Could Will Byers still be trapped in the Upside Down in Stranger Things Season 5?

When Stranger Things came out in 2016, Will Byers' disappearance was the central concern of the first season. The viewers watched Joyce Byers go to extreme lengths to extricate her son as he communicated through lights in his house after his disappearance to the rotten world, referred to as the Upside Down. Even though Will was rescued, the physical and mental trauma he hinted at during his journey through the Upside Down likely created long-lasting effects.

But now, as Stranger Things Season 5 approaches, a new theory has surfaced, questioning whether the Will we’ve seen since Season 1 is truly Will at all. Could it be that Will Byers never actually left the Upside Down? Another new theory following this highlights that the actual Will might be trapped, and a doppelganger from the Upside Down might be operating in his place.

This hypothesis provokes elementary questions regarding identity and memory, as well as the very basic workings of the Upside Down itself. With Stranger Things Season 5 allegedly bringing closure to decades-long issues, this theory has the fans divided.

The theory of the "Real Will" still being trapped on Stranger Things

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The hypothesis here is that Will Byers was never going to be rescued from the Upside Down. It makes sense that what was rescued in Season 1 could have been fabricated or replicated by the Upside Down. This is based on several subtle clues, such as Will's altered personality, lingering attachment to Vecna, and the psychic link he still experiences even after the success of the rescue operation.

One of the best hints is Will's sensitivities to the Mind Flayer and subsequently to Vecna. All the other characters, in contrast to Will, never physically and emotionally react to the strength of the Upside Down. Will feels when harm is coming, knows when evil is near him, and remains behind to cope with trauma that won't leave. All these serve to indicate that his consciousness—and quite possibly even his soul—may well be still tuned to the level at which he is said to have escaped.

Inconsistencies in Will's Behavior Since Season 1 of Stranger Things

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Will's personality in Season 1 upon his return is a manifestation of observable changes. He has nightmares, fluctuations in temperature, and even gets possessed by the Mind Flayer in Season 2. These would be understandable as to be expected from a traumatic event, but maybe something more than what is natural is occurring.

The influence of the Upside Down on him also appears to differ from what would normally be expected from people exposed briefly and brought back. What makes this even more credible is Will's affective detachment and his constant speaking of being "different". His interactions with the rest of the cast are strained and tense, and he also has a quick sense of danger to the Upside Down—something that would not be so effective unless half of him is anchored there.

The inertia of the Upside Down and the Stranger Things timeline inconsistencies

Another feature of this theory is the strange quality of the Upside Down itself. During Season 4, it is discovered by Nancy Wheeler that the Upside Down is stuck in time—i.e., the day that Will disappeared. This would suggest that the dimension has preserved that specific time in some metaphysical or temporal way, maybe warehousing the real Will inside.

If the Upside Down froze after Will entered it, then perhaps his original self could be trapped there as well. This stagnant timeline adds an air of intrigue to the operation of the dimension. Whether or not this stagnation is deliberate, the result of the dimensional limits of nature, or some direct connection to Will's presence is not known.

In either case, this interaction between Will and the stagnant timeline adds another reasonable breadcrumb as evidence for the theory.

Vecna's return and Will's lingering connection in Stranger Things

Vecna's return, the ominous villain who first appeared in Season 4, adds validity to the hypothesis. Will's connection with Vecna appears to transcend bodily proximity. In the Season 4 season finale, Will can sense Vecna near him even at a distance—something that sets him apart from the other members of the crew. This connection, if psychic or spiritual, can be such that there remains a residual link between Will and the Upside Down, founded on his original entrapment.

This dynamic will be front and center throughout Season 5, especially since the Duffer Brothers teased ahead of time that Will was going to be the focal point of the final season. Whether or not that means his mind will be manipulated, controlled, or even reflected from within the Upside Down will be revealed later.

What might Stranger Things Season 5 reveal about Will's true state?

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While no official confirmation of the theory that Will is still in the Upside Down has been made, the show has always maintained loose ends that would eventually lead to such an assumption. Since the final season of the series will tie up the majority of the show's loose ends, Will's story has every likelihood of being squarely in the limelight.

The potential that the audience has been viewing a cutdown version of Will the whole time leaves plenty of space for an epic twist—one that has the potential to shift the overall direction of the show. The implications of this theory, if accurate, would essentially remake the trajectory of Stranger Things and its examination of trauma, reality, and supernatural manipulation.

At least for now, the fans will have to wait and see where the last chapter will lead them and if the Will Byers who returned from the Upside Down actually did leave in the first place.