#like really emphasize it's Mike Will and El

[jonathanbyersphd]

Ok but you know how the end of last season Will turned around and the theme played to signify he's the main character

What if them on the hill isn't Will's Vecna vision it's Mike's?

Like I'm pretty sure the GA hasn't really loved Mike since s2 and he's taken a backseat of sorts and he's getting vecna'd so I think opening s5 with him getting vecna'd would be a good way to reestablish him as a main character

[conflictofthemind]

Thoughts on "Escape from Camazotz"

Oppressive Suburbia, Conformity, and Season 5 Themes

I've long thought that a major focus of Season 5 will be the contrast between the families of The Wheelers and The Byers, and exploring how non-traditional family environments can be freeing vs the oppressive structure of the nuclear family.

In a Wrinkle In Time, Camazotz is a planet controlled by the big bad of the book, the "IT", who forces the citizens into a conformity that resembles American suburbia. All of the houses the same, the citizens the same, doing the same things at the same time without individual identity. Without anything different. Different means a lot of things, but with Stranger Things dropping different in reference to Will's identity and the presumable themes of this season, it will heavily codify as queerness and how it threatens the cisheterosexual family model.

Henry was raised in the 1950s, a decade still revered by conservatives for it's traditional family dynamics that supposedly were the peak of culture and happiness for all. That was all a lie, of course, and Henry knew so as he shows to Nancy and Eleven during his monologue. The second most conservative decade aside from the 1950s in American society is widely considered to be the 1980s.

The Creels will serve in parallel to The Wheelers; the worst example of what they could become and the damage that this type of family could do to a child that is different in any way. Notice how Vecna selectively shows Nancy visions of The Wheelers dying, but not anyone else she may consider family or friends (like Jonathan).

That is; unless they change their ways and come together as a healthy functioning family facing their traumas, The Wheelers will be toast.

Karen has been moved up to a main character role this season. Ted's actor says the father starts to show up more for Holly (hold that) and realizes he wants to act differently. Holly has been recast. Finn has said Mike goes on a much more personal journey this season, and steps up as a leader.

Oh, also: the catalyst for all of this is that Holly goes missing. The contrast will help show how the Byers (including El and Hopper here) were able to pull together and help solve Will's disappearance, versus how the Wheelers as a closed off nuclear family grapple with Holly's vanishing.

Each of the Byers is in some kind of a non-1950s conformist relationship, but particularly Will (not in one now but we all know he will be). I think El might represent, after she breaks up with Mike, the fear of the unmarried woman being satisfied without a husband. The above shot really emphasizes my point.

I predict that Will will end up coming out to his family rather early on, and we will see all of them immediately accept him with little surprise or push-back. Will is a visible gay man who comes from an open minded non traditional family (divorced, non-married, adoptive) that is willing to have honest conversations.

But this theme will place the most focus on the Wheelers. Mike is the main character of said family and this will particularly focus on his arc, and his acceptance of his queerness in the midst of suburban conformity.

He is not visible, he comes from a Reagan-supporting family who don't communicate with each other. He is not particularly close with his family like Will is. He pushes his feelings down and tries his damn hardest to be normal despite it all. His trauma hasn't really been addressed at all. He is falling back into his usual habits - the one thing he dared to do different (grow his hair long) has gone back to how it was.

It's not all doom and gloom though. This season above all will be a redemption arc of the American nuclear family, how they choose to escape their conformity and learn to be there for each other, thus overpowering Vecna. Not that the Wheelers are going to end this personally.

"Great, more hysteria. Just what we need". "It's the news, now indistinguishable from the tabloids".

[byers-bowlcut]

I've seen people say El likes the IDEA of having a boyfriend more than she actually likes her own boyfriend, and jfc it's so true 😭 Like it's all over the show:

Season 1

She's initially attached to Mike because he's the first person to give her shelter, food, genuine human care and just,, not calling CPS immediately. Her feelings for him was born from trauma and dependency in season 1. And throughout the rest of the 3 seasons, we don't see it grow past that.

Also I think it's noticeable in S1 that:

She was uninterested when Mike tried to share his hobbies with her

She also did not seem to mind AT ALL when she questioned if Mike could be her brother. He voice is neutral and curious here, not the least bit repulsed by the thought of being siblings with Mike, like girl does not care 😭

Season 2

This season has zero onscreen moments of Mike and El actually getting to know each other further. They were separated nearly the whole season.

What we DO see:

El's attachment and dependency on Mike that was developed from S1

We also find out how El spent a year of her life watching melodramatic romance films. Many other middle schoolers might identify that relationships in real life don't work like those films. But El is fresh out of lab life, she's literally learning the world through this TV, and has now become obsessed with the IDEA of having a boyfriend/relationship just like that.

Season 3

Again, no onscreen moments of El showing interest in who Mike is as a person.

The very first scene we see of them, she's trying to get him to stop singing along to the song they're listening to. She seems to like kissing Mike. But isn't shown enjoying anything actually characteristic about him, like sharing interests with him such as music.

Hopper indicates that they don't do anything meaningful together either. We see here that before hanging out with Max, El had little sense of her own style, her hobbies, her interests- meaning spending time with Mike for months probably didn't involve many talking points did it?

Also in season 3, El dumps Mike with ZERO hesitation. Then she has the time of her life with Max. The most acknowledgment we get that she's oh so heartbroken is a small frown to Max that her and Mike aren't on best terms. And even that doesn't seem so paramount cause 1 episode later she totally dismisses Mike after he explains how Hopper threatened him. She just tells him maybe Hopper was right 😭😭

It's literally ONLY once she starts becoming in danger that she starts clinging onto him again. I feel like we've seen this film before hm.

Like where are any signs that she likes Mike as an individual, and is falling for who he really is, rather than simply being attached due to trauma, and liking the concept of doing romantic things (ie: kissing, dancing at the ball, etc.)

Season 4

This is the season it becomes the MOST OBVIOUS: El loves the concept of a happy relationship and being loved, but not really loving Mike for who he is. And bringing in Will's feelings just emphasizes this point.

To start, El continues doing all these relationship-y things that she did in the start of S3. She has Mike's name and pictures plastered all over her room. She makes a "Mike box" with his pictures decorated all over it. But the thing is: this is all sort of a façade at this point. We know she's BEEN unhappy with him for months ("From Mike! From Mike! From Mike!"). But with all these items, she's basically trying to convince herself that she's in this happy, fantasy, movie-like relationship, like she probably watched in hopper's cabin in season 2.

And then, there's the sheer difference between her and WILL in their feelings for Mike. We see it right off the bat when Mike comes to the airport: Will and El both have plans to give Mike something.

Will plans to give him a painting he worked extremely hard on. The painting is a connection of what they BOTH love: DnD, and it includes their friends who also play the game. It's very personal and immediately touches Mike. What's more is, the painting illustrates the exact qualities about Mike that Will loves: his leadership, his bravery, his guidance. This painting literally spells out to us that Will truly loves Mike for WHO HE IS.

Meanwhile, El plans on giving Mike a fun reunion date. She has the whole day planned out. And immediately: we see that what she wants to do doesn't actually takes Mike's interests and personality into consideration. You can see and hear the strain in his voice when he talks about "burritos for breakfast" 😬

You can see how he's not that relaxed at rinkomania, and nervous about skating, saying he's clumsy. He probably would've much preferred movies and playing a board game, over skating. But El has her own ideas. When she brings Mike to rinkomania, she tries to act really cool about it. She wants to impress him, wants to seem like she fits in and belongs.

Her present was never actually ABOUT Mike, and about loving Mike that she would plan this huge date for him. Her present was about her desperately wanting to have this cool date like every other normal teen girl might, with a normal boyfriend, and make it seem like they have a happy perfect relationship.

And then finally we reach their S4 fight. I find it extremely interesting how Hopper's cabin is framed in the background during their whole fight. It's almost like an indication that her desperate need to be loved by Mike stems from her trying to cope with losing Hopper and the hole left by him, that clearly did not exist when she happily dumped Mike in S3.

In their fight, when the topic of bullying comes up, Mike says he understands her, but El is quick to say he doesn't. She thinks Mike doesn't understand her, but this is just as much her not understanding HIM as well.

She doesn't get the extent of Mike's insecurities (definitely partially a result of bullying), something that Mike later divulges to WILL and not her. If the writers wanted to show us how much El understands Mike and loves him for who he is, her and Mike would work through his insecurities in their rs together, NOT through a middle man.

Overall it's pretty striking that we've never once heard El actually compliment Mike, or articulate, or even show what exactly she loves about him through four whole seasons. I mean...

Attachment to him due to trauma or grief =/= loving him for who he is.

Wanting to BE loved =/= loving him for who he is.

So really in terms of a relationship, what El ACTUALLY wants is the concept/idea of a regular boyfriend, and a happy easy relationship, all in an attempt to feel normal. And that's why we see them fall apart the way they do in season 4, and why Will is currently so involved. Because Will DOES see and love Mike for exactly who he is.

