actually my biggest question is why nobody is talking about vecna saying “dont struggle, it’ll only hurt more if you do” to will before showing him the greatest fear visions.
does nobody give a fuck about the insane assault implications and what a crazy writing decision that was or
I can believe i just watch the firsts minutes of the upcoming season X0
SPOILERS
'Should i stay or should i go' I had missed this song ! This reinforces my desire to have a Max-style scene with Will and this song this season !
Will has utilise his chotgun, LET'S GOOO !!!! XD
Will his really a warrior, this kid/boy is INCREDIBLE !!! We have the scene of the tree !! That was a massive jup ! X0
This whole scene happen after El has talked to him and before Jopper came to save him, and he has keep his chotgun all a long !! XD I have thought, personnally, before seing this, that his chotgun didn't work while arriving in the Upside Down or that he has lost it at some point, BUT NO !!! XD
I KNEW VECNA WAS THERE, I KNEW THAT HE HAVE SEEN YOUNG WILL, I KNEW HE HAVE LET WILL SURVIVE ON PURPOSE !!!!
ST analysis/S5 theories Part II: Will and El parallels
EDIT : I posted this analysis months ago. I’ve found so much more. Some things I didn’t considered when I watched S4 for the first time. This was just the beginning : )
In Part I I talked about the parallels between Will and Henry Creel, and one of them is that they both have powers.
This conclusion is not based on my personal taste or hope for a Will centric S5 tho, but on the themes of the story, how it’s structured and his character’s journey.
1. The story is telling us that Will Byers has powers: it’s part of his journey, his coming of age, realizing that he’s not a mistake or just the poor kid who was kidnapped by a monster. He’ll be the key to defeat the evil that made him suffer so much, he’ll save his friends and the boy he loves, and become a confident, talented young man.
Will’s a sweet kid, a little artist who gets bullied at school and has an awful father who calls him slurs. This is material for a good story, even without the supernatural element. But the whole S1 is about saving Will from the Upside Down, S2 is about saving him from the Mind Flayer’s possession, and in S3-4 he realises he’s connected to the MF (Henry) and can feel his presence and thoughts. That means that the supernatural is an important part of his story. This is what makes him different from the other kids, except one (El). He’s the only one who’s directly affected by the supernatural powers of the Upside Down from the beginning of the series. And in S4 we met Henry Creel, another sensitive boy who liked drawing and has many parallels with Will. The perfect way to prove how love can make the difference. That even when you’ve suffered greatly, having people who love you and support you makes the difference. It makes you stronger, it protects you. So you can choose kindness, instead of causing more suffering. Henry was alone, didn’t have a loving family, he felt deeply misunderstood, was tortured by Brenner and so he became a killer.
Of course, the message could also be that even without supernatural powers a brave, kind person can defeat the evil with their selflessness and big heart. Like the Hobbits in LOTR. Will could have no powers at all and still be able to defeat Henry. I guess it could make sense. I just think that at this point, with the Upside Down ready to invade our reality, Eleven’s powers are not enough. She needs help. And let’s not forget that in D&D Vecna is a dark wizard, and Will is Will the Wise, the wizard/cleric of the party. They say it in S1, S2, and S3. I don’t know, it would be strange if it didn’t mean anything, right?
Also, stories always have some a surprise in the last chapters/seasons. We already know about Will’s connection to Henry. Nothing new. But him having powers would be the biggest plot twist of the story that would change it forever. And now that Will and the reason the Upside Down is stuck on the day he went missing have been confirmed by the Duffers as the main focus of S5, I’m sure we won’t be disappointed.
I would love it, if the powers Will has are what Vecna or the MF want to build a new world. Or more like to make our world habitable for the MF and its creatures. I used to say Will has a sort of power of creation, like Bastian in The Neverending Story. But since ST is sci-fi, maybe I should say... terraforming? Lol. Or maybe the power to help the MF to connect every creature of our world. We’ll see. There are many options.
