The first part of Stranger Things Season 4 is on Netflix, and apart from the origins of the new villain tormenting Hawkins Indiana, the personal life of Will Byers is being talked about most around social media. With the characters all going through a different stage of life since they are all older, Season 4 focuses much more on the emotional trials they all facing with trying to fit in, fading friendships, and of course self discovery. One of the main theories that Season 4 may answer is if Will Byers is gay, but so far it has been answered through subliminal hints.
Is Will Byers Gay in Stranger Things? Three Hints From Season 4 that Will Byers is In the Closet
As you know Will Byers is best friends with Mike Wheeler. The two have known each other since childhood, and grew up in Hawkins together. Their relationship was bonded way before Eleven came along. As you probably know at the end of Season 3 Will Byers and Eleven moved to California for a fresh start, which caused a long distance relationship between them and Mike Wheeler. That paved the way for the Stranger Things Season 4 to subliminally focus on Will Byers’ romantic preferences at key moments during the episodes. Below are some hints that may prove that Will Byers is gay, but we won’t include what episode the scenes are from just in case you haven’t watched yet.
Hint 1: Will Byers’ Reaction to a Girl Flirting With Him in Class
During one of the early episodes of Season 4 Eleven is doing a class presentation about Jim Hopper that doesn’t quite go as planned. While she’s in front of the classroom being embarrassed by the class bully, the camera focuses on a girl rubbing her foot against Will Byers’ leg. His reaction was bit unexpected has he pulled away almost like he was disgusted by the fact that a girl was touching him. Could mean nothing, or be the producers’ way of insinuating that Will Byers is gay.
Hint 2: Will Byers’ Reactions to Mike Wheeler’s Relationship with Eleven During Spring Break
In Season 4 Mike Wheeler goes to California to visit Eleven for Spring Break, which of course means he’s seeing Will for the first time in about half a year. Immediately you can see Will Byers begin to act indifferent and jealous when he notices that Mike Wheeler was giving Eleven all his attention, which made him feel like a third wheel. He looked especially disappointed when ever he would see Mike and Eleven holding hands. It seemed like Will Byers’ was jealous of Eleven, because he’s in love Mike Wheeler too. Of course that would mean Will Byers is gay.
Hint 3: Did Will Byers Want to Kiss Mike Wheeler When They Were Alone in His Room?
In one of the later episodes of the first half of Season 4 there’s a scene where Mike Wheeler and Will Byers have a moment alone in his room, and discuss their friendship over the past year. During their moment Mike Wheeler is sitting real close to Will Byers as he apologizes to him to making feel like a third wheel, and admits that he should of wrote him more often. When Mike Wheeler told him “I lost you” it seemed like Will Byers was going to attempt kissing him while he was gazing into his eyes. Just before that could happen someone burst into their room, and said it was time to go.
If Will Byers is gay it would be the second character from Stranger Things that’s part of the LGBTQ community. Steve Harrington’s love interest from Season 3 Robin Buckley is also gay, which led them to becoming unlikely best friends since they couldn’t be lovers.
Ironically their situations are similar in that you have a complex relationship situation between two people who have different romantic preferences. Steve Harrington likes women, but the woman he liked also likes women. If Will Byers loves Mike Wheeler romantically then he likes a guy that likes women.
All this makes you wonder what direction second part of Season 4 will go with their situations. Will the question of whether Will Byers is gay be directly answered, or continue to be implied?