Will Byers

Lore & Background

Will Byers is introduced in the first season as a quiet and sensitive boy living in Hawkins, Indiana. After encountering a creature from the Upside Down, an alternate dimension connected to Hawkins, Will disappears and is presumed dead. While trapped there, he communicates with his mother Joyce through electrical disturbances. Will is eventually located and rescued by Joyce and Jim Hopper. Following his return, he suffers lingering physical and psychological effects, indicating his continued connection to the Upside Down. After his return, Will experiences difficulty readjusting to everyday life and is subjected to harassment by other students. He suffers from recurring visions of the Upside Down and is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by Dr. Sam Owens. It is later revealed that Will has been possessed by the Mind Flayer, an entity seeking to expand its influence into Hawkins. Using Will as a conduit, the Mind Flayer spreads through underground tunnels beneath the town. Will is ultimately freed from the entity's control with the help of his family and friends.

In Their Own Story

In the third season, Will becomes increasingly isolated as his friends begin focusing on romantic relationships. He discovers that he still retains a psychic sensitivity to the Upside Down, allowing him to detect the Mind Flayer's presence. This ability helps the group identify the entity's continued survival through its possession of Billy Hargrove. Following the defeat of the Mind Flayer during the events at Starcourt Mall, Will moves away from Hawkins with his mother, brother, and Eleven. Now living in Lenora Hills, California, Will struggles with emotional repression and a sense of displacement. During Mike Wheeler’s visit for spring break, Will supports Eleven as she faces bullying and later accompanies Mike, Jonathan, and Argyle in an effort to locate her after she is taken to a facility in Nevada. During the journey, Will reveals his romantic feelings for Mike through a painting, though he does not state them directly. Upon returning to Hawkins, Will senses the Upside Down's renewed presence as it begins merging with the real world.

Reader's Guide

In the fifth season, Will remains in Hawkins as the town is placed under military quarantine following the breach between dimensions. His psychic connection to the Upside Down intensifies, allowing him to perceive events from the perspective of its creatures and track Vecna’s movements. Will plays a central role in locating and protecting children targeted by Vecna and later demonstrates the ability to disrupt the hive mind through his connection to it. Will comes out as gay to his family and friends, who express their support. During the final confrontation, Will uses his psychic link to help weaken Vecna, contributing to his defeat and the destruction of the Upside Down. The series ends with Will graduating alongside his friends. In a narrated flashforward, it is implied that Will moves to a more LGBT-friendly city and finds a boyfriend.

Did You Know?

• Noah Schnapp was cast as Will Byers in August 2015 and promoted to series regular for the second season in October 2016.
• The idea of having Will communicate with Joyce via lightbulbs was inspired by 1980s films, including Poltergeist.
• Will was ranked the third best Stranger Things character by Screen Rant, behind only Eleven and Steve Harrington.
• Schnapp won an MTV Movie & TV Award for Most Frightened Performance in 2018 for his role as Will Byers.
• In January 2023, actor Noah Schnapp came out as gay, saying he 'had more in common' with the Will Byers character than he previously thought.