#mikes words of wisdom | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

therainscene · 2 years ago

Text

It’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, but the Alan Turing poster really tells us so much about Will that I consider it to be a significant piece of foreshadowing for S5.

First, let’s dissuade ourselves of the notion that Will chose Turing for his hero project for nerd reasons -- Will’s preferred flavour of nerdery is escapist fantasy, not computer science. He doesn’t know what an IP address is and the first thing he thinks of when he hears modem noises is a movie he likes.

No, he chose Turing because he admires him for being a gay man who accomplished so much in his short life.

On one hand, that’s pretty heart-warming -- the fact he’s willing to identify with other gay men and look up to them as role models shows us he’s making good progress in accepting his identity. On the other hand, it’s heart-breaking, because Turing’s story is not a happy one -- he was caught having a sexual relationship with a man and forced to choose between jail or chemical castration. He chose castration.

I remind you: Will identifies with this guy.

Will is growing up under the twin specters of AIDS and homophobia and likely assumes he’s destined to die young too. He’s been abused and bullied so much, I imagine he’s heard and internalized it all: that he deserves to die, that he’s disgusting, that he’ll never be fulfilled in life.

So when puberty begins crawling its way inside him and implants those shameful desires that make gay men so worthy of abuse... he chooses castration.

For all the sad pining he does in S4, we never really see Will express desire for Mike -- he never checks him out or shows signs of nervousness when they touch. He behaves with perfect platonic decorum at all times...

...unless we consider That One Scene With The Hose.

Sexual interpretations of this scene are controversial, and I can understand why; we’re so used to seeing Will as this innocent, immature little boy that it's shocking to catch him fantasizing so lustfully, even though these sorts of thoughts are pretty normal for a 15 year-old. But I think that’s the point. We’re supposed to feel uncomfortable about this, because Will feels uncomfortable about it too.

He’s done well in accepting his identity, but he’s an absolute repressed mess when it comes to accepting his sexuality.

So, that’s what the Turing poster tells us about Will. Here’s where the foreshadowing comes in: Will is not the only queer-coded character to have been metaphorically castrated.

Henry’s experience bears striking similarities to Turing’s: he too was caught engaging in a natural but forbidden behaviour and forced by his government to undergo a medical procedure to suppress that behaviour.

His villain speech to El in 4x07, which is ostensibly about his powers, also reads very strongly as a scathing criticism of heteronormativity, and it’s covered in rainbow motifs.

The metaphor here is obvious: Henry’s powers are a manifestation of his homosexuality.

Which implies that Will’s homosexuality can also manifest as powers. They’re repressed because he’s repressed.

It’s not a coincidence that the sexual tension was through the fucking roof in the infamous sauna scene. Every time Will’s supernatural ability to sense the Mind Flayer triggers in S3, Mike is also nearby.

What’s interesting about Mike is that his queer acceptance issues mirror Will’s: Mike has a healthy relationship with his sexuality (he casually checks guys out and plasters his bedroom walls with posters of buff dudes) but he just can’t bring himself to accept what this implies about his identity.

Always with the symmetry, these two. They complement each other perfectly; one’s hang-up is the other’s strength. They have a lot to teach each other about being queer.

And as repressed as they are, I think they want to learn from each other -- Will lets himself get flustered when Mike flirts with him in his bedroom, and Mike hangs on to every word of wisdom Will shares with him in their heart-to-hearts.

Internalized homophobia is a powerful force, but their bond is so strong that it empowers them to fight back.

Henry’s powers symbolize his anger at being mistreated and his desire to take that anger out on the world... but Will’s powers symbolize self-acceptance and love.

So he isn’t just going to defeat Vecna with his powers, and he isn’t just going to get the boy: these two things are one and the same.

#stranger things #will has powers #byler #will byers #mike wheeler #henry creel #my analysis

4K notes · View notes

snake-in-your-garden · 2 years ago

Note

it is also 9pm here, just saying it before i pass out…i uave to go on another car ride tmrw

so happy new year <3

HAPPY NEW YEAR CRAWFORD

ITS NOT ACTUALLY NEW YEARS FOR ME YET its like 9 pm BUT HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE ELSE :)

#mikes words of wisdom

3 notes · View notes

joshfutturman · 9 months ago

Text

'birthday wishes’

oneshot (request) - you and abby throw a surprise birthday party for mike! (2.1k words) pairing - mike schmidt (five nights at freddys) + gn reader tags: pure fluff, you and abby put up decorations together, you’ve been her babysitter for a year, there’s lingering feelings between you and mike that neither of you have talked about.

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

✰ mike was never a fan of his birthdays, abby had told you. they sort of came and went every year with little fuss. you never brought it up to mike, knowing it was a sore spot for him. being abby’s babysitter, it was rare you and mike had a chance to talk anyway. he’d often come home, nod hello to you and you’d leave. a few rare times he’d sit on the same sofa as you instead of his usual armchair and smile at little things on the tv. you spent more time looking at him than the tv.

