Stranger Things 5 | First Five Minutes Breakdown: The Secret of Will Byers Revealed

Hollywood News, Friday, November 7, 2025 – Netflix has just shocked fans with an early look at the start of Stranger Things 5. The first five minutes of the final season, called “The Crawl,” dropped suddenly. This opening scene doesn’t start where the last season ended. Instead, it takes us all the way back to the beginning.

The Duffer Brothers are going back in time. They are showing us what really happened to Will Byers in 1983. This flashback scene is not just a nice touch. It reveals a huge, game-changing secret about Vecna and Will.

Back to 1983: Will’s First Nightmare

⏳ The beginning of Stranger Things 5 takes us to November 12, 1983. This is just six days after Will Byers first went missing. It’s a chilling return to the past.

Will is Alone in Castle Byers

We see a de-aged, 12-year-old Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). He is shivering and scared. He is hiding inside the Upside Down version of his small fort, Castle Byers. He sings The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” This song is important. It’s the one his older brother, Jonathan, first shared with him. It shows how afraid and alone Will is.

Demogorgon Attack and Escape

Soon, the moment gets truly scary. Strange, growling sounds echo outside the fort. A Demogorgon quickly bursts into Castle Byers! Will acts fast. He grabs a hunting rifle and shoots the monster. This is a clear nod to Season 1. He then runs for his life, climbing a tall, dead tree in the Upside Down’s forest.

The Demogorgon is right behind him. Will tries to jump to another branch, but he falls. He crashes to the ground. The impact knocks him out. But the monster does not eat him. This is the first big clue that something is different. The Demogorgon does not kill the boy. Instead, it drags Will’s unconscious body away.

Vecna’s First Meeting with Will

The terrifying chase ends in the Upside Down’s version of the Hawkins Library. This place is dark and vine-covered. The unconscious Will is brought before the ultimate villain: Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

Will’s Capture and Infection

Vecna appears from the shadows. The monster’s true plan is revealed in this chilling scene. Vecna uses his strong, creepy tentacles to hold Will against the wall. Will is trapped and helpless.

Vecna leans in and says the scariest words of the entire clip: “At long last, we can begin.”

Then, a vine like a snake forces itself into Will’s mouth. It pumps an unknown, dark substance into him. Will starts to choke. Vecna strokes the boy’s face and whispers another dark promise: “You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together, William. Such beautiful things.” The scene cuts to black right after this.

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What This Flashback Reveals for the Stranger Things Final Season

💥 These first five minutes are a massive moment for Stranger Things. It totally changes what we thought we knew about Will Byers’ disappearance.

• Vecna’s Master Plan: We thought Will was just a random victim in Season 1. This scene proves that Will was central to Vecna’s plan all along. Vecna purposefully captured Will, instead of killing him. He infected Will with the Upside Down substance. This means Will was never a mistake. He was an important first step for Vecna.
• The Origin of Will’s Link: This scene explains why Will had a strong psychic connection to the Upside Down and the Mind Flayer in Season 2. The substance forced into him in 1983 created that lasting, dark link. This is why Will can still feel Vecna’s presence.
• Will is the Key: The Duffer Brothers have said the final season will explain the Upside Down’s origin. This flashback suggests Will is the key to that whole mystery. He was Vecna’s first target for a specific reason. To save Hawkins, the group will likely need to understand the true connection between Will and Vecna.

The final battle is coming soon. The heroes of Hawkins are planning to find and defeat Vecna. This new information shows that Will’s history is more important than ever. The final season will bring the story “full circle,” finally explaining the show’s first mystery.

Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 Release Date

Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 premieres on Netflix on November 26, 2025.