Yes, many fans and theories strongly suggest Vecna (Henry Creel/One) was the entity who took Will in Season 1, not just a Demogorgon, creating their psychic link, though Season 5 will likely confirm this, revealing Vecna targeted Will for his potential connection to the Upside Down and future powers. The initial kidnapping was by a Demogorgon, but Vecna's influence was present, explaining Will's connection to the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down's nature.
Vecna chose Will because Will's sensitivity, artistic nature, and feelings of isolation mirrored Vecna (Henry Creel), making Will a prime target as a malleable vessel, a psychic anchor, and a potential "perfect" host to extend Vecna's influence and create a bridge between the Upside Down and the real world, linking their shared trauma and vulnerabilities. Vecna saw Will as a kindred spirit but also weak enough to be controlled, a continuation of the cycle of fear and trauma that began with Vecna's own childhood.
Notably, Vecna does not kill Will. He spares him and walks away, leaving them all to the Demogorgons. As Mike braces himself for death, Will remembers Robin's inspiring words about self-love and acceptance, and awakens a power within himself, holding the Demogorgons in the air and snapping them apart, just like Vecna.
In November 1983, he vanishes somewhere near "Mirkwood" after encountering a monster that escaped through a rift to the "Upside Down", an alternate dimension discovered by the Hawkins Laboratory scientists. He is presumed dead, and a funeral is held for him.
Joyce and Chief Hopper found an unconscious Will Byers strung up in the Upside Down version of the public library; he had a tendril in his mouth, extending through his trachea, and into his lungs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Duffer Brothers, confirm that in the coming-out scene, Mike realized he was Will Byers' crush. I liked this scene, Will putting his biggest fear — rejection of self — on the line before (most of) the people he cares about.
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.
In its five seasons, "Stranger Things" killed off a handful of named characters. We ranked all the major deaths in the series by their level of sadness. Fan-favorite characters like Barb, Bob, and Eddie suffered some of the most heartbreaking fates.
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.
Eleven's "kryptonite" in Stranger Things Season 5 is a military-developed sonic weapon, often called the "Hedgehog," which emits a crippling, high-pitched frequency that overloads her psychic powers, causing intense pain and nosebleeds, possibly linked to the powers of Kali (Eight). This technology, developed by Dr. Kay, specifically targets psychics, effectively neutralizing them in ways her own emotional limitations or physical strain (like nosebleeds) couldn't, and it's the first time she's been completely shut down by an external force.
Creator Ross Duffer confirmed Mike knows about Will's crush on him. "That was the intent. Once Will is talking about Tammy and all that and his experience," Ross told People on Thursday.
In any event, like many predators, the Demogorgon simply took any opportunity to hunt and acquire prey, and generally preferred solitary or isolated victims. Sometimes, the Demogorgon, instead of eating its prey, would capture them in an attempt to breed more Demogorgons, as it did to Will.
A month after returning home, Will coughed up a larva and washed it down his bathroom sink drain. The tendril seemed to essentially 'impregnate' Will, using his body as a means to grow slugs. Barbara Holland: While immersed in the Void, Eleven scoured the Upside Down to find Will and Barbara.
Noah Schnapp hails Will Byers as "one of the best queer characters," as Jamie Campbell Bower and the Duffer brothers reflect on the importance of his coming out scene in the penultimate 'Stranger Things' episode.
So, in conclusion, the Mind Flayer possesses the Demogorgon, whom was 001, proving that the Mind Flayer cannot be 001. This explains how Brenner survived, how the Demodogs were created, and how and why the other test subjects of Brenner's escaped.
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.
'Stranger Things' Season 5 Will Bring Back Fan-Favorite Character Barb - IMDb.
Nancy wants to spend time with Steve. Feeling rejected and isolated, Barb sits by the now-empty pool. It is in this vulnerable moment that the Demogorgon appears, drawn by the blood from her wound. Barb is suddenly pulled into the Upside Down through the pool and finds herself trapped in a horrifying, parallel world.
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.