#byler season 4 volume 1
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#the office#steve x jonathan#byler#netflix stranger things#lucas sinclair#byler s5#eddie munson#max mayfield#el hopper#stranger things 5#stranger things#stranger things4#stranger things 4#st s4 vol 1#st s4 vol 2#st5 predictions#steve x nancy#st season 4 volume 2#st season 4#st season 5
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"Will loves Mike and Mike is defensive about the nature of their relationship and also can't tell his girlfriend he loves her for reasons he describes as out of his control and might hurt her"
Oh so Mike loves Will instead
"No he's in love with El and all of those plots were entirely unrelated he was just scared of losing them that's why he was scared to hurt her (?) And defensive about the nature of his relationship with Will (?)"
girl what. do you hear yourself
#volume 1 is the biggest byler proof there is#because volume 2 just continued the theme of lying#also i am aware that i have also said that volume 2 is the biggest byler proof shut up#season 4 is the biggest byler proof okay?#the show is the biggest byler proof#byler#stranger things
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rink-o-mania fight
the line "let's just... let's just find her. okay?" is so tender and dear to me.
for me, it's like the "you can't leave, it's raining" of season 4.
"you can't leave, it's raining" was more of a "mike showing will he cares about him without intending to" moment, which is why it's so special to me.
for me, "let's just... let's just find her. okay?" is slightly different, but they are both part of a fight scene. "let's just... let's just find her. okay?" is so special to me for a different reason. they've just had a fight.
in my opinion, "we used to be best friends", for mike, was almost like "it's not my fault you don't like girls" for will. neither of them meant to hurt the other, but they felt betrayed, because will didn't expect mike, of all people, to say that, out loud. and mike didn't expect will to call him out for being a bad friend, and he didn't expect will to bring up the fact that they are not like they used to be, because he was holding out hope that when he saw will again, everything would be better. but no, will called him out, and the worst thing is, mike deserved it.
then mike turned defensive, and he started making excuses. and will didn't know this, but mike felt horrible about himself, not just when will called him out, but also ever since will left. he probably didn't know how many times mike thought of him, and wished he were there. how many times mike didn't feel like himself without will, how he didn't feel home without will.
and he blames himself, just like how the general audience and many byler shippers do. he's at fault, and he thinks will is completely reasonable in everything he said, but he wished will wasn't. that's why there were so many excuses, because mike didn't want to tell will how much he tried, how much he cared.
but despite all this, after all this, mike just sighs and utters the line, "let's just... let's just find her. okay?" to me, he's comforting will, like "it'll be okay", just like he used to when they were younger, he's trying to patch things up gently, because he doesn't want to fight anymore. (side note: he wants to apologise, but he cares about el, and they do need to find her). he's convincing both will and himself, he's trying to get them to work as a team. and the "okay?" at the end, almost like he needs validation from will, and at the same time, he's trying to say to will, in his own way, the he's sorry. let's take a moment. let's pause the argument before i say something i regret.
and the sigh? mike doesn't want to fight anymore. but he has to, because he just can't tell will the truth, can he?
#byler#mike wheeler#will byers#byler endgame#byler is endgame#byler tumblr#byler canon#byler is canon#byler is real#mike wheeler is gay#michael wheeler#stranger things#stranger things season 4#stranger things rink-o-mania#rink-o-mania#rink-o-mania byler#rink-o-mania byler fight#stranger things season 4 volume 1 episode 2#mike wheeler and will byers#will byers and mike wheeler#will x mike#mike x will#will byers x mike wheeler#mike wheeler x will byers#miwi#wiseheart#cleradin
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you know what i find fascinating?
in essentially every interview since season 4, whenever asked about wills feelings/byler, finn has a nearly identical response that’s quite telling. he always says the following: “mike’s clueless” or something along those lines.
this even extends to press he did for other movies like wyfstw (i believe it’s in the finn wolfhard goes undercover on the internet video).
it’s fascinating because its a clearly scripted response — if you’re at all familiar with the stranger things press from each season, you’ll know that the cast has a SHIT TON of media training. they are very well instructed, even specifically coached on what they can say and the language they can use.
