This article contains major character or plot details.
At the end of Episode 4 of Stranger Things 5, an epic plot twist unfurls, something so seismic that you’re left slack-jawed as the credits roll.
Will Byers has powers.
As Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) ambushes our heroes, Byers (Noah Schnapp) takes control of the Demogorgons and Vecna’s mind and frees his friends from the monster’s murderous grip. It’s a stunning moment for Will after four seasons of being known as the kid who was taken on Nov. 6, 1983. The revelation that Will has powers no doubt shocked fans when the first four episodes of Season 5 were released on Nov. 26.
Even Schnapp was awestruck, so much so that he sent series co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer a long text the day after filming that scene to thank them for Will’s storyline this season. “You guys don’t understand how grateful I am for this show and this character, and the way you wrote Will for the final season is just something I could have never dreamed of,” he told them.
The Duffers, however, had mapped out Will’s journey early on and knew he was the linchpin to stopping Vecna’s reign.
“We’ve always known that Will has a connection to Vecna and the Upside Down,” Ross Duffer says. “In Season 2, we started to delve into it, but one of the earliest ideas in the new season is, ‘What if Will were able to harness this connection and use it against our villains?’ We also felt it very natural to recenter the story on Will. He was the kid who was taken in Season 1, so it felt right for the story to come full circle. If anyone’s going to be the key to ending Vecna, it needed to be Will.”
Matt Duffer adds, “We were more interested in exploring how he develops these powers, and how does that tie into his character? And there is a lot that Will has been dealing with over the course of the four seasons prior to this — so many emotions and inner conflicts that remain unresolved. So we wanted him to grow as a human and become a fully formed version of who he is, to truly accept who he is. And once he’s able to do that, he’s able to harness these incredible powers.”
Winona Ryder, who plays Joyce Byers (Will’s mother), was also moved by her son’s awakening. “I remember the scene where I encourage him to go find Vecna, and I trust him. When I read it, my instinct was, there’s no way I would encourage him to do something so dangerous,” Ryder says. “But then something clicked, and Joyce realizes he’s strong enough and smart enough to do this. That scene in particular was incredibly meaningful and significant for their relationship.
“Noah blew me away this season,” Ryder continues. “He had a lot to do, and my God, it was beautiful work. It was incredible to witness.”
Beyond his powers, Stranger Things 5’s first four episodes are also notable for Will’s deepening connection to Robin (Maya Hawke), who confides in him some secret truths that resonate with her younger friend. Robin opens up to Will about Tammy, whom she had a crush on, but later realizes she was searching for answers in someone else when she had them all along.
“If I did a decent job in that scene at all, it’s all to Noah’s credit, to how present he was and how active in his emotional life he was and how much he gave me to work with,” Hawke says. “Robin’s mentorship of Will I’ve taken as my own responsibility with Noah. His character really becomes himself this [season], in more ways than one, and I think that makes Robin feel less alone and also feel useful.”
Below, Schnapp breaks down how he prepared to film that bloody battle with Vecna, why his bond with Hawke was so important, and how aspects of Will’s story have illuminated his own.
Where do we find Will at the start of this new season?
Noah Schnapp: Will is back in Hawkins this season. He was out of Hawkins for the last season, so now we’re seeing the effects of him being back in that realm. We kind of hit the ground running right away this season, which is really exciting and not how we’ve started any other season. Everyone is all in one place, and we all have the same objective.
What excites you most about Will’s storyline this season?
Schnapp: I’m excited to see Will come into his own and be more sure of himself and see where that takes him. He’s more than just the kid who got kidnapped, and this season you see what’s beyond that and the layers beneath him. I’m excited to see him exploring his identity and interacting with his friends and understanding more of his connection to the Upside Down.
Stranger Things 5 | Stranger Scenes: Will in the Upside Down
In Episode 4, Will has a superhero moment where he takes control of the Demogorgons and saves his friends. What did that moment mean for you?
Schnapp: It was such a dream. I remember texting the Duffers a long paragraph the next day after I filmed that scene and being like, “You guys don’t understand how grateful I am for this show and this character, and the way you wrote Will for the final season is just something I could have never dreamed of.” So getting to have that opportunity with that scene was such an incredible experience, such a high for me and probably one of my favorite filming sequences of the year. And for Will, that moment is like the Holy Grail moment.
How did you prepare for that moment of tapping into Vecna’s mind in that scene?
Schnapp: It was scary, honestly, because I’ve never really worked face to face with Vecna, which is crazy because we’re so connected and have so many parallels to our stories. But I was scared on set watching him and being face to face with him, and it really helped with the performance. I could really feel a part of it, because it’s not CGI and so much of it is Jamie Campbell Bower in a real costume and hours of makeup. It was incredible getting to work with him, and he’s also an amazing actor. And I think it’s so masterful how it all comes together with Will and Vecna.
What’s special and important about Will’s relationship with Robin this season?
Schnapp: I always had a work crush on Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, and really wanted to work with her. I always would watch her in the other seasons and be like, “Oh my God, she’s magnetic. I love her. I want to have a scene with her.” And I never got to really interact with her. So when I read the scripts for this season, and it was so much of me and Robin for four or five episodes, I was very excited to film with her. She was amazing to work with and taught me so much. She became like an older sister for me, and it was really cool. Our relationship on the show versus outside the show kind of mirrored each other. She was kind of a mentor for me through the year, but I think it was incredibly important for Will’s story to meet Robin and see someone else so sure of her own identity and share her wisdom with him to help him find himself.
How do you think Will has evolved since Season 1?
Schnapp: Will was really this shy, very insular kid who wouldn’t open up about anything. He was scared to share his feelings and felt like he didn’t belong and he was wrong for being different. And through the years of being on the outside and being excluded, and being slower to grow up, he realizes that that’s kind of his superpower. And that’s one of the themes of our show: what makes everyone so special and beautiful and unique are their differences. When Will finally realizes, “I accept myself, I love myself and what makes me different and unique,” he really flourishes.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 are streaming now on Netflix, followed by three more episodes on Christmas Day, and the finale on New Year’s Eve. Find out when new episodes arrive in your part of the world here. And test your knowledge of Stranger Things with our superfan quiz.
