The Journey of William Byers - An analysis of Stranger Things through the lens of the Heroes Journey Archetype
This is why Will Byers will get the boy
Will Byers isn’t new to the upside down. Not at all. But his Season 5 journey is interesting through the lens of the Hero's Journey. The Hero’s Journey is a “template”, so to speak; it is something that can be applied to hundreds of thousands of stories across time. From Dorothy in Oz, to Harry Potter at Hogwarts. While the stories are not exactly the same, they follow a similar pattern, with similar archetypes. The Hero’s Journey pattern in myth was popularized by Joseph Campbell. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) he explains the pattern as as being “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”
Stranger Things is not a clear cut hero's journey. Will Byers is taken to the Upside Down in season one, but it is not until season 5 where the journey of the hero is most evident. The hero's journey described by Campbell includes 17 stages. Not all monomyths contain each stage, nor are they necessarily in order. There may be variety in the way these stages are organized, or even split into three acts. Departure (or Separation), Initiation (sometimes subdivided into A. Descent and B. Initiation), and finally Return.
In Act I: Departure is where we see the hero/protagonist living in the ordinary world. They are then called upon to go on an adventure. The hero is reluctant to follow this call but is helped by a mentor figure. If we view this literally, Will Byers is taken from the ordinary world into the Upside Down in the very first episode of the first season. We only get glimpses of his time there. Stranger Things is an interesting show in that multiple characters have their own mini versions of the Hero’s Journey, but we see in glimpses that it was Will Byers that is the ultimate hero’s journey, hidden under the surface. In season one, our hero is believed to be Mike Wheeler.
Eleven serves the role of the mentor figure. Chris Winkle in his 2014 article titled The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey describes the mentor as “someone that appears to give the hero a fighting chance.” With her powers and awareness of the dangers of the Upside Down, Eleven helps Mike and the others in returning Will home. In season 5, El is still serving this role of protector, and interestingly enough the article also describes the mentor disappearing; “Heroes must fight without their help.”
We see this in Will Byers learning how to harness his powers in the absence of the skilled Eleven, already seasoned in battle, seasoned in fighting against Vecna/Henry/001. Will has watched all her fights against the Upside Down, against Vecna, understands the stakes through her experience, and is able to use that to inform himself on what to do. While their powers aren’t identical, Eleven herself was a powerful mentor for Will to see, even before he knew of what he could do.
The show is essentially a Hero's Journey that spans across 5 seasons. In Act I, The Call to Adventure is Will being taken into the Upside Down as a little boy. Will running away and hiding in the Upside Down can be interpreted as the second stage, refusal of the call. Next is supernatural aid, this can be seen when Will is laying in the Upside Down version of Castle Byers. Eleven makes contact with him through the sensory deprivation pool, and informs him that help is on the way. The crossing of the first threshold can be seen when he is taken by Vecna, “venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are unknown.”
Will is an interesting hero in that all these stages are done against his will, he truly had no say in the matter. In any hero’s journey there is an implication of them being forced, the only ones that can complete the task. In Will’s case, that trope is much more explicit. He did not get to take part in the outcome of anything in these stages. The season 5 opening scene depicts the next stage, The Belly of the Whale. It is described as “the final separation from the hero’s known world and self. By entering this stage, the person shows a willingness to undergo a metamorphosis.” In Will’s case, the willingness is lacking; but I believe the reason the Duffer Brothers showed this scene was to show the gruesome depiction of Will’s metamorphosis into “the Spy” we see him become in season 2. The Belly of the Whale is often described as being heavily guarded, by soldiers or by creatures, our Demogorgon.
Act II: Initiation. The road of trials is our next stage. It is described as “a series of tests that the hero must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the hero fails one or more of these tests, which often occurs in threes.” Season two, three, and four of the show are essentially our road of trials; Will feels the connection to the hivemind, but does not yet know the true potential in it. He does not yet understand how much power he has, how much he can do. He does not fully believe in himself, and is shown to be self-sacrificing. Campbell explains that “Once having traversed the threshold, the hero moves in a dream landscape of curiously fluid, ambiguous forms, where he must survive a succession of trials.” We see in Season two, Will being possessed by the Mindflayer, becoming a spy. “The hero is covertly aided by the advice, amulets, and secret agents of the supernatural helper whom he met before his entrance into this region.” This is evidently seen in Eleven; our mentor character- the supernatural helper. The road of trials is the beginning of the long and perilous path. In movies this is seen as a montage, think Disney’s Hercules- him fighting creatures and gaining strength. In Will, this is the Mindflayer possessing him, it’s the mindflayer returning again in season three, still feeling the connection, in season four, finding out Hawkins is once again in danger. Only Will still has not figured out he is the hero in this story. He mistakenly believes it to be Eleven.