So, along with the huge parallels with Henry, there is another dynamic that makes me thinks it makes sense that Will too has powers. The dynamic and parallels with Eleven that we’ve seen since episode one. They are the only two main characters who are deeply connected to the UD and powers, and who feel different and a mistake.
1) Will is in the title of the first episode, and the title of ep 2 is about El. They are equally important. In fact, when he mysteriously disappears, his friends meet her, the mysterious girl with powers.
2) El and Will interact for the first time through El’s powers. First, she channels him, then she sees him in the void and tries to reassure him. And we still don’t know how she recognized him in that photo! Probably all the people with powers are connected to each other and to the Upside Down.
3) It seems that El dies in the classroom. Same happens to Will in the UD.
4) The writers want us to see how their stories are connected, even visually
5) Throughout the series, Will and El have barely interacted, despite the fact that El saved him, that Joyce cares very much about her and is also close to Hopper. It could seem that the writers don’t care about this dynamic. But imo it’s quite the opposite. They’ve kept them apart because their dynamic IS important. Will and El are the two protagonists with powers, the Luke and Leia of Stranger Things. Only, in this story it’s Will/Luke the one who realizes later he has powers, too.
Even when they could show them together, the writers didn’t. In 2x07 El sees in the void that something bad happened to Will, but we don’t see him, only her scared face. And when in 2x08 she goes to see him in his room, he’s unconscious.
5) The only time they’re both with their friends is in S3, and in that season the group of friends is a mess, because of Mike. He can’t function when they’re both with him. Will and El are even in love with the same boy! Their stories couldn’t be more intertwined. In S5 I’m sure the situation with Mike will be the first they’ll resolve.
6) And then in S4, the beginning of the end, after keeping them apart for seasons, what happens? Will and Eleven become siblings and we finally see their bond and that they deeply care about each other. Ok, there’s still that little problem with Mike, but Will’s already proved how selfless he is when he lied about the painting and pushed Mike to tell El he loves her, to save her life. And I think the weird love confession just showed El and Mike that it wasn’t what El needs.
I love these siblings. Together they’ll save the world
There are so many things to say about these two amazing characters. I’m so excited to see them in action in S5. But of course, stories can be told in many ways and even the best analysis can miss important details. So maybe I missed important things and S5 will have completely different surprises. No problem at all! For example, nobody could predict the introduction of Henry Creel, who’s also One, who’s also Vecna, the villain that’s been there since day one. We heard the ticking of a clock since the first time Eleven saw the Demogorgon in the void, we heard a clock when Will was taken, when Hopper was in the tunnels in S2, and when Billy was taken by the Mind Flayer in S3. But we didn’t know what those sounds meant. It was such an amazing surprise!
2. S5 SPOILERS. These interviews. I would be very surprised if Will Byers was just a normal kid who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we’ll see!
Also, an interview with the Duffer Brothers:
Q: How significant is it that the Upside Down has been frozen in time from the day that Will got taken?
A: Very significant. We don’t actually resolve that this season (S4), but it’s a huge part of S5.
And an interview with Noah Schnapp, who plays Will:
“I think they’re setting it up very well for what needs to happen in season 5. I’m excited. I’m interested to see how they tie it all in and explain why was Will the first victim and just tie it in back to season 1.”
I edited this part after learning some important info on D&D Vecna. I talk more about it in Part III
3. Why Will was sidelined in S3 and S4, if he is so important
Many people, including me, were disappointed that after the spectacular S1 and S2, Will was sidelined for two seasons. I mean, he does have an arc in S3-4 but we were used to see him as the main focus along with El. In S3 he wants to keep playing D&D and spending time with Mike and the party. That’s what makes him happy. But he feels like Mike is abandoning him. And in S4 he has some wonderful scenes that I love and make the last part of his journey more beautiful. Plus, the connection to Vecna is back! Hint of Will’s big role in S5.
