Stranger Things season 4 was a lot darker than previous seasons, but it was also infused with some really touching moments. And most of them had to do with Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). The sensitive kid of the group didn’t quite grow up as easily as the rest of the gang. Moreover, the changing dynamics among the gang inflicted more pain for various reasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3foL3bIh8s

For one, his friends no longer wanted to play D&D and were interested in girls. And secondly, his dear Mike was focused entirely too much on Eleven since season 2. All of this led to fans pondering whether Will was gay and whether he had feelings for Mike. Ultimately, the van scene in season 4 confirmed fans’ suspicions. And now the actor Noah Schnapp has spoken about his character’s journey. 

The van scene solidified Will’s feelings toward Mike

The Duffer brothers planted the seed in the very first season. They have been slowly fleshing it out to make Will’s character more real. Will and Mike were best friends in Stranger Things season 1, and the gang mostly spent their time playing D&D in their basement. Things started changing as they grew out of the games, started having girlfriends, and found their own clubs to fit in. 

As the others matured, Will felt left out, plus he couldn’t fit in anywhere. In season 4, Mike and Eleven treat him like a third wheel. So he tearfully confessed his feelings to Mike in the Van through the prism of Eleven. Noah Schnapp explained that Will was terrified of coming out to his friend and getting rejected. Moreover, He was also afraid of hurting Eleven. 

It was a very meaningful scene for Noah Schnapp

He said,“I was used to acting him [dealing] with the Mind Flayer, the supernatural aspects and the darker, kind of non-personal stuff. This season was a new thing for me. I had to explore him navigating his personal identity issues and struggling with growing up and assimilating into high school. It was new for me.” 

The actor was himself in the dark about his character’s journey. He confessed that he “figures it out” as the show progresses, just like the viewers.

What do you think of Will’s journey across all Stranger Things seasons?