Stranger Things Season 5’s Will Twist & Full Connection To Vecna Explained

by

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5, Volume 1!

The first episodes of Stranger Things season 5 showed Will Byers acting bravely, highlighting his powerful connection to Vecna. The season started with a flashback to 1983, revisiting Will’s experiences in the Upside Down shortly after his disappearance. This flashback revealed that Will encountered Vecna very early on, alongside all the other dangers he faced.

Throughout previous seasons of Stranger Things, it was evident that Will continued to struggle with lasting effects from his experiences in the Upside Down. This became particularly clear in the first part of season 5, where a surprising development involving Will could dramatically change the battle against Vecna.

Will Has The Same Powers As Vecna In Stranger Things S5 Volume 1’s Ending

Image via Netflix

Okay, so the ending of Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 totally blew my mind! It turns out Will has powers mirroring Vecna’s – I mean, we saw him stop Demogorgons with his mind before taking them down. And not just one! He shielded Mike, Lucas, and Robin from three different Demogorgons, all at the same time, in separate parts of Hawkins. It was seriously a powerful reveal and way more than I expected!

When Will used his powers, his eyes turned completely white, mirroring Vecna’s. He could also break the limbs of creatures like the Demogorgon, just as Vecna did to his victims, like Max when he cursed them. After realizing what he could do, Will seemed to return to his usual self, but as Stranger Things has shown, Will hasn’t really been ‘normal’ since his experiences in the Upside Down.

Why Will’s Nose Was Bleeding Just Like Eleven

Image via Netflix

A significant moment during Will’s first display of powers was a nosebleed, mirroring a familiar sign from Eleven. Eleven always got a small nosebleed when using her abilities, and when Will experienced the same thing, it strongly suggested his powers were linked to Vecna.

Fans have long speculated that Will might develop powers of his own before Stranger Things concludes. While anything could still happen, it didn’t appear Will secretly possessed abilities all along. His nosebleeds seemed connected to the experiments Dr. Brenner performed on subjects like Eleven. If Will was mirroring the powers of Brenner’s first test subject – Henry Creel, also known as Vecna – it would explain why he experiences physical stress when Vecna uses his abilities.

Will’s Connection To The Hive Mind Explained

In the first part of Stranger Things season 5, Will revealed that his connection to Vecna and the Upside Down hadn’t actually been broken, despite their efforts. Being near Hawkins made this connection even stronger, allowing him to sense Vecna’s presence. As this link grew, Will also felt more connected to Vecna’s broader network.

Everything in the Upside Down – creatures like the Demogorgon and even the plant life – is linked by a shared consciousness. This allowed the villain, Vecna, to always be aware of what was happening and to control things remotely. He used this connection as both a way to protect himself and to gather information, as he did when he monitored Will.

However, connecting Will to the hive mind proved problematic. It unexpectedly allowed Will to understand what Vecna was seeing, giving him insight into Vecna’s plans and the locations of potential victims. This shared perspective let the group anticipate threats and provided a significant advantage before they even understood the full extent of Vecna’s abilities.

How Mike’s “Sorcerer” Line Foreshadowed Will’s Power Twist

At first, Will’s strange visions – or what he called ‘now memories’ – left Robin wondering if he was somehow picking up signals from Vecna, like a radio. The closer Will was to Vecna, the stronger the connection seemed to be. Although this idea seemed plausible, it was Mike calling Will a “sorcerer” that hinted at his hidden abilities.

Mike suggested that Will, like Vecna, might be able to control the hive mind if he could access it, implying Will had similar power. Initially, this seemed like a way to encourage his friend, but the ending of the first part of the season proved Mike was actually correct.

Taking Robin’s advice, Will reflected on his past through a series of memories, reminding himself that true strength and self-acceptance come from within. This realization helped him overcome his fear and finally access his powers, allowing him to rescue his friends during a critical moment in the first part of Stranger Things season 5.

The first part of Stranger Things season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. The second part will be released on December 25th, and the very last episodes will air on December 31st.

Read More

2025-11-27 04:39