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Mike Wheeler will wield the Sword - Stranger Things theory.

I know it’s a fan theory that the sword Hopper finds and uses against the demogorgon in s4 will be wielded by Mike in s5.

To be clear, I love that theory for reasons I will get into later.

But I gotta say that when I first saw it in s4, my thought was that it would be STEVE that wields it in s5 because this guy is the king of random melee weapons. Like c’mon.

Nail bat.

Theres a scene in s3 where he beats up a Russian with a microphone, but s4 is when I really noticed this phenomenon because of the oar.

And the axe.

And then in s5 promo materials, the chainsaw haha.

And those are just the ones I could think of.

But then I realized that the sword was the Atlantean from Conan the Barbarian. And that got me thinking it’s going to be wielded by Mike. For a couple reasons!

1. Mike has a Conan the Barbarian poster in his room in s4. Foreshadowing?

2. Mike has identified himself as the party’s Paladin. Steve tends toward improvised weapons but a greatsword is a classssic paladin weapon. (Cleradin potential? In your Stranger Things? More likely than you might think.)

3. Season 5 is the return of a new and improved hero-Mike. What better way to showcase that than the use of a weapon (most?) deeply associated with valor/chivalry?

That being said, there are a couple reasons why it may very well not be the case.

First, I have yet to finish my rewatch of the show and I can’t remember if Hopper took the sword with him or not. Maybe this is all pointless cuz he left it.

Second, David Harbour has said in interviews that they let him keep the sword after filming (though I don’t know if it was after s4 or s5).

Finally, I don’t know the specific context in which a Mike Wheeler swordfight would be necessary. Who would he be sword fighting? Vecna? lol. This is more lacking imagination than an objection, so anyone has thoughts on this, I’m all ears!

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robin buckley needs to survive s5 because she has to be alive for release of but i'm a cheerleader in 1999

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I find it "funny" that after Mike hides El in his closet, because she's a secret, Karen has a whole talk with him about talking to her and that she's always there for him, while he is literally hiding something/someone in the closet.

Mike is literally soo much more queercoded than Will, it's really crazy.

I mean of course we have the talks, rumors and insults from the town, because Will is "too sensitive" but we are getting directly told while watching, that he is suspected to be queer.

While with Mike it's through showing, not telling.

He has mutable closet scenes, like hiding El (a secret) in the closet in S1, S3 the kiss in front of the open closet (which coincidentally is Will's), then the "one way" sign pointing to his closet in S4 and the song that plays in Rink O Mania while him and Will are arguing being titled "In the closet" (and it can't refer to El since she isn't actually in a closet but an employees only room, also the song starts way before we are shown where she is hiding)

Mike is also notoriously more jealous, than Will when one of them interacts with girls or have ones that are interested in them, like the S2 Snowball dance scene (btw not only is the girl dressed in blue she is also wearing a freaking rainbow hairclip), also when the boys want to talk to Max and Mike is the only one that stays behind, not interested in her, ultimately leaving Will alone on Halloween night because he allowed Max to join them (Where he is then haunted by the Mindflayer) and then also when Will brings up Angela in Rink O Mania (though Mike misunderstands, why Will brings her up, thinking that, that's the girl who the painting is for)

Then there is the arrow/ triangle pointing at things, like mentioned before there is the sign in Mike's bedroom but also in S4, there is his triangle pocket on his iconic blue/turquoise button up. And if you have seen the costume designer talking about Robin's triangle themes, it wouldn't be too weird to do this with another character (aka Mike), also the triangle is almost always pointing at Will ;)

The playlist: I think it got taken down, after the whole speculations, but I am not sure, since I don't use Spotify. But Mike's first song is/was "Smalltown boy" and if you have heard the song before, you definitely know why I am bringing this up. Not only does the story fit up with Mike's upbringing "The love that you need will never be found at home" (I am gonna refer that more to Ted, because we know how caring Karen is, but their marital issues, definitely didn't benefit their kids), then not close behind there, is the verse "you were the one that they'd talk about around town" which would fit both him and Will, because of their close connections and that Will's queer rumors could lead to rumors of both of them being in a relationship. And most importantly that Smalltown Boy is a gay anthem (as his FIRST song too? That's crazy).

And now that I already mentioned Mike's complicated relationship with his father, who's there but emotionally absent. I can't forget to mention what he says one time El is brought up. Ted Wheeler literally says out loud (in front of strangers) "our son with a girl?", which can be interpretated as Mike being too strange to be with a girl, but with the knowledge of how he had talked about Will beforehand "See what happens Micheal" it leaves a undertone of queercoding.

And I know this has all been said before. But if I had watched the show without knowing what queer character everyone is talking about, I would have thought it was Mike instead of Will.

Notable mentions are Mike having to take double, sometimes even triple takes before he can look at Will and the constant starring at his lips

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Most Accurate Thing I’ve Seen All Day.