The mistake of who he thinks our hero is brings us to the next stage. The meeting with the Goddess. While from a literal standpoint, the Goddess is depicted as the ideal feminine. Here, the “Goddess” is Mike Wheeler. It may seem like a silly statement, but looking at the description of what the Goddess is supposed to represent to the hero, it is obvious that it is the Wheeler boy. Season two is when we first see the two boys' dynamics at play. Fans of the ship, named Byler, often describe Mike as having a softer voice for Will- and in the show Will sees Mike as someone that doesn’t baby him, but truly cares for and protects him.
“The goddess energy is best described as an archetypal energy: benevolent and nourishing as well as all-powerful and destructive.” is stated by an article published by Ten Thousand Journeys on the Meeting With the Goddess. Throughout the seasons we see Will’s affection and love for Mike grow, and with those growing feelings of love, we also see it being powerful and destructive. The destructiveness can be most evidently seen in season three, when Will destroys his childhood wooden castle after a fight with Mike.
The article also states that Campbell himself says the energy/figure can only be approached with a “gentle heart.” It is interesting considering in season four, the heart motif is very present between Will and Mike. Since Will believes he is not the hero, he disguises his love of Mike and pretends his heartfelt words are from Eleven.
Remember, Eleven is who Will believes is the hero of this story, because he has not yet accepted his role, his powers. And with Will hiding his love from Mike, Mike too believes Eleven is the hero. His superhero. In this season, Eleven even questions this thinking, and doesn't believe Mike’s words. She does not approach Mike with a “gentle heart” that the hero of the story would. Mike’s monologue in the end doesn’t work, it doesn’t save the day. She doesn’t experience the profound sense of awe that the hero does with the Goddess. That is Will.
The next step- The Woman as the Temptress. This does not have to be a literal woman, rather the manifestation of greed, desire, or temptation. It can also be any sort of distraction away from the hero’s main task. As stated in the previous stage, Will hides his true feelings for Mike, out of shame, embarrassment. An interpretation of this stage can be defined as Will hiding who he is, who he loves, his fears causing the domino effect in Mike, and eventually El. Will hiding, lying is the sin he commits. From season one, one of the arguably most famous lines has been “Friends don’t lie.” Will Byers here creates arguably one of the biggest lies in the show, a plot point that’s still yet to be resolved. He does it for immediate relief, to shield himself from the scariness of sharing his love with the other boy. Will does not believe this love to be reciprocated.
Stage nine is Atonement with the Father/Abyss. While Will does struggle with his father not accepting him for who he is, and we do see him come to terms with this through flashbacks, we can also see this stage manifest itself through Vecna. The Father does not have to be literal, but a confrontation with whatever holds the ultimate power in his life. This can be the Mindflayer/Vecna, which took control of him as a child, using Will for his power. In season five, we finally see a direct confrontation between Vecna and William, in the MAC-Z. Vecna doubts Will’s powers, reveals his plan to recruit more children, telling Will he was the first. Vecna tells Will that he broke so easily, that he does not belong in this world, but the evil version Henry is in. The very next scene in the show directly brings us to our next stage.
Apotheosis: “The point of realization in which a greater understanding is achieved.” This is where our hero is resolved, ready for the difficult part. Will has a new knowledge and perception that Campbell writes on. Will has accepted he has more power than he initially assumed, that he is not weak like Henry claims. The love for Mike that Vecna tried to use against him is ultimately what helps him realize his power.
These two stages go hand in hand in the show as well as the next one; The Ultimate Boon. Will’s powers itself is the achievement of the goal of the quest. However, in the meeting of the goddess stage, it also describes this stage as “The final test of the talent of the hero to win the boon of love.” What do we see directly after Will receives the boon of harnessing Vecna’s powers? We see Michael Wheeler staring at our hero in what can be seen as awe, admiration, and maybe even love. All of these concepts are tied hand in hand with each other. Atonement with the father, Apotheosis, the ultimate boon, and the call back to the Goddess, we see Will finally accepting his feelings towards Mike. Feelings that he once felt great shame for, that he lied about. It is all coming to a head. This is where season 5 volume one ends.
