#but the Hawkins plot tho >>>>

[byler-alarmist]

The way we're going to see if this is true now that Will is back at Hawkins High.......

I'm thinking about the basketball team and Jason calling the opposition "candy asses".

If Will had been at Hawkins for his senior year, those guys definitely would've been bullying him for his perceived homosexuality, right?

[love-byers]

heres my theory about why mike has a shovel in that one photo: we know the tunnels are coming back in s5. i think the military has closed off access to the gates that opened at the end of s4, so the characters need a new secret way to navigate hawkins and get to the upside down—the tunnels! im betting the farm is important because thats where the characters dig their main entry point. considering they’re in their second outfits and i think going into the tunnels for the first time will be an early plot beat (maybe ep1, and mapping a path through the tunnels is the “dungeon crawl” the episode is named after) i dont think byler are digging the first tunnel entrance. plus ive seen people say that in that photo will and mike are in the field in front of the radio station, so maybe they’re sneaking off to dig a new tunnel entrance for some reason. whatever that reason is, and wherever they are, im decently confident mike has a shovel for tunnel digging reasons. id love to hear your thoughts!

yes i agree w all of this!! to add on a little i think will is going to be guiding them on where to did and obviously which direction to go in the tunnels. maybe that's why mike has a shovel and will doesn't? because he needs to focus on using his spidey senses to make sure mike isn't digging into anything dangerous? maybe? idk

they're def going into the tunnels tho like 1000%

forced proximity byler 😏😏😏

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Can u do one where Eddie and Steve both have a crush on Dustin’s sister and they try to compete against each other and are always around Dustin’s house and he thinks it’s for him but it’s for her and little do they know she’s dating Billy and she changed him into a sweet heart.

Sorry I just requested one but she doesn’t need to date Billy it could be a plot twist where she is actually dating Eddie and he was just fighting with Steve for fun even tho he is dating reader

Request by anon. ❤️

Short fic, Mostly fluff.

❤️

For the last few weeks Dustin had been driven mad by Eddie and Steve and their attempts to flirt with you. It had been constant and he was beginning to get annoyed by it.

Not that he would mind if you dated Eddie or Steve but it didn't mean he wanted to watch them go gaga over you every five minutes.

Steve was the most competitive while Eddie seemed suspiciously laid back. Both took it in turns trying to impress you through various means and were constantly around and under Dustin's feet.

Granted you seemed bemused by most of the attention and Eddie and Steve's attempts to outdo one another which ranged from picking you up early for work, to flirting, flowers and seeking out your favourite things to speak to you about.

"She's totally falling under my spell Munson" Steve tells Eddie cockily while Dustin fumes with the rest of Hellfire in the background. Since when did Steve come to Hellfire? All he and Eddie did was follow each other around and wind each other up about you.

Dustin seriously couldn't catch a break.

Eddie snorts at Steve's assessment and gives him a withering stare that usually sends the rest of Hellfire running for cover. "Yeah, sure big boy. Whatever you say"

"I'm telling you dude" Steve insists and Eddie rolls his eyes while getting back into DM mode but before the campaign starts up again Eddie has one final thing to say to Steve.

"Trust me dude, you couldn't be more wrong" with that he turns away from Steve and gets back into the game.

❤️

At first when Steve started showing interest in you, it was amusing for Eddie to watch him completely flounder around you, he'd even join in on the race to win your heart; even if the truth was that he had already won it.

He's been both amused and annoyed at Steve's flirting attempts the last couple of weeks but enough was enough.

He wanted to be able to hang out with his girl without Steve trying to get in the middle of you both, what started out as a bit of fun wasn't really fun for Eddie anymore.

Granted you didn't appear interested in Steve's flirting attempts but it was only so many times he could watch a handsome dude and former king of Hawkins High, flirt with his girl.

Having enough he wraps his arm around you and presses a kiss to your head.

"Wait...you're dating Munson?" Steve gawks and you nod looking confused.

"Uh yeah. For a little while now. Why did you think I ignored your flirting?" Steve still looks stunned and groans.

"Does Dustin know?" you shake your head, you've still got to tell Dustin. You were waiting for the right time. Not that you thought he'd be angry, he'd most likely be thrilled.

"Right, uh shit. Could have given me a heads up dude" he admonishes to Eddie who holds his hand up.

"My bad but now you know my sweetheart is taken so back off" he gives Steve one last annoyed look and leads you into your house where the two of you come face to face with a petulant Dustin.

"Dude! You're dating my sister!" Dustin shrieks.

Shit.

❤️

[edmufics]

S5 Theory Part Three

SO

Here are my theories with all the info I have from The Dark Tower universe.

Disclaimer: Im not saying any of these are right, likely to happen, or that I necessarily even want them to happen. I just think that btwn learning ab TDT and rewatching stranger things, these are fun theories to consider!

*SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1-4 AHEAD*

*MENTIONS OF S5 BTS CONTENT AHEAD* I think S5 will come out on July 15th, 2025—the ninth anniversary! It will take place over the course of several months rather than a week or two like we have seen in the past. I think it will start in late summer, back-to-school time. I think we will see a lot more of Mr. Clark this season, and he will fill some of the scientist roles (along with new casting) we will be missing after S4's deaths. We will see a lot more flashbacks this season, either due to trying to keep Vecna out with positive memories or just reminiscing. Vecna will return to Hawkins lab at some point. Possibly a significant battle or it will be his lair. Vecna takes Holly, but I'm not sure he kills her (Like an 80% chance he does tho) I think with the increased army presence, we may see the kids lose the ability to see or visit Max (since she is a Venca victim). Nancy has a candy stripper/nurse outfit this season because they are trying to sneak in to see/save her in some way. I'm at about 60% on the chance of Kalli coming back. If she does, it will either help El train or help El defeat Vecna. Nancy detective journalist era, but she isn't going to leave for college. She would never just dip like that. Stobin or Nancy work at the radio station set we've seen. Hopper will either be stuck in hiding with El or in the army, but only as a means of gathering intel.

I think that people were not far off on the Kas theory. I think there will be a character that represents Kas, but it'll be Will. In S4 they talk about how Vecna doesn't kill his victims, he absorbs their abilities/souls. We also see that El can revive the dead (Max) in some way. That skill isn't practiced on her part, and we know Vecna is stronger than she is. I think Vecna kills Will and then revives him using memories like El did to Max, but only uses his darkest memories. These memories turn him against his friends, at which point he becomes Kas. Mike will be the key to getting Will back (since Mike is the heart). Mike will have to confront his romantic or platonic feelings for Will while reminding him of their good memories. This will lead to Will delivering the final blow to Vecna (like Kas) when he remembers.