[love-byers]

some compelling byler proof?

the fact that before s4, david harbour said "if you've been watching the show you should know, will isn't interested in el, he's interested in someone else in the group"

"If you've been watching the show, you should know."

that's interesting considering before s4, will doesn't do much of anything that would blatantly show he has feelings mike. all of will and mikes relationship in s1 and most of it in s2 is emphasized on mike. will is just existing, and mike is reacting to him. the only things will does (which according to the cast is supposed to imply his romantic feelings) is yell for mike when he was having an episode, and say only mike understands him. so that's supposed to imply romance, but mike initiating physical touch (putting an arm around him x2, holding his hand), being protective of him, noticing the slightest change in his behavior, sleeping on his floor, sleeping in his hospital room, saying asking him to be friends is the best thing he's ever done while CRYING DOESNT? NONE OF THAT MOUNTAIN OF INTERACTIONS IMPLIES ROMANCE??

in fact, before s4 lots of people didn't believe will was queer at all, let alone had feelings for mike. but those people were wrong. if you've been watching the show, you should know.

that without a doubt means they have been hinting at will's feelings, you just have to pay attention. you're supposed to be noticing these small things. it means exactly what you think it means. sometimes it's the small things that say everything.

david harbour in that same video also said "will said he wants to be in the basement with mike playing dnd for the rest of his life."

and finn wolfhard chimed in "--for the rest of his life, exactly! and he said that!"

the funniest part of this is that will didn't say that. it was mike who brought that up, will just said "yeah i did think that." in a dramatic fight where MIKE IS THE BAD GUY!!!! MIKE IS THE ASSHOLE AND FEELS GUILTY!!!!!

and the way finn emphasizes "and he said that!", clearly frustrated with the people who tried to twist it to not be romantic when it means exactly what is said. and it's not like will or mike imply it's romantic either.

when you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, that's romantic.

so it seems fair to say when you think asking someone to be your friend is the best decision you've ever made in your whole life, that's romantic too.

"What did you think, really? Did you think we were never gonna get girlfriends? That we were just gonna sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives?"

"Yeah, I guess I did. I really did."

all of that is, according to the cast, meant to directly acknowledge will's feelings, EVEN THOUGH there is a thin veil that could potentially lead you to believe that will is just mad because the group is falling apart. will wants to be in mikes basement playing dnd for the rest of his life, and he confirmed it himself.

if you've been watching, you should know.

so that is supposed to very obviously be hinting at will's feelings, but mike saying "it was the best thing i've ever done" means nothing? that has no veil. that is not unclear. after s5 i could definitely see the cast saying "mike thinks asking will to be his friend is the best thing he's ever done" and finn going "HE SAID THAT!!! HE SAID IT HIMSELF!!!!!!!"

[strawberryspence]

happy birthday, @stevesbipanic! i am glad you were born, you amazing human being. I hope you get to drink the coldest, most delicious, bougiest milo you can have. ILY broccoli! 💛

-

Steve has never had a birthday cake. He doesn't count the first six cakes his parents had for him, because he's pretty sure it was only for appearances.

He remembers his seventh birthday. How badly he wanted to have a Flintstones themed birthday party, and how his parents called it tacky. Instead, Steve had a lavish tea party with all of their investor friends. He remembers hating it.

After that, there's— nothing. There were Nannies or Babysitters that tried to make him feel better by bringing him to Benny's and he's thankful for that. But there's always that heart wrenching rip in his system when he sees a child. Surrounded by family, singing happy birthday as they wait to blow on a cake.

And the thing is if Steve never gets to have that, it’s okay. It’s really, really, really, okay. That also means he’ll do his best to give all the kids the best birthdays they can have, so they can never feel what he felt. If El wants a day just full of craft making? Sure. Dustin wants to visit this damn planetarium in Indianapolis? Okay. Mike wants to dress him like him for an entire day? Alright.

Steve is happy that way, until Eddie Munson comes crashing into his life with a broken bottle. And okay, maybe it’s not a great idea to lie in the biggest and probably the most important relationship he has right now, but he’s not going to tell Eddie his little sad secret.

What he forgot to account for is the fact that his boyfriend is the biggest snoop to ever exist.

“Wha— What’s this?” Steve stammers as he enters his house. It’s almost always dark when he comes home, the house dull and empty.

Tonight, it’s different. After having his birthday dinner with Robin, Steve drives them back to his house so they can have movie night. Supposedly.

Instead, Eddie’s standing behind the long wooden dining table that never gets used, with 20 different cupcakes, all lit with a candle. There’s food and banners and balloons with streamers.

Robin pushes him forward with a smile, “So…” Eddie walks towards him, “I found some of your childhood pictures.”

“Oh.” Steve breathes out.

“Look, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I got it all wrong. Maybe your parents just weren’t the kind of people that liked taking pictures and having to develop them. Maybe someday, you’ll tell me why you only have one childhood photo album or why there’s no pictures of your birthday parties past the age of six.”

Eddie says, hands nervously twisting around his hair, “But, on the off chance that I am right,” He shakes his head in disbelief, “On the off chance that you haven’t had a birthday cake or a birthday wish in 14 years, I got you 20 birthday cupcakes.”

Steve can barely hold himself anymore, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, “Why 20?”

Eddie smiles at him, and his eyes sparkle at Steve like he hung the damn moon and stars, like he fucking created the whole universe, “One for every year my favorite person has been alive.”

Steve chokes down a half sob, half whine as he slaps a hand on his mouth.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Eddie whispers as he wraps Steve in a comforting hug. They stay like that for a minute before Eddie says, “I am so happy you were born. There’s a few more people that are happy, they’re all hiding in the kitchen right now.”

“What?” Steve pulls back, hastily wiping his tears.

“The kids are all here. Nance, Jonathan, and Argyle.” Eddie tenderly wipes a stray tear off his cheek, “Even Wayne, Hop, Joyce, and Mrs. Henderson is here.”

Steve’s not sure if he wants to know, but he still asks, “Why?”

Eddie visibly softens, but before he can answer Robin answers for him, “Because we all love you, Dingus.”

“So, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to sit behind the cupcakes and they’re going to come out from where they’ve been eavesdropping.” Steve laughs when Eddie emphasizes the word, and there’s a clatter in the kitchen followed by whispering, “They’re going to act normal. And we’re going to sing you a song. Okay?”

Steve smiles, nodding, “Okay.”

“Okay.” Eddie says as he runs to the kitchen and as Robin ushers him to sit in front of the cupcakes. She forces a birthday hat on his hair, and he doesn’t even argue.

They all come out from the kitchen, all smiling and wearing ridiculous birthday hats. Even Hop and Wayne are wearing them and it might actually be the funniest thing he’s ever seen. The kids have blow horns that fill the silent house with joyous sounds.

They sing him a birthday song. It’s loud and it doesn’t exactly sound good. Dustin’s trying a new other pitch and Lucas has never been a good singer. Max is drumming on the table and El has a small tambourine. Mike and Will are trying to do some kind of duet in their own little bubble. But it’s the most beautiful, harmonious sound to Steve.

And as they all urged him to make a wish, Steve is struck with awe and disbelief, a feeling of realization sparking in his veins. Steve’s got everything he’s ever wanted right in front of him. He just wants all of them to be safe and sound.

He smiles at his family, as he lets his eyelid flutter shut.

And for the first time, Steve makes a birthday wish.

-

Edit:

Steve smiles, happy and content, as everyone chitchats around him.

"Hey, Eds?" Steve calls out for his boyfriend who's busy stuffing his face with bread rolls.

"Yeam?" Eddie replies, still chewing on the bread.

"Can I have a Flintstone themed birthday next year?"

Eddie swallows his bread with water, before turning to Steve with a smile so bright it could blind him. He moves closer to give his temple a light kiss.

"You got it, sweetheart. I'll be Fred, you'll be Wilma. It will be perfect."

[allieslobster]

I posted my opinion on the whole mike monologue so I wanted to also rant about this.

Why? WHY!!! WHYYY WHAT IS THE POINT?! No, but seriously like what is the point of this love triangle? I don’t understand the point in this conflict if it isn’t going to be resolved in a way where the audience goes “ohhh okay now i understand.”

And no, no I will not accept the theory that Will is being used to uplift mike and eleven’s relationship because how is that fair? Yeah, that’s super smart to use the gay character to uplift a straight relationship despite expressing Will is madly in love with Mike. They could have gone such a different route in expressing Will’s queerness like showing really rely on his family for support, meeting a love interest in California, or not needing a love interest and just working on accepting who he is.

But, they chose to again and again SHOW will longing over Mike. Just emphasizing the love triangle, every shot of Mike and El consisted of Will being in the background, or watching them but they always really highlighted Will’s presence. Why? Why all of this if the season five resolution to this whole love triangle is just going to be Mike saying he doesn’t feel the same but will always support Will and then continues to be with El despite it constantly being shown that they really just don’t understand each other.

I completely understand all relationships have conflicts, and despite me believing that even if byler wasn’t a thing I still wouldn’t ship mileven, a part of me also believes that if Mileven was set up differently I would support it more. Because yeah, they can argue and that’s normal but I constantly see people side with El and I want to give her a hug, too. BUT, let’s keep in mind that mike also feels unloved in this relationship.

Eleven doesn’t come to Mike for anything deeper than just superficial connection, she RAN away from Mike at rink o mania. Mike doesn’t come to El for anything deeper because why would he? He told her he was trying to understand, and that he’s been bullied and she dismissed that. It’s unfair to the both of them, and we know Mike has it in him to apologize and be understanding because that’s what he does for Will all of the time when he immediately realizes his wrongs and apologizes for it instead of blaming him. And Will does the same, always reassuring him.

I don’t get why people think it’s so crazy to ship byler, there was literally a whole scene of them in the van just expressing themselves and communicating even if Will wasn’t being honest. Will was sacrificing something for Mike, trying to uplift him and I think in season 5 when or if mike finds out he was lying, it’s going to spark a huge conversation.

There’s a reason this was tweeted.

This just goes hand in hand with the notion that season five is going to be will and mike centric all mixed in with the paranormal. Where Will and Mike’s connection is what saves them in the end just like it did in season two. BYLER ENDGAME!!!