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i think if more people (the GA) went back and rewatched stranger things without the forced perspective that byler is this delusional, impossible-to-happen, fanon ship then they'd probably pick up on the very obvious clues that suggest otherwise.

in my own rewatch, im noticing that a canonical byler doesnt really start to seem like an option until season 3, but just knowing that the writers started leaning into a love triangle as early as then should tell you everything you need to know. and season 4 is SO insanely in-your-face with the queer-coding and, honestly, just straight up romantic scenes that its laughable that more people dont see it. i get it, its controversial to assume that 2 guys are more than friends or whatever but, mind you, these ARE fictional characters and i guarantee it wouldnt be written the way it is if it meant nothing.

byler is meant to be a plot twist. its written to subvert the average viewer's expectations. but it certainly isnt going to come "out of nowhere" if it becomes canon. the hints have BEEN there, most people just refused to believe it.

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There are many things that make me want to root for Byler: it would be monumental queer representation, those poor gay teenagers would stop getting ripped apart for hoping just once they'll get a good love story too, it would be a major statement against the current rise of conservative fascism, ect.

However, none of those surpass the fact that I want the Rain Fight to actually have meaning, and not just be something that is swept under the rug. Honestly, if Mike ends up being just a straight douche, I would hate his character until the end of time. What Mike said during the Rain Fight was homophobic, and was received by Will/the audience the way Mike intended. I see the straight, general audience trying to sweep this moment under the rug, but I truthfully can not get over it.

I think almost every gay teenager who grew up in a rural area or less accepting time has experienced their own rain fight; We have had a moment where the person we trust the most, and feel most understood by, has used our queerness against us. We've had the moment of betrayal, where we realize our queerness and inability to adhere to heteronormativity, does make us different, gross, and strange, not just in the eyes of our bullies, but also in the eyes of our supposed allies. And we have all had to learn how to sweep this under the rug, put our own feelings to the side, in order to not lose community.

For a show that claims to be for the freaks and the social rejects to make Will go through all that for no reason, while actively asking the queer audience to root for Mike and his heteronormative lackluster relationship, that Will had to patch up last season, would truly change my opinion of this show overall.

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i so badly want el to choose her name at the end of s5. not eleven, the name assigned to her by brenner. not jane, the name assigned to her by the government. maybe not even el, the name given to her by mike.

not necessarily chosing a new name, but saying definitively what she wants to be called, would ne so cool.

her arc is about finding her independence apart from her powers and the people in her life. plus, i think people forget that she's a person. her development is humanization and self discovery, and it would be so powerful for her to be able to choose her name.

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it’s absolutely wild to me that some ga still think that will isn’t gay😭

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I’m sorry but the comments are taking me tf out I can’t-

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Will's suffering is NOT the biggest reason why he'll have a happy ending

It's commonplace among Bylers (and some of the general audience) to disbelieve that Will will have a tragic ending because he's been made to suffer through all the seasons.

Yes, that's true! But there's a STRONGER reason why he wouldn't have a tragic ending.

Will is an ANGEL. And I know that's hyperbole but that they might as well have written him to be one. Writers simply don't write a character who consistently puts others before himself to have a tragic ending:

Writers don't write "good" characters in stories who are resigned to being ignored, for them NOT to be acknowledged and rewarded in some way.

Why would the show's writers make Will always put others before himself, and have him say:

... for him NOT to discover he's worthy of love?

Up to this point, besides Joyce, no one has acknowledged how beautiful and selfless Will is.

Add to this the show's mission statement of siding with the outcasts and LGBT people, including the right of gay people like Will to give and receive love.

"Accepting himself" alone, when all his friends have had romantic partners, does not fulfill his arc.

No. Will lives. And he DOES find love.

-teambyler

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Why I'm less concerned about homophobic backlash against Byler

I've already said that this show has made the General Audience (GA) want to have a happy ending for Will.

Almost certainly, ALL OF THAT IS RATCHETED UP IN THE FINAL SEASON, Will's "main character" season. All the complete and UNEARNED suffering he has endured will be back and SURPASS THAT OF PAST SEASONS. And it's extremely likely he will offer to sacrifice himself for his family and friends. He, in his own quiet, unassuming, unconventional and very GAY way, will be the main HERO of the season:

The CENTRAL aspect of Will's emotional suffering is being gay, never feeling loved, as exemplified by never being with the love of his life, Mike. His supernatural suffering is real, yes, but what is resonant to the real world is his emotional journey as a gay teen -- and THAT is what the show set up with Season 4.

Every person with a maternal/caring/HUMANE instinct in their body will CARE FOR WILL and want his suffering to end. (If you're unconvinced, just watch these reactions compiled by StrawberryBlonde21 on YouTube, from people who are NOT tuned in to Byler! ) Plus, a lot of the GA's hate directed at Mike is for how he has treated WILL.

