#here I bring you mileven / lumax CONTRAST

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

Oh mileven/lumax contrast, how I love you

Billy (a non-blood related family member of max) was against her dating Lucas, not out of any concern about her or overprotection, but because Lucas was black and he was racist. Billy is not shown to be in the right, and the audience does not empathize with him on this topic. Lucas and Max are portrayed as two mature kids/teenagers dealing with an unreasonable teenager/young adult. Billy is shown as a real threat, a real problem they have to deal with.

Hopper (a non-blood related family member of el) was against her dating mike, not out of any prejudice or dislike of him, but out of concern about her and overprotection (justified overprotection. The government is after her and she was also raised in a lab, so all her experiences with human relationships (being a daughter, a friend, a girlfriend) are experiences she’s having for the first time. She barely knows relationships, all she seen is what there’s on tv, she never even seen two real people in love. Plus her relationship with Mike, where they do nothing but make out and not talk is unhealthy). Hopper is shown as a reasonable adult, with a reasonable reason to not want Mike to date El. He’s a character you can empathize with. Mike and el are also shown without fault, they’re not doing anything wrong, but they’re also shown as childish, with Mike joking in serious moments (hopper about to talk with them and “oh oh, I think we’re in trouble”). Hopper is shown non threatening, even comedic.

Lumax breakup between s3 and s4. Not shown on screen, only the effect it has in the characters. Max is visibly depressed, dealing with bad mental (which includes OTHER issues aside from the breakup). She still cares about Lucas, we can see that as she’s listening to his game. Lucas tries to reach out, get her to talk to him, if not as a gf, as a friend, as someone he cares about.

Mileven breakup in s3. Explicitly shown on screen. Immediately el is happy, laughing with max and having a good time, reading magazines and singing. We don’t see any effects in her, and if there are, they’re positive effects. Mike is not in a rush to get el back, he’s shown “moping” on his basement, except he isn’t, he’s complaining, which is different. He’s not shown crying or upset or even affected. If anything he’s shocked, inconvenienced.

Max screaming for Lucas when she got vecna’d. It is Lucas who find the running up that hill cassette, saving her. When she falls, he catches her.

S2 el screaming for Mike while at the upside down, no one arrives. She gets out herself.

Max writes Lucas (and co) one singular letter. I bet you whatever you want than that letter is being safely guarded by Lucas.

El writes mike LOTS of letters, which he seems to dispose of very easily.

Max is not traditionally feminine (clothing, skateboard, video games, etc etc). Lucas (straight man) doesn’t care about this at all, and loves her with and without a dress.

S1 and s2 el was not traditionally feminine. Mike (gay man) was the most attracted to her then. As s3 (metaphor for puberty) went on (and s4) and el got more feminine (longer hair, physical body changing), things in their relationship got worse.

Max living in California and moving to Hawkins.

El living in Hawkins and moving to California.

Lucas falling in love with max regardless of the fact that Billy and many people frown upon interracial relationships in his 80s smalltown.

Mike “realizing his love for el” after Lucas practically told him he does like her, and immediately having Troy appear and make homophobic comments after. Aka, their relationship is technically approved by everyone.

Lucas and Max (and also Dustin and Suzie) singing together. They’re in synch.

Mike singing in s3 while they’re kissing, el explicitly tells the audience she doesn’t like it. They’re not in synch. After the break up, listening to max sing and dance around. She likes it. In s4, Will sings, same song lumax and duzie sang. Huh. Almost like singing shows you who you’re compatible with…

Lumax never said I love you. Max is not insecure, cause Lucas’ actions show he loves her.

El heard mike say he loved her in s3. In s4, she’s insecure about his love for her and hurt, cause his actions don’t show it and she needs verbal proof and reassurance AGAIN.

Mileven/Lumax kiss at the snowball. Only positive parallel between them I can remember. Both max and el are wearing dresses. Max cause she’s forced to, but she’s truly having an amazing time, but is el truly having an amazing time?