consider for instance the difference in the way noah spoke about byler and will’s sexuality in the gap between volumes 1 and 2. pre vol-2, he got a lot of shit for saying that will’s sexuality was “up for interpretation” — people took it as the duffers erasing queerness from their storyline when in fact he was INSTRUCTED to say that to avoid spoilers. the moment vol2 dropped, all of that went away and he actually did a full (variety?) interview where he confirmed will was gay and in love with mike.
what i’m really trying to say here is the language of calling mike clueless is a deliberately strategized response to avoid both spoilers and the potential for more questions surrounding the more intricate parts of mike’s storyline, which have very obviously been saved for season 5 — they seem to be building up to revealing his perspective. with that said, my personal belief is that he’s not as clueless as these scripted responses make him out to be — this is a tactic to avoid spoilers.
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I feel like mileven will break up in episode 1 or 2 and milkvans will be spending the entire season waiting for them to get back together even though its stupidly obvious that the show’s focus has switched to developing byler
They’ll think it’s a s3&4 repeat and they’ll refuse to accept it until byler kisses in volume 2. We’ll have to deal with their insufferable asses for weeks
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Bylers, we need to talk about something…
I’ve been having a lot of thoughts pertaining to what will happen in season 5 relating to byler recently, as have we all, but I’ve also been wondering about the audience’s reaction to it if it happens.
Actually, i’ve been more concerned not about the GA’s reaction, but our reaction to how they handle it. I just want to say beforehand, that I might be projecting my issues with negativity and conflict (i’m a very very optimistic person it’s rough being on social media these days lmao) and I also very much believe that they will make byler canon in some way or another. It just makes sense with the narrative. But I fear we will never be happy with how they do it and we never learn from our previous mistakes lmao
Before season 4 came out, I sort of was a fan of byler, but i was very very casual, as in I didn’t interact with many fan theories, I wasn’t on twitter (still not on there because I have a phobia of negativity eek) and I wasn’t on tumblr, I would occasionally check out the edits and fanarts and I think I was just Aware of it, because I always root for the gay ship to happen ofc..
So when season 4 vol. 1 came out I was excited about the direction they were taking byler, and I could see that it was finally canon that Will was gay, rather than theorised. When season 4 vol. 2 came out, I had not been on sttwt or st tumblr during the time between the volumes because I had other fandoms prioritised around the time. I watched the Van Scene with my parents and suddenly I was acutely aware of just how gay they were (because I always get scared of watching anything queercoded around my parents lmao).
By the end of season 4, I was like YES! this season was amazing for a byler set up next season, although i was more focused on other characters too. I then kind of saw the byler script stuff but not the full extent of it, and I saw many edits and fanarts of them but that was it!
Now it’s 2024 and I have a major hyperfixation on byler, (due to the season 5 bts and the fact stranger things keeps popping up on my fyp it’s crazy) and now I’m on byler tumblr (not twt tho .. sorry) to find all the evidence I can and get all hyped up for s5! But I’ve also seen old posts from around 2022…
Literally every single one was extremely disappointed from season 4 vol. 2, and I was confused, seeing as I was very happy with it and I liked byler (my fave byler scene is from vol. 2 and no it’s not the van scene). If I’m being totally honest, and I might get some hate for this, I think we all had wildly, wildly high expectations and the disappointment was our own doing.
I personally never really judge a show before it’s finished (obviously not sitcoms and shows like that) unless it has really really terrible writing ofc, but I always choose to reserve judgement until all the character arcs are wrapped up and I can look back and see why things were made to be.
I understand the whole anger with Mike’s behaviour towards Will and how Will was treated poorly by him, but isn’t that the point? Mike loving Will back in season 5 would then be more satisfying after all that. It’s a set-up for the next season, no?
I don’t know why or how people thought that Mike would suddenly resolve all his internalised homophobia or something during that season, and I reckon if the whole season had come out at once instead of two volumes (i hate the two volumes thing sm omg) people would have been much happier because we wouldn’t have had time to create insane theories or unrealistic expectations that, let’s be real, were not in line with what we have seen so far with byler.
