#steve who has been pining for Jonathan since s1

[jonathanbyersphd]

Imagine next season Steve ignores Nancy but won't shut up with Jonathan.

I believe in a season five Stonathan resurgence

[kurokoros]

something really frustrating about nancy ships is how the entire focus is on how the person is good enough for nancy, and never whether nancy is good enough for her partner. there's always emphasis on nancy deserves someone who loves, understands and supports her, but no one ever talks about how steve also deserves the same and that nancy has not done that in canon. if we can talk about how he wasn't—depending on your perspective—the perfect bf, she was also a pretty shitty gf.

you are sooooo correct for this, anon. like, in S1 Nancy got mad at Steve for him wanting to lie to the cops about something minor so he wouldn't get in trouble with his parents... and then she also lied to the cops about something. she got mad when he didn't believe her about seeing something in his backyard (and I maintain that she never should have seen it because it was daytime and the demogorgon is clearly nocturnal + had a fresh kill) then lied about what she was doing to go hunt monsters with the guy who was just caught taking inappropriate pictures of her through a window. sorry, but a quick "hey Steve, I'm going monster hunting with Jonathan Byers, come with" could have done wonders there. she got mad at him again in S2 for... not wanting to be the victim of a tragic accident a la the government for whistleblowing (which would have been a real threat if j.ancy's storyline wasn't made easy for plot convenience), got drunk and said some cruel shit to him, then acted flippant about it when he was mad about it the next day. and that's on top of the whole pining for another guy for an entire year and literally cheating with the guy she told him not to worry about.

her apology for the latter was not, in fact, an apology, and Steve was extremely gracious about telling her it was okay at the end. she has literally not interacted with Steve since then, has dated Jonathan longer than she dated Steve, and has not changed or grown as a person since then because she's never been called out or made to be in the wrong per the narrative. meanwhile, Steve gets his shit rocked at least once per season, on top of the verbal criticism and condescending remarks he often gets from the other characters.

saying that Steve "deserves" Nancy honestly seems like more of a punishment than anything, all things considered.

[crackers4jenn]

I feel like there's so much to be said re: Stranger Things and the evolution of how it frames its underdog heroes and how that's affected Nancy - especially in relation to the love triangle - because! Back when the show started it was full of those 80's media cliches, where the jocks were dicks and the nerds were misunderstood. Enter Nancy, who was toeing the line between both worlds via her friendship with Barb and her budding romance with Steve. When Nancy wanted to go to Steve's party and was, dare I say, excited about it, Barb was there to remind her - and us - about how out of character it was. But the thing is, it wasn't! Nancy is impulsive, she's flirty, she dives headfirst into her decisions, she's resolute, she's happy to take a chance if she knows the outcome might be favorable. It fit her characterization even as the show was telling us it was wrong, and that's because back then it WAS wrong. At least that's what the storytelling was saying. Nancy's a Good Girl, she's uptight and prissy and does her homework, why would she want to be with a guy like Steve???

Then you have Jonathan, the guy we automatically know is her Real Love Interest, even though she was smooching and being charmed by Steve. Of course he was, he was off brooding in the distance often, he was a shy loner guy who had a crush on the girl who was too busy aiming heart eyes at the jock to ever notice him. In season 1, the narrative was very much saying: don't worry, Jonathan, you're gonna get the girl. She just had to get the hot jock out of her system and then she'd wind up with the guy she was REALLY supposed to be with, the one who deserved her by virtue of, idk, he secretly liked her?

Buuuuut the show has since moved on from that framing. Yes, the nerds are still represented and saving the day, but the cliches for these 3 at least have been dropped, which means it's no longer a show concerned with making sure its underdog angsty guy who the whole school called a freak gets the girl of his dreams. Turned out, when he DID get her, he wasn't any happier because of it and they don't actually fit all that well together.

And you know who else has been changing too? Steve. Somewhere halfway through s1 he stopped being the jock cliche and became the underdog they wanted Jonathan to be. Now, in this more nuanced version of Stranger Things where Nancy's headstrong and it's a virtue not a fault, Steve wants to JOIN her, not hold her back, unlike Jonathan who's the one trying to talk Nancy out of her investigative impulses.

The show is telling us Nancy and Steve will get back together, not because he's the one pining in the corner and he deserves her, but because his character growth has been running parallel to her consistent characterization this whole time. He's evolved into the kinda guy Nancy's described wanting all along.

[memes-saved-me]

Just want to talk about Nancy a little. I liked Nancy quite a lot in s1, but her character has barely developed since. S4 even backtracked a lot of her development. It makes no sense to me that she would start to reconsider her feelings about Steve since even back in s1, she actually wanted to be with Jonathan. That's where my issue lies their relationship, since I do see it as cheating in s2 since one big fight doesn't equal a breakup and they never properly established if they were or not. Add on that she went into the relationship because she couldn't wait any longer for Jonathan, though it's obvious that it was because she didn't want to be alone. Also don't get me wrong, Steve had his issues in the relationship as well, he stuck his head in the sand instead of dealing with everything, which meant he also ignored Nancy's feelings and trauma as well. However, everyone seems to ignore Jonathan's role in it all. In s1, he tells Nancy how she's making a mistake being with Steve, that he'sthe safe choice and how she'll just end up like her mother. He continued to flirt even after Steve and Nancy got back together, he also made the first move in s2. It takes two people to have sex, so why is it only Nancy that gets the criticism, because as far as he was aware Nancy and Steve were together, and she had been talking about going back to him, Jonathan was the one pushing for her not to.

I'm not a fan of Nancy. Her attitude and classism just isn't for me but S4 just made me dislike her more. One communication issue and she's back flirting with her ex, like you said pretty much cheated on with her current boyfriend.

While I waaaaaay more prefer Jonathan and Nancy, their relationship isn't good either. The writers fucked it up by having them have issues in S4 for no reason other than to push a loce triangle that ended in S2 but only came back because they didn't plan anything for Steve to do after getting with Robin in S3 which clearly didn't happen.

I like Jonathan but he gets away with so much shit. The creepy ass photos, pining after Nancy for a year while she's with Steve and then acting on it. I'd say he probably thought they had officially broken up and he saw Steve rush out of the party crying so I'll give him that.

I'd also like to add that Steve didn't kill Barb. Nancy was the one who told her to just go home after trying to pressure her into drinking when she clearly didn't want to. So for her to try and throw her own guilt at Steve just wasn't it. I get it, she's dealing with her trauma but Steve doesn't deserve that.

