If you are still reeling from the massive reveal at the end of Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1, you aren’t the only one. It turns out the actors were just as shocked to find out that Will Byers has officially leveled up. Netflix recently dropped a behind-the-scenes video from the season’s table read, capturing the exact moment the cast learned that Will isn’t just a victim of the Upside Down anymore—he is a “Sorcerer.”
The clip features co-creator Matt Duffer reading the intense climax of episode 4. He details the scene where a collection of Demogorgons are about to tear into the group, only to be frozen in mid-air by an invisible force. As the script describes Will’s eyes turning solid white and his hands outstretched, the realization hits the room that the youngest Byers is channeling telekinetic abilities similar to Eleven’s. The script notes that after decimating the monsters, Will’s eyes return to normal, revealing a new sense of control and strength.
The reactions around the table are priceless. Gaten Matarazzo looks completely floored, clutching his head in disbelief, while Charlie Heaton pops up from his script with a grin. Millie Bobby Brown, who knows a thing or two about playing a super-powered character, drops her jaw before grabbing Noah Schnapp’s hand. Once the scene concludes with Will getting a nosebleed—the classic sign of power exertion in the show’s lore—Brown cheers, welcoming Schnapp to the club by joking that he now has to deal with the fake blood issues she has faced for years.
Schnapp seems thrilled in the video, smiling as his castmates process the twist. He later revealed that to prepare for the scene, he didn’t want to look like “Baby Will.” Instead, he channeled the movements and breathing of a 6,000-pound silverback gorilla to bring the necessary intensity to the moment. The preparation paid off, as the actor noted they nailed the scene in a single take. Fans won’t have to wait long to see what Will does next, as Volume 2 drops on Christmas Day, followed by the series finale on New Year’s Eve.