Stranger Things Season 5 Image Is Really Bad For Will Byers’ Survival Hopes

A new behind-the-scenes photo of Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in Stranger Things season 5 has surfaced, and it could be bad news for the character’s survival hopes. Will’s disappearance kicks off Stranger Things in season 1, but he becomes a less prominent character as time goes on. Schnapp’s character struggles to connect with his friends upon his return from the Upside Down, and it’s clear the traumatic experience is still affecting him, even as Stranger Things season 4, part 2 comes to a close.

It doesn’t help that Will still feels a connection to the Upside Down and to Vecna — and that’s likely to prove important in Stranger Things season 5. Schnapp even teased a larger role for Will Byers in Stranger Things season 5, telling Forbes that the show “started with Will, and it’ll end with Will.” It’s great that viewers will get to see more of Will before the Netflix series is through. However, Schnapp’s latest BTS photo for Stranger Things raises concerns about whether his character will survive the final episodes.

Stranger Things Season 5’s Young Will Byers Is A Bad Sign For His Survival

A Flashback Scene Doesn’t Bode Well For Noah Schnapp’s Character

A new set photo for Stranger Things season 5 suggests the final episodes will feature a flashback involving a younger Will Byers. Stranger Things creator Ross Duffer shared two behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram on March 22, wishing Will Byers a happy birthday. And while the first photo, which showcases an older Will, isn’t all that concerning, the second shot raises questions about the character’s season 5 arc. It features Schnapp lying on the floor of what looks like Castle Byers, while a younger actor lies behind him. See Duffer’s Instagram post below:

The dots on the younger star’s face are typically used for digital face replacement, and the fact that Schnapp is sporting Will’s season 1 attire seems to confirm this theory. This means Stranger Things season 5 is likely to contain a flashback to Will’s season 1 storyline — and that doesn’t bode well for the character. There are several reasons Will could be revisiting the past, but few of them seem positive. Let’s not forget that Max Mayfield also saw old memories when she was being targeted by Vecna in Stranger Things season 4. Given Will’s connection, he could be experiencing something similar.

What We Think Is Happening With Young Will In Stranger Things Season 5

Will Could Be Having Visions Because Of Vecna

Considering Max’s storyline in Stranger Things season 4, the most probable explanation for Will’s flashback scene is that he’s being targeted by Vecna. The series has already established that Will is connected to the Stranger Things villain, so it makes sense that Vecna would go after him. His flashbacks to the Upside Down could be visions induced by Vecna to remind Will of what happened to him there. Alternatively, they could be flashbacks Will has before he’s about to die — something that happens fairly regularly in TV shows. With a main character likely to die in Stranger Things season 5, Will’s chances are looking grim.

Of course, there is one possible explanation for Will’s flashback scene that doesn’t mean he’s in danger or dying: Will could remember something from his time in the Upside Down that helps the Hawkins gang defeat Vecna. This would fulfill Will’s more prominent role in the final season without killing him off. Although Stranger Things season 5 needs to establish higher stakes with a character death, Will Byers shouldn’t be the person the series bids farewell to.

Why Will Needs To Survive In Stranger Things Season 5

Will’s Story Ending In Tragedy Doesn’t Work

There are multiple reasons Stranger Things season 5 shouldn’t kill off Will Byers, starting with the fact that a tragic end wouldn’t be satisfying for his story. Will suffers from the very beginning of Stranger Things, and he still seems to be struggling in season 4. If any character besides Eleven deserves a happy ending, it’s Will. It wouldn’t be satisfying for his already tragic arc to end in death, especially at the hands of the Upside Down and its monsters. Will survives season 1 for a reason, and season 5 shouldn’t discount that by making it his fate to sacrifice himself fighting Vecna.

Additionally, Stranger Things season 4 hints at Will having feelings for Mike, even if it never outright confirms that he’s an LGBTQ+ character. Killing Will would play into Hollywood’s harmful “bury your gays” trope, and Stranger Things season 5 must avoid doing that. It will hurt the show’s legacy if it kills off its LGBTQ+ main character, so hopefully, Will’s flashback scene has another explanation in Stranger Things‘ final outing.