I get where Jonathan was coming from telling Nancy Steve isn't right for her. She would end up like her mother which is only confirmed in S4 when Steve drops the "I want 6 kids" bomb on her which was super weird and creepy to say to your ex.

They just don't know how to write female characters at times. She was a bitch to Robin for no reason as well which I'll never forget so yeah I don't like Nancy and if her and Steve end up together I'll be furious

[revengeismygender]

Okay I know I bitch about season 4 a lot so here are some things I actually liked:

I like the basketball/dice rolling mash-up. Felt like classic ST. I like that they remind us that the highest stakes in the kids’ lives should be D&D and winning the big game rather than interdimensional war.

I like that the big bad comes directly from the opening campaign like season 1.

I like that Max gets a lot of the spotlight bc she deserves it.

I like that this season gives Lucas more to do and that he’s amazing at it. Ditto Erica.

I like Jonathan having a little buddy since he’s literally had no friends since S1.

Same goes for Nancy. She needs a friend and Ronance friendship is one of the best things ever. Bonus if they fall in love later but honestly having a platonic friend won’t hurt her.

I like that Jonathan joins the Mike Wheeler hate club.

I like that Murray gets to keep his little Russian pal this time #justiceforalexei. I hope they’re very happy together.

I like that they brought back the bikes and added bonus older kids on bikes. I literally squealed at the shot that flipped upside down and mirrored all eight of them on the bikes. More bikes plz.

I like that they found Reefer Rick via video rental archives. Very classic ST, very Scooby Doo. I like that the show points out that these kids figure out mysteries not because they have resources or money or adult help (which they don’t) but bc they’re clever.

I like that it was pretty. For the most part all the shots were really visually stunning. There were def times when cinematography outshone writing by… a lot.

I like that Dustin went from no dad in season one to two dads by season four.

I liked every single moment the actors improvised and honestly all of their performances were top notch. No notes.

I like that one of Hopper’s useless deputies is now the chief. It was a good choice since he is slightly less useless than the other one.

I like that El blows up a helicopter, continuing the grand ST tradition of not being afraid to kill people who suck/are trying to harm children and having no moral back and forth about it. Blowing up a helicopter full of military child killers is morally good.

I like that the writers were like “you’ve seen Steve and Dustin dynamic, now get ready for Steve and Max dynamic!” I like that he fills the role of the big brother she should have had rather than the shitty one she got.

I like that Papa dies and there’s absolutely no question about it this time. He is dead 5sure. I like that El doesn’t forgive him or give him absolution in death. One thing this show really gets right is that one sacrificial act doesn’t erase a lifetime of abuse. The show gets that with Billy and with Brenner. Five stars.

Similarly, I like how complicated Max’s grief is. Of course you feel survivor’s guilt over someone close to you who died for you, but of course you have mixed feelings when that person was a racist and abusive asshole to you, your friends, and your boyfriend. Of course you feel a little relieved that your tormentor is dead, and of course you feel guilty for feeling that way. So many shows are guilty of “redeeming” a character through death without any actual change or accountability and I’m glad we don’t get that here.

I like Robin. She is everything to me.

I like Eddie. See above. I am not immune to white boy of the month especially when he’s like *gestures at him* that.

I like Jopper. I feel it has been extremely well handled from the first hints in season one to the unrequited pining from Hopper in season two (that he never makes her problem, he supports her) to their sexually charged bickering in season three to her saving his fucking life this season… it’s amazing and I’m so glad the parents of the group are finally together.

Aaaaaaaaaand that’s it. But honestly that’s more than I thought there would be when I sat down to write this list.

[jessicahambys]

finished binging the s4 pt.1 of stranger things. spoiler-heavy thoughts under the cut:

summed up:

we miss the byers - as family and as individual characters. where did they go. why have they disappeared from relevancy to the plot.

we hate forced stancy. this season and all the steve-obsessive fans are going to make a steve anti out of me. 

lumax is the correct ship of the season.

as a jonathan and byers family stan, what a trash season. even tho joyce has a subplot with murray and hopper and jonathan/will have their cali plot going, at the end of the day? absolutely no content. almost no emotional depth. the plots and development have been given to el and hopper in these sequences, joyce moves to further the plot while will is floudnering to be given sexuality plot and jonathan is there for background space. horrific. we have come so far from s1. 

on the romance spectrum, as a stoncy/jancy/stonathan shipper, also a garbage season. why have they decided that stancy should be a thing again? and why did they decide to do this with ZERO developmenet? like, steve having a thing for nancy still? cool, canon, acceptable given how they ended. on the other hand, NANCY having a thing for STEVE? wild. why?? no development given. last we saw them, she was incredibly unstatisfied with steve, incompatitable. she found solace and friendship and kinship with jonathan and was happy - last we left them in s3 jancy were in love and steve???? fully prepared to move on with robin before she came out to him. both of them had moved on (which makes the steve still being hung up on her less plaussible but fine, let’s consider that now that robin’s out he’s back to hung up on nancy okay fine.) 

BUT NOW??? NOW it makes sense that suddenly, jonathan is across the country so now nancy’s catching feels for steve again? even though NOTHING HAS HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM that makes this make sense??? like, literally nothing. they’ve had ZERO solo interactions of merit, no real conversations outside of things related to the plot, but okay, totally makes sense for nancy to stare and for random 3rd person parties to interject into their lives. which is another complaint - why are randos commenting on stancy??? why are they wanting them to get back together??? because (again) no legit interaction has occurred between these two all season - they’ve had NO real interaction since...s2? everything else has been plot or pining from afar by steve. like, omg eddie’s whole speech about true love because nancy jumped in after him??? uncalled for. she truly would have done the same for any of the party i believe bc she’s a gryffindor at heart. but it was giving v much that random lady in s1 who told nancy that love is what made jonathan beat up steve, implying it was love for nancy that made him do it. however, even as a jancy shipper i recognize that no, it was love for his family that made him beat the shit out of steve. same vibes. random third person who knows NOTHING (literally nothing) about the situation butting in with their own opinion on a single event and dubbing it the cause of romantic love even tho the actual circumastances are not that at all.