I also think the idea of "Twinners" from The Talisman will come into play, but not quite in the same way. Instead of them all having Upside Down twins, I think Vecna will reanimate the corpses of his victims (since we've seen that the bodies are still in the Upside Down) and use these reanimated corpses to torture the MCs. Especially bc we know that it's all a hive mind so anyone killed by a part of Vecna's hive mind was technically killed by Vecna (depending on if thats how they wanna spin it). Specifically, I think Dustin will be either Vecna'd (but not killed) or have to see Eddie's reanimated corpse (fitting in with strange similarities between Eddie and Metallica's Eddie). Barb will return to torture Nancy, Bob returning for Joyce, etc.

In the Talisman universe, there is a plot where the person who opens the gate banishes himself to an alternate universe and closes the gate forever, forcing himself to leave behind everyone he loves. I think this is how El's story will end. She won't die but instead will have to stay in the Upside Down forever. In the end, we will see a crying Mike looking up and noticing the light above him glowing brightly, showing how he and El may continue communicating.

Characters I think could die:

Vicki (they loooove giving us a new character to fall in love with so they can brutally kill them that same season)

Steve (sacrificing himself for the Dustin, Robin, or Johnathan.) Holly (Maybe, it just seems too easy) Dr. Owens Vecna (Duh) Either Lucas or Max (I think Max may come back only to lose Lucas) Murray Ted Wheeler Wayne Munson (following Eddie's reanimated corpse into the upside down; I think that's how they reveal that Vecna reanimated the bodies)

Characters that I think are 100% going to survive: Mike Dustin (will try to be a hero like Eddie, but Steve will sacrifice himself to save Dustin (I think at the church)) Will Joyce Karen Wheeler

Anyone else, I'm not sure they are safe, but I also don't think they are going to die.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk!

[erikiara80]

About Will

Last year the Duffers said that in S5 Will takes center stage again, and now they're even telling us how the season starts, with the flashback of Will in the UD. That's why I think the reveals about him should be huge, like the ones about Henry and El in S4.

This makes me happy. Will and his story are my favorite thing, and I have so many questions.

Was Will really just in the wrong place at the wrong time, a random victim who later became the brother of Vecna's actual target, Eleven?

Maybe. But I'll be honest, I think this would be disappointing. Most of the audience already believes that. All these years, all the mystery surrounding Will, and in the end it was just to hide Vecna, who was introduced in S4, so when we see S5 it's not even a plot twist anymore? Hm.

There could be an interesting parallel with Henry winding up in Dimension X tho. Wrong place at the wrong time. But Henry developed powers. What about Will, who ended up in the UD? Also, if he was just in the wrong place, why did they make his abduction so different from all the other attacks? It's just because it was the first one and they wanted it to be cool? Again, disappointing, imo. And if the reason was just "make the scene cool", I don't know why in other seasons they kept making parallels between the Demogorgon opening the Byers' door, something it only does in 1x01, and El opening a LOT of doors with telekinesis.

I think it's more likely that Will's flashbacks in S5 will be like El's flashbacks in S4. They made us believe that Eleven killed all the other numbers, only to reveal later that it's not what really happened. I expect something like that for Will too. Maybe at first, everything seems to confirm that he was just a random victim, and then we find out that it's not true. Or he was a random victim, but then, like Henry, he developed psychic abilities.

Speaking of that

Does Will have powers or not?

I am a Will-has-powers truther, this is not a mystery lol. But does it make sense in the story? (some thoughts here) Does he have powers like Harry Potter, or the Turtle (here), or Bastian, or he's like Peter Bishop, Marty McFly and Frodo Baggins? Noah said that Will's superpower is his heart, but you know, you can have that and also powers. Plus, in S4 they connect the concept of time travel to emotions, so if there's a timeloop or something like that, and Will's name is on the grandfather clock...

Maybe his abilities are different from anything we've seen. Maybe something more connected to the UD. I'm just saying, why making him a wizard/cleric, if he's just a normal kid?

For example, they never really explained why he's still so connected to Vecna and, I suspect, the UD (because he is also like Radagast, and the kid in Poltergeist, who gets kidnapped because of her powers) Yes, Max seems to have answered that question: when Vecna makes a psychic connection, you are marked. In fact, at some point she even says that she can still feel him. But when she's in his mind lair, she doesn't feel his thoughts. She says that he was surprised and didn't want her there... but he actually says that. Also, they would really answer the questions about the big mystery of Will's connection to Vecna like that, when he's not even the focus of the scene?

That's why I think the answer is more complex for him. Max can't feel Vecna's thoughts or feelings, Will can, like Harry can feel Voldemort. Could the reason be that he was connected to the hive mind? We can't be sure, he's the only one who survived a possession. There are no particles left in his body (as far as we know) or he would've died in S2. So, why is the connection still there and so strong, that the moment he's back in Hawkins, he can feel that Vecna is hurting and wants to destroy everything?

Why in S2 Will knows that the evil wants to kill everyone but him? And why would Vecna/Mind Flayer want to kill everyone but a random kid with no powers, whose only ability was to hide from a monster for a week? Henry Creel considered all the lab kids, people with powers, inferior to himself and Eleven, but for some reason he wanted a sensitive child who's just good at hiding? It doesn't make sense to me.

In the game, they seem to give us the answer. Well, they don't explain if Will was just in the wrong place at the wrong time on Nov 6, but they say that the reason he is the key and Vecna wants him, is that he wants to use him to find Eleven.

Ok

If this is true... Henry/Vecna needed Eleven to open a door, so he makes her make a psychic contact with a Demogorgon. When the gate opens, he lets the creature kidnap/kill random people. Then realizes that he can find Eleven, if he uses the only victim he is letting hide in the UD because, reasons. But when she finally is in the void with Will, instead of killing her, he interrupts the contact with Will, goes to Castle Byers, takes him to the library, and impregnates him with a little Demogorgon. And then? What would've happened if Joyce hadn't found Will? We still don't know if the tendril was killing him or giving him oxigen, like the facehugger does in Alien (the parallel with Sarah could be a hint tho), because we don't know what happened to Barb. If she died in the pool and then was taken to the library, or if it's the tendril that killed her.

If Will was actually dying, then the answer in the game doesn't make sense. If Vecna just wants to use him to find and kill Eleven, he wouldn't have tried to kill him. Unless that whole process was supposed to turn Will into Zombie Boy, a creature of the UD, similar to Vecna, who could find Eleven. That's a bit complicated, tho.

