So, Will Was Def Lying About His Painting In Stranger Things 4

In Stranger Things 4, each member of the Hawkins crew armed themselves with their weapon of choice. Nancy had her shotgun, Hopper had his flamethrower, Robin and Steve had their Molotov cocktails, and Will... well, Will had his paintbrush. Admittedly, it’s not the most badass weapon, but it could actually hold the key to Vecna’s downfall. You might not have paid close attention to it at first, but Will’s painting in Stranger Things 4 could explain a lot about the final season’s upcoming battle — and get to the bottom of why Will was crying and breaking everyone’s hearts.

Will’s painting was first shown at the very start of Season 4. After his move to California with Joyce, Jonathan, and Eleven, Will began working on a painting, but he wouldn’t show it to anyone. When Mike finally came to visit, Will gave him the painting as a gift, but Mike coldly put it aside to focus instead on his reunion with Eleven. The portrait remained rolled-up and unseen up until Volume 2 dropped. As Mike lamented possibly losing Eleven due to being to ordinary, Will cheered him up by showing him the painting. The colorful drawing depicted Mike, Will, Dustin, and Lucas’ Dungeons & Dragons party doing battle against a three-headed dragon.

Will told Mike that Eleven commissioned the painting from him to give to Mike, but it seems pretty obvious that’s not the truth. Eleven made it clear she had no idea what Will was working on at the start of the season, and the painting is pretty clearly all about Will’s connection with Mike, considering they always bonded most strongly over D&D. Will’s speech about the painting’s symbolism only further confirms Will drew it from the heart, as he lifts Mike’s spirits by reminding him that he’s the leader and heart of their group. (NGL, Dustin clearly seems to be more of the group’s heart than Mike, but I guess this is showing things through Will’s presumably lovestruck eyes.)

More importantly, the painting is a reminder of the four boys’ D&D roles, which will likely be a big factor in the show’s final battle. Will being a wizard denotes his connection to the supernatural Upside Down; Mike as the paladin leader suggests he will spearhead an attack; Dustin as a bard and artificer underline his abilities to support his friends and create useful gadgets; and Lucas’ role as the knight emphasizes his chivalry and loyalty.

All four of the boys will need to embody these roles to take down Vecna — or, perhaps the painting is even more literal and Vecna will release an actual dragon on them. Whatever the case, Will revealing that artwork at the end of Season 4 feels like a very important clue about Season 5, so get ready for an epic battle.