Does Mike from Stranger Things Know About Will’s Crush? Understanding the Coming Out Situation
The latest episodes of Stranger Things season 5 delved into Will’s sexuality — but does Mike now realize his best friend has a crush on him?
In the second installment of the final season, which premiered on Thursday, December 25, Will (Noah Schnapp) faced Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) only after disclosing a secret he’d kept from his loved ones.
“I haven’t shared this with any of you because I fear you might see me differently, but the truth is I am different. I pretended not to be because I didn’t want to accept it,” Will shared with the group. “I wanted to fit in like everyone else. I’m like my friends in almost every way.”
He went on: “We enjoy Milk Duds in our popcorn with extra butter, we savor Coke with Pop Rocks, we adore bike races, trading comics, NASA, Steve Martin, Lucky Charms — basically all the same things. I just — I don’t like girls.”
Will suggested he “had a crush on someone” even though he knew “they’re not like” him — a reference to his feelings for Mike (Finn Wolfhard). The camera shifted to Mike’s expression, but it remained ambiguous whether he grasped Will’s implication during his speech.
Creator Ross Duffer confirmed that Mike is aware of Will’s crush on him.
“That was the intent. When Will talks about Tammy and his experiences,” Ross explained to People on Thursday. “It’s Mike — and his friends — all beginning to realize what their friend is communicating, even if Mike has been somewhat oblivious over the years.”
Ross provided insight into Mike’s perspective, adding, “He’s starting to see what Will has felt all these years. It’s about Will learning to embrace who he is, overcoming his fears, and expressing himself to his friends and family.”
When Stranger Things premiered in 2016, viewers met Will as the child who inexplicably disappeared in Hawkins, Indiana. He remained largely offscreen until he escaped from the Upside Down at the conclusion of season 1.
Will struggled to readjust to his normal life while confronting changes around him and the resurgence of monsters from the Upside Down. Discussions about Will’s sexuality surfaced during season 3, particularly during his conflict with Mike.
Fans continued to speculate whether season 4 confirmed Will’s sexuality, while Schnapp expressed enjoyment in the ambiguity surrounding his character’s romantic life.
“I believe [creators Ross and Matt Duffer] never fully address it or explicitly state how Will is,” he shared with Variety in 2022. “That’s the beauty of it — it’s left to the audience’s interpretation, whether it’s Will simply resisting growing up or if he is genuinely gay.”
The actor lauded how *Stranger Things* has allowed Will to navigate his romantic feelings. “People want to label him, desperately asking for clarity. He’s just confused and growing up. That’s what it means to be a kid,” Schnapp emphasized.
Millie Bobby Brown also praised the show’s handling of Will’s narrative throughout the years. “Can I just remark, it’s 2022 and we don’t need to label things. I think what’s wonderful about Will’s character is that he’s simply a human being confronting his own challenges,” she remarked during the joint interview. “Many kids today are unsure, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s okay not to have all the answers, or to avoid labeling things.”
She continued: “It’s an incredible role for Noah to embody. He serves as a role model for kids grappling with their own uncertainties as they grow up.”
Stranger Things is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