Not to mention the whole possession in S2. Again, let's say that Vecna didn't want to kill Will in the library, but just turn him into a monster. He failed. So, when Will is home, he makes him have visions, then possesses him, with the intent of killing everyone but him. Because he wants him to find and spy Eleven. But in the 1959 flashback, in TFS, and in the game, we see that Henry can read any mind. So, sorry but why does he need Will, specifically, to find Eleven?

Also, if the particles can just possess you in a vision and then appear in our world, why didn't they possess more people? Easier to find El, and even if you lose Will, you still have the others. It's what the Mind Flayer does in S3. The big difference? In S3 the particles are already in our world.

So I wonder if Will is the only one Vecna/Mind Flayer can possess like that, because they were already connected before the possession

Ok, in S3, the Mind Flayer takes a guy named William because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And then he uses him to build a monster that finds Eleven and takes her powers. So, maybe the 'wrong place, wrong time' is true, but the rest... is interesting. Jonathan says that they built Castle Byers the way Will drew it, and MindFlayer!Billy tells Billy to build what he sees. Also interesting that there are two Billies. It reminds me of If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double (different timelines, twin imagery, Henry and Edward, Richard and Martin. And Will and Eleven?)

So, my theory is that Will and El are more connected than it seems, and that's why Vecna needs Will. And maybe he is also using him to "build" his army, and make the UD spread? I don't know.

But for all these reasons, I think it would make more sense if Will wasn't just a random victim, or at least he's developed some ability.

Will has parallels with Cerebro (here) and Nancy says that the lights came to life when he was in the UD, a parallel to what Steve says in S3, (Let there be light) after Will senses the Mind Flayer for the first time at the mall. When he's watching a zombie movie. There's also that beautiful theory (I don't remember who posted it, sorry) about Will being connected to the light particles and using them to destroy the black particles of the Mind Flayer.

Light particles that look like fairy dust -> Will being called fairy. Lights that come to life -> a battery

I think I've found some big hint that this theory might be correct. Anyway, it seems that Will is connected to the very existence of the UD. Not saying he created it, but if lights came to life when he was there, maybe if they interrupt the connection, that place, whatever it is, will cease to exist.

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

Please bear with me this is a bit long and, quoting nance, a shot in the dark.

Portals and sexuality: what do they have to say?

This post is inspired by @givehimthemedicine's portals & vaginal imagery: Nancy as El's foil and csa in Hawkins Lab analysis, definitely read that before this

Basically it talks about the portals as vagina symbolism (which is not a new theory) and what exactly does this mean, specially for Nancy and El's characters. Now, portals exist as a way to get to the upside down, however one thing can mean several things in media, which makes it fun.

When reading their post I thought perhaps portals symbolising vaginas were a Nancy thing, a Nancy thing than has been conveniently used to hint/symbolise some things for El as well.

I mean, Nancy is the only character who's sex life is plot relevant and important. We have a whole scene of her losing her virginity, of barb dying during it and Nancy being traumatised, of the cops asking her about it and her angrily confessing it to her mom, her being called a slut, her sleeping with Jonathan in s2... No character's sex life has been such in the front, but that's cause hers is relevant to the plot.

And since part of the analysis focused on her, I just thought it was a nancy thing. Until they talked about Steve + robin (+ eddie) going through the gates in S4. Steve I could get, since he was also once involved in Nancy's sex life, in an important moment as well (her first ever sexual experience with a partner, and barbs death), just like they also talk about Jonathan and vaginal symbolism in the portals, related to nance. But robin? What does she have to do with it?

They wrote: "a lesbian and self-professing nonbeliever in a higher power, exclaims "oh, thank God! that was fun!" upon passing through. I'll just. ok. / she never looked afraid, but she did have a little trepidation in being the first to climb through, saying "guess I'm the guinea pig". interesting line to give to Robin, who could also be called a guinea pig in the sense of figuring out how to date girls in a conservative small town."

And I thought huh maybe the portals can show Nancy's (and El's) relationship with their sexuality and characters’ sexual attraction towards women (or, if they are women and attracted to men, their own relationships with their sexuality / puberty etc)

And then I thought: funny to think mike is the only character to not have went through one to go to the upside down, even tho he's super principal and has known about the supernatural plot far longer than robin or eddie.

But like, what if.

Before I start,

I focus a bit more on the gate at Eddie’s trailer because I feel like it’s one of the most obvious examples of vaginal imagery. I mean, when the teens find the gate while in the upside down, the gate is closed by some kind of membrane (reminding me of the way El sees the gate at the beginning of s2).

(The gate in Eddie’s trailer as seen by Nancy, Steve, Eddie, and Robin while in the upside down vs the gate in the school as seen by El while in the upside down)

To open the gate / the membrane, they have to poke the gate with a stick until they break it. Um, yeah.

And when the kids (Dustin, Lucas, Max, Erica) opened the gate with the stick, the first to approach and the only ones the camera pans to show the reaction of, are Nancy and Steve. Nancy and Steve who slept together in s1, Nancy who lost her virginity to Steve. You get it.

(Steve looking amazed vs Nancy not looking very impressed)

Also

Interesting to mention the older teens have interacted with gates or downright went through them faster than the party. What do I mean? Jonathan saw a gate and Nancy went through the same gate in s1. The party hadn’t even seen a gate until the end of s1, when el killed (?) the demogorgon. Meanwhile Robin appeared and saw a gate all the same season, and Eddie appeared and went through a gate all the same season, while we have Michael here since s1, not even seeing one.

However, by s5 all of the party will already have interacted with gates (Mike included) and in s5 they will be the same age as the teens were in s1. Something something if portals / gates are sexual imagery something something growing up and puberty (as seen in s3 which is the season where they start to interact with gates, most of them. S3 which is extremely focused in growing up and puberty). In s2 they go to the tunnels but that’s not the upside down that’s still part of Hawkins. However it’s a step further, shows they are growing up, maturing, just a bit.

Now yes,

Dustin

Dustin saw a gate for the first time I think in s3 ep 5, the Russian gate at starcourt and his reaction is pretty average, just surprise like “I can’t believe the Russians have got a gate” which is a pretty understandable reaction.

As I mentioned before, the gate in Eddie’s trailer had some kind of membrane that had to be broken with a stick. Guess who was the one holding the stick. Dustin.

Idk if you can see it well in that screenshot, but it was him.

Dustin was basically twice on the upside down, although to me it all just counts as one time. Once in s4 with Eddie, then he climbed out, and then he went again to try to rescue him. Nothing interesting or remarkable to say about his reactions, no disgust, neither excitement, as if going through gates is normal to him, something he has done before. Well, he does seem like a bit surprised but probably because it’s something new. He gets over it quickly enough tho. I mean, I get that given the situation and everything happening he wouldn’t be worrying about the gate (he has bigger things to worry about) but going officially for the first time to the upside down after hearing the horror stories still must shake you up. But I think they didn’t add more trepidation because we as an audience already are familiar with the gates and the upside down, so why waste time?

