Who is Will in Stranger Things?

Last Modified Feb 5, 2025 02:56 EST
Who is Will in Stranger Things?
Will Byers (Source: Screengrab from Stranger Things)


Will Byers, portrayed by Noah Schnapp, is a fictional character in the American Sci-Fi horror series Stranger Things. He plays one of the key roles as he is the first victim of the Upside Down. Will is the youngest son of Joyce Byers and younger brother of Jonathan Byers.


In the first season of the Sci-Fi horror, Will is a recurring character as he is trapped inside the Upside Down for most part of the series. By the second season and for the rest of the series, Will Byers is promoted from recurring to main character.


Will Byers's Character in Stranger Things


Will is an honest, kind, and soft-spoken kid. He shares his friends' interest in science and is a member of their school's AV club. He is a brilliant kid for his age. Will has similar hobbies as the others in his group, including enjoying comics like The X-Men, movies like Ghostbusters, and Dungeons & Dragons. He loves to write stories and create art, which led to him being bullied at times. He probably felt estranged as a result of this and his father's past abuse of him.


After his imprisonment in the Upside Down, Will became even more disconnected due to his peers nicknaming him "Zombie Boy" (due to the cover story developed to hide the actual events). Also, he had grown irritated with everyone's receptive treatment towards him, especially with his mother and brother.


After he was controlled by the Mind Flayer, Will developed a fear of heat and became distressed by his connection with the Flayer. Eventually, the Mind Flayer's power over Will was so great that it was able to talk through him and control his body. After the Mind Flayer was exorcised from his body, Will returned to his ordinary self with no visible harmful consequences.


Will is quite childish as a result of the trauma he suffered over the two years. He began to feel separate from his friends due to how they were growing up so fast. However, Will began to mature as he helped his friends when the Mind Flayer's avatar almost killed them all. He eventually gave up some of his childhood hobbies. Eventually, Will started to behave more like an adult, even using slurs like his friends.


Does Will Byers have powers?

Yes, Will develops certain powers after returning from the Upside Down. Will acquired "True Sight" and began to see visions from the Upside Down. In addition to being real, Will's experiences were warnings of potential danger. He developed "now-memories" after being taken over by the Mind Flayer, which allowed him to see what the monster saw.


However, Will did not have any control over his abilities. His visions came to him at random times. His recollections were more of a consequence of having the Mind Flayer inside his mind. Even after the creature was ejected from his body, Will could still feel the Mind Flayer's presence, though he lost his powers.


FAQs about Will in Stranger Things

A. Yes, Will develops an insight after his rescue from the Upside Down. Will acquired "True Sight" and began to see Upside Down visions.

A. Will has romantic feelings for Mike. In season four, Will started to explore his sexuality, and he fell in love with Mike. However, he struggled to handle his feelings because he knew Mike was in love with Eleven.

A. Will encountered a humanoid predator from another dimension. The creature cornered Will despite his best efforts to get away, taking him to its home dimension, the Upside Down.

Related Stories

Could we get a James Bond TV show with Amazon MGM taking over creative control? Speculation explored Could we get a James Bond TV show with Amazon MGM taking over creative control? Speculation explored
Could we get a James Bond TV show with Amazon MGM taking over creative control? Speculation explored
1d
Star Trek: Voyager ending explained: Unexplored sci-fi concepts and new alien races Star Trek: Voyager ending explained: Unexplored sci-fi concepts and new alien races
Star Trek: Voyager ending explained: Unexplored sci-fi concepts and new alien races 
1d
Long Bright River: Peacock drops official trailer for Amanda Seyfried's upcoming crime drama adaptation Long Bright River: Peacock drops official trailer for Amanda Seyfried's upcoming crime drama adaptation
Long Bright River: Peacock drops official trailer for Amanda Seyfried's upcoming crime drama adaptation
2d
10 best Helen McCrory moments from Peaky Blinders 10 best Helen McCrory moments from Peaky Blinders
10 best Helen McCrory moments from Peaky Blinders 
21h
Why did Star Trek: The Next Generation end after Season 7? Details explored Why did Star Trek: The Next Generation end after Season 7? Details explored
Why did Star Trek: The Next Generation end after Season 7? Details explored
2d
How did Peter "Petey" Kilmer escape Lumon Industries in Severance? Details explored How did Peter "Petey" Kilmer escape Lumon Industries in Severance? Details explored
How did Peter "Petey" Kilmer escape Lumon Industries in Severance? Details explored
1h
Dateline: A Walk Through The Woods - Everything we know about the upcoming true-crime episode Dateline: A Walk Through The Woods - Everything we know about the upcoming true-crime episode
Dateline: A Walk Through The Woods - Everything we know about the upcoming true-crime episode
2d
Maria Sten aka Frances Neagley teases fans with her upcoming Reacher spin-off show Maria Sten aka Frances Neagley teases fans with her upcoming Reacher spin-off show
Maria Sten aka Frances Neagley teases fans with her upcoming Reacher spin-off show 
4h
10 best true-crime shows on Hulu, ranked 10 best true-crime shows on Hulu, ranked
10 best true-crime shows on Hulu, ranked
23h
Reacher Season 3 Episode 2: How did Agent Susan Duffy fool one of Zachary's associates in the police impound lot? Reacher Season 3 Episode 2: How did Agent Susan Duffy fool one of Zachary's associates in the police impound lot?
Reacher Season 3 Episode 2: How did Agent Susan Duffy fool one of Zachary's associates in the police impound lot? 
22h