Will Byers was trapped in the Upside Down for about a week in Season 1 of Stranger Things, from his disappearance on November 6, 1983, until his rescue around November 13, 1983, though time in the shadow world can be confusing, and he survived by hiding and being 'chosen' by the Demogorgon.
In the Upside Down, Will evaded the Demogorgon for a week, showing his great ingenuity, ability to hide, and creativity.
Yes, according to the show's creators, Mike did realize that Will's "crush" in his coming-out speech referred to him, even though it wasn't explicitly stated in dialogue; his reaction shots and subsequent apology scene were designed to show he understood the depth of Will's feelings, though the payoff for their storyline was minimal in the finale.
The Monster, known by some as the Demogorgon, moved through dimensions by creating temporary gates. It began harvesting the bodies of humans and animals, storing them in the Upside Down version of the public library; however, Will evaded capture for almost a full week and was the only victim to survive.
A week in our time. Remember, in season 4, the upside down is frozen in time on the day he went missing. I like the theory that he survived so long because he was singing/humming his favourite song.
Dr. Martin Brenner and the Hawkins National Laboratory faked Will Byers' death in Stranger Things Season 1 to cover up their involvement in his disappearance and the existence of the Upside Down, creating a dummy body (rubber with stuffing) and having state police plant it in the quarry to mislead the town, according to. Chief Hopper discovered the cover-up when he found the body was a fake, realizing the lab was involved.
Yes, it is canon that Will Byers has romantic feelings for Mike Wheeler; actor Noah Schnapp and the show's creators have confirmed Will's sexuality and love for Mike, building on years of subtle hints and emotional moments within the series, especially prominent in Season 4 and leading into Season 5, where Will's struggle with these feelings and coming out are central to his storyline.
While Nancy Wheeler loses her virginity to Steve Harrington, Barb Holland awakens in a waterless, dark version of Steve's pool, every surface covered in fleshy black vines.
Yes, the Demogorgon did essentially "impregnate" Will in Stranger Things Season 1 by implanting a slug-like larva into him, using his body as a host to grow and produce more creatures for the hive mind, a process that was later revealed to be part of Vecna's larger plan. Will coughed up this larva, which then hatched into a polywog (stage two of the Demogorgon life cycle), demonstrating how the Upside Down creatures reproduce and spread, as seen with Barb Holland as well.
Vecna targets Will Byers because Will shares deep psychic similarities, being a sensitive outsider, and became a crucial anchor or "phylactery" for Vecna's power after being connected to the Mind Flayer; Vecna sees Will as a vessel, a mirror of himself, and potentially a key to his immortality, needing him alive to maintain his own strength while also wanting to corrupt and use him.
Will Byers' love interest in Stranger Things is Mike Wheeler, with actor Noah Schnapp confirming Will is gay and has long-standing romantic feelings for Mike, a storyline intentionally built over the seasons, culminating in Will's coming out in Season 4 and continued development in the final season (Season 5) where he expresses this love and their bond deepens.
The leak about Mike telling El he loves her while in a salt tub in a pizza shop is true. This leads to Will overhearing the conversation and breaking down. After the conversation in Will's bedroom, he thought things were turning around, hence him grabbing the painting. He leaves the room upset, and Jonathan follows.
Before they embark into the Upside Down, Will comes out as gay to his family and close friends, explaining that Vecna showed him visions of his failed and distant relationships with his loved ones after they learnt the truth.
When Nancy is talking with Mrs. Holland on the phone, she tells her a lie about Barb being at the library. Ironically, this would turn out to be true, as her corpse was found in the Upside Down version of the library.
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In Stranger Things, several characters say the F-word, including Will Byers, Billy Hargrove, and most notably, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) in a significant Season 4 moment when confronting Vecna, delivering a rare and impactful "You f***ed with the wrong family". Other instances come from characters like Billy (often possessed), and even faint or muffled uses have been noted from others like Jonathan.
Yes, Dart (D'Artagnan) is a baby Demogorgon, specifically an adolescent stage called a "Demodog," which Dustin Henderson found and raised in Stranger Things Season 2; he's essentially a younger, less aggressive version of the main monsters from Season 1, evolving from a pollywog-like creature into a four-legged, predatory form.
Eventually, he came under the possession of the Mind Flayer, who used him as a vessel and as a tool to gather the civilians of Hawkins, to create a larger physical vessel to host the Mind Flayer: the Spider Monster.
Sam Owens's confession, which compelled Hawkins Lab to acknowledge their coverup of Barb's death. They claimed her death occurred due to the leak of an experimental chemical asphyxiant, a cover story that Nancy, Jonathan and Murray reluctantly agreed to.
Yes, in Stranger Things, Will Byers is in love with Mike Wheeler, not Eleven (El); his feelings for Mike have been a key part of his character arc, revealed more fully in Season 4 and continued in Season 5, creating tension with Mike's relationship with El.
She lost it to Matt, it was mentioned in the show. Caroline said that they were each other's firsts, but first loves or first you-know's or both is the question.
Yes, Billy Hargrove from Stranger Things is widely considered a queer-coded character due to his hypermasculine facade, antagonistic focus on Steve, homoerotic subtext in scenes (like staring/lip-licking), and underlying vulnerability stemming from abuse, leading many fans to interpret his aggressive behavior as a defense mechanism for repressed sexuality or identity struggles. His character arc, ending in a redemptive sacrifice against the Mind Flayer, is seen by some as a tragic example of the "Bury Your Gays" trope in media, where queer-coded characters are eliminated.
Mike has always loved Eleven. It's one constant of this show. He explained why he didn't say it more (he was afraid she wouldn't need him anymore).
He is married to Rachel Zane.