✰ but his birthday was coming up and you wanted to do something nice for him, as did abby. it had been a whole year since you’d began babysitting her, you guys were best friends - it was time for a team up attack.

✰ that night, you and abby got to planning. sitting on her bedroom floor, surrounded by crayons and different drawing stationary. she drew little pictures of different decorations, ideas for banners, balloons, the whole works. you smile on as you watch her, happy at how much she had warmed up to you over the year. but she notices you watching, arching an eyebrow and pushing some paper and crayons towards you. your turn.

✰ oops, it was well past abby’s bedtime by the time you both finished. gathering the papers with your master plans on them, you neatly place them in a drawer within her desk before tucking her into bed. you thank each other for the fun, and you disappear down the hall to the couch, your bed for the night. curling up, your eyes are quickly closing as you try to focus, and fail, on the tv. before you know it, your eyes are closed.

✰ mike comes home, but you don’t shuffle in your sleep and wake up like you normally do. he takes a few steps towards the couch, peeking over at you to find you still asleep. mike smiles, admiring you for a few seconds until he feels like a creep and retreats away to his bedroom. a few seconds later he returns with a blanket, placing it over you.

✰ you wake up a few hours later, embarrassed you’d slept in so much. mike actually cooks you some breakfast, you leave with a smile and butterflies. and he won’t admit it, but mike was glad you stayed for as long as you did.

✰ the next night - its go time. you brought home all the decorations you had both planned for mikes big day tomorrow, keeping them hidden in your car until mike left for work as well as some secret ice cream for you and abby. abby excitedly runs around with some of the balloons, giggling and debating keeping them for herself until you pull out the ice cream.

✰ “i think mike is gonna love this,” she says with the wisdom of someone much older than ten, nodding with the spoon still in her mouth. “you think?” you smile, glad to have abby’s stamp of approval. abby looks at you like you’re crazy for asking, “of course!”

✰ after ice cream, it’s time to finish the decorations. abby helps hold your chair steady as you stand on it, pinning up the blue bunting around the living room, attaching some balloons at the end. but there’s still more balloons to blow up, and it takes a while for you both to finish them - red in the face from all the hard work.

✰ you both stand in the middle of the room, hands on your hips, admiring the decorations and how you’ve both transformed the place. it truly looked like the party of the century was about to go down here. abby looks up at you with a great big smile, one that makes your heart melt.

✰ the cake is set on the table, a cute little round white one with blue icing and some blue candles. as you inspect it, you suddenly feel a little nervous. what if mike didn’t react the way you thought? what if he got angry? an image of him flickers in your mind, jaw clenching with that usual look of frustration in his face.

✰ abby gasps as she sees the cake and peers over the table at it with a wide grin, “it looks just like the cake he got me a few years ago for my birthday. . . he’s gonna LOVE it!” - and that puts your worries at ease slightly.

✰ you both wrap up on the sofa, ready to get a nap before he gets home at half six in the morning. there’s a movie on the tv you both enjoy, but abby is out for the count before long. once you know she’s asleep, you begin to relax too, drifting off.

✰ beep. beep. beep. in a groggy state you open your eyes and yawn to find your phone beeping on the coffee table. six twenty-five am, your phone reads. abby is up too, way too chipper for this time in the morning as she springs out of the blanket and begins putting the finishing touches on the decorations. she’s giggling all the while, running into her bedroom to get the picture she drew him for his birthday.

✰ she’d kept the picture a surprise from even you, but you knew it would be amazing - abby was definitely going to be a famous artist one day. with that talent, how could she not?

✰ you’re nervous as you place the small gift you got mike on the table beside his cake. it’s neatly wrapped in gold paper, a dream journal. he’d mentioned in passing about his interest in dreams, it was only once but you remembered. maybe he could use something like this? or maybe he would think it was silly. . .

✰ the sound of the car pulling up outside pulls you from your thoughts and you turn towards the window, seeing mike’s old beat up ride pulling into the driveway. “abby!” you call out, “mike’s home!”

✰ she runs through at the speed of light, stopping at the table as she holds the picture she drew tight to her chest. she’s bouncing a little as she stands, face absolutely beaming. you smile as you stand behind her, feeling yourself chuckle - her energy was so infectious.

✰ hearing mike slowly begin to open the door, abby lets out a small giggle. you watch on as you see him enter.

✰ mikes eyes are on the ground like they normally are when he comes in, not noticing much of anything. but after a few seconds, something catches his eye in his peripheral, something blue. his eyes dart up, noticing the decorations as he absentmindedly closes the door behind him, too preoccupied with scanning the room. he doesn’t even notice the two of you there, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. was this for him?

