#Will x Mike

[faelorelia]

Me when Byler-antis ignore/deny the overwhelming evidence that Will and Mike will get together in S5, but I stay chill because I have no interest in arguing or proving anything to them:

… And because I understand storytelling and can actually analyze media. 😌

[starlight-bread-blog]

Okay I'm gonna go full conspiracy, but some of y'all are way worse so I'm doing this. Listen up. Will Byers and Mike Wheeler are fictional characters. Meaning, that everything they do, everything they think and yes, everything they feel has a purpose. So let's look at the facts as they are. Mike couldn't tell El that he loves her, and Will is in love with Mike. Right off the bat, with Will, this fact could lead to two things:

Mike is also in love with Will, and there will be a love triangle with Mike in the middle.

Mike is not in love with Will, and Will will either end up alone, or die, or find another queer boy to love.

With scenario 1, everything is fine. But although on paper, scenario 2 makes sense, we should take into account that everything that Will feels is a carefully thought out decision.

Let's remember the themes and the message of Stranger Things. This show is about the freaks of society, the losers, the outcasts. How people may l give them the side eye, but they have each other. And they'll stand by each other no matter what. So, how does this relate to Will and Mike? Will is a gay boy in the 80s, which not only makes him an outcast, but an outright freak in the eyes of the public. It would go against Stranger Things' message to write a freak trying to find love in his best friend, the one who's supposed to be by his side forever, and having him rejected. In real life, this would not be a problem. If someone is straight, they're straight. But in fiction, the sexuality and or love interest of a character is again, a choice with ramification on the quality of the story. And writing Will, a "freak", having his heart broken by someone who he considered another freak, when you're telling a story about how freaks empower each other by sticking together, is not a smart writing decision.

(There is also the matter of the van scene, where Will's supposedly unrequited feelings are being used to repair El and Mike's relationship, as Will cries over not being able to be with Mike. In other words, if Mike isn't in love with Will, the outcast's suffering is used to fix what's more socially acceptable. Do you see the problem? I don't know how many times I'm going to repeat myself in this post, and I hope it's not getting annoying, but I need to make this as crystal clear as possible: Fiction is not real life. In real life, a gay boy could use some words of affirmation regardless of how they feel, it's just being nice. But in fiction, you have a job to do. You have a story to tell. You have a message you want to put out into the world. And this scene is not compatible with the message).

But let's look at Mike. In season 4, El confronts Mike about him not telling her that he loves her. And throughout that whole scene, not even once, does he just say that he loves her. In the end he does, but the reason as to why he stopped saying it, or why he didn't say it when she confronted him, is never explained. In real life, it's okay if Mike wants to deal with whatever he feels and the reasons behind it with himself. But this is not real life, this was deliberately written to be understood by an audience. It was written to serve a purpose. Mike not being able to tell El that he loves her was a serious conflict in season 4, and the cause behind it is left unknown. This is bad writing, plain and simple. Unless, there is some other factor we are not yet aware of. Unless, he could possibly have feelings for someone else. Maybe that someone is Will.

With that theory in mind, remember when Will and Mike met after a long time of not seeing each other? Will was gonna hug Mike, but Mike just went for a fist bump. There was a very awkward atmosphere in that moment. Why would there be? Once again, I'm not talking about real life. In real life, it could just be awkward because they haven't talked to each other in a while and Mike needs time to adjust. But this is fiction. Every emotion has a purpose, every bit leads to something. And so far, it led to nothing. There was just one awkward moment, with no explanation, and it's never brought up again. There is no reason for it to be there. It's common knowledge that unnecessary story bits shouldn't make it to the final cut. If this wouldn't be expanded upon in some way, it'd be bad writing. It wouldn't be the worst thing to ever happen, but combined with him not being able to tell El that he loves her, it's all very confusing to say the least. But the story is not over, and maybe, all will be explained. And just maybe, that awkwardness could be described as tension between the two. Maybe Mike is in love with Will. That would be the most logical explanation.

[allonzy]

also realised heroes is playing in the background in the two scenes mike thinks he's losing will </3 (once after seeing will's fake dead body at the quarry and once when the byers are leaving hawkins for good with el)

[williiambyers]

Wrote a post today about all the signs Byler has had since season 1. I won't post it now as it is for after season 5 is out and for another site where I know people will complain that they come out of nowhere when Byler becomes canon so I will give them the facts very gentle! ^^

[diavalkitty]

[vicsketchs-blog]

Soft byler, my fav

[scapegods]

Date Night

[bkdk-bylerthings]

Why I think we’ll get a Byler dance scene in season 5

While getting ready for the snowball..we have a montage of the kids getting ready for it starting with Will. Johnathan records his brother and his mom teaching Will how to dance right as Joyce spins it’s focused on her then flashes to Mike.

In film it’s always important to have details like this for example someone in a scene could be talking about ‘I need to take a shower’ the next clip is a completely different character turning on the shower, I’m pretty sure this called momentum and to have a flow in said show.

So for it to switch to Mike it’s almost like Will was/is supposed to dance with Mike. I’d also like to point out this is all from a camera pov, 1st Jonathan ‘s video recorder to Karen’s camera

These clues are all over the place, you just have to pay close attention to notice them and realized they were done on purpose.

So this scene is just waiting to be finished just like many others in this show, season 5 will resolve everything.

[ghostlyaces]

“The words that you whispered for just us to know”

[imactuallyreallycool]

HEART-SHAPED BIRTHMARK MIKE WHEELERRRR 😫💖✨💥

This is still one of my favourite Aus of mine, I love seeing all these other byler artists using it in their art! It’s makes me so proud 😌🫶💖✨✨✨✨✨✨

(Yeee he was originally going to have a birthmark in the show, I just thought it would be cool if it was heart-shaped cause he’s the heart lmao)

[marinhosh]

Byler + TV girl

[faelorelia]

Them: “Will Byers will have a new love interest in ST5.”

Will Byers in ST5:

[yellowcrowindustry]

I’m struggling with my art style 🥲 but I kinda like how this turned out ✨

[allonzy]

rewatched the season 3 finale and like LOL MIKE DUDE YOU'RE SO GAY like. will just put his d&d stuff into the donation box and all will says is "i'll just use yours when i come back... if you still wanna play" to which mike responded "what if you wanna join another party" what does will giving it away and extending the olive branch to you by catering to your feelings have anything to do with joining another party especially since will said not 2 seconds ago that i will just use YOURS when i come back. gay insecure boy i know what you are. i love you for who you are.

[t1kv1s]

this was drawn in november but i want to post it here bc this art is one of my favorite works!! i love dnd byler