The latest trailer for Stranger Things season 5 has arrived, and fans are convinced that Will Byers will be the one to beat Vecna...rather than his adoptive, super-powered sister Eleven.
There are two key factors in this new fan theory: what Vecna says to Will in the trailer, and the show's overall history with Dungeons and Dragons. In the clip, Vecna (Jamie Campbell-Bower) grabs Will and says: "William, you are going to help me. One... last... time." When was the first time? Well, when the Mind Flayer possessed him in season 2 and used him as a way to infiltrate Hawkins. This is all but outwardly stated in season 4, which is when we actually meet Vecna, but he's been here the entire time. Vecna needs Will, because the two share a strange internal link. In one of the final scenes in the Stranger Things 4 finale, Will tells the gang that he could feel Vecna was still alive – badly hurt, but still alive.
"Will is 100% beating Vecna, I don’t care what anyone says, he probably has powers or something," one fan wrote. A few other commenters agreed, and this would explain Will's weird connection to Vecna.
The other factor is that Will is the Wizard of Mike, Dustin, and Lucas's various Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. As one fan pointed out, 'Wish' is the strongest spell that a Wizard can cast. "Wishing that a villain were dead might propel you forward in time to a period when that villain is no longer alive, effectively removing you from the game," the fan explained.
There is also the overall trope that, because Will has been a victim of Vecna since season 1, it only makes sense for him to become the hero in season 5. “Because the story really began with Will and his disappearance, it felt, in order to go full circle, it needed to really end with him in so many ways," co-creator Matt Duffer told Entertainment Weekly.
It's also worth noting that the trailer uses the Queen song 'Who Wants to Live Forever,' which was written for the 1986 fantasy-adventure film Highlander. In the world of Highlander, beings known as immortals can quite literally feel when another one of their kind is nearby. This special ability is known as 'The Buzz,' and the strength of the sensation depends on the power of the immortal nearby. As we previously posited, Highlander could be a clue: Will his internal connection to Vecna be the key to beating him once and for all? We'll just have to wait and see.
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are streaming now on Netflix. While we wait for Stranger Things season 5 to premiere on November 26, check out our picks of the best Netflix shows for some viewing inspiration.
