Cast reaction video sends fandom into overdrive
A new Rolling Stone report breaks down footage from the Season Five table read of Netflix’s Stranger Things, where the cast learns a major twist about Will Byers—and promptly loses its collective mind. In the clip, co-creator Matt Duffer reads the final scene of Episode Four, describing the young heroes cornered by demogorgons on a burning battlefield. Just when all hope appears lost, Will’s eyes turn white and an unseen force viciously snaps the monsters’ limbs before dropping them lifeless to the ground. As Duffer reaches the line that confirms Will is now a full-blown sorcerer, the room erupts: actors squirm in their chairs, shout and laugh as they process the revelation that the once-haunted boy has joined the show’s ranks of powered characters.

The article notes how Noah Schnapp, who plays Will, looks stunned as the scene unfolds, glancing around at his colleagues with a mix of disbelief and delight. Millie Bobby Brown, whose character Eleven has long carried the burden of being Hawkins’ main psychic weapon, seems especially thrilled. She reportedly screams with joy when the script mentions blood dripping from Will’s nose—a visual echo of Eleven’s own powers—and jokes that he is now “one of” her. For long-time viewers who watched Will endure possession, paranoia and isolation, the twist flips his arc from passive victim to active force on the battlefield. The footage, released ahead of the final season’s holiday rollout, is carefully edited to give fans just enough detail to argue over without revealing how Will’s transformation will reshape the story’s endgame.

Spoilers, stakes and the final season timeline
Rolling Stone’s breakdown is as much about fan culture as it is about plot. The piece points out that Stranger Things has always walked a fine line between surprise and speculation, seeding enough clues for online theorists while still landing genuine shocks in key episodes. Will’s new power set raises immediate questions: is his sorcery merely another manifestation of Eleven-style telekinesis, or something darker linked to his long connection with the Upside Down? Could his abilities come at a steep personal cost, as hinted by the bloody nose and his history of trauma? And how will the dynamic between Will and Eleven evolve now that he can stand beside her in a fight instead of behind her?

The timing also matters. Netflix is releasing the first four episodes of Season Five—Volume One—before Christmas, with the remaining three due on New Year’s Eve. That compressed schedule guarantees a furious few weeks of binge-watching, spoiler dodging and social-media debate as fans race to stay ahead of leaks. The table-read video, and Rolling Stone’s close read of it, function as a controlled jolt of hype before that final sprint. For Netflix, the moment is also a reminder that, even as it chases massive corporate deals and new franchises, the emotional core of its brand still rests on series like Stranger Things that can turn a single script page into a global event.