So, I just want to say that I’m a little afraid for season 5, because I know that byler will likely be canon, but people just won’t be happy because it won’t be in the exact way that they had theorised. Sorry to break it to you, but you, random person on tumblr, are not a screen writer. More specifically, you’re not a screen writer for stranger things.
I think it’s fun to theorise at the moment, but I just want to remind people that this pattern has happened before and we never learn? Like, none of our theories are coming true. Not one of them. Did I theorise the exact van scene? Did I theorise the part at the end where Mike grabs Will’s shoulder? No. But am I happy with those scenes? Hell yeah.
So on the build up to season 5, I just want to caution everyone to not assume that specific things are going to happen when it’s just a result of an echochamber (such as the milkvan breakup scene being right at the beginning or the painting being brought up). You’ll just be angry for no good reason.
The only reasons I’m personally going to be angry with how they handle byler is:
1. If it’s not canon and Will’s love goes unrequited/ he has another love interest somehow…
2. If either of them die after having a relationship during season 5 (bury your gays is stUPID)
3. If one of them dies before the other gets to tell them they love them/ kiss
4. If they get together without Mike apologising (it could be in literally any way, obvious or not) for his poor behaviour.
But that’s it, the rest of it is literally up to them.
Hope ur not too mad, but it just needed to be said.
#byler#byler endgame#season 5 stranger things#anti mileven#lets be realists here please#byler nation
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damn, just now i discovered how famous byler is here, it is in 4th place as most followed shipps
It's super popular and even on ao3 and tiktok, it was REALLY popular after volume 1 in particular but also vol. 2 and the months after... Then there were a few things that made people leave the fandom of the show entirely so it calmed down a bit but I can assure you there's a bunch of sleeper agents out there that don't engage with the fandom anymore but would be happy if Byler happened because they were in the fandom after season 4... Season 4 made it blow up because it was written exactly for that in my opinion 🤷
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Hi! Not gonna lie I was a bit disappointed that you believe the birthday gate stuff... The Duffers wouldn't have admitted to have made a mistake if that were the case. And most of all, it would've come up in volume 2! Now if something happens in S5 it would just feel like they came up with it during the 3 years between S4 and S5. They can say it was planned all they want, people would call bullshit, and rightfully so. I'm sorry I can not believe how anyone can think birthday gate could be a real thing. Not to mention it doesn't even make any sense. Please bylers let's just accept the Duffers made a mistake!!
i disagree with everything you said
1. "the duffers wouldn't have admitted to have made a mistake if that were the case"
they lied.
the duffers are sneaky snakes who want us to analyze and always be looking for little details. they have literally said there are no coincidences in the show.
so yes, i completely believe that they would go out of their way to lie in order to save the surprise for s5. i mean actually think about it, if it really was just a mistake, why would they not just fix it?? they have the full power to just do a little voiceover edit and boom, problem solved. they explained exactly how they'd do it. but they didn't. 2 years have passed and they still haven't changed it when that little tweak would literally solve all their problems if it really was a mistake.
they lied. they're liars.
2. "it would've come up in vol 2"
since when does every single problem have to be solved in one season?? do you know what show you're watching??
there are hints and foreshadowing all over the seasons. vecna is foreshadowed in s1 ep1 when will's door was opened with telekinesis, and we had no idea he existed until 6 years and 3 seasons later.
in s1 they don't fully explain how will was communicating with joyce. but after s4 everything clicks into place.
they show us that will can clearly hear her and is finding a way to make the lights light up. then in ep 8 they show joyce and hopper making the christmas lights light up as they walk through the byers upside down house. jonathan sees this and asks if it's joyce, and joyce hears him.
that isn't addressed AT ALL in s2 or s3. it is fully explained and explored in s4, when nancy steve eddie and robin are stuck in the upside down. they fully show us how it works and acknowledge that it was how will communicated with joyce.
the creators knew exactly how the light upside down stuff worked the entire show. but it wasn't time for it to be explained just yet. it was meant to come up later on. it's a masterful way to write a story with longevity.
stranger things teaches you to never just write something off. everything is important. don't let it go just because it hasn't been fully explained. there will be payoff.