@frogfacee said “but dustin interacts w them most, being the only party member to intentionally- and on screen- go through one” as a reply to my post where I asked about the party going through gates on screen. When I read that I knew I had to write this post because you cannot tell me that “mr heterosexual” dustin henderson going through gates the most out of all the party (and poking a gate with a stick) while mike “repressed homosexual” wheeler hasn’t even seen one doesn’t mean anything. Specially because as much as I love Dustin, Mike is the one most connected to the supernatural plot (obviously, aside from Will) out of Lucas, Dustin and him.

Something interesting about Dustin tho, he’s straight. Very heterosexual. All headcanons aside, the show tells us over and over he likes women. He had a tiny crush in Max, now he’s dating Suzie, he asked a girl out to dance at snowball, he wanted to impress girls, he talks with Steve about girls and dating, etc etc. Out of all the party, I think he’s the one who’s attraction to women has been reminded to us the most. I know people talk about Lucas (attracted to women) and Mike (gay) as narrative foils for sexuality (Lucas being how a normal heterosexual man acts regarding women and his gf vs whatever Mike has going on), but the “straightest” out of the party is Dustin. By a mile. That boy likes girls, and the duffers want you to know that. Is it surprising in any way that gates don’t seem weird, or disgusting, or confusing, or scary to him? Than he just sees one and despite the original shock says “guess that’s what I’m doing”?

Lucas

Lucas hasn’t gone to the upside down, but he sees gates twice. First at Eddie’s trailer, and then at the end of s4, after max “dies” and a gate opens.

The one in Eddie’s trailer doesn’t give us much. The one at the end of the season, tho. After max “dies”. That gate that cut Jason in half and that merges with the other gates right in front of the library.

But the thing is, he doesn’t care.

He’s holding Max, crying because he thinks she’s dead, a gate opens and his concern is grabbing max and pull her to safety, away from the gate. He seems mostly a bit scared of the way Jason is cut in half but doesn’t really do anything, it’s not his priority, Max is. There is a shot of Lucas’ face looking scared but he’s not looking at the gate, he’s looking at Jason’s torn body. I would be scared at that too.

Max and Lucas broke up offscreen before s4, and in s4 we have Lucas reaching out to max and being worried cause she’s not herself. However not once does he ask if she wants to get together again or anything like that. Instead he worries because “it’s like you’re not even there, like you’re a ghost or something”. Something is wrong with Max, she’s not telling him or anyone what it is and Lucas is worried. She changed completely after Billy’s death, became a shell of herself and stopped hanging out with them, began isolating herself. So Lucas worries, and asks, Max is his priority. Not their relationship, he doesn’t get closer to her to try and get together, but to see if she’s okay, what is going on.

Then they find out about Vecna and the priority becomes trying to save Max, stop Vecna from killing her. Lucas doesn’t even think about getting back together with Max despite still being in love with her because that’s just not important right now, not when Max’s life is at risk. He worries about her, tries to save her and help her, not because then when it’s all over they might get together again, she might date him again if he saves her, but because he loves her and he doesn’t want her to die. If someone told Lucas that she would decide she doesn’t ever want to see him again after they saved her from Vecna, he would still have helped her.

He pulls Max away from the gates to keep her safe, he pushes any romantic and/or sexual feelings he might have away because Max is the priority, Max is in danger, her life is in danger.

Max (& Erica)

Nothing much. They have interacted with gates, even if just a little. Still more than Mike. They are there, in Eddie’s trailer, and saw how Dustin helped open the gate and the teens went through it.

Erica also saw the s3 russian gate, along with Dustin, Steve, and Robin. She seemed a bit scared but didn’t remain like that for long.

And Max was present when the gate opened after she “died” but well.

I take this as Max and Erica being a teenage and a preteen girl (Max is 15, Erica is 11), growing up and coming into their sexuality and this not scaring them much, just seeing it as something normal (which it is). Probably because this coming into their sexuality means 1- their own body growing and changing which they don’t seem to have any reason to be scared of (different to el, see the tagged post at the beginning), and 2- the development of their sexuality (which so far is attraction to men. Regardless of hc’s, Max is attracted to guys, she dated Lucas, she looked at a shirtless Steve with binoculars, she also talked about how Ralph Macchio from karate kid was “so hot”. With Erica, given that she’s 11, we don’t see this many “proof” but her journey could simply be physical).

Barb (& Will)

(TW: mention of undetailed SA)

So like, I read one of the many posts talking about stranger things and sa, and something that caught my eye cause I hadn’t seen it before, is than Barb also has sa coding. I mean we all have seen the pool scene being contrasted with Nancy sleeping with Steve and we all know how queercoded Barb is. This isn’t anything new, so many people have talked about the scenes being together but yet so different to show the differences between Steve and Nancy (heterosexual sex) vs Barb (lesbian). Something something upside down as metaphor for homophobia etc we know it. However so many people talk about Will’s sa coding, and this person also talked about Barb’s. The difference between Steve and Nancy (consensual sex) vs Barb (unconsensual).

It’s interesting to see that Will, gay, has only interacted with portals unwillingly, unconsensually. With this, then Will’s sa coding gets bigger. This could also be queer coding (which has been present since s1). One thing can symbolize several at the same time. Now, I’m not saying Will got sa by a woman, just that since s1 we can see than he would not have sexual relationships with a woman, unless forced. But I don’t think that’s what that means. It’s certainly possible, but I think it’s about sa.

Barb is queercoded. Very. Like, seriously. Super queercoded for how little screen time she has. And yet her interactions with portals are negative, are unconsensual. It’s very different to Robin’s “that was fun”. Well, in a small town in the 1980s during the aids crisis, lesbian sexuality would be repressed and seen as wrong and disgusting. We have robin for contrast, who accepted her sexuality and sure, things aren’t great, but she talks about it openly with Steve (not only her crushes but also how Julie christy is “bonkers hot” in doctor zhivago, aka, expressing sexual attraction for women out loud) and her experience with portals so far has been positive. Barb, probably repressed, who we also have seen hurting herself (cutting her hand) while conforming (trying to drink beer the way Steve’s friends were) (eddie’s voice: “forced conformity, that’s what’s killing the kids”).

However Robin went through the portal on her own, while Barb was dragged. Just like Will. It’s possible the portals as sexual imagery here represent sexual assault for both Will and Barb, and I think that’s what the duffers were going with. We have seen it for Will, all of s2, other seasons as well but specially s2, but with Barb, since she died, we didn’t get to see the effects. Barb also has some similarities with Henry and El, and well, we all know the *theories regarding Brenner and the lab… ( @henrysglock and @heroesbyler have good posts on it and you can also see it in the og post)

*tbh I wouldn’t even say theories I think it’s just there but in the background.

