*** Warning: there will be spoilers ahead for the entirety of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 ***
During multiple seasons of Stranger Things, fans have watched Will develop a very unique and interesting bond with the Upside Down and its many monsters. It got to the point where fans felt like maybe the show was hinting that there was more than meets the eye, and that perhaps superpowers were on the line for the character. Well, those suspicions finally came to fruition in the finale of Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1, and it was everything we could've hoped for.
Will took advantage of his connection to the hive mind to borrow Vecna's powers and kill three Demogorgons on the spot. This tactic proved to be so effective that even Joyce suggested getting her own son near the hive mind again so that he could perform a similar move again... except this time, he wouldn't crack the bones of any normal Demogorgon, but rather Vecna himself. With one single move, Will could end the man responsible for the many nightmares plaguing Hawkins in recent years. Unfortunately, that's not exactly how things went.
Will should have broken Vecna's neck, not his leg
The Stranger Things team had it all planned out. Mike, Lucas, and Joyce found the dead body of a Demogorgon and took it to the WSQK radio station. Robin helped wire the monster directly to the station's power so that they could burn it with electricity in the hopes of reactivating the shadow particles inside it once more. Will was positioned in front of the Demogorgon's body, meaning he would be close to the hive mind once again. All the pieces were set to take Vecna down, and for a moment, it looked like the group was going to make it.
The plan worked to perfection, and Will managed to use his newfound abilities to find Vecna and infiltrate his mind. The villain was hunting Holly and Max as the pair of heroines were attempting to escape Camazotz. But just when Henry was about to kill Max for good, Will delivered one lethal blow and snapped Vecna's neck without hesitation... or at least, that's how the story should've ideally played out.
In reality, Will did manage to hurt Henry, but instead of aiming for the head, he broke his leg. It's clear Avengers: Infinity War hadn't been released by that point, and Will never learned to always go for the head first. So instead of ending the nightmare for good, Will just managed to buy a little bit of time for Max and Holly to escape. Henry instantly healed his broken leg, and when he noticed what was truly going on, he kidnapped Will's mind and took it to Camazotz. As simple as that, Vecna lived, and the group wasn't any closer to defeating him.
Things would've been radically different if Will had taken advantage of the surprise factor and broken Henry's neck first, rather than his leg. This simple change could've given the good guys a great advantage against the threats that lie in the Upside Down. Sure, you could argue that Will's abilities are new, so he was still learning how to use them. But even then, it's hard to deny that it was a very big missed opportunity.
Despite not being able to kill Vecna the first time around, it doesn't mean Will won't get his shot at redemption. See, we all know that Henry likes to use the fear of his victims in many different ways. However, with Will finally coming out to the rest of the group, he isn't afraid of losing those closest to him anymore. Instead, he can turn the tables and dig into Henry's memories to show him visions of that which he fears most. Combined with the forces of Eleven and Eight, the frightening villain might really meet his end soon.
In all fairness, killing Vecna so early into the final Season of Stranger Things would've felt a bit anticlimactic, even if there are other antagonists such as the Mind Flayer to worry about. That being said, it's impossible to deny that this is one of those head-scratcher moments that make you wonder, "Why do the main characters love to make things more complicated instead of going for the easy option?" (Also looking at you, Max, when you were able to escape Camazotz by simply rushing through the portal, but instead you had to linger).