One of the Stranger Things season 4 finale's most powerful scenes wasn't originally in the script. The hit Netflix series, which follows supernatural events plaguing the town of Hawkins, Indiana, has been charming audiences with '80s nostalgia since it premiered in 2016. Stranger Things has continued to increase its massive fanbase over the years, nearly crashing Netflix with the season 4 volume 2 premiere in July. The storyline saw the core cast of characters battle their biggest baddie yet: Upside Down villain Vecna.
Amongst a storm of action sequences and horrifying deaths, Stranger Things season 4 also carved out quiet character-driven moments. For instance, Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, had a particularly moving arc, culminating in some emotional scenes in the finale. From starting out in a lonely, confused place to all-but coming out to his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), the season implied that Will struggled with his identity and deep feelings for his best friend Mike (Finn Wolfhard). While audiences have resonated with the storyline, it seems that pivotal scene between Will and Jonathan almost didn't wind up on screen.
Will's Stranger Things season 4 story culminates with his brother Jonathan accepting him for who he is. As chaos erupts in the Upside Down, the siblings share a tender moment at Surfer Boy Pizza, where Jonathan essentially says Will can tell him anything and pulls him into an embrace. Schnapp now tells Variety that the beloved scene wasn't originally in the script, but added in later. Check out what the actor has to say below:
This scene was actually not originally written in the script. It was only until after I did the scene of me in the van, where they saw me crying and the protectiveness that you see with Jonathan looking in the rearview mirror. They were like, we need a scene with that. So they wrote it as we were filming.
The actor goes on to add that it was really important for audiences to see Will isn't alone in his struggle. Up until then, the overall image of him was being left behind and depressed. Schnapp also praises the writers for creating such a wholesome moment, where the siblings almost speak in code. He hopes that this support will continue on and lead to a more official coming out scene in season 5, since Schnapp says Will is gay and in love with Mike.
After years of speculation, it's satisfying to have confirmation of who Will truly is. Aided by the fact that he was the first Hawkins resident to go missing in the Upside Down, he has always appeared more sullen and timid than the other characters. The Duffer brothers and Schnapp were a match made in TV heaven as they unraveled Will's adolescent journey over the years, and his season 4 arc falls in line perfectly. Hopefully Stranger Things season 5 wraps up Will and his cohort's stories with the same lens of truth.
Source: Variety