And finally,

Mike

Oh Mike

Mike is the main reason for this post. This was actually intended as a “proof Mike is gay” post but it escalated

The thing than is odd about Mike and the upside down, is his lack of interactions with it. I don’t think he ever even seen a portal.

But, he knows about the upside down. He helps the party discover stuff and he was the first one (aside from Will) to get a connection with it out of them (he was the one to find El, and to find out El knew Will).

Mike is very close to Will, they’re all friends but we see since s1 their relationship is different. Whether you believe in byler or not, we see it in s1 and s2, there’s a different between Dustin & Mike and Will & Mike. Mike is very close with Will, helping him through his episodes etc in a way that Lucas and Dustin don’t, he’s at the hospital, he discovers Will is the spy, etc etc. Mike is also dating El who, obviously, is super connected to the upside down and gates. So it would make sense for mike to interact with gates or even go to the upside down. Yet he doesn’t.

However I think there’s something to say about how Mike is the only one out of the party (aside from Dustin) to not be disgusted by dart. That means something, I don’t know what, though, but something (perhaps the manifestation theory? x x x)

So we have Mike, one of the main characters if not the main character, who is connected to the supernatural plot and who helps the development of said plot (he meets el, el stays at his house, he discovers stuff) not interact with the upside down at all (no, the tunnels are not part of the upside down, guys), while also being an incredibly queercoded character who has not shown any attraction towards women. (“Oh, but, but, but he’s dating El!”, true, that’s something I can’t deny, in canon, regardless of what I believe, they are dating. But aside from el, has mike shown attraction towards any other girl, or just women as a whole, ever? See here)

I think you can see where I’m getting at. Mike, repressed and gay, has not interacted with portals (vaginal imagery) in the whole show. Wonder why.

If this is true then it's genius, cause it shows something is wrong in a subtle way. I mean, in a show about an alternative dimension, where side characters that appeared one season (eddie) have travelled to said dimension, and side characters than haven't been here since the start (robin) travelled to said dimension, and side characters than have known about the supernatural plot since the start (nancy, steve, jonathan, hopper, etc) travelled to said dimension (or at least, interacted with the gates), and main characters (dustin, lucas, max, el) travelled to said dimension (or at least, interacted with the gates), and that started with a main character being kidnapped to said dimension in the first ep (will), and yet, they have main character Mike Wheeler, super connected to the supernatural plot (always the first to figure out stuff, close relationship with el and will), supposed "heart" of the party and "main" member of the group (hes literally the DM), tbh probably the main character, be the only one not being shown even interacting with a gate at all??? Yeah something isn't right. I noticed this so much time ago and found it incredibly weird.

Now, they are definitely going to the upside down and Mike will go through a portal in s5, so my theory probably won't hold up (unless he acts like, super disgusted when doing it of smth) but I found it interesting.

[fanaticsnail]

meant to send this yesterday but the sleepy got me so....

Off to an amazing start with my dad coming up behind me during opening credits/music and asking if I'm watching Tom & Jerry.

Thats such a pretty frame!

I wasnt expecting singing!! But hell yeah!! Sing your funky songs, bug man! - Ooooooh, is that a watercolor background? So pretty!

THE 🏹 BLACK ⚫️ FOX 🦊 - "Good friend Griswold from the north" Snail, is there something you'd like to sbare with the class?

Also, the costuming! I havent seen this many men in tights since Romeo and Juliet!

Sword Fight⁉️

Quick aside; his daughter looks so unbothered. Also, what is she embroidering? Is that a map? - "You marry griswold" -girl, I CACKLED

The King X Griswold- 20 k slowburn, friends to lovers - The singing should not surprise me as much as it does. I was practically raised on bollywood, so its not like im not used to it, maybe its because this is Hollywood not Bollywood, so I'm not used to it here? - Wearing his clothes is one thing, but did Hawkins make 6 additional Fox outfits for his friends? I'm starting to see the Buggy comparison you were making

I've always been under the belief that every weird little man needs a weird little child. So far, I'm not disappointed

Pretty sets, pretty people, what's not to love? - UGHHHH this is so soft, I love itttttt

question: did he do his own singing for this? singing for yourself isn't common in Bollywood so idk. - ONE BED? ONE BED!!??!??!!

Damn, no song in the swiss Alps, but worth it to see this little nerd short-circuit around a pretty girl. Ripe for the fic writing, this scene.

Me and who? ME AND FUCKING WHO?

Couples who commit crimes together stay together. Nothing like some good old treason to set the mood. - waitwaitwaitwaitwait she's actually a witch????

If Jean and Hawkins aren't endgame I'll cry - This movie is like if the Princess Bride and Once Upon A Mattress had a child and made Monty Python and the Holy Grail the godparent - JEAN 🩷✨💋 (she didn't do anything, I just think she's pretty) - Snail! Snail, why haven't you written this fic yet??? - I-I don't think that's how lightning works......could be wrong tho, who's to say, I've never been struck by lightning.

They're both the same flavor of stupid, bless - HIS FUCGKNG HEAD!! - That white shirt 🫦 That orange dress 🫦🫦 - THE 🏹 BLACK ⚫️ FOX 🦊

What the hell is going on???????????? - UGH, what an icon - okokokokok so the king is on the throne now but he's still....yk a baby. Give me a 10k fic about Jean being a girl boss and running the kingdom while Hawkins sits there like the goof he is and just admires her. 10k words of him being the biggest simp in existence.

-♡♡

Me at you right now:

"With your permission, my lady. I'd like to go round again."

I love Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone. The fact that Angela Lansbury is there too as a gorgeous young, sassy princess is just my favourite thing.

"If it pleases me, you will marry Griswold." "If it pleases you so much, you marry Griswold." -> yes, queen. Get it. She is going to be the model for the type of sass Sir Crocodile's Sapsorrow is going to need to endure.

Your commentary is everything. The shipping of Griswold and the King is just hilarious. I need it 🤌.

Hawkins x Jean is beautiful. The whole plot is simply the best: failing forward incarnate. The masquerade trifecta. The disguises. The songs. The wenches. The silly dancing. Danny Kaye can absolutely sing, and his voice is gorgeous. His speciality was reciting tongue twisters.

My favourite line in the whole movie is: "Sometimes tenderness and kindness can also make a man. A very rare man." Coming from a strong woman who had to claw tooth and nail to become the pinacle of her rank. In the 50s.

Again, I love this movie to much that I got a tattoo of it.

