Will Byres would do his mom? π³
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Bobby Tomlinson β 3 months ago(December 31, 2025 02:03 AM)
Will Byers is Gay: The Evidence So Far
With the release of Stranger Things 3, there has been a lot of discussion kicked up about the character of Will Byers and his sexuality (or lack thereof). I've seen a lot of takes about what "it's not my fault you don't like girls" was intended to mean, many of which seem to take it in isolation, so I wanted to make a post putting it into what I think is its proper context; not an isolated incident, but the latest carriage in veritable train of queer themed language and imagery that has followed Will Byers since episode one of season one, and before that. You ready? Alright, let's go.
Season Zero: the Montauk Files
Before Stranger Things became Stranger Things, it was called Montauk. Like many would-be show makers, the Duffer Bros put together a "show bible" describing the premise, setting, tone, and characters of the show they intended to make. Like many shows, a lot of these ideas changed or were lost on their way to the screen, but it's always worth looking into their original concepts. Here is their description of Will Byers in the Montauk show bible:
Obviously, the major whammy there is in the first line "sexual identity issues." But there are some other interesting notes, like his "colorful clothes" that you might want to keep a lookout for on your next rewatch. Now, ontoβ¦
Season 1
The thing to pay attention to regarding Will in season 1 is in the language used to refer to him when he is not present (which he isn't for most of the season).
Episode 1: the subject of bullying comes up right away in the conversation between Joyce and Hopper. "The kids, they're mean. They laugh at him, laugh at his clothes, call him names." "What's wrong with his clothes?" "I don't know!" This harkens back to the Montauk show bible, but it's arguable, since it's never made clear what about his clothes draws ire.
She also mentions that he is "sensitive," "not like most," and that his dad said he was "queer" and called him a "fag." Hopper asks "is he?" to which she replies "He's missing is what he is!"
Episode 3: Troy says he's not missing, he's dead. "Probably killed by some other queer."
Episode 4: Troy, again "Will's in fairyland, flying around with all the other little fairies, all happy and gay."
Sensitive, queer, fag, fairy, and gay are all used to describe Will in season 1, but perhaps more notable is the fact that they aren't used to describe anyone else. If the show were truly period accurate, let's be real; the whole party would've been called queers on a pretty regular basis, because "queer" doubled as a generic insult back then. But in season 1, these words are only ever used in relation to Will, with one exception; in episode 6, Steve says to Will's brother, "I used to think you were queer." So it's not even an active accusation in that moment; it's used in the negative.
Hell, Troy walked up to Lucas mockingly proposing to Mike and proclaiming his love for him, and he still didn't call them queers. That language is reserved for Will.
Now granted, most of these are used as insults by characters who don't like Will, but still; as a writer, if you want your audience to remember something, repetition is an excellent way to embed it in their minds. There's a reason for the specificity of language surrounding Will, and a reason that language keeps coming up over and over and over again.
Season 2
Season 2 retires much of the homophobic language used to insult Will, replacing it with "Zombie Boy." The only homophobic language used in season 2 is the word "******," used by Billy's father to refer to Billy, who expresses a clear interest in women (and an arguable interest in one particular man, but that's the subject of another post).
Still, there is an arguable bit of queer theming in Will's conversation with Jonathan regarding the benefits of being a "freak" and how normal people never accomplish anything. Jonathan even invokes bisexual icon David Bowie to make Will feel better about his "freakishness."
The clearest piece of queer theming for Will in season 2 comes in episode 8, in this beautiful speech from Joyce to Possessed Will:
"When you turned eight, I gave you that huge box of crayons, do you remember that? It was 120 colors. And all your friends got you Star Wars toys, but all you wanted to do was draw with all your new colors. And you drew this big spaceship, but it wasn't from a movie. It was YOUR spaceship; a RAINBOW Ship, that's what you called it. And you, you must have used every color in the box. I took that with me to Melvald's, and I put it up. I told everyone who came in, 'My son drew this.' And you were so embarrassed, but I was so proud. I was so, so proud."
This is one of the most powerful memories of her son that Joyce has, an image so strong and distinct that she uses it to invoke his true identity against the monster that is slowly subsuming him. She notes very specifically that it's not something he copied, but something that came entirely from Will himsel -
ε ζ β 3 months ago(December 31, 2025 02:22 AM)
Well I don't want to sound like some Hawkings School Councillor blogging about things Bobby
But is Will the one that made the fairy lights go on and off on Winona Ryder's wall in the first season?
I kind of gave up on the show when she sobered up and figured out that there was a magic thing going on and I figured that the whole show was just another LOST thingy for people who don't understand story -
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ε ζ β 3 months ago(December 31, 2025 02:41 AM)
I was more of a fan of the first two seasons of "Heroes" (Remember that?),
But Stranger Things seems to have brought joy to a lot of hearts, and the Predator references seem like a fun thing to play with, so I'll leave it be and let the fandom react as they will Bobby -
ε ζ β 3 months ago(December 31, 2025 01:48 PM)
I don't remember
There was a writers strike, the show showed why writers are important, and then LOST came out and everyone was distracted with how brilliant they all were using the Internet to find webpages which had been spoonfed to them.
That Hobbit was in it, I met him at an airport once. I think it must be lonely being famous for some -
Bobby Tomlinson β 3 months ago(December 31, 2025 02:20 PM)
What did he seem like when you met him? Iβve heard that heβs a very angry and bitter man.
He was in Bobbytown about 30 years ago filming Hetty Wainthrop Investigates.
WEE WILLY WILLY FIND ALL THE WAY HOME! -
Bobby Tomlinson β 2 months ago(January 05, 2026 09:02 PM)
That was a very moving scene was that where William told the rest of the extended Children of the Upside Down that he doesnβt like girls but likes boys instead.
WEE WILLY WILLY FIND ALL THE WAY HOME! -
ε ζ β 2 months ago(January 05, 2026 09:25 PM)
I like the part where he says that he doesn't like the things that I do Bobby
I like his mother, so that means he doesn't like his mother. Then he'll try and turn that around and say that he does like his mother and then I'll say he can't unless he makes love to her like I would
I'll take your neurodivergent and raise you logic Will!
