the true cosmic horror of the mindflayer being a mindless entity that destroys world after world with no motivation known to the characters was so good. we had it so good.
and i wont lie: i loved the idea of there being a reason for will specifically being captured in season 1, but i also love the idea of him just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, because it was the demogorgon that captured him when el opened the gate - not vecna seeking him out bc he was "weak" or whatever the reason was they made up in s5. then, the reason he continued to be targeted year after year was because of the frustration the mindflayer had at being defeated by a little boy who was miniscule in comparison to it. it's what would have made will getting powers so good to me.
will was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but his strength and self-acceptance and the love others had for him fuelled the harnessing of a power that was used against him. instead of killing the UD entities, he could have used the powers for the healing of the UD, and in turn healing his own traumas. that's fundamentally human, and the mindflayer is so inhuman that they oppose each other and a little boy at the wrong place at the wrong time, wins against all odds.