The first part of the final season of Stranger Things has arrived, and it delivers a game-changing twist for one of its original characters. The ending of Volume 1 re-centers the story on Will Byers, the boy whose disappearance started it all, and reveals he is far from powerless.
In the climactic moments of Episode 4, “Sorcerer,” Will unlocks a formidable ability, turning his long-standing connection to the Upside Down from a vulnerability into a weapon. This pivotal shift sets the stage for an explosive conclusion to the series, confirming that Will is the key to the final battle against Vecna.
Will’s Powerful Transformation
The finale of Volume 1 leaves the Hawkins crew in a desperate situation. During a massive battle at the military’s MAC-Z facility, Demogorgons break through from the Upside Down and begin slaughtering soldiers. As his friends Mike, Lucas, and Robin are about to be killed, Will Byers falls to the ground, convulsing from his connection to the hive mind.
Vecna himself arrives, dismissively telling Will he was chosen because he was “weak” and a “perfect vessel.” After Vecna leaves, Will remembers a heartfelt conversation with Robin about self-acceptance. Instead of giving in to fear, he focuses on happy memories of his friends and family.
In that moment, his eyes turn white, and he unleashes a devastating telekinetic power. He simultaneously stops multiple Demogorgons in their tracks, snapping their limbs and saving his friends. The scene ends with Will wiping a nosebleed, a signature effect of using psychic abilities on the show, signaling his arrival as a powerful new force.
The Source of Will’s New Abilities
Will’s newfound power is not a random development but is deeply rooted in the show’s established mythology. The season begins with a flashback to 1983, revealing that when Will was first taken to the Upside Down, Vecna physically connected him to the hive mind with a tentacle.
This connection physically changed him, much like what happened to Henry Creel when he was flayed by the Mind Flayer in the prequel play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Will is not generating power himself like Eleven, but is channeling it directly from Vecna and the hive mind.
As the creators, the Duffer Brothers, explained, โHeโs able to channel these powers from Vecna and use it, sort of puppeteering. He taps into the hive mind, and then he can manipulate anything within the hive.โ This ability is proximity-based, meaning he can only use it when close to an active hive mind connection.
Vecna’s Plan for the Children of Hawkins
Volume 1 also clarifies Vecna’s overarching plan. He has been targeting Hawkins’ children, including Holly Wheeler, by appearing to them as a friendly imaginary figure named “Mr. Whatsit.” He sees children as “weak in body and mind, easily broken, easily reshaped, controlled.”
He needs them as “perfect vessels” to help him fully reshape the world in his image. Will was his first test subject, and his successful flaying showed Vecna what was possible. The season’s central mission involves the core characters trying to save these children from being taken, a effort that culminates in the chaotic battle at the military base.
The Road to the Finale
Several other key storylines are set in motion throughout Volume 1. Eleven and Hopper discover that the military, led by the ruthless Dr. Kay, has been experimenting on Kali (Eight) in a secret lab within the Upside Down, using her powers to navigate the dimension.
Meanwhile, in the mental prison Vecna created for her, Holly Wheeler teams up with Max Mayfield, who is still trapped in a comatose state in the real world. Max has been hiding in a cave within Vecna’s memories, a place he seems afraid to enter, and the two form an escape plan.
The first part of the final season brings the narrative full circle, back to Will Byers. His emotional journey of self-acceptance and the unlocking of his powers marks a major turning point. With the children kidnapped and Vecna’s plan in motion, the stage is set for an epic conclusion.
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Credits: Nerdist, Netflix Tudum, Variety