[betterforlovingyou]

Okay, offering up my first post. I haven’t seen this touched on before so sorry if someone else has already pointed it out, but just wanna put it out there I promise I’m not stealing any ideas just in case I’m missing something.

But anyway. I just found it really interesting how the shopping scene in s3 plays out. So if you’ve done theater or anything like that before, you know that blocking is important in acting. For the most part, actors are told where to stand in scenes and don’t just kind of do their own thing. I’m sure there’s plenty of exceptions, but that’s typically what happens.

So in s3, we have the sequence of Mike, Will, and Lucas shopping at Starcourt for El. Now, there’s 4 moments when all three of them are shown standing together in different sections of the mall. Here’s the first, when they’re coming out of the jewelry store:

Now let’s skip to the third, when they’re testing perfumes:

And finally, when they’re sitting down after giving up:

So what’s important about these three moments? They have the exact same blocking. Mike is always in the middle, leading the group of course, but Will is always on the left and Lucas is always on the right. You can chalk this up as Coincidence™, but for it to be exactly the same in each shot? That seems pretty intentional for three different shots and not really like zero thought went into it at all.

But okay, they have the same blocking in each shot. Why is that important? Let’s go back to the shot I skipped, the second part of this sequence. This is what we’re shown when they get to the lingerie store:

Now their positions are switched. This should be especially apparent because Mike is no longer in the middle leading the group, which is what he should be doing throughout this entire sequence. And it makes perfect sense narratively. In the other three scenes, Lucas and Will are in a similar situation: just tagging along as Mike looks for something for El. But now, Mike and Will are the ones in a similar situation: both horrified of the lingerie store, both terrified of women.

And if you watch this scene, all three of them are clearly uncomfortable. But by putting Lucas at the front of this shot, it is being implied that he is the least out of place there out of the three of them. All I’m saying is putting Mike alongside Will in the background of this scene doesn’t really scream straight. Especially when they were lined up in the exact same way in the other three shots, almost as if to emphasize that something different is going on in this one…

And if that isn’t evidence enough, it becomes very difficult to deny when this tweet exists:

So yeah, that’s gay.

[kiirotoao]

Navigating Concessions: The Case Against and For Byler

Alright, so this sounds insane coming from a Byler, I know. But just to really tease out all of the reasons why I like/ship Byler, I want to try something. (I’ve also been receiving a small influx of questions arguing against Byler, so that’s where this idea came from.)

I’m going to try to examine some moments that raise questions amidst Mike and Will’s relationship and try to explain them as if there’s nothing romantic going on. Nothing. After that, I’m going to go into why I do see things as potentially romantic.

1. “It was a seven.” (s1)

Well, obviously nothing’s going on, here. It’s the first 8 minutes of the show, and we’re just establishing the characters. The purpose of this scene was to show that Will is honest, and it’s nothing new to Mike. Showing Mike’s reaction is to emphasize just that - this is a normal occurrence, and he has no idea what’s going to happen next.

The thing about this scene that I love is that it’s simple and to-the-point. It’s true! Nothing is happening here, not yet, and that’s the point. Even in normalcy, Will trusts Mike. Even though this is a setup of what’s about to happen to Will, this ends up being the defining point of Will’s character that allows us to root for him. I can agree that nothing romantic is necessarily happening here, but it’s really sweet that the show decided to start here with the two of them over anyone else in The Party.

2. “Crazy together.” (s2)

In this scene, they’re literally talking about the Mind Flayer and El. It’s not about themselves. To say that this is a true heart-to-heart is not genuine. They’re confiding in each other after Will went through a bad episode and Mike is simply empathizing with him. To say that entrusting in someone with your deepest secrets is romantic is untrue, because friends do it all the time. This was probably included just to show how Mike and Will dealt with their traumatic experiences.

This is already getting painful and I regret everything. So the biggest counter point I know for this scene is that indeed, Mike brings up El. Therefore, his mind is on her, right? Well, it’s actually a lot more fleeting than that. He brings her up, but he immediately drops it and focuses on Will right after. Subject matter is often used as a point of contention for Byler/Mleven because the topic is always Mleven, but this time, it’s just plainly untrue. Mike and Will are talking about this encounter with the Mind Flayer, and Mike is empathizing with Will by bringing up a situation similar to his through El. He thinks of her as a claim to his main point, being there for Will. Mike is sweetly giving his time and his comfort to Will, and they’re both being vulnerable about their fears. You simply cannot deny their vulnerability to each other that’s uniquely theirs. This exploration and presentation of intimate traumas is so sweet of them to confide in each other.

3. The shed scene (s2)

This scene is heartbreaking. Will is possessed, here. We don’t know if he can fully hear Mike, evidently because he’s struggling to express himself. Everyone is fighting to get Will back from the Mind Flayer. This moment is sweet as it sheds (haha) light on Mike and Will’s origin story as best friends for years, which doesn’t include anything romantic of the sort. It’s just a retelling of them meeting on a swingset and choosing to be best friends. It’s cute, but it’s nothing much more than that. Plus, Mike is speaking alongside Will’s family, so he’s directly parallel to family in this sequence.

First and foremost to counter this - guess who isn’t here? Dustin and Lucas, who definitely have memories of Will in their lives, right? But no, neither of them are there. They’re needed to transcribe the Morse code that Will taps while Mike is there, in the fray, giving his all to fight for Will. And Mike is in tears. This scene tugs at the heart because it remains one of the most vulnerable moments Mike has ever shown onscreen. And yes, Will may not fully hear him, but Will is trying. Mike is the third person he’s hearing from, and it’s clear that Will is in a state of struggle. He’s not given up, not succumbed to the power of the Mind Flayer just yet. Will almost cries, too. We only see his face fully harden again when Joyce speaks to him after this scene with Mike. I love this scene because of how emotional it is. Mike is doing everything he can to keep Will present, loving him alive alongside the two people who’ve raised him. To me, this isn’t simply a display of Mike being like family, it’s a display of Mike’s intimacy with Will that’s just as strong as the other people who’ve loved him his entire life.

4. The rain scene (s3)

This one seems obvious and plain enough, Mike and Will don’t get each other. They’re arguing, disagreeing about what teenage-hood is, and they both very clearly define it differently. Mike comes to Will trying to understand him, arguing that he’s just prioritizing his girlfriend at this point in life and that he can’t pay attention to everything that he once did. In contrast, Will says that he just wants thing to stay the same with The Party together, playing D&D, having fun like they used to. He and Mike are no longer on level ground. When Mike says, “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls,” it’s the final indication that he knows that he himself likes girls and that they cannot be on the same field since Will doesn’t appear to want the same things that he does and can’t relate to Mike because he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Mike also continues to talk about El and how he clearly prioritizes her. Will just isn’t growing up the same as Mike and Mike clearly isn’t into Will. He hasn’t been all season. He’s just spelling that out here since Will prompted him to.

On the surface, they’re separating. At the core, they’re not on the same level. But underneath, they’re just trying to learn what the other wants. Once again, if this was meant to highlight the separation of the friend group, where are Dustin and Lucas? Dustin’s far away, but Lucas could have come in. He’s right there at the Wheeler’s house. But no, he’s not there. This is a scene between Mike and Will alone as they defeatedly explain why they’re upset as a final plea to each other. Will starts it, Mike carries it. Just like the “crazy together” scene, this is an exclusive moment between them as they share what’s on their hearts, and El is on Mike’s mind as an added point to his perspective compared to Will’s. I’m always so fascinated by Mike’s wording because by saying “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls,” he emphasizes Will’s lack of attraction rather than lack of a romantic relationship which raises a question to me of why Mike would peel back that layer in the first place. It’s not answered fully here, but it raises the question nonetheless, and to ignore that and say it’s just Mike merely drawing a line of differentiation between them is shallow. All in all, yes, they don’t get each other. But that’s why we have this scene, because they’re trying to find out, and based on the way their breaks in conversation leaven them both rather stunned, maybe they know each other more than meets the eye.

5. “Not possible.” (s3)

This scene lasts, like, ten seconds long. It’s far too insignificant to analyze, and anyone who does is looking way too deeply into the subtext. This scene highlights that Mike and Will are still friends and still can very much miss each other like anyone would when a close friend is moving away. It’s a sealant to their once broken relationship to set up their friendship continuing on and that the both of them still like D&D and that the game as well as The Party as a whole will continue to be relevant to the story. If anything, this moment sets up that Will is in love with Mike as only he makes the promise to not join another party, showing his loyalty to Mike that Mike does not explicitly reciprocate. This entire thing was included in the show to give the audience a breath of closure for them this season and show that they still are close. This one hurt to write, too. Holy shit.

The show very well could have shown us that Mike and Will’s relationship was still intact through the hug sequences during Hopper’s letter, but nope, we get another exclusive Mike and Will moment. Once again, Dustin and Lucas are pointedly not here, making this not about The Party but them in it. And this time, it’s through the thing they argued about and both still clearly wanted to commit to, further disproving the idea that Mike has grown up way faster than Will and was truly ready to ditch D&D. Mike even brings up joining another party first. Will simply replies to him. And the smiles that they give each other are so sweet. Comparing how Mike is left confused and frowning when El leaves him to this little glowing smirk when Will leaves him is insane. Will makes Mike smile; it’s a tiny flirt that can go unnoticed, but the brevity helps not to call out too much unneeded attention to it, otherwise, would them flirting for minutes on end seem appropriate after the reality that they’re parting ways and helping the Byers move out? I don’t think so. Still, it’s rather key to me that they filmed this exchange between the sadness. It’s a breath of closure alright, one that looks up on their relationship.