so i’m dumfounded by the sudden stancy shoving. truly, it’s like the writers expect us to root for it because the audience loves steve and is supposed to want steve to be happy. what makes him happy? nancy, so give him nancy on a silver platter bc even tho it makes no sense for her canon development thus far, we want steve to be happy so who tf cares.

which also, speaking on this situation of steve - this season felt like it catered to him in a way. like he’s been pining after nancy so we’ll have him DO NOTHING and have the girl give him a second glance out of nowehere to make him happy. he’s jealous of his friends new friend? guess what, that new friend is actually jealous of HIM and thinks HE’S the cool one here. he contributes virtually nothing to move the plot forward? still given as much screen time as they can justify because the fans love him. like, lieterally - think about it. he served no purpose to the plot. robin and nancy led the creele lead while eddie, dustin/max/lucas have been leading the upside down lead. steve is v much like jonathan in the respective group where they are both adding to the plot in no real way (steve was dragged to the upside down but that could have just as easily have been one of the others and had no real connection to the character of steve) - but the difference is the writers don’t give two shits about jonathan, but they like steve so they’re gonna give him stupid dumb lines to feed into the himbo vibes given to him by the fans and have him take his shirt off and have the girl he wants have lingering moments with him too and try to do SOMETHING with a character they originally planned to kill of in s1. he’s a pointless character with lots of screentime and it blows.

anyways, i never liked stancy but I tolerated it and shipped it in certain circumstances prior (see: stoncy - we love a monster hunting trio). this season just made me hate them. on the other hand, didn’t think i’d come into this season shipping ronance, and on some level i still don’t, but i would 1000000000% take nancy breaking up with jonathan for robin over returning to steve. new teen ship ranking: jancy, stoncy, stonathan, ronance - then stancy only when its a pre-stoncy situation. 

the season has also made a True lumax shipper out of me. i preferred them to the other alternative in their triangle of dustin/max, and i thought they were cute in s2 but lost them in s3 with the other drama bc they were very much sidelined to support mileven in s3, but s4??? s4 reignited my love for that dyanmic as well as my love for lucas and max as characters (i liked them prior but now i stan). how anyone can leave this season not loving lumax and lucas and max as ships and individual characters is beyond me. im flabbergasted at how byler and steve have taken over the tag when lumax were the true highlights. 

i also stan how songs are used in this show. i feel like that was missing in s3 after we had 2 seasons of should i stay or should i go used iconically. i am so happy to see songs return as a focal point with running up that hill. dear billy’s ending secene?? immaculate. 

i think they have good set up of byler with will coming out, but im still on the fence about reciprocated byler. will def has a crush on mike. i think mike also knows this?? like he lowkey Knows the same way he lowkey Knew will was gay in s3, he just hasn’t actually faced it, and I feel like it can go either way with him. 

i think my ideal kid ships are lumax and byler, but i also wouldn’t be oppossed to a trio with lucas/max/eleven?? where lucas and eleven are max’s bf and gf. idk that montage at the end of dear billy was v much lucas and eleven heavy and i was feeling it for max liking them both. 

in regards to the seperate plots, i liked the plots this season. i was not vibing with the hopper plot initially, like hopper/joyce/murray sequences were times when I felt I could take my eyes off the screen and listen while doing smth else initially. that changed as the demogorgon bit rolled in. by the end i was vibing with this plot.eleven’s plot had me invested because i was so curious as to what happened at the end in her memory. i was satisfied by what happened. the cali plot had no plot, but I will take my byers scraps where I can. meanwhile, the creel story was the most interesting. i was most intrigued by max’s trauma and experiences with henry (dear billy is my fave epiosde of this lot I think) and nancy and robin finding out about it was cool. i like theintersection between it and eleven’s plot. i think the hawkins crew had the most intriguing bits of that plot in the first four episodes, and then el had the most intriguing bit of that plot in the last few episodes. 

[munsons-maiden]

I absolutely love worlds apart and I feel like I’ll always have new questions about it bc I’m thinking about it all the time, so I was wondering— we know monster slayer got involved with the upside down from s1, she’s been fighting this since the beginning we could say but I was wondering when was it that she got involved first like was she there with barb and Nancy at Steve’s party when barb got taken or was it afterwards around the time when Steve got involved at house? And did she ever feel like survivors guilt like Nancy? Ik nance was really haunted by barbs death and Ik the three were close, if you’ve already answered this I’m so sorry I must’ve missed it!

No omg I'm honoured that people even think about Worlds Apart and have questions 🥺🖤

Monster slayer has been part of the party since the events of season 1, yes. I very briefly mentioned it in Chapter 9 when she has her heart-to-heart with Nancy at Lover's Lake but it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it sentence, I'm putting it here for reference:

Nancy had always been the tough one. The one who got things done, the one who took charge and asked for forgiveness instead of permission. It was easy to forget that she wasn’t immune to guilt, or shame. You hadn’t been there that night at Steve’s, with Nancy and Barb. You’d copped out to study for the chemistry test the next day – and there would never be a day in your life where you didn’t wonder if it would have made a difference if you’d come. If Barb would still be here. Just as there would never be a day in Nancy’s life where she didn’t wonder if she could have saved your friend, had she not decided to walk up those stairs with Steve.

The reader never attended Steve's inofficial pool party because she studied for the same chemistry test we saw Nancy studying for in the series, but the way I see it, Nancy told her the next day at school right away when Barb didn't show up, meaning monster slayer has been questioned alongside Nancy, and she's basically been third-wheeling Nancy and Jonathan during the events of season one.

I actually planned a few bonus chapters of Eddie and monster slayer pre Worlds Apart since we know they've been crushing on each other ever since her sophomore year and his first senior year so there would be lots of secret mutual pining while diving a bit into their back-stories during seasons 1-3😁

Thank you so much for the question, love!🖤

[that-thing-that-feeling]

I disagree. I think the person Steve should express his anger with should have always been Nancy. But this time he should do it in a healthy way. She was the one who hurt him, lied to him and still has not resolved her guilt and blame over Barb.

Steve and Jonathan never had any connection or friendship. If Nancy didn't exist they would never have spoken at all. Steve misplaced his anger and insecurity onto him and already apologized. Nancy is the one Steve has a lot of unresolved issues that the Duffers just ignored and I hated the Winnebago conversation.

I've been wanting Steve and Nancy to have a real conversation that isn't one sided since S1. Sadly the Duffers don't care and squandered that opportunity.