3. "now if it comes up in s5 it would just feel like they came up with it the 3 years between s4 and s5. people would call bullshit."
respectfully i think you're projecting a bit.
the average viewer who does not spend their time on forums is not going to think that whatsoever. the average viewer is going to think "wait what?!", go back and watch s4 ep 2, and think "holy shit it was planned all along that's so cool!"
like that's such a dumb way of thinking. you have to be a master level hater to see a well written plot twist and think "they just did that to cover their asses" like that's some next level hating
and i guarantee you once s5 comes out the duffers will be like "yeah of course we had to lie you guys were too close to figuring it out!"
david harbour has talked about how hard it was for him to flat out lie to people about hopper being dead. it's really not that crazy to think they lied
4. "it doesn't even make any sense"
....it does.
i don't know how you could think it doesn't make sense
rink o mania day was march 22nd. will's birthday. they have not changed his birthday. his official canonical birthday is still march 22nd.
but no one mentions it. even will doesn't seem to know it's his birthday.
s4 is all about memories and trauma and feeling isolated from others. we also literally learn there is a powerful monster man who can read minds and enter other people's memories, just like el can. so i don't see how it's so outlandish to think there's some memory fuckery going on.
of course we can't explain exactly why or how, because it hasn't been adressed yet. you have to wait for the pay off.
5. "just accept the duffers made a mistake"
i would accept that they made a mistake if they actually fixed the mistake LIKE THEY SAID THEY WOULD. they said "we are going to edit the episode and change it to say may 22nd" and then DIDNT. EVER.
and not only that, they wished him happy birthday on march 22nd 2 years in a row. noah schnapp posted a bts photo on march 22nd 2024 with the caption "Do you know what March 22nd is? It's your birthday. - Joyce Byers"
they are saying "yes it's still his birthday so get hyped for s5 where it'll be addressed" every way they can without spelling it out for you.
i really don't know what more you need
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i just saw your old mileven snowball art and now prom byler... i wonder if you keep track of your art in a way that could make it easy to make a post showcasing how and when you became a byler, via your art? perhaps during s3 era you made your first byler art, or something? would love to see the progression and what you painted in s2/s3 eras. thanks!
ooooh fun question! here’s my ST timeline:
season 1 (2016): adopted mike wheeler the second i saw him. made mileven art (x) (x) and more mike wheeler focused art that’s archived in my instagram
season 2 (2017): still a mileven shipper and i was very excited about their reunion. didn’t draw anything because i was going through it that year
season 3 (2019): went from being a mileven shipper to being unable to stand them. i remember thinking “that is NOT the mike wheeler i adore. who the hell is this kid?”. did not care for byler then. made no art for the show because i wasn’t impressed.
season 4 (2022): watched volume I and fell back in love with the show immediately. i realised who mike was himself around. who brought out the best in him and made my first byler art (x) and more during the month between vol I & II. i think at some point i started to care equally if not more about will byers. and the rest is history
(all the art i’ve done for byler can be found under the tag in my page, i can’t link it all or this post would be a mile long)
#i think i’ve basically just been a mike wheeler artist my whole ST journey 😆#i think the ships i’ve shipped have been according to who i think makes him a better character and how#now i look back and i realise it’s always been will but it’s VERY evident in s4#askovna#anonymous
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Mileven, The General Audience, and You
This is probably my first time ever making a post like this, but I find this discussion interesting. Also I just wanted a punchy title lol.
There has been a lot of discussion about 'The General Audience', more often called the GA when discussing Byler & Mileven, and I want add my piece (with at least one piece of evidence... My Mom)
Milevens Claims about the General Audience
So, I see Milevens claim that the General Audience is entirely on Milevens side, and that they believe in the ship.
I'd like to ask them where they end up getting this information post-Season 3 release.
This is entirely correct if you base it off of Season 1 & 2. It was a ship that people were rooting for! There were no flaws to speak on and their journey for each other was considered cute. But, well, there's more than 2 seasons of Stranger Things.