✰ “happy birthday!!!” abby yells, pulling him out of his daze and he looks over at the two of you. it’s the first time you’ve ever seen him smile like this. it’s soft and gentle and. . . genuine, sort of like how he smiles at the tv but this time it’s on you and it feels different.

✰ “happy birthday, mike!” you yell after abby, a little quieter.

✰ mike’s not sure what to say, shrugging off his backpack and leaving it by the door. he walks over to hang his jacket up, still looking around at all the cute decorations. “you guys did this for me?” he asks as he makes his way back over to the two of you. his eyes find the cake and his face softens even more.

✰ the only reminder he had of his birthday each year was the picture abby drew him, he kept them in his bedside drawer and looked at them on particularly hard days. he’d forgotten his birthday was coming up at all, choosing to let himself forget it. each year it had been a reminder that he was no closer to finding garrett - this year was different.

✰ “we wanted to surprise you!” abby admits, jumping towards him and giving him a small cuddle, he pats her back and glances at you with a shy expression. you’re caught a little off guard by this. what was that?

✰ “you did huh.” mike says, pulling back from abby and smiling at her.

✰ she holds up her picture to him, “surprise!” mike’s face shifts, eyes widening slightly as he takes in the drawing. he accepts it and holds it to look at it properly.

✰ abby glances back at you, and then to him with a sly grin.

✰ “this is. . . really good abby, really cute.” he mumbles and though his smile is shy, it’s also sweet, the same smile he only offered in private.

✰ “can i see? she kept it a secret from me too, but i wanna witness this masterpiece.” you smirk at abby and step over towards mike, standing beside him.

✰ the picture - your eyes widen too. abby had drawn the three of you all together, abby was beside mike holding his hand, you were on the other end of mike, holding his hand. there’s little birds flying around you, a cute little sun in the corner and everyone has big smiles. there’s a little love heart above you and mikes connected hands.

✰ “that’s. . . a really sweet picture abby,” you nod, feeling your cheeks run a little red. mike’s cheeks do the same and abby watches on in complete glee.

✰ “think its my favourite.” mike admits, half joking, half serious. he looks to you for your reaction and you look back at him with a laugh, nudging him with your shoulder.

✰ “i got you something too, just a small thing,” you say, sneaking towards the table and grabbing your little gift, “doesn’t compare to the masterpiece though.” mike sighs softly, “you really shouldn’t have. . .” “well, i wanted to.” you admit with a smile, handing him the present.

✰ mike reluctantly takes it, unwrapping it and holding the dream journal in his hands. he blinks. you remembered. he mentioned in passing being interested in this kind of stuff, maybe seven months ago. he remembers that specific night because you were half asleep. your head kept drooping and mike found it so adorable. again, a smile overtakes his face without him knowing.

✰ “thanks,” is all he says at first, opening it to trace his fingers across the pages, “really, thanks.” his eyes find yours and you can tell he means it. “it’s no problem, just something small but - i remember you said you were interested in dreams and. . . you can use it for notes and stuff.” you say clumsily, almost tripping over your own words.

✰ he nods and stands awkwardly.

✰ abby looks at the two of you, “completely hopeless. . .” she mutters under her breath, too quiet for either of you to hear before she waddles in, pulling you both into a hug. with a hand each on abby’s back and one on each other’s, you and mike embrace a little. this is the closest you’ve ever been and it feels. . . nice.

✰ pulling back, you all let out a little chuckle. this was the nicest birthday mike had experienced since. . . well, since.

✰ you turn away from mike, breathing a small sigh of relief to be away from his gaze for a second - were your cheeks still super red? whatever. you pulled a small lighter from your back pocket and bent over, lighting the candles on the cake.

✰ “come on. . .” mike laughs in disbelief, “you’re not seriously gonna-“

✰ before he can finish his sentence, you and abby begin singing happy birthday to him in sync. abby gladly takes the role of holding the cake with pride, aiming it up towards him. mike stands, glaring at the two of you as you finish the song. you both beam big smiles back at him.

✰ mike waits a few moments, cursing you both with glares before he reluctantly blows out the candles dramatically.

✰ “what did you wish for!” abby blurts out before correcting herself, “no wait, don’t tell! then it won’t come true!”

✰ but mike looks at you. he wished for another birthday next year just like this, with you and abby. unable to wipe the smile from his face, you catch his stare and smile back.

✰ you already had ideas for his next birthday, and it involved a lot more balloons.

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

‧₊˚ dedicated tags: @helen-on-earth @fatinhadesiners06 @boonam @sun-spider13 @laurrrelise @sammygirlism @sleepyhutcherson‧₊˚ ily all sm!! thank you!