So Steve and Jonathan, two OG characters on the show, should never talk even though they literally fought each other and fought the demogorgon together? And then it makes sense that they never speak again?

Nancy was in a terrible position and going through a lot and isn’t supposed to just stay with someone once they become incompatible. She tried to make the relationship work and then it didn’t. I get what you mean about wanting Steve and Nancy to talk though—it would have made more sense for them to talk and even become friends. But the show has decided that Steve has instead been pining for Nancy this whole time, wants to have 6 kids with her, and also the show won’t let Nancy speak in various situations with him. I def get not liking the Winnebago thing from multiple characters povs. It felt like a step backward for Steve and was weird as hell to do to Nancy.

[kaypeace21]

I have a question but I just want to say first that I love your theories. They’re very well thought-out and interesting. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you could explain how Mike is queer-coded? I’ve seen you mention it and I’ve seen others talk about his attraction to androgynous El, but is there more? Thanks!

ALOT MORE! I talked about it here in the past- but without getting too much into s3 (since I’ve already talked about s3 byler extensively).I’ll just have links for everything I noticed in s3 at the bottom of this post. In regards to s1 and 2, Mike was heavily coded as queer. But most significantly this was done in s1- arguably he was more queer coded than Will ever was. I won’t get into all the details (we’d be here all day) but the highlights, at the top of my head are-

s1

- Mike in his his basement has a red heart being propelled by a rainbow.

- 4 separate characters said El looked like a boy, but Mike doesn’t care! Even one of the men thought El might be the missing ‘Byers boy’. When El loses her wig , Troy said “she doesn’t even look like a girl” to the cops. But Mike just calls her “really pretty”

-Nancy says “I thought you were acting weird, but I thought it was because of Will” And Mike responds “I thought you were acting weird too I thought it was because of Steve … Do you like Jonathan now”?” Nancy: “No, do you like Eleven?”. They literally compared the explicit love triangle between Steve/Nancy/Jonathan to the Will-Mike-El dynamic!

- Mike literally uses gender inclusive pronouns when talking about crushes using the word “someone” (3 times), and embarrassing himself because he can’t articulate the difference between friendship and romance. When he could of simply given the 80s heteronormative  answer of ‘when a boy likes a girl’.

Mike: “ you go to school dances with someone. 

You know someone that you like” 

El: “a friend?”

Mike: ‘not a friend uh … uh someone like a” (gives up and kisses her)

-Mike’s mom said “ What’s been going on with Will, I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you. I just … want you to feel like you can talk to me. I never want you to feel like you have to HIDE anything from me” (she even emphasizes the word ‘hide”  (which is heavily queer coded)

- when Will ‘dies’, “we can be heroes” by David bowie (a bisexual singer) plays,   “And we kiss as though nothing could fall and the shame” is the lyric that plays when Mike returns to his house and cries in his mother’s arms over the ‘death’ of Will. Do I have to explain how ‘kissing and shame’ are queer-coded . And how such a lyric is oddly romantic- if we’re supposed to see their bond as nothing but platonic XD

-his dad jokes “Absolutely not” *turns to wife* “our son with a girl?”.

- when Lucas makes fun of his crush on EL, Lucas gets down on one knee  and says “ I love you so much, will you marry me?” and literally 1s later, we’re introduced to the bullies and the idea (for the first time) that Will is ‘gay’, and Mike is in the forefront of the scene and unlike his friends he is THE ONLY ONE physically assaulted (like a gay-bashing) .  They leave Lucas and Dustin unharmed. Even though Lucas just proposed to another guy- which should have gotten him a beating by the homophobic bullies.

It’s supposed to subconsciously hint Mike is queer like Will, and likes Will. The first interaction with the bullies, they mention Will being ‘gay’ right after they mention Mike’s crush on androgynous El and have a guy propose to Mike. Mike says to “ignore them” ( the homophobic remarks) but is assaulted anyways. And when asked what happed he doesn’t want to tell El the details cause he’s ashamed . 

2nd time the bullies talk about Will, Mike is once again in the forefront, unlike his straight friends who are in the background . But this time Mike initiates the confrontation), as the bullies say Will is “flying in fairyland with all the other little fairies. All happy and gay”. Mike was literally on the verge or tears at this comment (despite being happy a few moments earlier , telling the others to ‘act sad’ because they’d look suspicious other wise). But this is the comment where Mike snaps and pushes Troy back (because he took it personally/wanted to defend Will). 

The framing of Mike once again being in the front and snapping at the homophobic remarks (these gifs don’t do it justice, just rewatch the scene -Mike eyes water at the remarks). Then the last time the bullies appear , Mike jumps off the cliff and “flies like a fairy” (like Troy said) thanks to El . Troy at the police station even uses the word “fly” not levitate.

- Mike proclaiming “I’m the only one who cares about Will!” Seems like something a kid with a crush might say ( because obviously his other friends care about Will). But he thinks he cares the most.

-Mike sneaking out to find Will, as Steve sneaks in to Nancy’s. They both even make eye contact (and pretend not to have seen each other).

- they share dinosaur toys , in s1 and 2 they appear to be the only ones with dinosaur toys.

- The s1 mom hug scene where Mike feels he lost Will is paralleled in s3 - signifying how he lost him a 2nd time.

- Mike in the 1st ep being the one to insist on looking for Will in the rain (callback to s3). But he never went looking for El when he saw her through his window? Even when Mike saw Will’s dead body, the second he heard his voice he convinced his friends to help rescue him!

- You remember the binder (from s1) that Mike keeps, filled with 100s of Will’s drawings, and how he caresses the drawing after thinking Will was dead. That’s totes platonic.

s2

- Will in all 3 seasons identifies as a wizard. But in s2 Mike (the paladin) says Will is a cleric. Meaning this reflects how Mike actually feels about Will. In d&d, they have similar moral values, powers, and generally need and depend on each other in the lore of d&d. Paladins have similar healing powers to clerics, but clerics have stronger healing abilities - which is interesting since Mike has always been viewed as the protector. But to Mike Will has helped him (maybe deal with the loss of El and other trauma) , just by being there. And if Mike says Will is a cleric,despite Will still identifying as a wizard in s3, it shows how deeply Mike actually feels about Will. It shows he views Will as one of the only people who understands him and views him as a healing presence and his moral compass.

