Stranger Things season 5 finally explains Will Byers

Stranger Things dropped a major twist on fans when it debuted the first batch of the final season over the holidays. Over five seasons of the Netflix series, Will Byers has sensed Vecna’s presence and seized when monsters appeared in Hawkins. In episode 4, the teen finally found the strength to tap into the Upside Down and unleash his dormant psychic powers, fundamentally changing his role in the battle against evil.

The revelation answers questions that fans have pondered since the first season when Will mysteriously disappeared into the Upside Down. His connection to that dark dimension has lingered throughout the series, but nobody understood the full extent of what happened during his time there or how it would ultimately affect his abilities.

The awakening happens in episode 4

Will’s transformation occurs as the heroes fight multiple demogorgons in the Military Access Control Zone, known as the MAC-Z. Vecna arrives and tells Will that he originally chose him because he was the weakest child among them, someone who could be shaped in whatever way the villain envisioned. That revelation becomes the catalyst for Will’s decision that he has finally had enough of being a victim.

Somehow, Will halts the demogorgons and kills them in a display of power that shocks everyone present. Fans will need to wait for the second drop of episodes on Christmas Day to further explore exactly what happened and the full scope of his newfound abilities.

Noah Schnapp, who portrays Will, spoke about developing the character’s transformation after years of suffering. The actor called the Duffer Brothers before season 5 to advocate for giving Will a satisfying conclusion. He emphasized the need to explain why Will was taken in the first place, expressing satisfaction that the creators finally allowed his character to triumph and stand tall.

How his powers actually work

Fans immediately flooded social media and Reddit forums with questions about Will’s abilities. Viewers wondered whether Will’s powers matched or exceeded Eleven’s strength and sought clarification about how his abilities functioned. Series cocreators Ross and Matt Duffer provided crucial details about the mechanics behind Will’s transformation.

Will’s powers differ significantly from Eleven and Vecna’s abilities. Ross Duffer explained that Will can only tap into Vecna’s powers rather than generating abilities from within like Eleven and Vecna do. Will essentially acts as a conduit, channeling powers from Vecna and using them through a form of puppeteering. However, this connection comes with limitations.

If Will moves too far from the hive mind, he loses the ability to access or tap into these borrowed powers. His abilities depend entirely on proximity to the source, making him powerful but vulnerable in ways that Eleven is not.

The origin of his connection

Unlike Eleven and Vecna, Will’s powers are borrowed due to his initial connection to the Upside Down and the hive mind created during his abduction. This explains why season 5 begins by reintroducing the moment Will was taken in the first season, providing context for everything that followed.

Matt Duffer elaborated that Will gained his abilities because he got hooked into the hive mind during his time in the Upside Down. By tapping into this network, he can manipulate anything within the hive. The creators teased that viewers will discover just how far Will can take these abilities as the season progresses.

The revelation transforms Will from perpetual victim to active participant in the fight against Vecna. His years of suffering and connection to the Upside Down finally serve a purpose beyond torment, giving him tools to fight back against the forces that have haunted him since childhood.

What comes next for Will

The Duffer Brothers confirmed that Will’s powers will continue developing throughout the remaining episodes. His ability to manipulate monsters within the hive mind suggests he could become a crucial asset in the final battle against Vecna, potentially evening the odds for the Hawkins heroes.

Episode 4 features what many consider the show’s biggest battle yet, setting the stage for even more intense confrontations as the series races toward its conclusion. With Will’s new abilities now in play, the dynamics of the group change significantly.

The final three episodes of Stranger Things arrive on December 25, promising to explore the full extent of Will’s powers and their role in defeating Vecna. After years of being targeted and used by the villain, Will finally possesses the means to fight back, though the borrowed nature of his abilities creates uncertainty about their reliability in crucial moments.

Source: Esquire