Season Five Volume Two can thus be theorized to be Act III of our hero’s journey. This is the return act, which includes the following stages: Refusal of the Return, The Magic Flight, Rescue from Without, The Crossing of the Return Threshold, Master of the Two Worlds, and Freedom to Live. While no direct comparisons can be made yet, as Volume II and the finale is yet to be released, we can expect to see certain themes within these last four episodes of the show. These next stages will be a discussion of theories.
Refusal of the Return: “The hero may not want to return to the ordinary world to bestow the boon onto their fellow beings.” We may see Will directly after the battle, injured from his display of power. If will received the boon of love (i.e. Mike) we may see some sort of scene of them. Perhaps discussing these powers, or Will could potentially be asleep for this whole period of time in the story. Another interpretation is Will Byers may potentially be scared to tell the others. Maybe he is fearful of the Mindflayer/Vecna spying back on him again, or using Will’s abilities to harm the others. It is speculated here that Mike and Will’s feelings towards each other will also be made clear, whether to just us the viewers or the characters too is yet to be seen. The boon of love in this case is a gay relationship set in a small town, circa 1986. Others are not sure to be accepting of this relationship. There may be some sort of doubt, fear, or external factors holding Will back in this stage from truly getting Mike.
The Magic Flight: “The hero must escape with the boon if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding.” This can be seen in the trailers. Vecna says that he needs Will to help him one last time. Vecna wants to use Will’s newfound powers against him, to defeat Hawkins. Vecna/The Mind Flayer may resent Will, since Will was able to harness his love for others, while hate and fear is what is driving our villains. Season four we saw this in Vecna’s twisted visions, using other’s traumas for his own gain. He attempts this with Will, but as we saw it didn’t work. Our villain will not let this slide. We may even see Mike being targeted here by the villain. If Vecna knows Mike returns his feelings, but it is not yet confessed, he may use it against them both. As we know, Will’s love for Mike, their memories, is what made him realize his true potential; his powers as the Sorcerer. It is doubtful that Vecna would ignore this fact.
Rescue from Without: “Just as the hero may need guides and assistants to set out on the quest, often they must have powerful guides and rescuers to bring them back to everyday life, especially if the hero has been wounded or weakened by the experience.” It can be speculated that whatever happens in the previous stages has major consequences to Will. In the trailers for Season Five, we see Mike and Eleven have some sort of meaningful conversation, Eleven may be going to help Will in whatever trouble he is facing with our big bad. Eleven has been in the Upside Down since the second episode of the season, only returning after this major conflict that may have wounded or weakened Will and his abilities.
The Crossing of the Return Threshold: If Will Byers was asleep for the previous stages, after the face off with Vecna and the Demogorgons, and El helped to save him, this stage can be interpreted as Will awaking. He now has to face having his powers, while also being just a regular teenager from Hawkins, Indiana. He is grappling with two worlds, and has to share his wisdom with everyone else. He may have to share his feelings directly with Mike. The painting plot or the lie (the sin Will committed in his journey) may be called back on. We will see these plot points be resolved in this stage, and him integrating what he’s learned to help him in the ending.
Master of the Two Worlds: “For a human hero, it may mean achieving a balance between the material and spiritual. The person has become comfortable and competent in both the inner and outer worlds.” Means we can see Will fully accept his powers and love without feeling like a monster or a mistake for it. He will protect his family and friends with his powers and not be fearful of using Vecna’s own powers against him. Will at this stage will accept himself as the hero, accept that Mike loves him back, and will lay all the truths out on the line and be content with it. Will is not the same 12 year old that ran and hid in the Upside Down for an entire week, but is the 16 year old boy that will face Vecna/The Mindflayer head on.
Freedom to Live: "Living in the moment, neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past.” This will be our epilogue. We will see all our characters living life post Upside-Down, post battle. This seems to be taking place two years after the events of the fight. We will see our hero, his friends, his love. All the plot points are neatly resolved. Essentially the happy ending, akin to the one Mike says at the beginning of season five, how his campaigns always end.
Now that we’ve discussed the stages, there are some key characters in the hero’s journey. As stated, Will is our hero and Eleven is the mentor. Next is the ally. Chris Winkle describes the ally’s importance, “The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face them alone.” This is Mike Wheeler, already described as the Goddess. It is important to know that the same characters can serve different roles. Will and Mike have been friends from childhood. Their relationship in the show is one that is different; special. Will’s love for Mike is a driving force, and Mike’s care for Will’s safety is a major plotline in seasons one and two of the show. While Will faces many trials to receive Mike’s boon of love in seasons 2-4, we see Mike pushing and pulling away from Will. Receiving Mike’s love in the end was a tumultuous journey that was worth the pain. Mike is the planner of the group, believes in Will and his abilities before Will himself. Mike is one of the catalysts in Will unleashing his powers in the season five episode 4 ending. It’s his love and devotion to Will, their friendship- and maybe more that drives Will in his journey.