“ strength of conviction gave many paladins a sense of common fellowship but did not always endear them to others. In many cases, paladins did not get along quite as well with other non-paladin adventurers, with the exception of clerics with similar beliefs.”

“A Paladin tries to hold to the highest standards of conduct, but even the most virtuous Paladin is fallible. Sometimes the heat of emotion causes a Paladin to transgress his or her oath (of honesty, courage, compassion, honor ,and duty). A paladin who has broken a vow typically seeks absolution from a cleric who shares his or her faith or from another paladin of the same order. After a rite of confession and forgiveness, the paladin starts fresh.

-Mike stands next to Will under the rainbow poster

- Mike forces Will to dance with a girl, but you literally see Mike’s shocked expression like  ‘what,why’d I do that ?’ And after this, they show Dustin looking sad about Max/Lucas dancing and then they have Mike get into the frame (next to Dustin) and look sad when Will/girl are dancing in the same exact frame as Max/Lucas. As they switch between these 2 shots.

- All the mileven byler parallels or byler scenes were almost ALL initiated by Mike. If the parallels were meant to show a one sided love triangle (on Mike’s end). They would of made Will the instigator not Mike! Parallels can be watched here , start at 6:50)

-Mike initiated the “crazy together’ line- and in s3 he said ‘blank makes you crazy’. So subconsciously he knew the line had romantic connotations.

-Mike initiating the hand hold (with a zoom in shot) and in the show this is only done for romantic pairings. Also Mike being the one to initiate the ‘arm thing’ which is generally romantic. But in s3 , Lucas also does this, saying “I am spending quality time with my girlfriend’

-Mike saying, asking him to be his friend was the “best thing I’ve ever done”

-Mike constantly following Will around, asking if he’s okay or biking to his house to check on him. In s3 running out to chase Will to the garage and apologizing, and running into a storm to apologize a 2nd time.

YOU SEE A PATTERN! Mike is whipped! And is the one constantly chasing and pursuing Will, not the other way around! Before s3, people always portrayed Will as the (stereotypical- problematic trope of ) a sad-pinning-gay in a one sided love with Mike. It’s like people didn’t even watch the show (and just assigned tropes/stereotypes they wanted, that weren’t actually there). Will (probably too shy or scared to- because of homophobic taunts) never initiated a single byler moment- it was ALWAYS Mike!!! If people were actually objective, they would of thought it was Mike who was the one pinning! I talked about it here. 

We literally only saw Will pine or be jealous in s3 when Mike was in a relationship with El/when they fought.  

The cannon Spotify playlists

called ‘Mike’s basement beats’- These are character playlists that Spotify and St worked on together after s2.

-his first song is “small town boy” an 80s LGBT anthem about living in a small town and being queer and bullied. Every band member was openly gay.

-his 11th song is ‘don’t you want me’ from a “celebrate your gay pride” album

S3

I’m not repeating my literal essays so here are the links to pretty much all my s3 byler meta.  (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

- brief s3 mentions) it’s implied Will and Mike go on movie double dates all the time (right after he makes out with El). He celebrates the holidays (generally associated with introducing s.os) with Will/El. The breakup with El is treated comedically - and all Mike does is complain and burp on the couch. The byler breakup is serious (with the backdrop of rain)while Mike was visibly upset he hurt Will and apologized twice almost immediately . Running to the garage and then into the rain and banging on his door (s2 callback). The “it was the best thing I’ve ever done “ shed scene was shot purposely more romantic than the pool shed scene of “you’re the most important thing in the world to me”. The fact he think “blank makes you crazy”,and he used a similar line on Will in s2. The fact that Mike equates falling in love with girls as a part of growing up and his love for El as something “old people” say. While his affections for Will , he believes are childish (like d&d) and something he has to grow out of. The “I love her” scene was treated comedically. The last Mike/Will exchange vs Mike having his eyes open and not kissing El back . Not remembering he said “I love her”, and dismissing it as something he said in the heat of the moment. Mike looking back at the Byers house , then flashing to Will crying, than flashing back to Mike hugging his mom. Then those scenes having a monologue about not wanting feelings to change but how it’s inevitable.

Also we see in s3 (in El’s room) the return of the heart being propelled by a rainbow.

No hate, but I’m honestly flabbergasted when people think Mike is straight when he’s literally MORE queer coded than Will. Is it just my autistic brain seeing things as obvious, that others easily miss- or just people refuse to see it … or heteronormativity getting in the way?

gif credit : (not sure about the first 2, tell me if they’re yours so I can give credit), last 3 by  eggogorgon , the last gif by cath-avery

[sadbi-hours]

Here it is! Finally! My Stranger things’ Fanfic Rec list I’ve put off for months yooo! Anyway, I hope you find something to read and enjoy y’all :)

(Oh, the * at the front of the fic title means they are my favorites!)

* objects in the mirror by Snickfic  (Complete)

Jonathan has no f**king idea why Nancy and Steve gave him the Nikon. He doesn't know why they're so insistent on seeing the pictures he takes, either. 

why you should read it?:one reason: you can’t tell me that Jonathan doesn’t have a thing for taking pics during sexy times! you just can’t...and this fanfic is the reason why!

And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars Series by  Drhair76 (WIP)

The many adventures of Steve, Jonathan and Nancy as they figure out their relationship. (feat. Robin, the kiddos and a heck ton of parental figures.)

why you should read it?: Because Steve/Nancy/Jonathan’s relationship is the cutest thing in this little series...but it’s also very real in a way that’s not supernatural. Just go read the series! Warning: It does get a little angsty in later parts!

Emotion Sickness by  Shypt  (WIP)

After the Battle of Starcourt, Steve struggles with the damages that the Russians left behind. In dealing with the aftermath, with the help of Robin and the Party, he uncovers a larger conspiracy at hand than just re-opening the Gate.

why you should read it?: Post s3 fic, where Robin and Steve are left with powers after the Russian’s experiments...and how they deal with that and the large conspiracy at behind why. 

* it's a risk, it's a gamble by  nondz (pinkjook) (Complete)

“I think we should pretend to date,” Robin says.

"What?" Steve answers.

why you should read it?: read this post and all my feelings will be revealed...or aka the emotionally sweet stoncy fic where Robin and Steve pretend to be each others beards... that might have made me weep silently a few times haha!

* Strike from the Records (it's not over 'till we're done) by SylphofScript (Complete)

If there’s one more thing Steve should have walked away with after so many incidents with the otherworldly, it’s to never trust the slow points.

