#sophitz neg

[another-trans-nerd]

This post is discussing why Mileven is unhealthy. Don’t like? Don’t interact.

Funky fresh reminder that mike referred to el as a superhero while max referred to her as someone with superpowers…..

Hmmm 🤔 almost as if mike only sees her as what she does while max sees her as her while still appreciating her for what she can do

And yet milkvan still is viewed as “healthy”?

To compare it to the book series keeper of the lost cities (spoilers ahead), it kinda reminds me of part of Sophie’s arc in the last book.

Essentially, she finally is officially dating the boy she’s liked for years (his name is fitz) but something is…off. When they do their telepathic bond excersises, she sees exactly how he views her in his mind: perfect. He sees her as completely perfect. While a lot of other protagonists might swoon, it just makes Sophie uncomfortable. Why? Because she’s not perfect. She’s made shitloads of mistakes. She’s almost started wars, she’s tripped a bunch, she’s been tricked, lied to, kidnapped, been impulsive, and more. She is complex and flawed and struggling, AKA she is a real person. Fitz doesn’t see her flaws, and therefore does not accept them. It makes Sophie wonder if he’ll still want her when he does accept them. It’s also been showcased in the books that fitz is shocked and enraged when Sophie does mess up, as if she’s not a sixteen year old with the world on her shoulders. He only sees her as the good she’s done and some imaginary picture perfect happy girl, so when things go wrong he lashes out.

This dynamic is later confirmed when Sophie looks at some drawings via her other love interest, keefe. The art is beautiful and really realistic. More so it’s real. He doesn’t filter out any of Sophie’s appearance, like her posture and scars. He recognized the societally dubbed imperfections but doesn’t think she’s any less beautiful. The way he roots for her shows that he sees her for what she is: a capable and powerful person, but still a goofy and clumsy teen. He sees her, all of her, and still loves her fiercely. That’s what Sophie needed, that’s what makes her feel truly loved. Keefe knows of every scar, every mistake, and every problem Sophie has ever had, and he adores her even harder. So Sophie chose him (for now, the series isn’t over).

(I’m not being anti-sophitz, I think it’s a perfectly fine ship (though I don’t ship it myself), but it was fairly toxic the last book, with Fitz’s expectations and neither really being ready for a relationship)

My point is that milkvan is not healthy in the way mike sees el, and she knows it. She’s got darkness in her that mike never acknowledges or talks to her about. He sees her just for her special parts, like her powers, looking past the fact that she has killed people (they deserve it obvi, but like bro you should prob at least talk about the time she exploded like ten peoples brains). Max knows that el has powers, but encourages el to use them how she wants to for once, instead of self defense or for someone else. Max helps her claim ownership of her powers, making them a part of her not just who she is. She’s clearly trying to move past the mentality of doing everything for other people (mike) but goes back to it when it becomes clearer that mike sees her just for her powers.

El deserves to be selfish and have fun. The happiest we see her is when she is doing so. Mike never seems to accept that.

Mike is seemingly only like this with el, and only when they’re actively dating. He doesn’t pressure his other friends like this.

Mileven is an unhealthy relationship.

The duffers show us it’s unhealthy by comparing it to healthier relationships like elmax and how different they are.

Mike and El had a healthier relationship when it was platonic, and they will again when they (hopefully) break up next season.

El is caught in the same trap she’s been in since br*nner wired it into her brain. She equates her self worth with what she can do for others, and what the current presence in her life wants from her. It’s not her fault, it’s a result of her trauma.

Which is why she needs to be without a partner or major male presence in her life for a while. To learn to love herself regardless of what she can do for others, and without the influence of anyone else.

TLDR: milkvan needs to break up Jesus Christ