I hope you liked it. It's an odd one, I'll give you that. It's one of my childhood favorites.

[timetobeaghost]

Breaking my silence

I guess fandom doesn't take leaker maire3xx on X too seriously. But I do, I buy it - like 72% buy it, who would want to be sure. People brought the counter argument that they said Lucas would die in S4, but they claim they just hinted hints about shit getting real in the Creel house, that was taken as Lucas dying. Which from the way they talk I can believe? Are there better counter arguments?

Here a summery go what they said for S5:

Byler endgame, it happens in E5

Before that there is a scene that WILL make us cry best described by the saddest Adele lyrics ever "Please, stay where you are, don't come any closer, don't try to change my mind, I'm being cruel to be kind. (O MY GAWD) I can not love you in the dark, it seems like we're oceans apart" And it's Mike -> Will, so get ready

Emotionality of the Byler arc is 10 out of 10

Emotionality of the Elmike arc, which they described as 💔 is 8/10, Scene on the rooftop is "very emotional!

Will gets so possessed, like they won't shut up about it. completely super constantly possessed. No powers but when possessed. Dangerous and veiny when possessed, which he so is. Like fr.

Vecna gets involved in the love triangle in that he wants to break it up. To isolate them.

Will in the bts pic is a spoiler because plot and time jump, we'll get it when we watch the show.

The Sinclairs move away and Lucas is not in Hawkins High to be bullied alongside Dustin and Mike. The Sinclair siblings insert themselves into the plot somehow using Erica's friend Tina. Lucas is then hyper focused on Max. Caleb has not filmed yet (or when they said this not so long ago)

Max is playing a large part in not the real world. Which might be for the best... Sadie has filmed one scene.

Eddie is back. Just is.

No conflict between Mike and either Dustin or Lucas, they're tight. And also have scenes with the 3 of them.

Stonathan BFF, Rockie is happening, duh. Lots of new interaction, half the cast at the barn and also radio station. (not Lucas tho) Everyone is closer to everyone.

El gets a happy ending.

Jonathan dies. No, he doesn't! Or does he? (I'm telling you they are sometimes playing, but dear god I hope Jonatan doesn't die.

Mike is in danger, his plot in 4 emojis: 🔻⚠️❤️🗡️

Wills arc in 4 emojis (he possessed) 👦🏻 👁️*hand I can't find*❤️ ( hand might say stop or be laid on someone's chest?)

Idk I can work with all that. Unless Jonathan dies, then I hate this show!

[slowdripsunrise]

hey yall its book review time. just went back and looked on my hashtag blog and apparently i havent reviewed anything since your blood my bones which is CRIMINAL. anyways this one might be a long one or it might not i might get bored but well. spoilers under the cut!

hoo boy we're going all the way back to... god i could have SWORN i reviewed this already but whatever. maybe i'm going crazy but Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé !!!!!!!!! I read this back in.... JANUARY ??? okay time isn't real but so it's been a while so I don't remember a Ton about this book. I am 100% certain i enjoyed it and i had fun tho. the anxiety about being one of the few Outsiders of this super fancy preppy school while also having to solve this mystery about ur roommate disappearing?? oh i was on the edge of my seat. 4 stars !!!!! the only reason it's not 5 is because it didn't stick with me as much as i thought it would..... although i really want to read ace of spades also by this author.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine!!!!!! a space opera epic to a t... huge fan i do want to read the second one but i think a re-read of the first would be necessary beforehand and that's why i haven't gotten to it yet bc thats a lot of book. Twists and turns galore, normally with books where the MC has really no idea whats going on at all times (in this case its bc she's operating on faulty/outdated information and is going through some major culture shock lol) turns me away, but this mc isn't stupid about it !!!!!!! she knows how to navigate terrible situations because she's smart even though she doesn't know whats going on and has to navigate all these foreign politics in a hostile environment and ohhhhh its so fun. its soooooo fun. 5 stars

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power! honestly read this because i thought the cover + the title were cool. didn't affect me really in any way and i've heard the second one isn't as good i think on storygraph i rated it 4 stars, but it's really more of a 3.25 imo. hardly remember anything, though i do kinda love the concept of how the seasons change in the story !!!!

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo !!!!!! istg i did review this. istg. whatever i fucking hate tumblrs broken ass search system. unless i just didnt tag it correctly. these next reviews are gonna be short bc i think i did review them at some point but whatever. LOVED this, super cute and sweet i've already continued the next few books. not gonna group them together bc they're each individual little stories to me but love love love the MC and their little bird friend. love the folklore/storytelling aspects and vibes. 5 stars no notes

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins !! on storygraph i rated this 4.5 thats a lie. this book got hyped up so much for me and it was just not the vibes i was expecting or wanted. hated the ending. only kinda fun parts where the DoD guy and his commentary and maybe the guy that was like turning into an animal. i liked him i think his name was michael. otherwise did not gaf about what was happening. bleh

Don't Let the Forest in by C.G. Drews! vibes vibes vibes vibes vibes. drawings coming to life and trying to kill you !!! yup. haunted by a dead twin !!!! yup. ough. yeah i liked this one. 4.5 stars

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo!!!! same as the first in the series. 5/5 !!!! she did it again

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson !! this one was fun read it because supposedly the plot twist was CRAZY and like yeah it kinda was i just was kinda confused the Whole time about which guy was which so like. it wasn't really that shocking to me when it turned out to be one over the other yaknow? undecided on whether or not i'm gonna finish the series

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor !!!!!!!!! this was a reread and like. it was a necessary reread. if i had reviewed this back when i did the reread i would have more to say now but lemme try and get everything down. i first wanted to reread this series because I had just rewatched two of my favorite youtube videos of all time, caricanread's plot summary of the last(?). hang on i have no idea what this book is even called. okay the 2nd and 3rd crescent city books house of sky and breath and house of flame and shadow. genuinely videos of all time. and i was thinking like godddd crossover episodes are so fun in like fanfic i can see that she was trying to have fun here and bring back fan fave characters but like she just sucks at writing so it sucks. and my favorite. FAVORITE type of story is the kind of story where you tell me what happens. and then you tell me what happened before the story. the story that makes this story inevitable. how everything was predestined and unavoidable. how this story is just a tiny little part of a multitude of massive shifting pieces. like i love multiverses and parallel universes and such. and well sjm does not hit at all. so i reread daughter of smoke and bone to scratch the itch and you know what. it fucking scratched the itch. 5/5 idc if the fallen angel ya phase was cringe i'm still here for it.

then, i reread Strange the Dreamer so i could then read Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor !!! a fun good time loved it. don't remember much but i know that it affected me deeply. trust me

Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee !!!! don't remember much at all but the vibes were fun and i had a good time.