They were only ever a blanket of lies, covering up a brewing storm.

Too bad Steve never learns.

why you should read it?: A long connective fic, where each character is common or not so common whamp trope! So beware, it gets super angsty in parts!

Have Happened by cortexikid (Complete)

"I overheard you. You were talking in your sleep.”

Steve's heart fluttered nervously.

“It was a little funny at first,” Nancy admitted, her tone a mix of teasing and apologetic, “you were moaning my name and I thought it’d be kinda funny if Mike accidentally overheard you having a sex dream about his sister—”

Steve couldn’t control the guffaw that escaped him.

“But then you said Jonathan’s name. Right after mine. All in the same breath.”

why you should read it?: You know, why not! I’ll admit, this story doesn’t entirely work for me anymore since the monster hunting trio had grown so far from their s1 characterizations, but it’s still a fic worth reading! So i am rec-ing it!

Slide Over Here by empathieves (Complete)

Nancy says Jonathan's name instead of Steve's two weeks after the Monster Hunting Incident. Steve says it instead of Nancy's name a month after. They don't talk about it until two months after, when it's become increasingly hard to ignore that Jonathan Byers has become a part of their sex life without even being in the room.

why you should read it?: Another post s1 fic, where Nancy and Steve slowly start bringing Jonathan’s name into their sex life...and how they eventually act on their desires! 

Searching For Your Heart by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) (Complete)

One of the world's biggest action movie superstars is coming to town, and every kid in Hawkins High is determined to win MTV's back-to-school scavenger hunt and get a face-to-face meeting with their idol. Mike and his friends are sure they've got this in the bag— until the contest throws a wrench in their plans and their only shot at winning is partnering up with Mike's longtime crush, El Hopper.

why you should read it?: I’ll admit I didn’t finish this story...I was a little too fluffy for my tastes, but It’s still a cute story worth reading!

Bad at Love (Can You Blame Me for Trying) by GeoffsEightGreatestMistakes (Complete)

He liked to think the world was done throwing him curveballs. He’s had to kill the Demogorgon, get his face punched in by a crazed stepbrother, listen to his drunk girlfriend tell him she doesn’t love him, and tell his best friend that he’s a piece of shit. He thought he had somehow managed to catch enough curveballs for a lifetime. He was wrong. The newest curveball may be the hardest one yet.

why you should read it?: It’s Stoncy and my fav romantic angst trope: (not so) unrequited love/Pining! 

* every night my mind is running around her by magneticwave (Complete)

In which Nancy gets married, Lucas gets hot, and Dustin gets to give lots of people advice that he’s only moderately qualified to dispense. 

why you should read it?: This was my first ever ST fanfic! I had to add it on principal...of it being absolutely amazing lol! 

* Ducks on the Pond by The Stephanois (ballantine) (Complete)

Steve Harrington knows two things to be true: the St. Louis Cardinals are the best baseball team in the world, and Nancy Wheeler is far too amazing for him to hog all to himself.

why you should read it?:  It’s one of my all time favorite stoncy fics, it combines two things I absolutely love into one story: Poly relationships and Baseball (I won a MVP trophy in HS for Pitching) ...and also uses the age old euphemism of bases for sex;) 

Across the Many Miles by FeoplePeel (Complete)

Nancy packed her bags and moved out West for Caltech. Jonathan’s East at NYU. Steve’s in the middle, Hawkins, Indiana and separated from the only people who understand by a seemingly endless stretch of land on each side. The story doesn't start there, but it doesn't end there, either.

why you should read it?: It’s actually been so long since I’ve read this one...and bruh is it long...so it’s definitely not a causal read, but it’s very very good read if you have the time for a long, long story. 

* let this pass you by CallicoKitten (Complete)

Steve’s not entirely sure at which point in his life he became Dustin Henderson’s personal chauffeur. Okay, maybe that’s not entirely true. Maybe he can pinpoint the exact moment it happened and it honestly keeps him awake at night more than the demo-dogs or the Demogorgon or any of the insane shit that’s happened in Hawkins recently.

---

the kids drag steve on a trip to chicago to find El's sister, steve figures some shit out in the process

why you should read it?: It’s stoncy, the party, and a road trip all rolled into one...what more can you ask for haha?!

Talk Me Down by anomalation (Complete)

Nancy knows what she wants: Steve and Jonathan both, and maybe a fight. Steve knows he'd do anything for these dorky kids. Jonathan doesn't seem to want anything, but he'd also never ask them. And none of them are interested in forgiving Billy.

Featuring: some D&D, a Christmas party, a lot of relationship negotiating, no excuses for shitty behavior, and yet also the firm belief that nobody deserves abusive parents.

why you should read it?: Another really long, long fic that I completely enjoyed the one time I read it...and It had a nice and real redemption arc for Billy that I liked. 

* For the Three of Us by brokenpromisesandhope

5 times Jonathan loved Steve and Nancy and one time they loved him back.

why you should read it?: The summary pretty much says it all...

* decide on me (decide on us) by mjolnirbreaker (Complete)

Robin could very well die tonight in her stupid work uniform, and honestly she doesn’t want to dwell on it. So she’s going to make it her personal mission to figure out what’s up with Steve’s romantic life, and hopefully they don’t die before she solves the puzzle.

why you should read it?: It amazes me to this day...just how close to canon this author had gotten for Robin’s characterization and her relationship with Steve! 

* fly me to the moon by bleuboxes (Complete)

It's a Saturday night; he's watching one of those Star Wars movies with Robin - who won't shut up about how hot Leia looks.

Steve mentions something briefly about how he likes Han’s hair, rugged tough guy appearance, and general aloofness. Robin rolls her eyes, mutters an 'of course you do', then throws popcorn at his face.

why you should read it?:  Okay, I related way too well to this story! Han Solo was one of my bisexual awakens too...and I didn’t realize until years later lol! It’s also a sweet story about how Robin slowly helps Steve through his awakening like a real BFF should. 

God Help the Outcasts by willwrite4coffee (Complete)

Robin Buckley's always been a little different, but to her, that's never been a bad thing.

She's been on the outside looking in, an outcast, but she'd rather spend her evening with Sousa than at a kegger.

Being an outsider has never been a bad thing.

