#if you're convinced that even having a negative and visceral first reaction to an event in a story means the whole thing is shit

[emblazons]

One of the things that always makes me squint when processing people and their byler doubt is how they’ll say things like “how you felt after the van scene / confession is how you’re gonna feel at the end” (disappointed, upset, angry)…but the Duffers themselves said the end of S4 was the low spot before the resolution (because it was the 2/3 point between that and the end) and was supposed to make you feel like you lost?

Like. If The Duffers are literally telling me (i need to find the interview, but once I do it will go here) that this point in the story was meant to leave me dejected and worried for the next phase…shouldn’t feeling like “all is lost” at this point with Byler (rather than saying “oh Mike confessed, he did the thing, now the romance is resolved” as some other people do) be a good thing?

All I'm saying is this: Will and Mike's relationship feels fractured in every romantic sense (though they do seem to have repaired the platonic side of it to much affect, if the last several scenes are anything to go on), which (dare I say it) remains as upsetting narrative point for Will as Vecna being back, and on-par emotionally to El losing Max...and that's a good thing. It means that the high point of the issue has yet to come, and there is still more to the story to be addressed...unlike Mike "finally saying I love you" other plot points that perhaps seem like more "positive" resolutions, where the only place they can go is down.

Thinking Will will never have his happy ending, Mike is suddenly at his full resolution because he confessed, & El is just "set" now that she got an "I love you" two-thirds of the way through the end of the narrative (not to mention Max, Lucas, and Jonathan/Nancy/Steve etc) makes no sense—and it’s really only the E-M-W triangle people are doing this with, because no one is saying “oh, Jonathan and Nancy smiled at each other and stood by each other end of S4, so the Steve thing will never come up again.

Basically: the idea that its a bad thing you felt bad for Will / felt upset about Byler at the end of S4 is actually a misunderstanding of the purpose of the story they told...if you're listening to what The Duffers said about what they were trying to accomplish with this little section their show. They want you to worry, feel bad and empathize with the characters--and freak out a little, because their lives (and happiness) truly are in danger.

I'd be more concerned if the couple / person / moment I was betting on was meant to be a full resolution (or painted in a positive light) in the part of the volume where the creators told me they were "going low," if I'm honest...especially with how much we know about them being rebellious/writing for themselves, making clear points about their feelings on racism, homophobia + bullying, and their love of subverting expectations. But...idk. Maybe thats just me lmao