The latest episodes of Stranger Issues season 5 addressed Will’s sexuality — however does Mike now learn about his finest pal’s crush on him?
Throughout the second installment of the ultimate season, which aired on Thursday, December 25, Will (Noah Schnapp) couldn’t assist struggle Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) till he revealed a secret he was maintaining from his family members.
“I haven’t instructed any of you this as a result of I don’t need you to see me in a different way, however the fact is I’m completely different. I simply pretended like I wasn’t as a result of I didn’t wanna be,” Will instructed the group. “I wished to be like everybody else. I wished to be like my buddies, and I’m such as you. I’m such as you in virtually each method.”
He continued: “We like Milk Duds in our popcorn with additional butter, and we like consuming Coke with Pop Rocks, and we like bike races and buying and selling comics and NASA and Steve Martin and Fortunate Charms and actually all the identical issues. I simply — I don’t like ladies.”
Will hinted that he “had this crush on somebody” though he knew “they’re not like” him, which viewers know references his emotions for Mike (Finn Wolfhard). The digital camera panned to Mike’s face however it remained unclear whether or not he understood what Will was hinting at along with his speech.
Creator Ross Duffer confirmed Mike is aware of about Will’s crush on him.
“That was the intent. As soon as Will is speaking about Tammy and all that and his expertise,” Ross instructed Individuals on Thursday. “It’s Mike — and his buddies — all realizing and understanding now for the primary time, even when Mike has been considerably oblivious over these years, what his pal is saying.”
Ross supplied a glimpse at Mike’s frame of mind, including, “He’s clocking what Will felt through the years. It’s about Will understanding who he’s and being much less fearful and expressing himself to all his family and friends.”

When Stranger Issues debuted in 2016, viewers have been launched to Will because the youngster who abruptly went lacking in Hawkins, Indiana. The character appeared largely offscreen till he escaped from the Upside Down on the finish of season 1.
Will struggled to return to his regular life as issues round him modified and the monsters from the Upside Down returned. Dialogue round Will’s sexuality got here to mild throughout season 3, when he received in a struggle with Mike.
Whereas Followers continued to query whether or not season 4 confirmed Will’s sexuality, Schnapp famous that he appreciated the paradox to his character’s love life.
“I really feel like [creators Ross and Matt Duffer] by no means actually tackle it or blatantly say how Will is,” he instructed Selection in 2022. “I believe that’s the fantastic thing about it, that it’s simply as much as the viewers’s interpretation, if it’s Will sort of simply refusing to develop up and rising up slower than his buddies, or if he’s actually homosexual.”
The actor praised the way in which Stranger Issues allowed Will to discover his emotions towards romance. “I discover that individuals do attain to place a label on him and simply need to know, so badly, like, ‘Oh, and that is it.’ He’s simply confused and rising up. And that’s what it’s to be a child,” Schnapp added.
His costar Millie Bobby Brown additionally applauded the present’s method to Will’s story via the years. “Can I simply say, it’s 2022 and we don’t should label issues. I believe what’s very nice about Will’s character is that he’s only a human being going via his personal private demons and points,” she shared throughout the joint interview. “So many youngsters on the market don’t know, and that’s OK. That’s OK to not know. And that’s OK to not label issues.”
She continued: “It’s such an incredible position for Noah to play. And to be that position mannequin for teenagers on the market who don’t know what they’re going via rising up.”
Stranger Issues is at the moment streaming on Netflix.