6. The airport scene (s4)

This scene is so undeniably awkward. There’s literally nothing romantic about two friends reuniting like this. It’s strained, Will’s lying here about the painting being “nothing,” and Mike makes terse and disinterested remarks. He’s clearly not focused on Will. Just before this, by contrast, he was able to kiss El, hug her, and he gave her flowers. This puts a gap between Mike and Will to set up how they become “best friends” again later on, setting them apart on a journey of growth that stays platonic. It’s pretty obvious that Mike doesn’t really care about Will right then.

This scene is undeniably awkward. But y’know who Mike isn’t awkward around? Literally everyone else in his life. He can hug everyone he loves except for Will. And yes, he kissed El, but it’s been established that they kissed a lot the summer before and can do that instinctively, and yet Mike cannot write that “love, Mike.” Will then responds with doubt upon seeing Mike so closed off to him, not wanting to give away something that Mike may not accept or treat well even after so much hard work has been put into it. It’s a moment of testing the waters, and yeah, Mike doesn’t pass the vibe check, but it helps to set up how differently Mike actually thinks very exclusively regarding Will: “Hawkins, it’s not the same without you.” If Mike simply didn’t care and they started from the bottom, why is he talking about home and being a team literally two days after this with Will alone? This scene sets up not just a growth of friendship but of the bond these two have that not even awkwardness or ignoring it can deny.

7. The apology scene (s4)

So now we get to the days after the awkwardness. Being back together, Mike is able to see how rude he was and how much he still values Will. These two are unstoppable when it comes to overcoming dangers, and Mike knows that. He simply misses his friend who’s been through so much together with him. He brings up platonic terms like “team” and “best friends,” clearly wanting Will back in his life as just that, a best friend by his side. Best friends reconcile after bad arguments all the time. This was finally making up for not seeing their forgiveness after last season’s fight. This scene highlights their maturity to understand wrongs and overcome self-doubt, establishing their working together for the rest of the season to come.

Alright, I couldn’t even pretend to deny their togetherness in the concession. Because seriously, no one can tell me that this scene wasn’t romantic. Mike, completely and admittedly unprompted (re: “oh, I didn’t say it” “you didn’t have to”), comes into Will’s room, shuts the door and establishes privacy before he lays down his heart not only at the Rink-O-Mania but for the “year” before it and how Hawkins isn’t the same without Will. Yes, he mentions platonic terms, and yes, he never says “god, I needed you” or “I love you,” but did he have to? The intimacy and visually private moment is so very clearly written between these two alone. You don’t get these types of moments often between mere platonic characters. This type of outpouring is written and framed with a closeness that’s almost uncomfortable for the audience. Just look at how they react to each other. They’re on the verge of tears, happy, relieved, and excited to be back together as a unit. It’s a sure sign of Mike’s maturity as he doesn’t just brush this off or play it down in a merely friendly way. This is focused, this is only for Will. It’s a reconciliation as well as a promise. Again, no, it’s not openly romantic, but it sure as hell serves as an example that Mike can be vulnerable and tenderhearted to Will just as Will gives grace to him.

So, I mean, I don’t know. Are there any arguments I missed? Because I remain pretty unshaken. Byler’s endgame and all the setup is there despite the concessions.

[wakeupthemembersofbylernation]

If Mike really loved El romantically, they wouldn’t have dragged out a weird plot of not being able to say ILY for two seasons. One season? Sure. I can let Season 3 slide somewhat if one discounts all the queer longing that takes place and the odd finale kiss. You could interpret S3 as an awkward kid building up the courage to say the L word.

But two seasons? Nah. If the first interpretation were true, things would’ve been resolved when El confesses that she loves him back at the end of S3. But things were not resolved? And the show goes out of its way to emphasize that Mike isn’t even writing “I love you” in his letters? And they have a big, explosive fight about it… and he still can’t say it? Nah Michael, I diagnose you with homosexuality.

“But saying I love you is scary and a big deal and yada yada…” Okay sure. Saying ILY is a big deal. But middle school kids still say it pretty casually. And they certainly at least write it. It’s not uncommon for a kid to drop the “L” bomb to someone they’ve only been dating for a short period of time, only to break up the next day. Things are fluid and chaotic and unpredictable and messy. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo thought he was in love with Rosaline until seeing Juliet, and he immediately changed his mind.

But even if we just assume it’s harder for Mike to say ILY to El because Mlvn is serious and more meaningful than a fleeting crush, that still doesn’t let Mike off the hook. If Mlvn really is as soulmate-coded as Mlievens believe, when have you ever heard of a soulmate-coded relationship in media where the writers went out of their way to show that saying ILY was like pulling teeth? Imagine if there was a whole section of Titanic where Jack struggled with saying ILY to Rose? Imagine Leia got into a fight with Han because he couldn’t write “love” in his romantic letters, and Han was all like, “I care for you so much, Leia.”Imagine Katara pulled out the receipts, and Aang was like, “Okay, okay. Katara, you’re being ridiculous. Like what is this?”

That would be absurd. And you’d either demand an explanation or stop rooting for them. It’s not that ILY isn’t often a big deal in stories. It’s that when it’s emphasized in a weird way and dragged out for two seasons, you have to side-eye it. It’s one thing when the big ILY is the logical and natural culmination of an arc, whether at the end of a season or the end of a series. That makes sense. It’s another thing entirely when someone is literally begging you to say it, and you still can’t say it. And then when you finally do say it, it’s in the penultimate season, and it’s extremely anticlimactic. And everyone has to emphasize how you said it 9 times to cope/compensate.

If Mlvn was meant to be endgame, and Mike really loved El romantically, they would’ve just… shown Mike and El being in love with each other. There wouldn’t be any doubt. None of the other couples, other than Stancy, have ever gone through this weird kind of ritual where words are emphasized over actions. No one doubts that Lumax, Jopper, and Duzie are in love with each other. Jancy is a little more complicated cause they were separated throughout S4 and doubts were raised, but even so, it’s nowhere near the odd situation with Milkvan. Jancy, Lumax, Jopper, and Duzie have all shown they love each other through their actions. They don’t rely on big gestures or words to prove it. In fact, Lucas even specifically says to Max, “I don’t want a letter.”

All I’m saying is, if Mlvn is treated with a considerable lack of seriousness post Season 2, if the show keeps them in a weird Groundhog Day plot of constant fights and lies and not being on the same page, and if it takes a third party with vested romantic interest in the situation for Mike to finally monologue a measly ILY to his girlfriend, then maybe there’s a reason for this? 🤔

[gayofthefae]

Ok but can we talk about how most of Will's pining shots are just shots of him being normal with fancy closeups and music and most of Mike's normal shots are of him pining?

Upset at being ignored*, worried about the state of his friendship, worried about Mike - who is clearly upset. The only truly romantic twinged ones I would say are his reaction to Mike's apology and of course, the painting speech and all. This is not an argument for the people who denied, it was very clear, it's more further proof of how much framing can do to show you things consistently present (which makes me excited for season 5 all over again! Whatever the leaks, we can never predict the camera angles)

*when he isn't being ignored he's pretty chill about Mike and El. No reaction to their kiss or forehead touch. Additionally, asking what the difference is between you and someone who is being treated better than you is super normal also. And as an add-on, not wanting to grow up too fast (3x03) is also a symptom of trauma. Also I shouldn't have to say that hugging your best friend is normal.

Our boy is like super normal and successful at being in the closet. Meanwhile Mike...

Really, it just goes to emphasize Mike's queerness how subtle Will is. He actually has done very very little suspicious. Which means that Mike's reaction is a hypersensitive one due to it already being on his mind.

[artiststarme]

Love Me For Me

Based on a prompt by @mysticcrownshipper. I hope this meets your expectations! Please leave your thoughts in the comments and if you have any other prompt ideas, send them my way!

~*~*~*~

Steve was having a great time. It was a warm summer day, all of the kids were having a great time in the pool, and there was a strong chance that he would get to see Eddie shirtless today. It was a great day, indeed. It had been weeks since the entire Party could get together and have fun. After everything that happened over Spring Break, having to recover from their injuries in the hospital, and clear Eddie’s name with the cops and the town, they deserved to let loose for a while. 

It was different for Steve though. This was his house and he was hosting so it was less about having fun himself and more about making everything amazing for the rest of the Party. Not to mention, he did not want to show off all of his horrific scarring in a swimsuit, thank you very much. 

So when Mike makes a comment about being thirsty, Steve is springing up off his lounge chair to get him a drink from the kitchen, maybe a little snack for the rest of the kids. He grabs a handful of juice boxes and some bags of chips. He considered making sandwiches as well but decided that he’d hold off on that until Robin and Eddie got there. 

When he went to step back outside, he could hear the muffled talking of the kids and stopped for a second. It sounded like they were talking about him. 

“Mike, why do you keep telling him to do things? He’s already letting us use his pool, go get your own damn juice box. He’s not your maid,” Max hissed. 

“Well why else would we need to keep him around?” Mike asked her.

“What are you talking about?” Dustin wondered.

“I mean, come on! What does Steve bring to the table besides being rich? He has a pool and a big house and he gives us food. That’s it!” Mike raised his voice to further emphasize his point. It only made it easier for Steve to hear every heartbreaking word. 

“He gives us rides too when we need them,” Will added in Steve’s defense.

“Hey, Steve is our friend! Do not be mean to him,” El demanded. 

