It's been 40 years since Will Byers went missing

The date is 6 November, 2023, and today marks exactly 40 years since Will Byers went missing in Stranger Things.

Sure, actor Noah Schnapp might only be 19 years old, but we're not talking about Noah. We're talking about Will, Hawkins, and all things Stranger Things.

As well as marking 40 years since Will went missing, today also marks 'Stranger Things Day'; an annual event when the creators of the Netflix series have a virtual get together with fans across the globe to celebrate the show.

If you're a fan of the series, I'm sure you won't need me to remind you that it's set in the '80s.

The fashion, hairstyles and old technology all speak for themselves, though thankfully the upside-down isn't something people had to deal with in the '80s. At least, not as far as I'm aware.

It's definitely something Will Byers had to cope with though, as on 6 November, 1983 he was abducted and taken into the bizarre anti-Hawkins, where he remained as the rest of his gang attempted to track him down.

Netflix

Though the series doesn't share all the details of his abduction, fans have been offered further insight into exactly what happened in the Stranger Things comic miniseries.

The story shows how Will attempted to escape from the Demogorgon and even shot at it with a hunting rifle, but still got transported to the upside down.

He ended up hiding in the grey version of his own world for a week, while Dustin, Mike and Lucas used their knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons to try and put together the pieces of his disappearance.

Meanwhile, Will's mom Joyce took absolutely no s**t, and made it her mission to track down her son.

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This storyline in season one was obviously only the beginning for Stranger Things, and though it's only been seven years since it was released, it definitely feels closer to 40.

A global pandemic, filming delays and the fact the cast have continued to age while their characters are stuck to a timeline have all made it seem like Stranger Things has been going for decades, but the series is now reaching its conclusion with the fifth and final season on its way.

Filming is currently suspended as a result of the ongoing Hollywood actor's strike, but creators the Duffer Brothers have assured that they're ready to go when a deal is reached.

The strike means there's currently a question mark over the release date for season five of Stranger Things, but like Will in the upside down, fans will keep waiting for that moment we can see the faces of his friends again.