(also known as, why does no one know Robin in such a small town like Hawkins?)

why you should read it?: A cute little story about Robin and Steve’s friendship directly after the events of s3...and how the party and Nancy and Jonathan slowly begin to accept Robin into the fold. 

Oh, and anything by @trulyalpha! Here’s the Ao3 link!

[strangerfigs]

these are my biggest fears too but i feel byler doesn’t follow the ‘unrequited feelings’ that we have already seen happen in st compared to other pairs like dustin/max, robin/steve, steve/nancy post s2e2 - pre s4? and i fear it’s rose-colored glasses but byler instead parallels scenes of romantic/requited arcs, like jancy, jopper, lumax. we barely saw any pining on joyce’s side to hopper but we knew it was there regardless because of the subtle hints. but with the subtle signaling, which can be compared to byler, the general audience is aware they share feelings. but with byler, it’s like - they love these big romances, right? love is always a central storyline in st, they are always using seasons to build up those storylines, and i’ve noticed there is pattern within the seasons of putting a large focus on one pairing in particular. s1 jancy, s2 lumax, s3 jopper, and s4… byler. you could argue that the focus is on steddie instead but i wouldn’t believe it - i think it’s a red herring, it’s way too obvious but minuscule at the same time. they shared past feelings and we know steve had a hard time moving on, i feel like everyone can agree, that it pretty much felt like it came out of nowhere. i think it could even be another foil to the love triangle between mike, will and eleven. nancy obviously still has feelings for jonathan, she feels hurt by his distance, both in the physical and emotional way, and steve - who has changed a lot since she was with him, who she once loved - is there with her (which was always her problem with him before when she was going through the barb stuff - he wasn’t emotionally there or physically) but regardless her feelings for jonathan are still there. i’m not sure where jancy is going this season, or stancy for that reason, but there has not been enough one on one interactions with stancy for this to be the grand romance of the season like they have done per seasons in the past. i think it’s there for foiling purposes - for showing that you can be conflicted in your feelings for two people. like mike. instead, there is three separate heart-to-heart scenes with will and mike; and an argument that parallels one of the past season, will obviously pining, and m*levens relationship deteriorating. in the past, other pairs were built up on the sidelines too, along side the centric couple, like jopper, jancy beginning of season 2, m*leven, etc. but there is a pattern with one couple standing out among the rest. stranger things does an amazing job with its romance, and despite it being a sci-fi/horror, spends a lot of time building up quality romances. idk if it’s because i started to watch the show when i was 19, so i was older and unhealthy romance was more obvious to me, but i immediately did not support m*leven as a couple. i hate that it seems like im ship bashing when i say this because it’s literally not about byler.

i disliked m*leven before i even thought of byler as an option. m*leven was right of the bat, unhealthy for me. they were cute as friends but i was genuinely shocked at how fast they kissed. i didn’t expect it to happen that first season, both because i felt like they would want to build this central romance up further, like what kind of couple gets together s1???? and also because it was obviously unhealthy. maybe if it didn’t happen so quickly, it wouldn’t be. if mike didn’t kiss her and they continued as friends, building up their friendship into a romance in s3 instead, but no. and i don’t blame mike. of course i don’t. he is a kid. how is he supposed to know that kissing her was a super unhealthy thing to do? that there was this obvious unbalanced power dynamic between them? that el grew up in a lab - doesn’t know the world; is so vulnerable to it; has freshly escaped, let’s compare it to real life - being kidnapped as an infant by a cult, raised in some basement in the middle of nowhere with no glimpse at the real world. it was shocking to me that they went there, that they thought it was okay to go there. again, mike was a kid and didn’t get it and i don’t blame him, but it both startled me and scared me, but made me sad for eleven, and mike because it truly felt like they were both just kids, having no comprehension of what they were getting themselves into. i felt a protective nature to step in. but obviously they are fictional characters lol.

the duffers have shown us that these problems that m*leven was rooted in did not go away. el’s room being decorated in stuff mike gave her, and max telling her that she needs to ask herself what she likes, or what feels like her, was the first time i feel like anyones even asked el that which is really sad. ik that it’s hard to give gifts but the fact that mike had no idea what to get el as an apology gift also said a lot. if you notice in s4, el says she misses the spring flowers, and mike brings her the flowers - she has to specifically tell him! but anyway - el also shows these rooted relationship problems when she spies on mike - this was literally so invasive and unhealthy, and like mike, i do not blame eleven at all, not only is she a kid but the environment she grew up in was completely abusive and neglecting, she doesn’t know what’s healthy? - then, we see it again when el tells him she thinks hopper may be right. mike completely rejects this even though he is right but again, it’s coming from the fact that mike is a kid and immature, as a kid would be, unknowing to what eleven actually needs even when she tells him upfront (like how she asked if he would be her brother before he kissed her)!

and sorry; this didn’t mean to become an anti-m*leven post but i think their unhealthy relationship says a lot and all the problems they had in season 3 just grow bigger into season 4 - mike literally refers to all their other fights as “stupid, little fights” meaning he learned nothing from them, even though what they fought about before - lying, spying, possession, el needing her own space to develop - were all actual issues (and i really don’t think mike realizes it but i’m sure this is exactly how ted views his relationship with karen, dismissing all their arguments to stupid).

el has also obviously regressed in s4 with her obsession/need to please mike. so much of the space in her room occupies him, she lies to him to make him feel better “it’s like you said, it just takes time” and practically begs angela to tell mike that her harassment and public humiliation was just a joke - she is literally not even asking for herself, she is asking for mike. and then again when owens takes her; she leaves a note for mike saying that “she is off to become a superhero again” right after mike refuses to say he loves her, only focusing on the fact that she was a superhero who saved the world.

i still don’t think mike understands how unhealthy the relationship is, how inherently unhealthy it is, and how that it is in the roots of the relationship, ergo they can’t fix it and never would have been able to. he doesn’t understand why it’s this way because he is still a kid but he also seems very drained from it. he can’t say he loves her which frustrates him so he takes it out on others and blames them for it - blames eleven for pointing out something he tries not to think about. even if mike wasn’t gay, this relationships roots were always poisoned; and in comparison to the other romantic relationships in the show, none of been played out this way. the duffers write romance well - why is it that m*leven, the central couple of the show, is the weakest, poorest, most unhealthy relationship that fails every time it is under turmoil?