“El, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just saying that if he’s our friend because he’s rich. We wouldn’t like him if he wasn’t because what could he give us then? Smart ideas, good conversation, funny jokes? Don’t kid yourself,” Mike patronized. 

“Hey, he’s our friend because he protected us from the Upside Down!” Dustin squealed in righteous anger.

“Okay, so he’s good at getting his ass kicked and being rich, that’s still it though,” Mike rebutted. No one said anything to that in response.  

The silence of the other kids was heartbreaking. Steve thought that these kids loved him like he loved them, like the little annoying brothers and sisters that he never had. But to hear that they just kept him around for material reasons and not what he could provide characteristically? They were just like Tommy, Carol, and all of his other old friends that just used him instead of liking him. And finding out about it sucked. 

Steve turned around and went back into the kitchen. He laid his head on the counter on folded arms. It was fine. No one ever truly liked him for him so what did it matter? He’d always known that the kids felt that way, of course they would. But why did hearing it from them hurt so much? In the midst of his breakdown, he didn’t hear the front door open or the footsteps moving towards the kitchen. In his defense, though, he really wasn’t paying much attention to anything outside his thoughts. 

“Steve? Are you okay?” He heard Eddie’s voice before he felt his hand settle to rest between his shoulder blades. 

His head shot up from the counter to find both Robin and Eddie looking at him in concern. It sent him over the edge and he lunged at Eddie, wrapping his arms around his torso and shoving his face into the crook of his neck. 

“Woah Stevie, are you okay?” Eddie asked him whilst he hugged him in return. “C’mon Big Boy, talk to me. What happened?”

“The kids said they only like me because I have money. ’Cause I have a pool and a car, not because I’m a good person to be around or the fact that I’ve literally put my life on the line for them. It just hurts, they’re just like everyone else.” Steve was proud of himself for speaking without any tears escaping. If he started crying about this, he’d never be able to stop.

“Steve, I’m sorry they said that. They’re just kids, I’m sure they didn’t mean what they said and maybe you heard it out of context! It is cool that their friend has a pool they can swim in and drives them all around town in his cool car. It’s not a bad thing, Steve. I mean, hell, we all take advantage of it. That’s why we keep you around!” Robin said jokingly. 

But Steve didn’t take it as a joke. His best friend only kept him around for that too? What about their girl talks and the sleepovers when either one of them had nightmares about being tortured by Russian spies? Did it all mean nothing to her?”

“C’mon Stevie, let’s head back out there. We’re here to have fun, okay? Don’t worry about this, I’m sure you’re thinking that it’s worse than it actually is.” Eddie patted his shoulder and stepped back from his hug, grabbing a Hi-C juice box in his retreat. 

Oh my god, they all thought that! Steve had never felt as betrayed and hurt as he did in that very moment. Here he was thinking that he had finally found a family that wanted him but they were just like everyone else. His parents only had him in the first place because society told them to and they only kept him around to show off until he became too much of a disappointment to do so. Tommy and Carol only kept him around for the status that came with befriending the rich boy with rich parents and a big house that always felt too lonely. His teammates on the basketball and swim teams only kept him around for his athletic ability and as soon as the concussions got too severe to play organized sports, they dropped him like a brick.

The Party that he thought was his family was just like everyone else that came before, were just using him to get to an end goal and then were going to drop him just as everyone had before. But at least it was good while it lasted, he guessed. He shook his head lightly to clear his thoughts and pasted a deceitfully fake smile on his face. 

“Yeah, I’m sure they didn’t mean it. I’m just overreacting like always. It’s fine, let’s get back out there,” he muttered. 

Both Eddie and Robin nodded enthusiastically and started piling their arms up with drinks and snacks. Steve was distracted the rest of the day deliberating the words of the Party. He was so contemplative that he didn’t check Eddie out when he took his shirt off, didn’t notice when El and Will looked at him in concern, and didn’t care when the kids splashed him with water. He just couldn’t fake it as well as he usually could today so he didn’t even try. It’s not like anyone noticed anyways. 

~*~*~*~

After a couple of days, Steve was still ignoring the issue. That was his go-to strategy for anything he didn’t want to deal with and it hadn’t failed him yet. It worked when his parents were home and he had to ignore the startling lack of love from either of them. It never failed him when he received a poor score on a test that told him he wouldn’t be going to college or when he couldn’t read the swimming words written on the board when the teacher asked him to. It worked for a while when he ignored the distance growing between him and Nancy after she accused him of murdering Barb. 

The point was, he was good at ignoring problems and pretending to be fine when his entire worldview was falling apart. It was fine. Or it was until he ran into Hopper a few days later.

He was just trying to return some Tupperware containers to Joyce, he didn’t want to have a full on conversation with his pseudo-dad or share a cigarette with him when he was trying to quit. Yet here he was, sitting on the stoop of the porch with a cigarette in hand trying to ignore the prying eyes of Hopper. 

“What’s going on, Harrington? You missed family dinner yesterday and you didn’t call or anything. We were worried about you, kid.”

Steve’s eyes watered slightly so he pinched his nose to stop the tears. “Um yeah, I wasn’t really feeling it yesterday. Sorry.”

“What’s going on with you? We’re trying to be a family to you kid but you keep pushing us away.” Hopper sounded hurt at the thought and it only served to make Steve feel more guilty. 

“I’m sorry, Hop. The kids said something that messed me up a few days ago, I’ll get over it.”

“You better,” Hopper grumbled before taking another drag from his cigarette. 

They sat in silence for a moment before Steve asked him a question he thought he needed to know. Looking back, he shouldn’t have. “Hop, why are you guys so intent on treating me like family? Why me?”

He sighed and scratched his beard before answering. “I feel bad for you, kid. You’re all alone in that big house, your parents don’t come home, and you don't really have anything going for you. You work a dead-end job and you don’t have a future to look forward to. Steve, you just seem lost and I have a habit of taking the lost ones in.”

Steve nodded at him and they quietly went back to their cigarettes without sharing any more words. Hop only brought him in because he pitied him. He didn’t love him like a son as Steve had always thought, he felt bad for him and wanted to give him something to look forward to because Steve was too much of a loser to have a life that could mean anything. 

He held it together long enough to finish his cigarette, numbingly agree to attend Family Game Night in a few days, and drive to his brother’s house. The tears stayed in until Phil answered the door to his house and upon seeing the crumbling of Steve’s carefully crafted facade, pulled him into a hug. The sobs spilled out of him after that with such force that Phil’s whispered comforts and confused reassurances couldn’t be heard. 

They must have stayed in that embrace for upwards of five minutes, just standing in the open doorway, experiencing a strong déjà vu. Steve hadn’t cried this hard since the brutal screaming match between his parents and brother that resulted in Phil being disowned. Phil had held him then too, promising that he would always love him and that he would be around as much as he could be. 

The parallel left both of them unsettled so Phil pulled him into the house and to the comfy living room couch he knew Steve loved. He sat on his knees in front of Steve and tried to make eye contact through Steve’s messy hair. “Hey Steve-o, you’re making me nervous, kid. What’s going on?”

“Why am I never enough for anyone?! You left, mom and dad left, Tommy and Carol didn’t fight to stay, Nancy cheated on me because I wasn’t enough, the kids are only using me for my pool, and Hop pities me because I’m an idiot. Why can’t anyone ever just love me for me?” Steve wailed. 

Phil’s eyebrows scrunched further in concern, “Steve, what the hell? I’m sure that’s not true-”

“You too?! You’re seriously going to tell me they’re right like Eddie and Robin did? No one ever sticks around for me! They just want the shit I can give them because ‘I’m rich and lonely’ and I’m fucking sick of it!” He yelled at him.

“Steve, I’m not saying they’re right. I’m saying you’re wrong because I didn’t leave. I’m right here and I love you for you. You’re my bratty little brother who gets into weird situations he refuses to explain and hangs out with a bunch of children, a drug dealer, and my boss. You’re weird as hell sometimes but I’m here, okay? You’re not alone.”

“I’m just sick of being used, Philly. For looks or popularity or pool privileges. I just want them to love me.”

“Hey, I’m sure they do. Kids are weird, I was certain you hated me for years when you were a teenager. Kids do that and I’m sure your other friends were just confused,” Phil tried to comfort.

Steve just sighed and ran a weary hand through his hair. The last couple of days had been a whirlwind of heartache, betrayal, and exhaustion. All Steve wanted to do was get away from it all and recoup in a place he didn’t feel suffocated. Then an idea sparked in his head.

“Hey, do you still have your dad’s old cabin up north?”

“Um yeah, I go up there sometimes on my days off. Why?” Phil asked, a knowing glint in his eyes telling Steve that he already knew.

“Can I hang out there for a few days? I just want to get away from all of this.”

Phil observed him for a few minutes before nodding. “Yeah, that’s fine. You can head up today and I’ll meet you up there this weekend after my shifts. You gonna be okay on your own?”

Steve just rolled his eyes at him, “of course I will be. Who do you take me for?”

“The kid that’s gotten four concussions in the past three years from nefarious, unknown causes,” he said completely deadpan. 

“Okay, that’s not fair. How do you know it’s nefarious if you don’t know the reason?”

Phil’s mustache twitched in the way it always did when he was about to start ranting. “You-” he took a deep, calming breath and started again. “I don’t want to argue with you right now. I’m going to go get the keys and write you some directions. Just chill here for now or whatever.”

Sure, his life might be spinning out of control and his friends might only be using him to reap the benefits that come with being a neglected rich kid but at least he had his brother. With another comforting hug, Phil gave him the keys and a note, some cash for snacks on the drive, and Steve was on his way. He had the chance for a few days away and he was going to take the time to relax and ponder on his self-worth. 

