change his priorities and focus on the task at hand. Will also, with very little dialogue, pushes the party to engage in actions that have a major effect on the plot. Him and Mike for example came up with the "boys only" plan to target Billy, who they suspected of being a zombie for the Mind Flayer. Will very subtly is in the background, directing the party's actions even if it is the other characters that get most of the lines and action sequences.

Will and Mike also have a lot of moments where they don't speak but are clearly gravitating towards one another. When Mike complains about having to sit in the trunk of the car, Will tells him "welcome to my world," and they both get into the trunk. There is then a shot of Mike and Will in the trunk, and Max in the backseat wearing sleaves with rainbows on them. This is a subtle hint that these two might become more than friends. Mike is sitting with Will in the trunk and not with El in the front. Then at the grocery store in the mall, all of the main couples (Johnathan/Nancy, Max/Lucas) are sitting in different parts of the aisle, and Mike and Will are sitting next to each other in the "fruit" section. Fruit is a symbol for homosexuality. While they are battling the monster, they are silently spending their time together.

The party then defeats the monster, and they did so with fireworks on the fourth of July. Fireworks are an important symbol here. Young adolescent boys in the United States bond on the fourth of July by lighting fireworks. It is a past time. Crucially, it is Lucas, who previously did not want to play Will's game of DnD, who came up with the idea and Will, with the single phrase "sweet," quietly approves of Lucas' idea to make use of fireworks. They all then proceed to defeat the monster with a fireworks display.

Then, at the end of the season, we get a couple of crucial scenes. There is one scene in which we see Will donating his box of DnD before he moves to California. Mike then asks him why he is giving it away. Mike also asks about whether or not he will find another party. Will tells him "Not possible". This is telling the audience, once again very subtlety, it was never about a game of DnD for Will. It was about spending time with his best friends and his crush Mike Wheeler. He doesn't have to say it. Mike gets it. It is why he gives him a big smile. Then, we get a second scene, where El wants to become a romantic couple again and kisses Mike, but Mike's eyes are wide open, and he is not smiling at all. It is an awkward moment. Mike realizes in that scene what he wants, and it isn't El. It is Will, the person who loves him in the way he wants to be loved and inspires him to be a hero. It was very easy for the audience to miss this.

In the final shots of the season, Will and Mike don't have a big goodbye speech. They instead have a tearful hug. Will cries his eyes out. Before Mike bikes away, he takes a look at the Byers house. He never says "I'm going to miss you Will". It is shown. He goes back home into the arms of his mother the same way he did when he found out Will had died in season one. Mike and Will, over five episodes, never had a single conversation about the dramatic fight they had, yet they resolved the fight in a very deep, meaningful way.

One last thing. Why all the subtlety? Because the duffers are setting up for a big reveal in season five. Mike and Will are going to get together, and by leaving these subtle crumbs, the audience, upon rewatching the show, will see what they missed the first time around. It was there in front of their faces the whole time.

In conclusion, Will's character is far more important to season three then most people realize. I have a feeling the Duffer Brothers will more clearly spell this out to the audience in Season Five.

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x

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nancy wheeler + guns in every season of stranger things

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Guys… Please read this!

btw everyone ever should read this