Stranger Things Season 5 Finally Did Will Justice

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The popular series experienced some challenges as it evolved. It first captivated audiences in 2016 with its story of children battling monsters in the 1980s, heavily inspired by the work of Stephen King. The show, set in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, followed a group of friends as they dealt with the mysterious vanishing of their friend, Will Byers, after a game of Dungeons & Dragons.

Despite its successes, the show hasn’t always gotten things right. A particularly noticeable misstep was how Will’s experience after being rescued from the Upside Down in Season 1 was handled. He was largely asked to ignore his trauma, while the story focused more on Mike’s problems. Fortunately, it looks like Stranger Things is heading towards a strong and satisfying conclusion.

Will Was Disrespected For Too Long on Stranger Things

From the very start, Stranger Things centered around Will Byers. While the show eventually shifted focus to the Wheeler family and Eleven’s powers, Will’s disappearance was what initially brought everyone together. However, the first season mainly explored how Will’s absence impacted those around him, rather than delving deeply into his own story. Though flashbacks hinted at his importance, it could be argued that Mike was the true central character during that time.

As a big fan of mysteries, I always expect a missing person plot to eventually bring the person back, and Will’s return in Season 2 of the show was really thrilling because of that. It was great to see the season focus on him after he was found, exploring how being ‘missing’ changed his place in the friend group. He definitely became more central to everything, even though the season wasn’t perfect. And I loved how they brought in the Mind Flayer – a cool twist on Dungeons & Dragons – but honestly, it just meant Will kept suffering, which was tough to watch.

It really hurts me to say this, but it feels like Will has been completely sidelined throughout Stranger Things. He started the whole story, but so often he’s either used as a pawn by Vecna, or just… forgotten while everyone else gets to grow and change. They call him ‘Will the Wise,’ but honestly, he feels more like an accessory now. While his friends were navigating growing up, finding confidence, and dealing with their own stuff, Will just seemed to drift further away, becoming more and more isolated from the group he originally brought together. It’s just really sad to see.

It gradually became apparent why Will was struggling. Being gay in the 1980s wasn’t as widely accepted as it is today, and he felt isolated because of it. He was ashamed of being different and feared losing the love of his family and friends, so he kept his feelings hidden. Sadly, this only added to his pain throughout the series, on top of everything else he was already going through.

He was forced to hide who he truly was and live with constant shame. This resonated deeply with many viewers, and by Season 5, the emotional weight had become almost unbearable. Throughout most of the series, Will endured endless suffering and deserved a better fate. Season 5 marked a welcome return to the show’s strengths after a long break, and finally allowed Will to fulfill his potential, though it came a bit late in the story.

The Culmination of Stranger Things Season 5 Was All About Will

Season 5 of Stranger Things felt like a return to form for the show. While the previous season scattered the characters in a somewhat disappointing location, Season 5 brought everyone back to their strengths and, importantly, gave Will Byers the spotlight he’d earned.

With the team back together and the gate between worlds closing, Vecna returned, this time targeting Holly, Mike and Nancy’s sister, who had always seemed strangely linked to the Upside Down. This mirrored the very first mystery of the series – Will Byers’ disappearance. But this time, everyone understood the threat and was determined to defeat both the military and Vecna’s forces for good.

The adventurers discovered Vecna was capturing children, including Holly, for an unknown reason. This led to a daring rescue attempt, but unfortunately, the children were pulled into a portal to another dimension and disappeared. Things could have been much worse, though, if it hadn’t been for Will’s quick thinking and help.

After a long period of being overlooked, Will finally stepped up as the hero he was destined to be, at a time when everyone else was at their lowest point. He evolved from ‘Will the Wise’ into ‘Will the Sorcerer,’ discovering a powerful ability to control the Demogorgons and even see through Vecna’s perspective. This allowed the heroes to escape danger and continue their fight.

Suddenly, Will transformed from a participant in the events to someone as powerful as Eleven. All the suffering he’d experienced finally had a purpose. Instead of being haunted by shame and fear, he could use his past trauma to protect others. He began a journey to rescue children from the same horrors he himself had faced. Although Vecna did manage to capture new victims, this ultimately set Will on the course to becoming the series’ hero.

Stranger Things Season 5 Is On Its Way to a Satisfying Conclusion

Will has really become the heart of the story, and a character we root for and care about. A particularly upsetting part of the latest season of Stranger Things was how Vecna targeted Will, building on the trauma from when Will was first taken in Season 1 and escalating to a deeply disturbing level.

Vecna didn’t just scare Nancy with haunting images of those she’d lost; he had a specific, cruel plan for Will. He exploited Will’s deepest fears, showing him visions of his family rejecting him if they knew he was gay. This was a particularly painful fear for Will, and Vecna deliberately used it against him.

As a longtime fan, I was genuinely moved by Will’s coming out scene. It felt like something we’d been building towards for ages, and honestly, I was worried he’d fall apart when the truth came out. Instead, he found incredible strength and finally shared who he is with his mom and friends – all while battling Vecna! It was so beautifully integrated into the story, and it meant a lot to see him finally be honest and start to heal from everything he’d endured. I even heard it was one of the longest scenes the Stranger Things team filmed, which really speaks to how important it was to them.

It took a really long time to get this scene right. We initially planned for it to just be Will coming out to his mom, but we realized it needed to be bigger and include his friends,” Matt Duffer said. “We tried focusing on just Joyce for a while, but it didn’t feel quite right. Once we brought the friends into the story, things started to fall into place. I don’t remember the exact timeline, but it was a lengthy process. We were especially nervous showing it to Noah because it mirrored some of his own experiences, and he knows Will’s character so well. It was crucial that it felt authentic to him on both levels. When he connected with it, we felt a huge sense of relief, and then the pressure shifted to him to deliver a great performance.”

The heartfelt reunion with his family felt like a long-awaited homecoming for Will, even if it happened late in the story. He endured unnecessary hardship, far more than many characters. To finally experience that embrace was a powerful moment for someone who had been so lonely and deeply cared for connection. It’s bittersweet, though, because the season is ending quickly, leaving little time to fully appreciate his growth. Throughout the series, it’s become clear that Will’s journey was the heart of the story all along, and he’s finally become the person he was meant to be.

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2025-12-29 19:08