#WHEELERS + THEMATIC 'FORCED CONFORMITY PARALLELS

[emblazons]

Wheelers x The 'Pretend Like We're Stupid Teenagers' Fit

aka: the way Nancy's Halloween Costume & Mike's "California Outfit" are visual cues that they are showing up as someone other than their authentic self (even though neither one can commit to the bit without getting sarcastic and messy when someone tries to pretend the 'normalcy' isn't a facade)

Nancy Wheeler in S02E02 - Trick or Treat, Freak Mike Wheeler in S04E02 - Vecna's Curse

[bylerszn]

lets talk about Wheeler Sibling thematic parallels, forced conformity, and the danger of exposing the truth, shall we?

[lesbianelphie]

Hey so I’ve seen you posting the supernatural/stranger things parallels and damn I didn’t realize there were so many. So thank you for pointing those out!! also I’m kind of curious do you think the st main characters would get along with spn main characters? Idk what seasons to base this off of but overall thinking about the main characters journeys. Like do you think the party/teens/adults from st would overall like team free will? Damn this is so open ended so like hopefully you don’t get confused by it! If you do just tell me to narrow it down or something! Have a great day/night!

Hmmm this is such an interesting question that could be approached in so many different ways. Short answer is I think they would like each other in a Self-Recognition Through The Other way. These guys are all massive dorks at heart and it's all about loving your (found) family and breaking cycles and challenging constructions of deviation/monstrosity/otherness. Long version is:

- A concept: ca 1985-87 John Winchester rolls into Hawkins with baby Sam and Dean in tow to investigate the Happenings. He tries to talk to Hopper the same way Murray did with similar results. Joyce/Hopper somehow find out that he's basically dragging his 2 small children along with him on a monster hunt and leaving them alone for extended periods and report him to the appropriate authorities. Joyce Byers in danger of adopting more children. (On that note I think Hopper and Bobby would make excellent friends. Hopper is basically if you combined Bobby Singer and Jody Mills into one person. Parental figure/adoptive parent, trauma over loss of a child).

- On another similar note I have a lot of feelings about the similarities/differences between Sam+Dean and Will+Jonathan. Parentification of older siblings and snarky queer-coded siblings and growing up in poverty and absent fathers whose presence is at least partially remediated by the presence of unconditionally loving/present parents/parental figures. Forming an identity around adherence/rebellion against that absent father vs. "you shouldn't like something just because people say you're supposed to". Healthy vs. Unhealthy sibling dynamics. Sam Winchester running away to college to escape his father vs. Jonathan Byers not going away for college bc he doesn't feel like he can leave his family.

- El and Cas and Jack would absolutely love each other so much. Just a bunch of Weird Girls (gn, affectionate) learning the intricacies of humanity/society while learning to see their value outside of their power. Finding out who they are and building a family that loves them for exactly that regardless of their usefulness. They would be best friends.

- Nancy "Unauthorized Investigative Journalism" Wheeler would LOVE Sam "So Get This" "The Lore" Winchester. She would become a hunter just so she could put on a little disguise and tag along for Monster of the Week.

- this is more of a rambling about thematic content but. Spn on the dichotomy of monstrosity/humanity (hunter/monster lifestyle vs. White Picket Fence) and ST as a commentary on forced conformity. What is "normal" and who is a "freak"? Who is the authority on the acceptable level of deviance? White picket fences that hide unhappy marriages. Ending up Just Like Your Parents. Characters who are desperate to live a normal life vs. characters who rebuke it. Finding a home in embracing your authentic self and slowly building a found family of people who love and understand you.

- on that note, Karen Wheeler meeting Mary Winchester would be. We don't have time to unpack ALL of that. Trapped in a life of normalcy to conform to what was expected of you vs. to rebel and escape the life expected of you. The baby is crying and your husband is asleep in his armchair. Is this your life? Who are you, really? I think it would break them.

- Dean "secret NerdDork" "besties with a lesbian supergeek" Winchester would vibe with stobin and eddie and the party so hard if they got him out of his shell.

I am accepting constructive criticism on this one so feel free to chime in

[emblazons]

lets talk about Wheeler Sibling thematic parallels, forced conformity, and the danger of exposing the truth, shall we?

**bonus points for the description of what would happen to Nancy & her loved ones if she spoke up sounding a lot like what happens to queer people in unsafe spaces

Nancy & Steve in S02E02 - Trick or Treat, Freak Mike & WIll in S04E05 - The Nina Project Mike (& El) in S04E02 - Vecna's Curse

[emblazons]

Emblazons' Stranger Things Commentary Masterpost

I've been asked to make one of these for eons and I wanted something to link in my bio so! Here is a working list of analyses / commentaries I've got on this blog, put in one place ✨ I will be adding to it regularly as I parse through all my own posts, but—its a start.

**July note: the option to rb is removed as I update this. the full range of any and all commentary I've made exists under the #my st commentary tag.

Highlights:

Mike Wheeler, El Hopper & The "Born Sexy Yesterday" Trope

Mike & Will's Intertwined "3 Season" Arcs

Narrative Analyses

Mike & Will's Intertwined "3 Season" Arcs

Mike Wheeler (forced conformity focus)

Will Byers (S3 onward ft. cast comments)

Nancy Wheeler

Jonathan Byers

Dustin Henderson (relationship centric)

Parallels Analyses

Steve, Nancy, Mike & El: Relational Parallels

Stncy, Mlvn & the Spills That Broke the fantasy

Nancy & Mike: Grieving Barb & Grieving Eleven

"Pretty" Is Not Romantic (El + Mike/Hopper Parallels)

Character Analyses

Mike, Insecurity, & the importance of "a girl"

It Makes More Narrative Sense for Mike to be Gay

Mike's Relational/Emotional Failings are Inherent to his Arc

El Hopper Character Overview

El's Refusal to be vulnerable with Mike (S4)

El Character Trait Commentary

Thematic Parallel Analyses

Why an "I love You" won't save you in ST

Steve, Mike & the search for "any" girl

Wheelers & their "forced conformity" outfits

Outside the Realm: Byler and "Together" v El and "Home" (S2)

Storytelling by The Duffers

ST & "Romance" (as a concept)

Byler/El's separate arcs (ep structure)

The Lost Sister Commentary

You were supposed to feel like you 'lost' after Season 4

Cinematography + Technical Analyses

Added Flames / Messy Shots for the Mlvn Reunion (S4)

Eleven, "pretty," and her desire for normalcy (S1)

Eleven's response to Mike after being bullied (S4)

Jonathan being "open" to Byler / Will being Gay (S4)

Mike being out with girls...and in with boys (S2 - S4)

Queer Love is Told with Looks in Stranger Things (S3 - S4)

Actor Commentary

Finn Wolfhard Acting Parallels: Telling Lies

Finn Wolfhard Acting Parallels: Falling in Love

Millie Bobby Brown Acting Parallels: Rejecting (Male) Influences

Millie Bobby Brown's Changing Opinion on Mlvn

General Commentary

The Duffers & Show versus Tell

Why I don't understand "Duffer Doubt"

Re: The Duffers being "straight white guys" writing queer stories

ST & well-written modern TV

Why people expect ST to be written (poorly) like other shows

Can we have objective commentary about Byler?

Audience "Media Literacy" and Understanding Subtext Re: Byler

Why Bylers tend to like/want to relate to Will more than Mike

Does Stranger Things have "copaganda?"