When Phil finished his shifts and could pull himself away from his work, he’d head up to the cabin for some much needed Bro Time. They’d talk about things, drink some beers on the bank of the lake, and make s’mores over a campfire like they used to before life got too complicated for them both. Most of all though, they’d spend time together. It would be Phil and Steve against the world like it always has been. 

~*~*~*~

It wasn’t one of the kids that noticed Steve’s abrupt disappearance. The kids, Eddie, and Robin hadn’t reached out to Steve since that disastrous pool party. No, it was Nancy that started putting the pieces together. 

When Mike asked her for a ride to the arcade, her hackles raised. “Why do you and your friends need a ride from me? Isn’t that usually Steve’s job?”

“Yes,” he sneered at her. “But Steve didn’t pick up Dustin’s phone call or answer the walkie when he said it was a code red. So we need you to give us a ride. Please.”

Nancy was so confused at Steve’s lack of reply that she didn’t even ask any more questions. She just picked up her purse and told Mike to go get in the car. 

Why wouldn’t Steve answer a code red? Out of all of the adults, Steve was the most hypervigilant and high-strung about the walkies. If he’d heard a code red, he would’ve answered. 

She had a bad feeling about this so once she picked up all of Mike’s annoying friends and dropped them at the arcade, she went to Family Video to talk to Robin. 

“Welcome to Family Video, how can I- oh hi Nance! What’s up?” She asked excitedly.

“Hey, have you heard from Steve recently? The kids couldn’t get a hold of him. Has he talked to you today?” Nancy asked her. 

Robin looked perplexed. “He wasn’t home? He called Keith today and told him that he was feeling sick and couldn’t work this weekend. I thought he might be fighting off a migraine or something. Whenever that happens, he holes up in his room in the dark for a few days until it wears off. Where else could he be?”

“I don’t know but I have a bad feeling. When was the last time you saw him?”

“Um, at the pool party he threw on Monday. He said he invited you but you were busy,” he had indeed. Nancy had been touched at the invite but ultimately already had plans with Jonathan. “He said the kids said something that hurt his feelings but Eddie and I thought he was overexaggerating. But you know, he was kind of distant the rest of the night. He was there but not really… you know?”

A picture was starting to form for Nancy. But they couldn’t do anything but worry about Steve. If he wanted to lay low for a while without being pressured by the friends that hurt him, then Nancy wasn’t going to be the one to ruin that. When he got back, she would show him that she cared and hopefully that would be enough. 

“Yeah, I know. I’m sure he’s fine. I have to go but I’ll see you later!” Hopefully too much damage hadn’t already been done. 

~*~*~*~

The next people to notice were perhaps the most surprising. The Corroded Coffin boys were talking to Eddie before practice in Gareth’s garage when Jeff peered behind his shoulder. 

“Hey man, where’s Steve? Did you two have a fight or something?” He asked him.

Eddie just looked at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Jeff returned his look looking just as puzzled. “Steve? I saw him at the grocery store on Monday and invited him to watch us practice. The dude wouldn’t stop raving about your guitar skills so I told him to come see them in person. Did you piss him off or something?”

“Why would you invite him to practice though? You guys don’t even like him.”

“Woah hey, that’s not true! He helped my mom fix her tire like two weeks ago when we were stranded on the side of the road so I love the guy,” Gareth said. “And he completely blasted Andy’s reputation when he was picking on Grant at the arcade last week. Harrington’s a cool dude now.”

Eddie just looked at them in utter bewilderment. What the hell? “Why haven’t you guys told me any of this?”

He was taking a sip of his Mountain Dew when Jeff answered. “Uh, we thought he would tell you. You guys are dating, right?”

Eddie spit his Mountain Dew all over Grant’s drum kit and started choking. 

“Dude, what the hell?!”

“Wh-why do you think we’re dating? We’re not and even if I was interested in him, which I’m not, Steve is straight!” Eddie sputtered.

All three of his bandmates looked at him unimpressed. Grant was still fuming at his sullied drum kit, Gareth was over Eddie being an idiot, and precious Jeff looked like he was a hair’s width away from losing his patience. 

“Eddie, he is not straight. He’s been flirting with you for months and even told me that he was looking forward to the pool party to see you shirtless. He’s interested,” Jeff said with a sigh that told Eddie he thought he was being a dumbass. 

Eddie just stared at them though. “There’s no way. I haven’t even talked to him since that pool party and I’m certain I would’ve noticed him checking me out. There’s no way.”

“Dude, you’re oblivious,” Gareth grumbled. 

“He hasn’t reached out or anything in days! That’s not good crushing etiquette!” Eddie stammered. 

“Did something happen at the pool party then? How did you fuck this up?” Grant accused.

“I didn’t fuck anything up! He was sad about something the kids said so I comforted him and then we went swimming. Steve never even got in the pool and he didn’t check me out at all. You guys are crazy.” 

“That means whatever you said fucked it up! Nice going, dumbass,” Gareth told him. 

“Okay, go fix this with Steve. We’ll move practice to Sunday and we want to hear all about how you fixed this. Maybe give him chocolate or flowers-”

“Steve’s allergic to flowers,” Eddie cut him off.

“And prove that you’re sorry and want to date him. Maybe take your shirt off since he didn’t see it in the pool. Just go,” Jeff ordered. 

Without another word, Eddie took off. He drove past Steve’s house first but his car wasn’t in the driveway. He drove around Family Video next but still didn’t see the maroon Beemer. Where was this guy? He didn’t see him anywhere. 

What he did see on his drive was a police cruiser with a glaring Officer Callahan inside. Eddie had to do a double take to confirm that he was glaring at him. What the fuck, he was driving the speed limit like any other law-abiding citizen, the glare was completely unfounded. 

Disheartened at the lack of Steve and confused at the officer’s ire, Eddie went home. He slammed the trailer door open and stalked into the kitchen to get a beer. He didn’t know why Steve was upset or why he was hiding from Eddie of all people but it hurt. It made Eddie angry in turn.

Wayne appeared behind him with an observing look in his eyes. “Eds, I haven’t seen ya this crabby for weeks. Maybe call that Harrington boy over, he always makes you happy.”

Wayne’s words were supposed to make Eddie laugh, maybe argue with him a little bit, anything to get rid of the hostile blankness on his face. What they ended up doing though was causing a panic attack. 

Eddie’s breaths started coming in in pants and tears started leaking from his eyes. Wayne thought they were dating too? How oblivious had he been that he hadn’t realized Steve was interested? And how did he fuck it up when he didn’t even know?!

Wayne was far too used to Eddie’s panic attacks. He didn’t ask any questions or question why what he said had caused a reaction. He just collected Eddie into his arms and rocked him like he was a scared kid instead of a traumatized 21 year old. 

“Calm down, Eds. Yer okay, everything’s okay. I’m here for you, Uncle Wayne is here. You just needta calm down a little bit. Keep breathing, kiddo. It’s alright.”

After a few minutes and many comforting repetitions on Wayne’s part. Eddie buried his face into Wayne’s shoulder and cried. He knew distantly that their position on the kitchen floor couldn’t be good for Wayne’s back and aching joints but he couldn’t bring himself to move. 

“Steve is gone! I looked everywhere for him but I couldn't find him! I fucked it up, I don’t know how but I did and now he’s gone!” He cried pitifully.

“Hey, I’m sure it ain’t because of you and I know he’ll be back. Whatever happened, you can talk it out with him in a couple of days. Just relax.”

He was right, as usual. Steve would come back eventually and when he did, there would be plenty of groveling and apologies. Eddie would make sure Steve knew how sorry he was at whatever he did and would make the kids and Robin apologize for good measure. He would fix this and Steve would never feel the need to escape ever again. 

(Meanwhile, Steve is at the cabin having the time of his life, drinking ice cold beers by the lake and watching some deer chilling in the distance. He has no idea that his leaving made a mark but he was sure going to find out in a few days when he gets back.)

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[mileven11forever]

Hey! I disagree with you completely but I respect that you seem to be a kind and respectful Mileven. So I’m curious.

What would you say to the idea that if Mileven is endgame, based on the way the story has been written especially in S4 (with Will being in every Mileven shot, Will’s painting inspiring Mike to monologue to El, paralleling Byler to Rovickie and other ships, just the whole story of building out Will’s feelings for Mike over 4 seasons in what would be a slowburn rejection if you’re right), the Duffers have inherently crafted a homophobic and problematic story?

Most Bylers don’t just believe Byler endgame makes the most sense for the story, nor do we just believe it would be queerbaiting because of promotion outside the show. We believe the story itself is deeply problematic when viewed through a Mileven endgame lens.

The idea that this kid Will would go through all of this suffering and that they’d emphasize the bond between Mike and Will in this way… the idea that Will would say “I’m not gonna fall in love” in S3 because he doesn’t believe there’s love for gay kids like him… the idea of the painting veiled confession… the idea that the writers would have Byler literally end the season together side by side alongside other canon couples… only to have Mike reject Will in S5?

We believe that to be horribly homophobic writing, so to us it’s not simply a question of which ship we like more like other ship wars in history, but a real moral line in the sand. We believe it’s either Byler endgame, or the show falls apart, and the writers have explaining to do.

It’s not that hypothetical story of a gay kid falling in love with his straight best friend is homophobic, it’s the specific narrative choices that would be surrounding Mileven endgame in this context, each of them completely avoidabl, each of them specific decisions the writers made.

