Welp! The demogorgon is officially out of the bag and has been snapped into place by none other than the bowl-cut advocate of Stranger Things, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). After the first volume of the final season was released this week, it’s now been confirmed that all that neck rubbing has led to Will having similar abilities to Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). According to the newly super-powered star, though, a poster almost spoiled everything early.
In an interview with Glamour, Schnapp spoke about his character’s new breakthrough and that it was almost revealed in the show’s marketing. “It’s always supposed to kind of feel the vibe of the season and give an essence of where everyone’s characters stand in that era and chapter of our story,” he explained. “So yeah, you can see a strength in him on there. And obviously, they didn’t want to spoil it with any blood or anything, but as close as you can get. Everything is very intentional that we do.”
While it's not a huge giveaway, it's interesting to see Will at the top of the tower under Vecna, hinting at the mirrored abilities he'd be gaining. Talking about his character’s journey and the massive shift this season, Schnapp spoke about the breakthrough moment and what it meant for Will. “I think people mistake fear for weakness. Will has had a lot of fear through the years because of what he’s had to endure, but that doesn’t mean he’s weak,” argued Schnapp. “He’s pushed through that and come out stronger, and he does it scared every time. He always comes back, and he never crumbles. So that is his strength, and I think he shows that in the end, that he is stronger than we all think.”
It’s undoubtedly a game-changing moment, and with the return of Eleven’s old pal, Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), it feels like the Duffer Brothers are teeing up an epic throwdown with the final four episodes yet to be released. We’ll have to see if they, along with the rest of Hawkins’ heroes, are enough to defeat Vecna once and for all when Stranger Things returns with three episodes in volume 2 on Christmas Day, followed by the series finale on New Year’s Eve. For the full rundown on what just happened, though, check out our volume 1 ending explainer here.
