Will’s ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Twist Was Established in Season 1

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The big reveal at the end of the first part of Stranger Things Season 5 wasn’t much of a surprise. It wasn’t because of leaks, but because dedicated fans had figured it out themselves. The final moments of Episode 4, “Chapter Four: Sorcerer,” confirmed that Will (Noah Schnapp) has hidden powers. The strange tingling he’d been experiencing wasn’t just about someone controlling him—with the right attitude, he could actually harness those powers for good. There were clues throughout the season hinting at this all along.

How Will’s Powers Work in ‘Stranger Things’


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Let’s take a look at Will’s abilities and how they function. Although he isn’t as strong as Eleven, he still possesses impressive powers. These powers rely on his connection to the hive mind, which also provides him with a form of protection. When the hive mind is close to him – and therefore, to people he cares about – he seems to be able to influence them.

It became clear in Season 5 that Will had a disturbing ability: he could experience the world through the eyes of the Demogorgons, including Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). For example, he saw a swirling sky when Holly (Nell Fisher) was at the playground and witnessed Derek (Jake Connelly) bullying kids on their way to school. Both Holly and Derek were being controlled by Vecna at the time, and Will’s connection to the Upside Down forced him to see what Vecna was doing through their eyes.

The first sign that Will had some control over the creatures came when a Demogorgon tried to take Derek. Joyce bravely grabbed an axe to defend the kids, swinging at the monster. Surprisingly, the Demogorgon seemed hesitant, flailing its arms and even stepping back as Joyce got closer. Demogorgons don’t usually behave that way. It appeared something was holding it back, and it was probably Will, unintentionally protecting his mom. He likely wasn’t even aware he was doing it, as he didn’t realize he had this ability.

Ross Duffer, one of the creators of the show, told Variety that Will doesn’t actually have powers of his own. Instead, because of his connection to the hive mind, he can tap into Vecna’s abilities and essentially act as a conduit for them. This means Vecna can use Will’s mind as a gateway, making Will safe as long as Vecna can reach him mentally whenever Vecna gets near.

Matt Duffer clarified that Will has the ability to connect with a collective consciousness, allowing him to control things within it. He suggested we’ll see the full extent of this power in the final season. However, Will can’t actually open portals; Eleven remains the one responsible for closing the gateways to the Upside Down permanently.

Clues About Will From the Beginning of ‘Stranger Things’


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Ever since Will encountered a monster – likely Vecna – in the first season, he’s been deeply affected. He’s remained connected to the Mind Flayer, experiencing unsettling feelings and visions. He can sense when the Mind Flayer is close, either through shadowy glimpses or a distinctive tingling sensation on his neck.

From the start, there were clues that Will had special abilities, or would develop them. Early on, when the kids played Dungeons & Dragons, Will chose to play a wizard. Later, in Season 5, while walking through a field, Mike suggests Will might have powers, pointing out how Joyce strangely defended herself against the Demogorgon. Will remembers the event as feeling like a terrifying, uncontrollable movie, but Mike wonders if he actually could have stopped it. Mike then proposes that, given Vecna’s ability to control everything like a puppet, Will might have a similar power.

Mike compares Will to a character from Dungeons & Dragons, suggesting he’s like a wizard. Will dismisses the comparison, pointing out that’s just his role in the game, not in reality. Mike insists Will is more like a sorcerer – someone whose powers are natural, not learned from books. This conversation, right before a major reveal in the final episode, gave Will the confidence to act. However, even earlier, Will’s experience playing a wizard in D&D hinted at what was to come.

Will Was Always Hyper-Connected


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After Will was rescued from Vecna, he appeared to recover thanks to Joyce’s desperate efforts to break his connection to the Upside Down’s network. Surprisingly, even though Demogorgons are vulnerable to heat, Will withstood this kind of treatment, suggesting he possessed a unique resilience.

He always maintained a connection, even if it wasn’t obvious, and he was aware of it. There have been hints that his link to the other dimension is stronger than anyone else’s. For instance, when Eleven enters the void, she can only reach Will – she can touch, hear, and talk to him. While trapped in the Upside Down, Will could also communicate with his mom by flickering lights, a feat no one else managed except those with powerful mental connections. Joyce even heard his voice through the wall once, suggesting he was able to break through the dimensional barrier more effectively than anyone else. There’s always been something uniquely special about him.

There are moments when Will appears to be present in both the real world and the Upside Down simultaneously. For instance, he’s shown talking to Mike in a field while, at the exact same location in the Upside Down, the Mind Flayer is controlling his body.

Some viewers think a clue about the future appears in a Season 2 school scene where the kids learn about Phineas Gage, a man who survived a gunshot wound to the head in 1848. The scene focuses on Will, and some fans believe this might foreshadow him losing an eye during the fight with Vecna, even if he doesn’t die.

This idea is interesting because it connects to the game Dungeons & Dragons. In the game, the powerful Eye of Vecna can actually defeat Vecna himself. The Eye is a magical item that gives the user special abilities and senses, but using it comes at a cost – the user must give up one of their own eyes.

Will always showed a natural talent for art, which might have indicated he possessed unusually strong senses even as a child. His drawings were remarkably advanced for his age, and like Henry Creel, he was often described as sensitive. Vecna, driven to prove he wasn’t weak as others believed, may have wrongly assumed Will had the same potential to overcome perceived sensitivity.

Will’s Powers Might Be Connected, But They Come From Within


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It’s now clear that Will’s abilities are linked to the hive mind, and there were signs of these powers even before he came back from the Upside Down – in fact, while he was still trapped there. He just didn’t have the inner strength or confidence to control them then, but he does now.

It wasn’t surprising to learn Will has powers – many viewers guessed that already. The real shock comes from how Vecna underestimates him, seeing Will as an easy target because he believes Will lacks the strength to fight back. Vecna doesn’t understand that Will is growing stronger thanks to the love and support of people like Joyce, Mike, and his growing bond with Robin. He’s finally finding his inner strength.

He’s becoming more confident and accepting of himself, and finally recognizing his own strength – just like the powerful sorcerer or wizard he plays in Dungeons & Dragons. This is Vecna’s biggest fear, because if Will can help the other children Vecna has targeted find the same inner strength, they could become an army that rebels against him. While this might come as a surprise to Vecna, fans have suspected this outcome since Will first returned. Watch Stranger Things on Netflix.

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2025-11-28 23:07