Additionally, Bylers believe Mileven endgame would A) make the show’s writing weaker and less meaningful, B) make the show make significantly less sense from a writing standpoint, and C) go against the main themes of the narrative.

Lastly, if Will were a girl, based on the way Mileven and Byler have both been written, there’s no way Milevens wouldn’t see the clear love triangle. The only reason it’s difficult for some to see it is because of heteronormativity and the idea that Mike is straight because he has a girlfriend. If you remove that, there aren’t any barriers to at least seeing the clear triangle.

Thoughts?

I honestly just disagree. I don't think there's anything wrong with the story and the way it's being told. Will being in Mileven shots in season 4 is because it was from his POV in those moments. Will's painting didn't really inspire Mike's monologue, he just helped Mike find the courage to tell El how he really feels. And I don't really see the parallels people point out as being significant proof of anything. I do think Will's story will involve being rejected by Mike, while also being accepted by Mike as a friend. That's just what his story is, that's something a lot of queer people go through, there's nothing wrong with writing a character having to deal with and overcome that. I think it'll be an important part of Will's arc and character development. I don't see anything problematic or homophobic with any of that personally.

Yes, Will has suffered a lot unfortunately, but that's just his story, that's how life is for some people. He's unlucky and has just happened to be in these awful situations throughout his life, but that has nothing to do with Mike or his feelings. It's sad, but that's just how it is. Just like Will can't control how he feels about Mike, Mike can't control how he feels either, and that he loves El and just loves Will as a friend. It sucks that Will fell for his straight best friend, but that happens lots in real life too. And yeah, Will thinks he can't have love like everyone else because of his sexuality, and because of the time and place he lives in, which sucks, but also doesn't mean that he's automatically going to end up with his childhood crush. I think he should end up with someone eventually, but I just don't think it can be Mike. He needs to learn that he can have love and be loved, but just how he can't choose his sexuality, Mike can't either. They both can't change who they are, and that's ok.

I do think the painting will come up at some point and probably lead to Will's confession to Mike, but again, that's just Will finally sharing his feelings which has nothing to do with how Mike will respond. It'll be complicated, but Mike isn't going to just suddenly fall in love with Will when he finds out the truth about the painting.

And Mike and Will stand together at the end because they're friends. Just because the other pairs happen to be couples doesn't mean Byler is going to be endgame. That would be ridiculous in my opinion. I really don't understand when Bylers look so deep into little details like this and use that as evidence, it could literally mean nothing, or something other than Byler.

Once again, I don't think the writing choices the Duffers have made are homophobic, they just want to tell Will's story a certain way, and I don't see a problem with it.

I just don't agree. I think Mileven endgame is good writing, I think Byler endgame would make no sense. Mileven doesn't make the messages of the show any less meaningful in my opinion.

And yeah, I think that's probably true for some people. Heteronormativity is very prevalent and some people are definitely in denial about the obvious love triangle. I accept that there is a love triangle there, I just don't agree with a lot of people on how it will be resolved. Will likes Mike, El likes Mike, and Mike likes El. That's how I see it. I feel like the show has made this clear, and it's obvious which couple is actually happening in the canon story. Some Bylers just read a lot of meaning into things that I don't think was meant to be read like that.

If anyone has anything else to add, leave a comment or reblog this post.

[pinkeoni]

During his emotionally charged speech in the van, Will says one particularly potent line.

"When you're different... You feel like... a mistake."

This line is highlighted visually by the camera shifting positions to outside of the van, a shot that is only used one other time to punctuate the end of the scene. This line holds extra weight and the show wants you to know it.

I already made an analysis on the word mistake and what that means for Will, but I want to look at the word different, which feels emphasized in the delivery of the line as well.

"When you're [pause for effect] different..."

It's popular headcanon among st fandom that "everyone in Hawkins is gay!" which sometimes bleeds from into their belief of real canon. Sexuality headcanon lists suddenly are seen with an air of truth to them, and a number of fanon queer ships are accompanied with evidence of their supposed endgame status.

I realize that this is kind of a... weird post to make. I'm not really making this to tell people to stop doing something, this is more of just a rattling off of some opinions I've had for awhile.

I do wanna start off with the obligatory: Do whatever the hell you want. I'm not here to stop you from doing something or tell you that you are wrong for thinking that a character is gay or for shipping something. You are allowed to ship whoever you want, think whatever you want about any character, any ship I don't like I have filtered. But I'm also allowed to not like these ships, or disagree with how others view certain characters. Just as others are allowed to have and express their opinion, I'm also allowed to have and state my opinions on the opinion website.

I think the important thing regarding Will being different is the fact that he is different. As my good friend @karenchildress once put it, if everyone were queer, it would cheapen the message the show is trying to give. Sure, the show displays a variety of ways of being different, but being gay is, among other things Will has been through re: being taken into the Upside Down, is Will's way of being different in Hawkins.

And of course Robin is gay as well, and while there is some crossover, the lived experiences of a gay man is different from that of a lesbian woman, which the show does touch on. Will's story is part of an extended AIDS metaphor, and Robin struggles to gain the attention of women in a world that seems to revolve around the attention of men.

It might be nice to have a moment between Will and Robin, although that alone won't solve Will's problem, i.e. his belief that being different makes him a mistake. Cause that's the thing: the resolution is that being different is a good thing.

If everyone character were queer, this would cheapen the message. Suddenly the resolution isn't that being different is a good thing, but that he isn't different after all.

So then, are queer stories meant to have only token characters?

I think it depends on the type of story, and what it's trying to say. Heartstopper has an eclectic queer cast, but it's also a show that embraces finding community and other people like you. Sex Education has a variety of different sexual identities, but it's also a show that aims to explore a lot of different perspectives.

And there are also queer stories where the queer character's disposition, and their struggle because of that, is a big part of the story. I believe this is what this show is trying to do— highlight Will's difference and how that pertains to his personal struggle and the resolution of that.

One argument that I hear against Will with powers is the idea that making him more different would be bad for his character, because he hates being different. But the thing is, Will is going to learn that his differences are a good thing, which may include any possible powers.

Of course Will isn't the only one with powers, and he also isn't the only gay one. El, Henry, and Kali all have powers, and Robin, Vickie, and Mike (and maybe Henry? I haven't seen TFS myself so I'm not commenting on that) are all gay. So while he's not alone, these things are still a rarity. It's not a case of a headcanon list with mostly everyone gay and some token straights.

"Characters are not straight by default."

This sentiment isn't unique to the st fandom and also didn't originate within this fandom, but it is something that I hear often. And it's... not really true, although it kind of depends on the piece of media we are talking about. It might be easy to say this about a show made in the 2020's, although this same sentiment is hard to state about, well, most shows made before the 2020s. And even then, it depends on what the show is going for.

People being not straight by default is a true statement in real life. You shouldn't assume a sexuality for anyone, gay, straight or what have you. But characters are made by people, and people have different biases on how these characters should be written. Calling the Duffers "two straight men" would go against what I just said, although I don't think that the show was written with everyone being gay in mind. Aside from the 4 (maybe 5) I listed, the other characters are not written to be queer. They just aren't.

All of the queer characters have arcs that feature their queerness. Will's queerness has been mentioned since season one. Robin's romance becomes part of her plot in season 4, and Vickie is introduced as her love interest. Romance has always been an important facet of Mike's story since season one, and his failure in a straight romance is highlighted in seasons three and four. Chekhov's painting of season 4 seems to solidify a gay Mike.

Elmax and Ronance as endgame options not only have no lead up but are also mean spirited towards Lucas and Vickie. Elmax gets together, breaking up Lumax, which has been built up since season two, and Lucas is supposed to be okay with this because????? Ronance get's together, effectively writing off a queer character that the show had introduced, and she can't even fulfill the reason she exists in the first place? Rockie is not the most well developed relationship out there, but it's the one that the show has decided to go for. Maybe Ronance could work, in an alternate universe where the show actually wrote that in.

For those that argue that both Max and Nancy are queer I simply... disagree. And you can disagree with me too, we'll both just agree to disagree. I'm not against headcanons, which are usually harmless, but also usually driven by the desires of the headcanon-er and less so the canon of the show. Which again, is fine, but it's also these headcanons which are being used to drive an argument for actual show canon. Usually the argument for any character being queer that wasn't already listed in canon rests solely on vibes, not any concrete evidence that may suggest actual attraction to the same sex.

More substantial evidence usually comes when someone applies a queer lens to a certain character, but an interpretation can be different from authorial intent. And sometimes, the viewer may be so focused on the metaphorical, that they fail to see the literal.

I do think that you could easily apply a queer lens to El's story. Her story is about, in her words, "not belonging," in society, having to remain in hiding, and deviating from feminine norms. I can easily see how you can derive a queer message from this, but all of the traits listed above are a result of her having powers and being raised in a lab, not being attracted to the same sex. Metaphor alone cannot prove that she likes girls.

Going back to Nancy, Nancy's romantic options are between Jonathan and Steve, although the show seems to make it clear that it's going with Jonathan in the end, what with Jancy holding hands at the end of season 4. Steve get's brought up in conversation between the two, alluding two some unresolved tension that's likely to be brought up in season 5, and Robin is... at the high school with Vickie. That is the end of the season establishing the arcs and romances for the final season.

"Gay people didn't exist in the 80's."

That's an argument on the opposite end of things that just isn't true, although I've also heard the counter for this argument, that gay people did in fact exist in the 80's, as evidence that everyone is gay. I'm not really here to argue whether or not gay people existed in the 80's (they did) I'm just here to argue what I think the canon of the show is presenting.