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska !!! favorite thing about this 100% was the setting and the vibes. 10/10. the FMC was kinda annoying but it was fine. quick read love the cover i would 100% read more of this authors work!!!

then i reread Silver Under Nightfall so i could then read Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco!!!! not a huge fan of the ending of the series but otherwise i had a good time and the vibes were there. I am always always down for some guy to be a pet for two baddass hot vampires. 10/10 when will it be my turn

okay done for now ty for reading all this if you did <3

[etherealwanderings]

Guys, the moments the kids arrived in Hawkins and got off of the van, Argyle disappeared. We never saw him again so it's pretty obvious he got back home. They could have kept him to add some fun to the plot tho but too hard cause Argyle has his work and his house in CA. He cannot throw everything to come to Hawkins

[dinosaursatemymom]

I just saw your post about Nancy kinda not having relevance to the plot, and I never saw it that way, but it's kinda true.

She never grows as a character, and her plots are not really that important when it comes to the overall storyline. (At least in s1-3, in s4 her getting the info out of Wayne Munson helped the group move forward, but Robin is the one who found the rest and figured out the music theory).

Anyway, like you said in s1, Barb didn't have to die in order for her to be involved? She could have helped Jonathan because Will is Mike's friend, however the writers made her such a bitch about Wills disappearance they had to kill her best friend in order for her to care. And even then Jonathan could have figured out that there was a monster based on the photos he took he could have go straight to his mom who already told him about it. He didn't necessarily need Nancy.

In s2, her plot was so stupid, and it did nothing in the end. It was an interesting concept, dealing with grief, but omg. First of all the lab doesn't play around they would have found the recorder and second seeing the fucking gate should have put the entire thing down. She endangered the whole town of Hawkins in the name of revenge. Both, her and Jonathan didn't know El was alive getting the lab shut down was stupid because they were the only people who seemingly knew how to deal with the vines. It would have been much more interesting if Jonathan and Nancy were captured and there were consequences (like Steve, who was scared of getting murdered if they broke the NDAs). Getting revenge on Barb did nothing for her character as well, and the show never explores it further, or they rehash it. Shutting the lab down did more harm than good because it meant for s3 that the Russians could just do whatever thanks to Nancy. (I hate that storyline so much in general, but if you think about it, it only happened because the lab shut down)

S3 again, Nancy's rat story could have been cut out because the party figured it out themselves they didn't need her. El was the one doing all the work here (getting into Billy's mind and fighting the Mindflayer since Nancy can't aim for shit)

In s4 like I mentioned, Nancy was useful for once by getting them to Victor Creel, but Robin really was the one getting it together.

Overall, her plans always kinda fail or endanger people (s2, s4), and her using a gun also does nothing because the monsters are immune to it. Fire is the thing that works and I hate how Stobin were cut short in s4 for essentially doing the part just so Nancy gets her shot (metaphorically and literally) even tho it does fucking nothing. Give her a flamethrower like Murray.

Anyway, idk people always shit on Steve being considered a main character, but he had literally more important moments than Nancy.

Without him in s1, Jancy would be dead. Nancy's gun did not work, and Jonathan couldn't use the bat in the right way. If Steve didn't come back, the Demogorgon would have killed them. Dustin meeting Steve in s2 is such an important moment because without him there, Billy could have gotten to Lucas and Max, even tho he lost the fight. He was also important in the tunnles because he helped them getting out there fast. Even tho he was concussed, he did everything to ensure they were save. Lucas would have been seriously hurt. S3 Steve drove his car into Billy's (after Nancy couldn't stop it with her useless gun), saved Jancy and the party there. In s4, he was the one who found the gate because of his experiences as a life guard, he also was the one along with Robin who did the most damage to Vecna. Steve literally has more moments that are important to the plot because without him there, other characters would be hurt or killed. He's important to the plot because of his athletic skills and survival instincts. He was also one or one of the few (if not the only one idk I only watched s4 vol once bc I hated it sm) characters that protested Nancy's insane plan because he has common sense lol. I wish the show would use his leader abilities (being the captain of the basketball team and a lifeguard) more instead of dumbing him down for the sake of it. He should be actively involved in planning bc he knows how to play as a team, and idk the party is book smart, but they have no regard for any danger they need someone like him more.

Yessss

The only thing I have to disagree with is that Nancy was helpful in s4, literally anyone else could've been told about Victor Creel, they didn't even need Wayne munson for that tbf, Eddie could've been living on his own(he's old enough) or just not a character at all tbh. Steve or Robin could've been talking to a customer at the video store who lived in the trailer Park and got a glimpse of Chrissy's body and Robin and Steve could've gone to the library while the Dustin and Max went to the counselor.

I definitely agree about Steve, he is honestly being underutilized, he clearly has team building, athletic, and problem solving skills but he's constantly being reduced to dumb hot himbo and it's really frustrating.

I didn't love the s2 storyline but I didn't hate it, but wow you're right, she really just made everything worse and endangered everyone for her own selfish reasons. I understand she was working through trauma but so was Steve and he didn't decide to put people lives in danger.

Her entire s3 plot just pissed me off so much, what was the reason? Feminism? Because honestly it just made her look like a classist dick to jon.

Nancy really doesn't do shit but nearly always ends up getting credit for things other people have done, both from the writers and the fandom.

[bugsbenefit]

no spoilers here yet but just as warning in case you don't want to see any talk about the set production you can blacklist my s5 spoiler tag, i'll tag everything so no worries :) (also applies to any actual future spoilers ofc)

i just care about show production processes and i like having things in one place for organization purposes. so here's a summary of the things that came out over the past few days that are confirmed to be real because i saw some confusion and misinformation about it

1) replica elements of the Hawkins downtown area are being constructed (the tall greyish building is Melvalds so this is basically confirmed to be the ST production and a real leak) link to the source

my bet is they'll either use it for an UD version of downtown or for something that requires massive alterations to the set they can't do to the real location without digital effects. like damage to the buildings, extensive special effects like fire or explosions, and so on

2) they're building military set pieces as well source and source

very curios where those will end up going since they clearly don't belong in the downtown set area and are all on movable platforms. there'll be a military base Somewhere for sure tho

and neither of that is actually really new information, we already saw a military presence in Hawkins by the end of s4 and them rebuilding downtown was something i expected but seeing the process is still cool

also adding here so people don't get their hopes up or base too much of their s5 expectation on it; there's a picture of cut out missing posters going around that seems to be a fake leak. sucks since it's the only photo that would allow for any actual plot speculation but alas

this one

which is from behind the scenes of the ST Day event, so they're not up to date or from the current production of s5, which the og poster clarifies in the comments (link to the post here)

[wheelercore]

I've been taking your Rosegate masterposts one at a time for now (mostly so I can take my time to chew on them properly) and (I mean this positively) it's crazy how your posts have reframed the way I think about the similarities between the Creel and Wheeler homes !!! I haven't gotten that far yet, so I'm not sure if you've already tackled it, but is the "curse that unfortunately affects the Creels" that you've mentioned something that originated from Ted's mother? How does that fit in with the TFS canon? Sorry if you've made a post about this already, I haven't gotten that far yet through your master posts :")

-Mikepostings anon :D

Hello again Mikeposting anon!! :p

Lol i feel bad now because my rosegate masterpost is a hot mess :3. Now that I think about it, I have development rosegate(tm) so far passed the initial blurb I wrote in 2023 (2022?) on that post so I'm think I might either delete the summary beforehand entirely and just leave the links or update it (eg. granddaddy wheeler is not really a thing in my mind anymore).