The herald is our next character. “They are the catalyst that sets the whole adventure in motion. While they often bring news of a threat in a distant land, they can also simply show a dissatisfied hero a tempting glimpse of a new life. Occasionally they single the hero out, picking them for a journey they wouldn’t otherwise take.” The herald is not a human character in Stranger Things, but rather the DnD campaigns that take on a life of their own. When we first see Will, before the events of his journey are set in motion, we see him on a normal night. He’s playing with his friends, in the middle of a huge campaign. A campaign that happens to mirror all the events that unfold in season one. It singles Will out when he rolls a seven, not high enough to damage the Demogorgon. Robin is a herald for the romance aspect of the plot, helping Will with that aspect of himself.
Next is the trickster. They are our humor and relief characters. We have a few characters that fit this role at different points. Dustin, Steve, Derek, to name a few. The tricksters are often characters that mean well, but do ridiculous things that may be more harmful than good. The biggest example is Dustin in season two. A major plotline being him finding a creature in his trash that ends up being a baby demogorgon Will coughed up in season one’s finale. After seeing this demodog, Will is possessed by the mindflayer.
The Shapeshifter is someone that “blurs the line between ally and enemy.” A case can be said for Mike fulfilling this role, even to a lesser extent. His season three actions caused tension in Will’s story, and at the beginning of season four there is a lack of communication; as if their friendship ended. Will questions their relationship, and Mike later apologizes. Some fans theorize Henry as a shapeshifter. There are theories that he is actively in possession by the Mindflayer. During this article, Vecna and the Mindflayer were paired together as this is an unresolved plot point. We as fans do not yet know the true nature of who is in control of the Upside Down. There is potential for Henry, who dons the persona of Mr. Whatsit this season, to be a character that isn’t just purely evil. The characters even question at the start of this season what Mr. Whatsit's intentions are, friend or foe? We still do not know why he's keeping the children in his mind, where they do not have to face the upside down in person.
The seventh character is the Guardian, or threshold guardian. This is Joyce Byers. They are described as someone that “always blocks an entrance or border of some kind. Their message to the hero is clear: “go home and forget your quest.” They also have a message for the audience: “this way lies danger.” Then the hero must prove their worth by answering a riddle, sneaking past, or defeating the guardian in combat.” This is seen in Joyce shielding her son from danger, due to her fears and trauma of losing Will for a week. In season five, we see it come to a head, with Will finally arguing back and having a heart to heart. Will Byers isn’t a little kid anymore, he could fight this battle and she had to accept that.
Lastly is the Shadow. This is our villain, our big bad. With the name “shadow” it makes a compelling point in the theories that the Mindflayer is the true villain of the show. Our big bad. The Mindflayer is often referred to as a shadow in the show, and in the stage play- The First Shadow. Either way, the article states that “It’s unusual for stories to have exactly one character per archetype. Because archetypes are simply roles a character can take.” Vecna also fulfills the shadow role. Mike can be the love interest, the ally, etc. Each character serves a purpose in the story, even if it’s the same as another's. In Stranger Things, Will has many allies, not just Mike.
In conclusion, Will Byers is the hero in this journey. His vanishing is what set off the motion of all the events in the next seasons that followed, and all the stages of the hero’s journey were present or theorized to be present. While we can’t 100% predict what will happen going forward, the Hero’s Journey myth is alive and well in this character. It is also worth noting that many online have compared him to Harry Potter; another famous hero’s journey spanning across years of writing and filming to perfect his story arc. They’re similar because at the end of the day, we all want to be hero’s and want the hero’s to receive love. Byler isn’t the result of delusional fans wanting a queer ship to succeed no matter what, but wanting the hero to love and be loved fully. We see ourselves in these heroes because at the start of their journey they were just like us. Isn’t it funny? How humans across time have essentially written the same story, just with different characters, across time? How we want these characters, despite all the setbacks they face, to win?
“And we kissed as
though nothing could fall
(Nothing could fall)
And the shame was on the other side
Oh, we can beat them forever and ever
Then we can be heroes, just for one day”
-David Bowie, Heroes
SOURCES:
Hero's journey - Wikipedia
The occupants of this mythic structure often fit one or more of these molds.
We were in the back room of an old art shop in a small city in southern India.
