For nearly a decade, fans of Stranger Things have been held captive by the mysteries of Hawkins, Indiana, and the terrifying dimension that lurks beneath it, the Upside Down. Now, as the epic supernatural series gears up for its fifth and final season, the ultimate question hangs heavy in the air: who will survive the final confrontation with Vecna?
Speculation has reached a fever pitch, with one core theory dominating the discourse, one that points a tragically dramatic finger directly at the show's original 'missing' boy, Will Byers. This intense fan theory was inadvertently ignited when actor Noah Schnapp reportedly shared a chilling comment with co-star Millie Bobby Brown, saying, 'But one of us will die.'
Given that Will's vanishing act in the first season kick-started this entire, world-bending narrative, the idea that he might ultimately sacrifice himself to close the gate for good has gained enormous traction among the dedicated fanbase.
The Duffer Brothers, the creators of this cultural phenomenon, have remained characteristically tight-lipped. However, the first glimpses of Stranger Things's final chapter strongly indicate that Will's ultimate fate is not just a storyline, but the central mystery upon which the entire conclusion rests.
It's a full-circle moment, returning to the very heart of the story that began in 1983.
The Return of Will Byers: The Core of the Stranger Things Season 5
The Duffer Brothers have consistently promised that the fifth season will answer the biggest questions posed since the pilot episode, specifically: 'What is the Upside Down, truly?' and 'Why was Will taken?'
As Matt Duffer confirmed to Entertainment Weekly, We reveal really everything about the Upside Down, all of which was planned out in Season 1.' This commitment to circling back to the foundation strongly suggests that Will's profound, enduring connection to the dark dimension is key to its origins and, crucially, its end.
Unlike other victims of the Upside Down, Will wasn't simply 'killed'; he was taken, kept, and became inherently linked to the realm, capable of sensing Vecna's presence long after his rescue. The haunting opening sequence of the Season 5 premiere powerfully drives this point home. It flashes back to November 1983, showing a de-aged Noah Schnapp in a terrifying, unseen moment.
Young Will is inside the Upside Down's version of his makeshift fort, Castle Byers, singing The Clash's 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' for comfort. A Demogorgon attacks, eventually dragging him away unconscious.
The most significant reveal, seen in the five-minute clip, is Will's encounter with Vecna, who ominously tells him, 'You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together, William,' confirming that Vecna targeted Will from the start.
This sinister backstory recontextualises a phrase spoken by Vecna in the Season 5 trailer, where he pulls Will up with his telekinesis and declares, 'You are going to help me one last time.' That single phrase implies a pre-existing, non-consensual partnership, possibly since his original disappearance, where Will unwittingly served as the creature's unwitting spy or conduit, as seen in Season 2.
Noah Schnapp further fuelled the speculation when he told Forbes that 'the story started with Will, and it'll end with Will,' a statement that, while confirming Will's narrative importance and that his character will learn to accept who he is, deliberately left his ultimate survival ambiguous. The character is positioned not just for a major emotional arc, but for a potentially fateful one.
On-Set Drama and a United Front at the Stranger Things Premiere
The dramatic conclusion of the series was almost overshadowed by off-screen controversy. Just days before the final season's high-profile premiere, the Daily Mail reported that Millie Bobby Brown had filed a formal harassment and bullying complaint against co-star David Harbour before filming began on Season 5.
This complaint, reportedly filed in January 2024, did not involve 'allegations of sexual misconduct,' but it did launch a 'months-long' internal investigation by Netflix, with Brown reportedly having a legal advisor present on set during filming.
The production immediately moved to address the swirling reports. At the premiere on November 6, 2025, executive producer Shawn Levy told The Hollywood Reporter, 'I've read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to there's so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that's always been bedrock.' Levy's carefully worded statement suggested that, while issues may have arisen, the allegations were 'overstated or mischaracterised.'
Crucially, Brown and Harbour appeared together on the red carpet, sharing laughter, hugs, and striking unified poses for photographers. Speaking to Extra TV, Brown made a statement of familial loyalty: 'It's been amazing. We're so lucky to have each other. This has been like the last ten years of our lives, so we've dedicated a lot of it and we're so excited to see that come to screen.'
Their public display of warmth and reconciliation was a clear, coordinated rebuttal to the reports of workplace conflict. While the internal investigation found no confirmed wrongdoing, the timing of the allegations created a brief furore that ultimately faded after the Duffer Brothers denied the claims and the two central actors appeared completely unified in public.
The return of Will Byers to the narrative foreground of Stranger Things Season 5 signifies that the cycle is ready to close. Whether his journey ends in survival, heroic sacrifice, or a final, devastating transformation remains the show's most closely guarded secret.
