Stranger Things’ Controversial Will & Mike Scene Almost Wasn’t In The Finale

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5.A controversial Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) scene almost wasn’t in the Stranger Things series finale. The scene, which sees Mike apologizing for being self-absorbed and the two agreeing to still be best friends, has been accused by some fans for queerbaiting, a term for when a fictional story hints at queer elements without providing explicit representation.

In a conversation with People, Schnapp shares that the scene wasn’t originally in the finale, and he suggested to Ross and Matt Duffer that it be included. While Will comes out as gay to Mike and the rest of his loved ones in episode 7, Schnapp felt there needed to be one scene providing more closure between the two characters. Check out his comments below:

I did feel there was a little bit left unsaid with [episode 7]. And I did actually speak to the Duffers, and they included a scene in the finale that wasn’t originally there to kind of close that story properly.

Schnapp adds that it was “nice to have that trust from [Matt and Ross Duffer]” that made him feel as though he could make this suggestion. “If something doesn’t work, or if something feels not right, you can speak to them, and they will work with you.”

Will and Mike’s conversation in the Stranger Things series finale was “completely closed and satisfying” for Schnapp, who feels that “I think the fans will be happy.”

While Will’s coming out scene in episode 7 is integral for the character’s arc, it was also an equally important moment for Schnapp, who came out as gay in January 2023. Both he and the Duffers have spoken about closely collaborating to make sure the moment in the show felt authentic for the character, the story, and the actor.

This kind of collaboration with the actors aligns with the Duffers being receptive to Natalia Dyer’s condition for Nancy’s ending, as she did not want her character to be in school at the end of the series. The Duffers honored this request by having Nancy no longer enrolled in college and working at the Boston Herald instead.

For those who wanted Will and Mike to end the show as a romantic couple, the finale scene that Schnapp encouraged inevitably proved to be a disappointment. However, it is not entirely accurate to describe the scene as queerbaiting, as Will had already come out in the prior episode, and there were never any hints that Mike had romantic feelings for Will.

The scene instead provides the closure that Schnapp wanted. Mike was Will’s first crush in Stranger Things, but that doesn’t mean they have to end up together, and the show instead affirms that they still fully love and accept each other as friends. This makes their bond stronger than ever as they prepare to enter the Abyss and defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Mind Flayer for good.