That being said, the show taking place in the 80's is still significant. It may not be a hyperrealistic depiction of the 80's, but the show does seem to understand the idea that at that time, it was very difficult for gay people come out and to start relationships. It's the reason that Robin can't just go up to Vickie and ask her out, and it's the reason that Will can't just say that the painting is from him. It's the reason why Mike hasn't quite yet left his relationship with El and accepted himself. It's the reason why Rockie has to discreetly flirt through peanut butter sandwiches. A character who hasn't had queerness built into their plot, or a relationship that has no buildup, isn't suddenly going to become canon in the last season.

I was talking about this once with a friend who used the show Only Murders in the Building as an example. In the shows second season, Selena Gomez's character is revealed to be bisexual and dates a character that Cara Delevingne plays for most of the season. The show doesn't build up to her character being bisexual, she doesn't come out as such, the other characters don't make a big deal out of it, she just is. So why can this show do something like that but Stranger Things can't?

Well, Only Murders is a show that takes place in present day, and is a light-hearted comedy (albeit with murder). A character suddenly being bisexual with no set up makes sense for the tone that the show has established and when it takes place. Stranger Things takes place in the 80's and establishes within it's first season and maintains it throughout that gay people get killed and are seen as social pariahs.

It's not that I don't understand where the desire to have more characters be queer comes from, especially characters that people already like and relate to. I don't think it's harmful to think that these characters are queer, I'm making an argument purely with regard to authorial intent and the actual outcome of the show. Again, feel free to disagree with me and continue to do whatever you want, these are just some thoughts that I have had on my mind for a while and wanted to put out.

[byers-bowlcut]

I sometimes think about how one of the reasons theories about byler are considered "reaches" is because bylers like to be really loud about the details, and subtext, and many things that could be up to interpretation.

I think the vast majority of us are queer and see the simple narrative- so the LITERAL STORY, aka what's right in our faces, as far too obvious that we don't even need to elaborate or emphasize on it. but see, we forget we're arguing with an audience who didn't realize will was gay and in love with mike until season 4 episode 8, or worse: until his actor had to go on an INTERVIEW and "clarify" it 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ as if it wasn't dead obvious years ago lol. many bylers are at the point where it's like- "ok yeah the basic story points to byler, boring, yawn we all know that... BUT DID YOU NOTICE THE COLOUR OF THEIR SHIRTS AND-" you get the gist lol.

Like it's still crazy to me how even the most obvious romantically charged moments and narrative devices used to build byler up go over other people's heads.

I mean... a vow to go "crazy together"? a confession of mike saying that being friends with will was the BEST THING he ever did, which pulled will out of possession?? sleeping at will's bedside multiple times, and taking him home?? acting insanely weird after learning will painted something for a girl? All their fights being depicted or shot like romantic breakups/arguments?? Mike being able to say ily after he heard Will's veiled confession for him and thought those feelings were from El? (perfect plot device for byler endgame btw 💯). The one person who Mike can actually talk to and be vulnerable around being Will? Will bringing out mike's truest and best version of himself (very unlike the self destructive or insecure nature brought out in his current relationship)? The pairing whose relationship has been emphasized in the story since the literal FIRST ONE ON ONE INTERACTION in this whole damn show???

But yeah, this all really seems to go over the audience's heads. Because even with will being confirmed as in love with mike, it doesn't seem to be enough for the audience to recontextualize mike and will's past moments through a romantic lens... like damn. heteronormativity is really a drug huh

[spicybylerpolls]

All of the teenage relationships are sexualised from the get-go. Stancy's introduction was all about the trope where bad boy Steve just wants to try getting good girl Nancy into bed. Jancy is also immediately sexualised when Jonathan takes the spicy photos of Nancy. And Steve and Robin make booby jokes before Vickie is even introduced. Meanwhile for Stobin, we only really got Steve thinking that he and Robin would be a cute couple but no sexual innuendos whatsoever, hinting that the relationship will not happen because there is no sexual attraction there.

It is initially a bit different for Mileven/Lumax/Byler because they are actually kids at the start of the show. But Season 3 makes such a big fuss about them not being kids anymore and it is coincidentally also the time some of the characters start to make innuendos themselves. Which also means that who they liked as kids is not necessarily who they are eventually attracted to as teenagers.

In comparison to the other teenage relationships, Mileven seems to be a relationship free of any sexual implications. In Season 3 Hopper wants the door certainly not open because he is afraid of them kissing - however, Mike and El never overtly express a desire for sex, neither with each other nor for other people. Milevens like to say "Oh, this means that Mike and El only have eyes for each other" although the sexual implications are completely absent from their relationship.

Of course you could argue that the characters may be demi/ace, but I think especially in Mike's case it is made clear that he is not acespec but a repressed queer (with the Season 4 Episode 1 montage as biggest proof). Some people also insisted (and still insist) that Will is ace too because they are subconsciously so afraid to see any sort of queer attraction on screen. (As a person on the acespec myself, I really long for the day where asexuality is finally done justice on screen. But Stranger Things is clearly a show where they actively contrast lack of sexual attraction and actual sexual attraction with each other. Unfortunately, 99% of media does not include intentionally-accurate representation of asexuality, so right now Stranger Things is not under the obligation to be the show that is suddenly an exception)

This is all so true! People try to argue that Mike and El "making out all the time" is evidence that they have interest in sexual exploration, but A) the show very clearly draws our attention to the fact that he takes his hands off her when they're making out, B) Mike doesn't express sexual interest in the Phoebe Cates, the hot girl of the day, like his friends, C) the show draws our attention to how unnatural it is by having Hopper comment on it, and D) this doesn't progress or increase in any way. In fact, it decreases. In S4, they have one fairly awkward kiss and never show any signs of desire for each other. Instead, the emphasis is on Mike not being able to say ILY to her.

For a ship that's allegedly the main ship, this is all pretty unusual. When was the last time you saw a ship with teenage characters who "only have eyes for each other" yet never show even the slightest sign that they want to explore the physical side of things, even if only 2nd base? It's like Mike got to 1st base and immediately wanted to abort mission and backtrack and never do anything straight again.

Some Milkvans will say it's because Mike is a gentleman, but... come on. Lucas is a gentleman with Max, and the show goes out of its way to emphasize his sexual desire multiple times. Dustin and his girlfriend aren't even in the same state, and she's a devout Mormon, and still there's no doubt that Dustin would round all the bases multiple times in a heartbeat if he got the chance.

Meanwhile, everything between Mike and El looks like a weird, unnatural performance. And they don't even kiss in the desert!

Especially considering the fact that Mike and Will, who are allegedly just platonic friends, do show signs of physical desire. This is what they're like JUST touching arms ever so slightly. Get a room.

[thefirstlioveyou]

i think the one of the many reasons why mike’s monologue to will in s2 is more believable/genuine than the one to el in s4 is because he doesn’t paint out meeting will as something meant to be, or love at first sight, or destiny.

we would never really know who wrote the tweet where the st writers say they do not believe in love at first sight, it could’ve been anyone since apparently sometimes it’s not even the writers tweeting, if im correct? but, it’s still important to include anyway because the writing shows it still.

mike explicitly admits to will that meeting el was not destiny or fate, but pure dumb luck. in other words, there was no higher power driving them to be together no matter where they were in the world. it was just by chance. he then goes on to say that he only brought her in the house because she just needed someone, not that he magically fell in love - which is what he later contradicts by saying that he had immediately loved her in that moment. he lied. in s1, his first words when he sees el for the first time are quite literally, “it’s not will.” he initially planned to send her to an asylum after finding will.

that, plus the writer account saying they do not believe in love at first sight, shows that mike’s monologue to el in s4 is a load of bs.

mike’s monologue to will in s2 does the exact opposite, which is why it’s more believable.

not only does he not have to say ‘i love you’ to say ‘i love you,’ but in this scene, he does not give the universe credit for meeting will. there was no ‘destiny’ involved; he just happened to see will just as alone as he was and they bonded over it. mike emphasizes that it was his concious choice to approach and ask will to be his friend. he quite literally ends the monologue by saying, “it was the best thing i’ve ever done.” he gives himself the credit.

it was the best thing he ever done because of the life he’s lived with will. he did not know in that moment he met will that it was going to be best thing he’d ever done, he didn’t know how much he’d love him, he didn’t know the chaos that’d eventually come. all he knew was that he finally had a friend, and that’s what makes it so genuine and pure. the love grew naturally.

there was no love at first sight, because the writers do not believe in that, nor does the writing itself. jopper was not love at first sight, their love took time. lumax was something that both didn’t expect. jancy was something both didn’t expect either, one already being in a relationship and simply sharing her condolences and the other a rejected loner with set opinions on others.

the only one that didn’t follow this formula was mike and eleven. mike didn’t consider el in a romantic way at all until lucas told him that he should “just marry her already.” (ep2 or 3, i forgot). it was reallyyy early on. there was nothing natural compared to the others. mike felt he had to just because she is a girl and his friends said so.

i mean look at the face he makes right before he even kisses her the first time (after comparing her to family):

el sees mike as her caretaker in s1. mike is the first to provide any real care and shelter. but, she’s traumatized. she clings and follows on to the first person to show her real care. i don’t even think she saw him in a romantic way either until he kissed her. because she sees him as a caretaker, she follows through with it like she has to. now i do think there was some sort of eventual romantic feelings for mike on el’s side later in the series, but it’s not a healthy type. it’s a very skewed perspective due to trauma.

the only other relationship that does follow the same formula is mike and will.

they are endgame.

gootbye 🫶