Stranger Things 4: Writers share original script for emotional Will and Mike scene

Virgin Radio

16 Aug 2022, 13:43

Stranger Things fans have been treated to a glimpse of the writing process behind the sci-fi Netflix series. Spoilers ahead! 

Now Stranger Things 4 is all out to watch, the official Twitter page of Stranger Things writers held a poll to ask fans to choose which of their favourite scenes they wanted to read in its entirety. 

The emotional interaction between Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) was the top choice, winning 39% of the vote.

As promised, the show’s writers then uploaded the original script pages for the heart-wrenching conversation shared between the friends, who’s relationship had been strained throughout most of season four.

In the episode called ‘Chapter Eight: Papa’, Will and Mike, along with Jonathan ( Charlie Heaton) and Argyle (Eduardo Franco), are driving a van to Nevada in an attempt to rescue Mike’s girlfriend, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Will uses his time on the journey to comfort Mike, and reminds him about how much El will need him after their dangerous mission comes to an end. It becomes clear that while discussing El, Will is actually referring to how he truly feels about Mike.

As revealed by the writers, Will was supposed to smile back at Mike before looking out of a window before “that smile fades, giving way to melancholy.” 

Will’s brother Jonathan then “clocks this in the rearview. It pains him that he can’t comfort his brother here. His eyes turn back to the road, to that endless freeway stretching before them…”

Fans took this scene to be a vague admission of Will’s sexuality, given how show creators Matt and Ross Duffer have alluded to his feelings for Mike as the seasons have progressed. 

Back in July, Will actor Noah Schnapp said he believes Will’s sexuality is obvious, and in a new interview with Variety said: “It’s 100% clear that he is gay and he does love Mike.”

He explained further: “Obviously, it was hinted at in Season 1: It was always kind of there, but you never really knew, is it just him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he’s gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing.

“It was a slow arc. I think it is done so beautifully, because it’s so easy to make a character just like all of a sudden be gay.”

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix now.