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

193 notes · View notes

zvtara-was-never-canon · 7 months ago

Note

they managed to massacre Aang's character and all the struggle and importance of his choice in the finale in a SINGLE page, and yet there are people who think the comics are good

and of course Katara's would have nothing to say on the matter, toootally in-character

Not to mention: yes, Zuko is right that a lifetime of indoctrination won't magically stop affecting him just because he's aware of it now, but the way the comics really said "If you're not perfect, you deserve to die. Not rehabilitation, not even incarceration despite it being an option, just straight to violent, lethal punishment" is horrying.

And lets not forget the blatant abuse apologism of having Zuko, the kid who was told by his abusive parent that his disfigurement and banishment was "for his own good" after he made one "mistake", turning to his closest friends and asking them to be his "safety net" by MURDERING HIM IF EVER STEPS OUT OF LINE - and said friends then agree to it.

Are you fucking kidding me? The real Aang would have double-down on the "You're NOT your father" bit, and the entire friend group would have been super concerned about Zuko because a victim of abuse saying they're as bad as their abuser thus deserve to die is one hell of a red flag as to how their mental health is going.

Speaking of mental health: I talk a lot about how Azula was constantly being abused by the supposed heroes in the comics, and how the justification of it is rooted in ableism, but this nonsense with Zuko asking to be put down like a dog is also peak victim blaming, and one of the few moments in which one can actually feel bad for comics!Zuko.

And it ties into a disturbing pattern I noticed among Avatar fans - and mainly Zuko fans. They don't truly understand that what Ozai put his children through was wrong, they simply think he chose the wrong kid as the escapegoat. They think Azula should have been the one that is constantly punished just for existing, while Zuko is the golden child that can do no wrong - or else.

This moment right here? With the people that he trusts agreeing to inflict violence on him if he ever makes a mistake? This is that "or else". This is literally the same mentality that led to Azula's breakdown because NO ONE CAN SURVIVE UNDER THAT MUCH PRESSURE.

And that leads us to the main reason why the comcis suck: Yang was using Zuko as a self-insert.

"Zuko‘s relationship with Ozai is something we – Mike, Brian, Dark Horse, Nickelodeon, and I – talked about extensively when we first started working together. There’s this strange thing that happens to people in power. The pressures of power often blur the lines between enemies. That’s part of what happens to Zuko here. Ozai is the only one who knows what it’s like to be Fire Lord, the only one who has the wisdom of experience. I also looked at my own life. I used to clash with my dad quite a bit when I was a teenager. However, as I grew up and found myself in roles that he used to have, I began to understand more and more of his decisions. My father isn't thoroughly evil, of course, but I imagine Zuko feels a little of the same pull."

Yang. My guy. My dude. The words "Ozai" and "wisdom" should NEVER be in the same sentence. Every single action of Ozai's as Fire Lord was based on him being an abusive piece of shit that finally got access to absolute power. He is not a stern dad, he is abusive. He's not misunderstood, he needed to be stopped and locked away. He is a human being with feelings and motivations, yes, but he is WRONG ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING EVER. He NEVER had a point. Zuko has nothing to learn from him except what NOT to do. That's why he looks like an older, unscarred Zuko. A version of Zuko that never changed.

This is the core issue of the comics, and why it had so many moments of unintentional abuse apologism: they say Ozai is a villain, but they're going out of their way to constantly make the characters come dangerously close to saying "Maybe he had a point." That's why they have Zuko turn to Ozai for advice despite claiming he wants to avoid becoming like him - because the guy writting them couldn't understand that the bad guy was, in fact, bad and in the wrong and has no wisdom to offer to anyone.

Avatar, the series, is about the world moving past from the sick mentality people like Ozai had, and about his son realizing that he did not deserve to be abused. The Avatar Comics are about telling Zuko (and others) "Ozai isn't wrong actually, you'll understand when you're older."

No, Yang, they won't. Because there's nothing to "understand" here other than THE GUY THAT ABUSED HIS CHILDREN AND COMMITED GENOCIDE WAS WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING, YOU DUMBASS!

Saying "the villain had a point" does not make a story better unless it is true - and in Ozai's case, it simply isn't. Insisting otherwise doesn't make the story and characters more mature, it just means you couldn't understand a cartoon aimed at 7-year-olds despite being a grown-ass man.

And I won't even get into Bryke approving of this bullshit otherwise I'll start tearing my hair out in rage at how badly they seem to have lost touch with the message of their best work, so let me just use a simple statemet to make everyone understand just how much of a disaster this is:

Even M. Night Shyamalan didn't misunderstand ATLA to the point of thinking Ozai wasn't actually wrong, but Bryan, Mike and Yang did. The comics understand the show less than M. Night Shyamalan did.

I rest my fucking case.

#atla comics #the comics suck #zuko deserved better #azula deserved better

85 notes · View notes