'Stranger Things' Geeks Find Themselves at Odds With Will Byers for This Surprising Reason

Published 10/16/2024, 12:20 AM EDT

In the wild world of Upside Down battles across four seasons of Stranger Things, some actors have landed the superhero palette for fans, while others have made such a splash that every director wants them on their next dream team. Characters like Eleven have become so iconic that it is impossible to picture Hawkins without her. But despite being pivotal from the start, Will Byers is seemingly still struggling to leave a mark. Before fans dive into the final ride through this sci-fi classic, presently a divide over Will’s character is heating netizens and the reasons are many.

A recent Reddit post gaining quite a traction on the Internet gauges an opinionated thread on whether Noah Schnapp's Will Byers contributed enough to the storyline of Stranger Things. The user posted a compilation shot of Will’s character across four seasons by mapping out how his character remains absent in the first, becomes the “homing beacon” in the second, has a number of visions in the third, and only drives around California in the fourth while the Upside Down confrontations erupt in full throttle.

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Anyone who has followed Stranger Things from the get-go, knows well that Will Byers’ character appeared in a recurring capacity before being promoted to the main cast in the second season. However, if it were not for Will’s initial confrontation with a humanoid predator from the alternate dimension, the storyline of Stranger Things may have never unfolded. But moving on from the first to the fourth, fans have a varied lineup of opinions on whether he actually made an impact.

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Consequently, despite the importance Will’s character arc holds for the upcoming season, fans have shown quite a split in their perspectives.

Will Byers polarizes Stranger Things fans just in time for season 5

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Every show has that knack for creating fan favorites, but not all fans vibe on the same wavelength. So, when a Reddit user threw open the floodgates for opinions on Will Byers, one fan chimed in, “in Seasons 3 and 4, I agree” but also reminded everyone that the show would not have hit its sweet spot without Will’s mysterious vanishing act in Season 1. Another fan pointed out that even though “Season 2 revolves around Will”, his role as a “victim” keeps him stuck.

While some fans were nodding, one enthusiast threw a curveball, declaring, “since S2 he's been basically a background character,” noting how the show now has too many mains. Another user chimed in with some serious insight, saying it is a major flaw of the series, “they definitely have a problem of adding new main characters without phasing out old ones”. Although plenty argued that “the entire plot revolves around him in the first season,” many felt this is exactly why Will ended up being a “plot device” instead of the main star he deserved to be.

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“Kid’s been through enough”- ‘Stranger Things’ Fans Oppose a Moralistic Twist in Will Byers' Character Ahead of Season 5

What do you think of Will Byers' contribution to Stranger Things? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1386 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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