The fans are buzzing with excitement as the production of the final season is set to wrap next month. In the meantime, they are also speculating on new theories to predict how the story will unfold. One of the latest theories says that Will Byers was kidnapped by Vecna in season 1.

In the very first episode, Will Byers mysteriously disappears, which sets off the story of Stranger Things. We later find out that he was taken to the Upside Down, supposedly by the demogorgon. He was eventually rescued by his mother Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper.

Now that season 4 has given us new insights into the Upside Down and its other creatures, some fans think that he was abducted by Vecna.

Did Vecna Kidnap Will Byers in Season 1?

Stranger Things 4 introduced Vecna as the main antagonist of the series. He was once a human called Henry Creel and was later taken to Hawkins Lab as a subject. In 1979, he was banished to the Upside Down by Eleven, where he turned into Vecna.

The latest theory says that Vecna was responsible for kidnapping Will Byers. Fans have found many clues that support this theory.

For instance, the creature that Will Byers saw on the road didn’t quite look like a demogorgon. It was more humanoid, which resembles Vecna’s form. Plus, the lock on the door of Will’s house was unlocked from the inside. Unlike Demogorgons, Vecna has telekinetic powers that make him the more likely culprit.

When Vecna was first banished to the Upside Down in 1979, he had no connection to the real world. In 1983, Eleven opened the gate for the second time and Vecna came out too. It is the same night when Will was heading home on his bike before disappearing.

It is possible that he took Will Byers with the intent to use him as a host. Both Will Byers and Billy Hargrove referred to the Mind Flayer as ‘He’. This suggests it might actually be a person rather than just a creature. It could imply that the Mind Flayer was only a pawn, manipulated by Vecna all along.

Why Would Vecna Choose Will Byers?

Now, the question is why Vecna might have chosen Will as his target? One idea is that Vecna and Will Byers have striking similarities. They both were sensitive, felt like outcasts, and were often bullied as kids. Will had an abusive father and Henry Creel was loathed by his parents. The play Stranger Things: The First Shadow further explores Henry Creel’s troubled childhood, which parallels Will’s.

Vecna might have sensed Will’s vulnerability and seen him as a suitable host. It could explain why Will survived so long in the Upside Down as Vecna may have kept him alive for future use.

Another possibility is that Will Byers stayed alive by singing his favorite song, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”. This theory is further supported by the opening scene of season 5, which was revealed last year. We know that music has a huge impact on Vecna’s victims, as Max was saved by the “Running Up That Hill” song.

If Vecna indeed kidnapped Will Byers, this could explain why he still has a connection to him.

Still, many mysteries remain unresolved. Why is the Upside Down stuck on the day Will Byers went missing? And who truly controls the Upside Down? Is it Vecna, the Mind Flayer, or someone else?

Let’s hope that Stranger Things season 5 will finally answer these questions.