Will Byers, portrayed by Noah Schnapp, is a fictional character in the American Sci-Fi horror series Stranger Things. He plays one of the key roles as he is the first victim of the Upside Down. Will is the youngest son of Joyce Byers and younger brother of Jonathan Byers.
In the first season of the Sci-Fi horror, Will is a recurring character as he is trapped inside the Upside Down for most part of the series. By the second season and for the rest of the series, Will Byers is promoted from recurring to main character.
Will Byers's Character in Stranger Things
Will is an honest, kind, and soft-spoken kid. He shares his friends' interest in science and is a member of their school's AV club. He is a brilliant kid for his age. Will has similar hobbies as the others in his group, including enjoying comics like The X-Men, movies like Ghostbusters, and Dungeons & Dragons. He loves to write stories and create art, which led to him being bullied at times. He probably felt estranged as a result of this and his father's past abuse of him.
After his imprisonment in the Upside Down, Will became even more disconnected due to his peers nicknaming him "Zombie Boy" (due to the cover story developed to hide the actual events). Also, he had grown irritated with everyone's receptive treatment towards him, especially with his mother and brother.
After he was controlled by the Mind Flayer, Will developed a fear of heat and became distressed by his connection with the Flayer. Eventually, the Mind Flayer's power over Will was so great that it was able to talk through him and control his body. After the Mind Flayer was exorcised from his body, Will returned to his ordinary self with no visible harmful consequences.
Will is quite childish as a result of the trauma he suffered over the two years. He began to feel separate from his friends due to how they were growing up so fast. However, Will began to mature as he helped his friends when the Mind Flayer's avatar almost killed them all. He eventually gave up some of his childhood hobbies. Eventually, Will started to behave more like an adult, even using slurs like his friends.
Does Will Byers have powers?
Yes, Will develops certain powers after returning from the Upside Down. Will acquired "True Sight" and began to see visions from the Upside Down. In addition to being real, Will's experiences were warnings of potential danger. He developed "now-memories" after being taken over by the Mind Flayer, which allowed him to see what the monster saw.
However, Will did not have any control over his abilities. His visions came to him at random times. His recollections were more of a consequence of having the Mind Flayer inside his mind. Even after the creature was ejected from his body, Will could still feel the Mind Flayer's presence, though he lost his powers.
FAQs about Will in Stranger Things
A. Yes, Will develops an insight after his rescue from the Upside Down. Will acquired "True Sight" and began to see Upside Down visions.
A. Will has romantic feelings for Mike. In season four, Will started to explore his sexuality, and he fell in love with Mike. However, he struggled to handle his feelings because he knew Mike was in love with Eleven.
A. Will encountered a humanoid predator from another dimension. The creature cornered Will despite his best efforts to get away, taking him to its home dimension, the Upside Down.
A. As of April 2025, Noah Schnapp is 20 years old.