But why, if Will was the target since S1, Vecna ignored him in S3, took Billy instead and only attacked El? Why in S4 Vecna mentioned all the things El did to fight him (closing the gate in S2 etc), when Will was important too? He was the one, while still possessed, who told them to close the gate.
Imo, the reason is that in S3 El was the only threat. Vecna knew that Will couldn’t use his powers for whatever reason, and he needed to steal El’s powers first to be able to open his own gates, and then reclaim Will (Will being central in S5).
And in S4 Will wasn’t even in Hawkins so... Yeah, in S5 Vecna could tell Will that he waited. That he took El’s powers so he could open bigger gates and finally take Will wherever he was. So far, that part of the plan worked! Also, now Will can feel Vecna's thoughts again. Maybe their connection is even stronger and harder to fight with those huge gates.
4. In conclusion
Will and Eleven have been suspiciously kept apart for most of the series, despite their clear connection. And now we know that Will has also many similarities with another powerful person, Henry. The actor who plays Henry said that the their characters have history, Will can feel what Vecna feels even tho he’s not part of the hive mind anymore. Plus, the neck tingle. Narratively speaking, I think it’s obvious that there’ll be some big reveals about him in S5. They even sent him to California at the end of S3, so he wouldn’t feel Vecna’s thoughts. But now he’s back. Time for an epic coming of age, Will.
Thinking about the difference in abuse between Brenner vs Lonnie with El and Will that I talk about and how that pertains to Henry's effectiveness and tactics.
I'm not saying that Will will join Henry or anything but it does impact his perceptions of the same tactics and how they're used against him that the main difference between El who has been held captive and disgustingly worshipped and Will who has been berated and abandoned is acknowledging the differing effectiveness in the fact that
Being a target of Vecna, in Will's case, could, in a twisted way, make him feel wanted; chosen.
I don't think he'll take it, but that isn't the only effect it can have. It's just a great example of identical circumstances creating different stories when placed on different people.
Henry asking El to join him with speeches about how she can be the best sound silly because we and she knows those things already. That isn't at all the angle to even try. But with Will it might be. Or at least it's closer.
Just the idea of the incredibly complex reaction one would have from being mistreated their whole life, thinking this is just another monster hating them and then the monster says "no, it's because you're my favorite". Your mind has to wrap around that contrast. It's a sort of subverted expectation. Will, in his eyes, is not anyone's first choice right now. So for ANYONE to say that he actually is, that has *an* effect, for sure.
I’ve been reading this fic for a while now and it’s so good. The author is a really good writer and they touch on some really hard topics but I think they do it really well. But anyway please check it out this has literally everything. Jealous Mike, Dark Will, Angst, Fluff, Will with Powers and more but just do it. It’s so addicting. Anyway, I felt the need to share it because I don’t think it gets enough attention.
“A certain Slant of Light” by JustMyName on ao3
I’m pretty sure the authors tumblr is, lovely person 10/10 would recommend @starsarefire824
Chapters: It’s unfinished 31/42 but trust me it’s good
Words: 97,897
The description given is: Will just wants to get through his last year of high school without incident, to feel normal for once in his life, and try to survive the building tension between him and Mike that grows with every word left unsaid. On the first day of school, Will meets someone new who may finally offer him the acceptance he craves, but he’s unsure what to do when it causes his relationship with Mike to hit a breaking point, forcing them both to confront their true feelings. And to make matters worse, Vecna is always there, whispering in his ear, and letting him know his fated role in the inevitable fall of Hawkins. Slow Burn. Will-centric. Mike-centric later chapters.
Tags:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I like seeing how Henry and Will are foils to each other. Both of them are filmed with an air of mystery. S1 never showed us Will's time inside the Upside Down and the seasons after don't let us know how Will survived either. S4 introduced us to Henry but also haven't given us all the pieces of his puzzle (at least blatantly).
It's interesting to see that the natural and healthy love Will receives from his family and friends helps him maintain his empathy and kindness. Compared to Henry, who had no support system, therefore he became a product of his environment (not excusing his actions btw) by perpetuating the violence done unto him.