Season 3 was essentially the season to plant the seeds of doubt about Mike & Eleven having and keeping a romantic relationship. Season 1 was mostly unromantic, and Season 2 they were separated till the end - so by Season 3 when they had each other, all should be well, right?
Wrong. The cracks in the ship became more prevalent than ever. It also kicked off the Mike Wheeler hate. And, to be frank, Season 3 is also the worst season for him.
...And then we have Season 4. Mike & Eleven's plots with each other continue to be their only plotlines together. while I wasn't there for the Season 3 backlash, I was absolutely there for the Season 4 backlash. even within spaces that didn't ship Byler, Mileven was disliked.
I feel like the likes on this tweet speak volumes.
I do not believe the GA dislikes Mileven, but I do think they are tired of their relationship at this point - because it's been made up of more conflict than actual relationship stuff lol.
So why do Milevens still push the narrative that the GA still loves Mike and Eleven together? Because the GA is important! The reception to parts of the show from the audience ends up being something to at least take into account during the making of the next season, and if the GA are no longer that receptive to Mileven, then where does that leave the shippers?
My Mom
I mentioned her for a reason, because she's one of the people you can consider the General Audience. Or perhaps even a huge fan. She is a big fan of this show, collects merchandise and everything. Her favorite character is Eleven, and she's been watching since season 1 was released.
She is also a Mileven fan. She thinks they're cute together mostly, and she doesn't engage with fancommunities for Stranger Things (eg Reddit/Tumblr). She just lives in her own world ST-wise.
So when I asked her what she thought if Mileven broke up in Season 5, she said this. "Yeah, that would make sense. They haven't really been together long."
I was surprised, but I end up finding it more funny than anything. If my mom, who really loved Mileven & has never engaged with fancontent thinks it makes sense if Mileven broke up, than the GA who are probably less diehard than her are probably gonna be fine with Mileven breaking up.
TL;DR
The GA aren't as big of fans of Mileven as the shippers claim they are, and are probably going to end up fine if they broke up, lol.
(Note, sorry if this is incoherent ramblings, I don't do these kinds of posts but I hope it makes sense!!)
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@ the Byler fandom can somebody fill me in on what was going on in the fandom pre season 4 volume 1??? Like the events leading up to it? Did y’all have any proof back then that seemed to suggest that there would be good Byler content in season 4?? Was the general vibe hopeful? How was the rest of the fandom treating Bylers back then?? I’m so curious to know bc I didn’t hop on board till after volume 1.
#byler#mike wheeler#will byers#mike haters are the weakest link#mike wheeler is a boykisser#mike wheeler is not straight#mike wheeler is in love with will byers#mike wheeler is gay#stranger things#st4#st5#st5 speculation#st5 predictions#byler tumblr#byler brainrot#byler nation
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When will Season 5 release?
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/84171faa540713abea13a21b96cd4c37/7f08afe9010335b6-f3/s540x810/3ab89cc981e218f4b8056f03b113ba6798dcca47.webp)
Here's some of the most famous shows of Netflix, and when they will release their new season:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0494b9bb9939d213354f44147dff6b0f/7f08afe9010335b6-34/s540x810/2d8e703edfa1e6e2769a9ee71346ce51a780a8c4.jpg)
The Night Agent Season 2 - January 23th.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 - February 13th.
YOU Season 5 - April 24.
Squid Game Season 3 - Apparently on June 27th. It was leaked by one of Netflix's official accounts.
One Piece Season 2? There's nothing confirming it will be released on this year, so we probably won't need to worry about it messing the schedule.
What about Stranger Things and Wednesday?
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6acd6279c647376db0e5d9c37f737d86/7f08afe9010335b6-92/s540x810/42a36e4705bc77a6c8b42abebdcaa759287368c9.jpg)
Alongside with Squid Games, both of these shows are in the big three of Netflix (the most watched shows), so they need to be careful to not make one of them overshadow the other.