When it comes to TFS canon, honestly, I just don't know if i should take take the play at face value. Yeah I know, mighty convenient for me, but there are so many things that just don't make sense, are inconsistent with the show (I mean ted and karen are blonde) (actually idk if karen is actually blonde in TFS but from the shots I've seen it... looks like it? But it just might be the lighting) (and also the characters ages are all over the place), and just seems frankly bizarre compared to the established characters in the show (eg lonnies character). That is not to say that I believe TFS is meaningless, it's clearly full of easter eggs and hidden meanings, and canon per the ST writers twitter account. But I don't think what we see in TFS is meant to be a 100% accurate portrayal of the events of 1959 hawkins but rather something akin to an alternate, perverted version of events in a show full of references to "timelines", "timeloops", "lies", and "truth" etc etc.

Also just, Henry voice "a silly terrible play". Which could mean nothing!

(And honestly I find it hard to believe that with showrunners that jealously gatekeep spoilers and future plot twists, they would just give away what would be a major plotline for st5 prematurely in a stage show. Every plotline they do give away - the Nevada caves, the rogue scientist, etc- only serves to open up more questions than give answers to build suspense for st5).

So that is to say I don't really have an answer for how rosegate lines up with TFS, so I try to base the theory on the show itself.

It has been pointed out that the actor that portrays (portrayed?) ted in tfs curiously looks like jcb tho 👀 that and all the Changeling references in the creel attic in st4, I wonder whats going on there? And there's the whole thing about eddie repeating 2 school years and teds canon age per the s1e1 screenplay should be 20/21 in 1959 but he's a high school senior. Which could also mean nothing!

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [88/?]

↳“You're welcome, Music.” Studio 666 (2022) dir. B. J. McDonnell

Plot: Legendary rock band Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album.

Starring: Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Whitney Cummings, Leslie Grossman, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega & Jeff Garlin (with appearances by Lionel Ritchie & John Carpenter)

And so, the last proper watch for the challenge this year, minus any movie I might still type a review later if I watch it before 2025 starts because I have thoughts to share (why can't all horror movies release before Halloween? LOL) Anyway, yeah, what a year to finally watch this movie... (With everything going on in real life with Dave/the band ofc) Definitely wasn't intentional because I've meant to watch it the last two Halloweens and just never do and really, I needed a horror comedy replacement because the one I had on deck was turning into a watch I was not gonna enjoy it seemed. I always like to either start or end the Halloween marathon with a horror comedy because the intention is if nothing else, one of the watches was fun (also, I adore that subgenre) And this was for the most part. I at least feel like I got what I expected it to be because it was clearly gonna be a B-movie that's meant to be silly fun and cheesy. It feels like a love letter to those kinds of movies that just so happened to star the Foo Fighters. lol Also, notable this ofc was made pre-Taylor Hawkins' death (RIP) and was filmed secretly during quarantine so small time capsule moment with this movie. It's nothing truly special but for fans of the band, it's worth watching I'd say, getting a chance to see them playing fictional versions of themselves in a horror movie and seeing Dave playing possessed. There's also plenty of cameos by familiar faces throughout. I honestly forgot Jenna Ortega was gonna be in here so pleasant surprise even tho her part is small. Maybe wasn't the strongest watch to finish the challenge with but honestly, I just wanted something decent and fun to end the night with it. It felt right enough for Halloween with its cheesiness. And so concludes the watching part of the challenge. Overall movie rankings coming soon. Not that anyone cares. (Beyond @backtothestart02 at least I mean lol) Lots of movies to decide between so that'll be fun. XD

[welcometotheocverse]

A Stranger Things plot bunny? 👀

– @slytherindisaster

Ashley Harrington

Steve's younger sister. A freshman in s1, trying to figure out high school tho she's protected by being King Steve's little sister. Absent parents literally she and Steve are raising each other. Girly and charismatic like her brother but not as ruthless ( she wasn't confident enough to say anything when Steve's friends made fun of Jonathan but was super disgusted by it) Gets drawn into the Hawkins stuff either by helping the younger kids look for Will in s1 or because of the Demogirgorgon dog Dustin brings over to Steve's in s2. Calls her brother out in private but also she's pretty loyal to him bc they're all each other has

[femboybyers]

do u have thoughts on the dynamic between omega will and alpha mike yet? are they same as canon and best friends, is it following canon or just in that 80s world? or are they strangers who meet and get obsessed? that might make it easier to help discuss the plot!

Aaaah omg thank you for asking!!

Ok so what I have so far is like world building I guess? But to answer your question, Mike and Will's dynamic will still be what it is in canon.

The world building ideas I've had so far is about how A/B/O Dynamics work in this setting, bc obviously you can go a lot of different ways with it. I really like the idea that they're a very old part of human physiology that exists to facilitate reproduction, but is also totally unnecessary by the modern era (kinda like how we all still have appendixes even though we don't need them anymore). The majority of people are betas, and bc it's tied to reproduction, alphas are usually men, and omegas are usually women. Female alphas are very uncommon, and male omegas are even more uncommon.

Enter Will. Will (who will be the pov), in the show, is bullied and harrased by people in Hawkins bc it's a conservative town and he is visibly queer/does not behave how a boy/man """should""". In this story all of that still takes place, but with the added element that Will is a male omega, making all of the harassment even worse bc even though it's statistically possible for men to be omegas, it's still "not right". Will presenting is also 100% gonna be the reason Lonnie walks out on their family (Side note: I know some writers go further with A/B/O and give female alphas and male omegas a whole secondary set of reproductive organs but that's not my cup of tea, no shade to anyone who likes it tho).

So yeah, Mike and Will are still friends growing up together in the 80s. I'm picturing this story is slowburn and takes place over a long period of time. But I don't have much more than that.