If Stranger Things has taught us anything over the years, it’s that the most powerful moments often arrive when you least expect them. That philosophy is on full display in the final season, when Will Byers’ long-awaited coming-out scene unfolds not in quiet reflection, but in the middle of our last battle with Vecna.
Volume 2 spoilers ahead!
Speaking with Gayety, creators Ross and Matt Duffer opened up about why that timing was not only intentional but essential to Will’s story and the show’s endgame.
According to the Duffers, Will’s coming out was initially planned for the end of season four. But once they reached that point, it didn’t feel right. “When we got there, it just felt like we hadn’t earned it in a way. And I’m really glad we ended up not doing it there,” Ross explained.
Instead, season four closed with Will opening up to Jonathan, laying the groundwork for something bigger. Season five then became deeply focused on Will’s growth, self-acceptance, and the emotional barriers Vecna continues to exploit.
“You see him get halfway there at the end of four, which allows him to sort of tap into these powers where that’s more about self-acceptance,” Ross continued. “But then there’s this one other hurdle, which Vecna sort of represents all the fears and anxiety and everything that swirls, all the dark things that swirl around inside your head.”
It’s the Final Countdown
For Will to fully face Vecna, the Duffers knew he had to confront those fears head-on, not privately, but out loud.
“Ultimately, to defeat or overcome this evil, he has to get over that. And to get over that, he needs to come out to not just his mom, but his friends. And so that’s why we put it there right at the end, because that’s sort of so important in terms of their battle and what lies ahead.”
In other words, the group doesn’t win unless Will steps fully into himself.
That emotional journey is deeply tied to Will’s relationship with Robin (Maya Hawke), whose presence this season offers something Will has never had before: someone who truly understands him. The Duffers emphasized how important that connection was, especially in moments when Will finally experiences joy again.
Robin Buckley, We Love You
“Poor Will’s been so traumatized,” Matt said. “But I think finally to be able to really open up to someone else, and in this case, sort of a mentor who had been through some similar experiences that he had, it really is very freeing.”
Ross added that Robin provides Will with something she never had herself.
“Robin, because she can identify with him in a way that no one else can, because she’s been through what he’s been through… she’s able to take his hand and help him. And she didn’t have that. So she’s able to provide something for him.”
When the Scene Became Real
That sense of trust extended behind the scenes as well. Having worked with Noah Schnapp for a decade, the Duffers were especially careful when crafting the scene.
“A lot of it was just hearing him talk about his own personal experiences and then trying to go… really trying to tap into something truthful,” Matt said. “We were mostly just nervous about when we sent it to Noah, because we just wanted to do right by him.”
Schnapp didn’t just rise to the moment. He carried it.
“That was mostly the first take that we used,” Ross revealed.
“He wasn’t acting at a certain point. It felt so raw, real and so vulnerable.”
Even after the cameras stopped rolling, Schnapp continued to perform the scene throughout the day, staying emotionally present so the rest of the cast could react authentically.
“Noah’s such a kind actor and he went 100% all day… we got so many amazing reaction shots from the cast, like Charlie’s performance. I mean, it’s no dialogue, it just breaks your heart watching him see his brother come out.”
By placing Will’s coming-out moment at the height of the battle, Stranger Things doesn’t just make a statement. It makes a promise: that survival, strength, and love all begin with honesty. And in the final moments of the series, that truth becomes Will’s greatest power.
The final episode of Stranger Things will premiere on Netflix on New Year’s Eve.