If Byler happens, it puts the homophobes in the position of having to be AGAINST WILL FUCKING BYERS saying he doesn't deserve to feel loved. The claim that Byler was "forced" will simply be extinguished, like water thrown on a red-hot pan, when the Duffers do interviews (together with YouTube analysis videos, some of which are already up!) pointing out 4+ seasons of evidence showing Byler was planned all along. And El will almost certainly be happy for Mike and Will, so there's that, too.

I'm not saying the homophobes won't harp about it. But I've been a radical political activist for 30 years. And I know that people of this nature are ALWAYS louder and act more confidently because the ANONYMITY of the internet allows them to. I also know, from my political experience and what I've learned from history, to trust your own reactions to something, in this case our empathy for Will Byers. And to KNOW that how you feel about something is what many other people are feeling, even if that may not be represented by people with platforms, power, or privilege.

The majority of the GA, even people who have some discomfort/homophobia, will view Will as their "gay adopted son." They'll feel the emotional triumph together with Will as he gets the happy ending he deserves. And all this will have the endorsement of the show creators and Netflix. That combined will be far greater and more powerful than the homophobes and sadists who want Will to die unhappy. Those people will be louder, but because they LOST.

The Duffers have not only set up a writing coup of a fully-prepared in-plain-sight plot twist, but they have put all the pieces in place that they need to deal a critical hit against homophobia, for LGBT equality and love, for the marginalized and the outcasts they are ON RECORD saying their show is for.

We now wait to see if they carry through on their own mission statement.

-teambyler

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ross duffer you wanna release the crawl early so bad ross duffer you are pitying us and so you'll drop the crawl now so we can all watch it

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mini web weave about guilt. nancy wheeler & lady macbeth.

grief || ghosts

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will said “what about us?” but mike heard “what are we?” and it will never not be hilarious to me.

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the thing that finally ended my Byler doubt was realizing that the painting lie (set up in Season 4 and clearly positioned for resolution in Season 5) is a queering of the Cyrano trope.

I’d already seen the Byler lawyer video (fantastic and compelling, btw!) but as an older queer person who’s been in the Tumblr trenches since 2011, I approached it all with a kind of hard-earned pessimism. Sure, I thought the idea was great! It would be the kind of narrative focus on two queer main characters that we rarely get in mainstream media due to conservative backlash and capitalist cowardice. And I long for that, deeply, as so many people do.

Still, due to my history, I had long embraced a sort of media maxim when it came to anticipating the endgame of potential queer relationships in mainstream shows or books: “Don’t attribute to hidden brilliance and forethought what can be explained by accident, ignorance, or greed.”

From that perspective, it was easy and felt reasonably necessary (for my own heart as someone who LOVES the friends to lovers trope) to rationalize away any moment that could be read as platonic as being platonic. Best friendships blur the lines between the appearance of platonic and romantic intimacy because fundamentally, we acknowledge that they’re of heightened importance to each other, similar to a romantic relationship. Like, yeah, Mike and Will’s relationship is very different than the others… but maybe it’s just bestie behavior + unrequited crush, right?

I also had to discount the full reach of the blue-and-yellow theory, though again, I loved it. After all, they’re primary colors. Of course they’re going to show up with some frequency, even after costume design decides to associate particular characters with particular colors. And things like “In the Closet at Rink-o-Mania,” rainbow imagery, fruit imagery, etc., would often be in a scene where both Mike and Will were present or referenced, so maybe they were only intended to be hinting about Will, the canonically gay character, and not Mike.

There were just enough plausible alternative explanations that I couldn’t rule out the possibility that what looks like queerness was actually accidental. Or more likely and worse, queerbait capitalizing on ambiguity and plausible deniability.

And with that much ambiguity clouding so many scenes that we Bylers love to reference, and the strong pattern of queerbaiting by general culture (and Netflix specifically), even the more overtly romantically charged moments didn’t seem definitive or overt enough to override my skepticism. Maybe it’s the defense attorney in me, but I just couldn’t get past reasonable doubt.

But then came the Cyrano trope. The more I thought about it, the more the parallels locked into place. And queering the Cyrano trope makes so much sense. The trope itself practically screams queer experience: loving someone through a proxy who fits society’s expectations about who a romantic partner should be, a proxy that gives voice to a desire that dares not speak its name.

What makes it even more interesting is how the show deviates from the classic Cyrano structure. El isn’t knowingly complicit in the lie to Mike. She’s an unknowing proxy, which adds emotional weight to Will, Mike, AND El’s story. It lets the show explore the pain and moral messiness of being used (or feeling the need using someone) as a front, even unknowingly. And it gives El’s journey of becoming her own person a deeper resonance.

I don’t know how you do that level of narrative layering and cultural and literary commentary through subversion of a trope by accident.

All that to say. The potential of this upcoming season is great, and surprisingly, I have begun allowing myself to hope. And I think, after everything, that’s beautiful.

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"will is going to d—"

"will is behind it all—"

"they're going to introduce a new character to be will's boyf—"

"it was never confirmed that will is g—"

"guys mike and el interacted i have byler d—"

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do you now?