Stranger Things is behind of both Squid Games and Wednesday on most hour watched, but i still believe it is the their most important show, so i think they will give ST more attention. First of all we need to except they will do a Volume schedule, and in my opinion it would be something like this:
Volume 1: September, maybe even at september 8th, the same day that the Hawkins Lab Massacre in 1979 happened, and it is known that the byler flashback that will happen on episode 4 is at 1979, because Mike and Will gonna be 8 years old, as you can see on this casting call.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b244ec4d38e78dc602271e1c2a0ee92a/7f08afe9010335b6-b8/s540x810/e8744eb9a2316e43601076207dceb97af1a58721.jpg)
Volume 2: November 6th, the day Will went missing, the cycle ending, etc. Y'all must already heard about this, and if they don't use this day as the one to end the series, they're kinda dumb.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/91939d75baa9e5815f7134026601f992/7f08afe9010335b6-61/s540x810/1e8d2706cbf344a8d8a1b1d4ee1df41c4829a30d.jpg)
Now talking about how the episodes gonna be split:
For me it would be perfect for them to release the first 6 episodes on volume 1, and the last 2 in volume 2, but it can be splitted as volume 1: episodes 1-4, volume 2: episodes 5-8, or volume 1: episodes 1-5, volume 2: 6-8, or even volume 1 with the first 7 episodes, and volume 2 with only the last one, etc.
What if? Volume 3: Volume 1 on some day of August: episodes 1-4, volume 2 on september 8th: episode 5-7, volume 3 on november 6th: episode 8.
Wednesday release date?
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5349e9dca0653a5f5cf71fab2fcf7ae2/7f08afe9010335b6-3e/s540x810/aa13cc3c64a5ef4193c3ab92afe324f435f074dc.jpg)
I think Wednesday fans can expect a December launch, probably even a post Christmas one after the success of Squid Game Season 2.
#stranger things#byler#miwi#stranger things 5#stranger things season 5#st5#st5 production#will byers#st5 speculation#st5 news#netflix#mike wheeler#jonathan byers
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So, now I'm rewatching the season 4 volume 1 trailer, which I haven't watched since volume one was released. I didn't remember there being Byler crumbs in the trailer! I'm imagining that, times a billion for the season 5 trailer (not teaser, trailer). I know they won't make it super obvious, but I do think there will be a substantial amount of Byler crumbs to hold us out until the actual season is released.
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mini rant abt rink-o-mania
in summary, the rink-o-mania experience:
"(flatly) okay."
"mmhmm. mmhmm." *hand gestures* "yeah, mine's better."
will holding that plastic bag
mike checking out jake
"problems. okay" *lip glance* "what kind of problems?"
*blue and yellow light splitting mike's and will's faces in half*
*carefully not mentioning mike's clown outfit that wasn't even so bad*
*echoes*
the hand movements from the lines "you were! you were rolling your eyes, moping, you were barely talking, you basically sabotaged the whole day." to "well, she was lying to you, mike. straight to your face, ever since you got here."
will's deepened voice from season 3 to season 4
mike's "oh he went there" expression when will said "meanwhile, el has like a book of letters from you."
"we're friends. we're friends."
"let's just...let's just find her. okay?" (there's so much to say about this line)
in the closet (at rink-o-mania)
#mike wheeler#will byers#byler#stranger things#byler endgame#byler is canon#byler tumblr#mike wheeler x will byers#miwi#cleradin#wiseheart#byler is endgame#byler canon#byler is real#stranger things ships#michael wheeler is gay#mike wheeler lip glances#rink-o-mania#rink-o-mania byler#rink-o-mania gay#mike wheeler and will byers#will byers and mike wheeler#will byers x mike wheeler#will x mike#mike x will#stranger things season 4#stranger things season 4 vol 1#stranger things season 4 volume 1#stranger things season 4 vol 1 ep 2#stranger things season 4 episode 2
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I saw someone talking about how Mike’s monologue to El gives them the most Byler doubt because it came across as genuine and romantic to the general audience, and I disagree only because of my own personal experience watching the show.
For the first 3 seasons, I was basically a GA viewer…I mean I reblogged some gifs on my old personal blog and made a couple Jancy edits but as far as being really involved in dedicated fan spaces, I absolutely was not. Never read theory posts or discussions, fanfiction or anything. I just watched and loved the show and more or less moved on until the next season.
