Stranger Things: Will Byers needs a bigger role in season 5

Has Stranger Things given Will Byers enough to do? When Stranger Things began, the most prominent stories surrounded the searches for Will after his disappearance, the introduction to the Upside Down, and the mystery of Eleven. However, with only one season left, Stranger Things needs to finally give Will some of the spotlight.

Although Will’s disappearance made him a critical factor in the first season, the following two seasons had his character directly affiliated with the aftermath of the Upside Down. He barely had much to do outside of wishing his friends would return to playing games rather than fretting over their girl problems.

Had Stranger Things attempted to give Will something outside of the Upside Down to do, then maybe his character would feel more developed than he does. But, unfortunately, season 4 wasted the opportunity, making Will barely more impactful than Jonathan as they both suffer from being so separated from the main story.

Season 5 needs to give Will Byers a central storyline, develop his character, and allow him to come into his own, as many of his friends feel far more developed than he does.

The conclusion of season 4 teases Will’s connection to Vecna and the Upside Down still exists. Season 5 should take that advantage and use Will as a character rather than just a plot device for the final battle. He has gone through a severe amount of trauma, but he is still in the central friend group and should be allowed to grow.

Will may have taken a backseat in season 4, with his storylines mainly surrounding his worry for Eleven and jealousy toward her closeness with Mike. However, he has been present in the series since the beginning and should have strong ties with many other central characters.

Will Byers deserves the opportunity to shine in a storyline and develop stronger bonds with the rest of the characters while still playing an integral role in the main plot. Unfortunately, he has rarely had a storyline outside dealing with the Upside Down or the direct aftermath.

Although Stranger Things seems on the verge of answering theories surrounding Will’s sexuality, it has never confirmed or denied the speculation. Meanwhile, the rest of his friends have been involved in romantic relationships.

Will Byers deserves a more significant role in the show moving forward. Season 5 has the chance to allow Will to play a more central part in the series and grow his character in ways previous seasons have avoided.