The climactic final season of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things 5 delivered major revelations about the Upside Down, but one of its most powerful human moments came when Will Byers finally came out. However, the scene that aired in Episode 7 ('The Bridge') was notably different from the creators' original vision.
From Private Confession to Group Revelation
In the episode, after finding self-acceptance through talks with Robin, Will confides in his mother, Joyce. He explains that Vecna has been exploiting his deepest vulnerabilities and secrets. This leads to a moment just before the final battle where Will opens up about his sexuality.
Instead of a quiet moment with one or two trusted people, the scene unfolds with Will addressing a large group. The audience includes Joyce, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Eleven, Jonathan, Nancy, Max, Robin, Steve, Vickie, Murray, and even Kali—a character Will has never met. This surprising shift from intimacy to a public declaration sparked debate and confusion among some viewers.
The Duffer Brothers' Creative Decision
In an exclusive interview with Variety, co-creator Ross Duffer explained the rationale behind the significant change. He revealed that Will's coming out was originally planned for Season 4, but they felt they lacked the narrative space to do it justice. "Will’s coming out is something we’ve been talking about and wanting to do for a very long time," Ross said. "Originally, it was going to be in Season 4, and we just realised we didn’t have the space to do it properly."
The initial draft featured a private conversation solely between Will and his mother, Joyce. "Originally, it was just going to be Joyce in the original draft of the outline," Ross continued. "And the scene was not hitting properly."
The breakthrough came when the writers connected Will's arc directly to the season's villain. They realised that Vecna's power to exploit hidden fears and secrets was the key. Will's unspoken truth about his sexuality represented a vulnerability that Vecna could weaponise. Therefore, for Will to truly conquer that fear and remove Vecna's leverage, he needed to share his truth with everyone. "We realised that Joyce is an important part of this, but he really needed to do it in front of everyone," Ross stated.
Noah Schnapp's Personal and Professional Catharsis
Noah Schnapp, the actor who portrays Will, also shared his perspective on the altered scene. Speaking to Tudum, he admitted he initially expected a one-on-one moment with Joyce. "I thought the scene would be just with his mom," Schnapp said. He expressed that filming the group version was "so special."
For Schnapp, who publicly came out as gay in January 2023, the scene held profound personal significance. "I remember when I finished that scene, I ran into Charlie Heaton’s arms and was just crying," he recalled. "And with the cast, I never really got to sit them down and have that conversation about my own coming out, so getting to do it was totally therapeutic and cathartic for me."
Ross Duffer emphasised the care taken with the sensitive material, noting their primary concern was to "do right by Noah." "There’s not a scene, I don’t think, in the entire series that we spent as long on as we did that coming out scene," he revealed. The final approval came from Schnapp himself: "The litmus test was giving it to Noah, but then seeing how he responded to it and reacted to it gave us confidence."
The evolution of Will Byers' coming out scene underscores the show's commitment to weaving personal character journeys into its larger supernatural narrative, creating a defining moment for one of its original characters.