I didn’t even know Byler was a ship or an option before season 4. Like literally had never heard or thought of it. Going into s4 I fully expected Mileven to be endgame and I was content with that—I wasn’t super into them as a ship either, but I thought they were cute and I was rooting for Mike to get it together and say he loves her after volume 1, feeling like it was the obvious and natural conclusion to that arc. And then volume 2 happened.
When Mike gave his monologue to El, it ended up feeling so wrong and unsatisfying. I was too hurt for Will at that moment to be happy about this Mileven scene, and it left me feeling hollow. I think it was designed to feel that way—yes, even for general audience members, not just people who were already rooting for Byler. Because that was literally my experience watching—it was an emotional let-down after having waited all season for it to happen.
So it really doesn’t give me Byler doubt, it genuinely sparked Mileven doubt in my experience. IMO, they weren’t building Mileven up, they were slowly deconstructing the idea of this couple and making it harder for the audience to root for them.
#anti mileven#that monologue made me stop wanting mileven to be together#they could have written it and filmed it in a way that didn’t feel so dread inducing#it was made very intentionally#i was basically neutral towards the ship debate before that
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Y'know what? Before Stranger Things s4 aired, it was pretty much labeled as the make it or break it season for Byler.
For up to three seasons, Byler was easily disregarded as a delusional ship. There was enough for it to make clear sense in people who really focused on it - but in terms of the rest of the audience, the attention on Mike and Will as a pairing just wasn't enough. Everyone acknowledged that if season 4 of Stranger Things needs to send fans signs that Byler won't be endgame, they'll do it that season.
I set myself up to be ready for any disappointment if that was the case. So the season aired. And y'know what I got?
I got Mike and Will spending the entire season together. I got confirmed feelings on Will's side. I got shade thrown at Milkvan as their every 'happy' scene together put focus on Will. Byler became, not a possible idea, but imposible to ignore.
When Volume 1 first aired my little brother got to it first, and when I asked him if it was Byler'esque (we'd had a bet) he reluctantly said, "sigh yeah...".
Years before I'd asked my father his thoughts on Mike and Will's relationship, he'd responded saying it was strictly platonic.
After season 4, he just treats it as canon.
"It's just obvious now, the show wants to set them up".
Guys. My father, a man who has a hard time excepting anything un-het in film, was completely convinced in their relationship after watching season 4.
Do you think this should have been the impression he got if they didn't want to bring light to this pairing? The impression any audiences should have gotten?
Byler is now WIDELY popular and recognizable, it's actually DEBATABLE if they'll get together over Milkvan.
I feel like longtime Bylers always saw them that way so they've noticed the change a bit less but, sitting down and actually thinking about it, that's crazy. We were the uncanon queer ship, now we're literally halfway canon are you kidding me? Should this have been the writing choice if they didn't want people disappointed in Mike and El's staying together? No! If Milkvan is endgame then they had an easy 'out card' to not disappointing Bylers. Un 👏 canon 👏 it 👏 in season 👏 4 👏. It would have been EASY. Give Will another set up interest, make it clear that Mike and El belong together. Bylers would have continued to be seen as delusional, and most audiences would have continued rooting for Milkvan. We all know that that isn't the case now. Now if Byler doesn't happen, I daresay the majority of the audience will be baffled. And Byler still continues to get milked! Interviews hyping them up, blooming signpost. It's hype that doesn't need to be there if it's all pointless.
Now, I actually lost a little bit of faith in Byler. It makes just so much sense, yet it almost makes too much sense in a way that it seems too good to be true. But this post is a thought that keeps me up at night. Forget queer bait, it'd be the worst writing decision possibly ever made if this stuff wasn't meant to canon them - literally soured Milkvan for watchers.
So did season 4 of Stranger Things 'make' or 'break' Byler? It efing made it man.
#stranger things#byler#stranger things 4#byler is endgame#will byers#mike wheeler#byler is real#byeler#byler is canon#st4#byler proof#byler nation#byler tumblr#byler analysis#byler theory#byler thoughts
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