Warning: This Article Contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Stranger Things Season 4 Vol.1.The latest season of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, created more questions than it answered. With the final two episodes dropping on the streaming service on July 1st, many fans couldn't wait and needed their Stranger Things fix, with many binge-watching the show from the very beginning. Since then, many fans have noticed that Vecna, the latest villain of the show, may have been around this whole time, specifically in one of the most pivotal moments in the show. Fans are pointing to the new big bad for the abduction of Will Byers, with a lot of compelling evidence supporting it. A video that recently went viral on Tik Tok, shows a fan watching episode one, "The Vanishing of Will Byers", and suggesting a bunch of compelling evidence that Vecna was responsible. This has since sparked many counter-arguments suggesting that it was undoubtedly a Demogorgon who took Will to the Upside Down.

What Happened in the Season One Premiere?

The Vanishing of Will Byers- Will By Shed
Netflix

If you haven't seen the episode in a while, lets quickly re-jog your memory of the scene. In the very first episode of the show, we see Will Byers riding home on his bike after a game of D&D with his friends. After being spooked by a mysterious figure and falling off his bike, Will bolts towards home. Reaching his home and running inside, locking the door behind him, Will attempts to call his mom, but the phone isn't working. The door begins to unexplainably open, causing Will to run out the back door of the house and into the shed, grabbing a rifle. After a brief moment of tension, something appears behind the boy and abducts him to the Upside Down.

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Who or What Could Have Taken Will Byers to The Upside Down?

Will-byers-in-Upside-Down (1)
Netflix

After six years since the first episode of the show aired, you would think that the question of who kidnapped Will would have been answered by now, and we thought it was too. But, with the recent introduction of Vecna; the most powerful and terrifying villain yet, there is plenty of evidence suggesting that the super-powered bad guy is responsible for abducting Will. Audiences have always assumed it was a Demogorgon who kidnapped Will and trapped him in the Upside Down, with no evidence pointing away from the creature, until now. So let's take a more detailed look at both culprits and determine who we think is responsible for the Vanishing of Will Byers.

The Demogorgon

Demogorgon
Netflix

The Demogorgon is a very animalistic creature, typically maneuvering around on all four legs, similar to a dog. This faceless creature will hunt and stalk its prey, before devouring it, which is why we find it hard to believe that the demogorgon kidnapped Will, instead of eating the boy on the spot.

We know that the Demogorgon has the energy and ability to create portals to the Upside Down; however, the monster doesn't possess any telepathic abilities, nor do they have the power to teleport on the spot without creating a portal. It is possible that the Demogorgon did create a teleport to take Will to the Upside Down, but this doesn't explain how the creature was able to move the bolt on the front door and teleport into the shed without creating a portal.

Arguing against this, fans of the show have pointed out that they could hear growling and snarling, very similar to the noises a Demogorgon would make. Adding support to this claim, the first time Will spots the figure, it resembles the shape of a Demogorgon. This goes alongside many stating that the show was originally meant to only have one season.

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Vecna

Stranger Things Vecna
Netflix 

The latest season of the show introduced fans to the terrifying Vecna, who torments victims that suffer from some sort of past trauma. What makes this super-powered bad guy so creepy, however, is that when his victims are about to enter his nightmarish trance, they are treated to the terrifying and creepy chimes of a grandfather clock. The Duffer brothers drew much inspiration from the likes of Freddy Krueger, Pennywise and even Game of Thrones villain The Night King to create the already iconic and terrifying; Vecna.

Re-watching the episode where Will Byers goes missing, there is a lot of evidence suggesting that it was Vecna who abducted Will and trapped him in the upside down. Many Stranger Things fans who re-watched the scene pointed out that they could hear the chimes of the grandfather clock. While this could only be the effect of sound mixing to create a more tense and scarier scene, it still could be possible that we could hear the chimes of the same grandfather clock.

In season four, it is revealed that Vecna is number one (001), who possesses the same abilities as Eleven (011); the only difference being that number one has had more training with his powers and is able to control them far better than El. If Vecna was the one who abducted Will, this would explain why the bolt on the front door was able to move on its own.

However, there are still a few questions, like how did Vecna really kidnap Will, because Vecna cannot take a physical form outside the Upside Down, and if Vecna wanted to create a portal, he would have to kill his victims, which is what we see in season four. Due to Will being the first victim, there isn't a way for Vecna to physically travel to the Upside Down, let alone abduct Will, and trap him in the parallel dimension without a portal. Unless Vecna has another terrifying ability that we are unaware of.

Vecna
Netflix

Many Stranger Things fans have noted that Stranger Things was originally only meant to be one season. The Duffer brothers' first pitch was to tell an anthology story, with Elevens story concluding in the first season. But, because Netflix execs loved Eleven's story so much, they decided to make it a full-blown series. Due to this, fans have pointed out that the Duffer brothers hadn't yet planned on having Vecna on the show, so it would have had to be the Demogorgon that abducted Will. While this is a compelling argument, there are however, a few factors Stranger Things fans may not take into account. For example, if Netflix execs went with the Duffer brothers' original pitch, the show may have had a very different premier, so different, in fact, that Will Byers may not have been abducted, and trapped in the Upside Down at all.

It is very possible that the anthology series followed the same story as the show so far, more specifically in season four, with Vecna's origin story. In the show, it is revealed that Vecna is number one, who is very important in Eleven's story. Number one possesses a very similar set of powers to Eleven, with both having telepathic powers. The Duffer brothers could have very well planned on having Vecna as the main big bad of the show, and the super-powered monster could have been behind all the goings-on in Hawkins.

There is a lot of evidence suggesting both frightening villains were behind the vanishing of Will Byers, but we have to give the win to Vecna. There is much more evidence suggesting that it was the super-powered bad guy, and even if Vecna sent a Demogorgon to kidnap Will, it would still be Vecna who is responsible. This is still just a theory, however, and even with all the evidence and clues, we don't have a distinct answer as yet. So, we will just have to wait and see what questions are answered in the last two episodes of season 4, both dropping on Netflix July 1st.