and that’s just comparing m*leven to the other romantic pairings in the show!! like m*leven is not treated like the other romantic pairs, stancy’s relationship was better treated than m*levens, and byler is not treated as the other unrequited pairs. it’s rly hard to know if we are just wearing these rose colored glasses but the duffers have proven that they are capable of writing good romance and ALSO good queer characters. it’s hard to put trust into 2 cishet straight men but they have people working alongside them to develop these characters/pairs. i am nervous myself, but in the grand scheme of things, they’ve handled romance well. they just really like keeping one characters feelings more hidden - max, joyce, nancy - it sucks because it’s harder because we don’t get to know if mike is queer or not with this method but it’s how they’ve always treated previous couples so, that makes me feel hopeful. sorry this was long, i tend to ramble just like robin

the scenes between byler ARE written to be intended as romantic but they could be doing that as a way to make it clear that Will loves Mike (it would be the worst way to do it but it happens) and that's what scares me, that they could have planned from the beginning Will being rejected and wanted to use his pain to advance the supernatural plot somehow.... it would be a cheap and boring writing choice in my opinion and partly queerbait in itself.... but I don't have control on the show and they could actually think it's a good idea (being straight men)

[falafel14]

My Big Totally Tubular Stranger Things S2 Reaction Post.

Best Things about S2...

Eleven and Hopper. These two becoming family was perfect. Their rules, their arguments, their broken promises, their tears, their confessions, the funny little dance. It was so them. I loved every one of their scenes together.

Steve and Dustin. The other best new character combo. The roots of this friendship were just so funny - i.e., you’re having a CODE RED emergency but all your useful friends are missing so you’re reduced to recruiting Steve to help you. Poor Dustin. He accidentally rears a pet demogorgan that turns into a killer pack of demadogs and all he gets out of this ordeal is Steve as his buddy and some bad advice on hair products and how to score with girls.

Steve in general. He may have lost Nancy and got himself beaten to a bloody pulp (again) but on the upside he gets to be everyone’s new favorite character. No hype! Exasperated-babysitter!Steve is the best thing ever.

More Will. After his largely off-screen role in S1, Noah Schnapp gives the performance of the season as Will/the Shadow Monster. The kids on this show are all outstanding but Noah blew my mind. All the awards for this kid please. But also...it would be nice if Will got a non-victimy story in S3.

Bob the Brain. Don’t touch me. Don’t talk to me. I’m inconsolable. Bob was a fucking superhero. Sean Astin! My Sam! My Goonie! He was perfect. I hurt my throat screaming “RUN!” at my TV and I’m still crying.      

Joyce’s House. Specifically this reoccurring theme of Joyce’s house becoming a surreal art exhibition and not the best signifier of her sanity each season. May it continue. The Byers house is the best house. And Joyce is the best mom. Bless her crazy lady Momma Bear dangerous driving. 

Eleven solo episode. Seriously? Some fans didn’t like this episode? Okay. But with a season that has three largely Elevenless (Janeless?) episodes I was so ready to have a full episode of Eleven running away and joining a gang of punk vigilantes in the city and getting a badass makeover. As much as I have raved about Noah this time, Millie is still a total powerhouse.

Justice for Barb. Yeah, I loved Barb. I didn’t want Barb to die. But seeing as she clearly did die in S1, I’m glad they didn’t try to reverse it due to fan pressure. I think the focus on Barb’s loss in S2 was just the right response.

Dustin and Lucas’s families. Finally! They both have families! And they are hilarious. Dustin’s mom and Lucas’s little sister especially.

The Snowball. This took me by surprise. What a wonderful surprise ending! With 20 minutes left after the gate was closed I was just expecting something else horrible to happen. Instead we got adorable scenes of kids dancing and Joyce/Hopper sharing a smoke in the parking lot. I was always going to cry at Mike/Eleven dancing at the Snowball but I was in no way prepared for the Nancy/Dustin dance. Totally got me in the feels.

Worst (Stranger) Things about S2...

Not enough Mike. In a season where everyone else got a great individual storyline, I felt like Mike missed out. After being the leader of the kids gang in S1, here he was reduced to pining over Eleven, worrying about Will and nothing else. There were hints of Mike having anger issues and that one scene where he explodes at Hopper was great, but his rage should’ve been better developed. Don’t underuse Finn Wolfhard next season!

Billy and Max. I didn’t hate them but I didn’t really see the point of them either. Honestly I kept waiting and hoping for someone to find 9 and 10 tattoos on their arms. But no, they were just new kid characters. Max’s only purpose was to give Lucas a love interest and to make us wish Eleven was hanging out with the boys instead. Billy’s only point was to be the new dickhead popular boy who bullies Steve so that we can all start liking Steve. But I already had a soft spot for Steve since Nancy drunkenly destroyed his genuine feelings for her. Well actually, I’ve had a soft spot for Steve since seeing his Christmas jumper. So Billy just wasn’t needed (aside from giving Steve a dark slash pairing?). Also the whole “bully is bullied by his father” cliche didn’t work for me.

THAT beloved character death. Noooo! Whyyyy????!! 

Other (Stranger) Things about S2...

Nancy and Jonathan. I’ve never really cared about this couple, but I did love how their hook up was handled so amusingly, with the conspiracy nut journalist openly shipping them and then forcing them to confront their unresolved sexual tension. I’ll like any ship if you make it funny. 

Dart. Dude, I’m a vegan, but I was kind of on Mike’s side when he wanted to kill Dustin’s pet before he turned into a demogorgan and multiplied and killed a load of people. Including Bob and Mews the cat. But then, the scene where Dustin tamed Dart with nougat was genuinely touching.   

The Upsidedown. What’s with all the feathers in the dark place? I keep imagining shadow monsters having pillow fights in the tunnels when nobody’s watching. It’s funny how it’s just not mentioned.

Eleven’s other siblings. Meeting Eight and Jane’s mom was a nice expansion of the mythology. Where are the other nine?

Overall? MUCH LOVE!! Roll on S3.

[jobethdalloway]

okay i finished stranger things 2

who wants to talk? (spoilers below, obvs, in a long-ass rant)

-winona ryder gave me all the feels. feelings i didn’t even know i had. feelings i have not accessed in a long time. she also accomplished the truly incredible, which was to dramatically shout the name “bob” in a way that didn’t make me laugh about the name bob. (this is a universal thing, right? i mean, it’s why they named him bob. bob is such a silly name.)

-speaking of which, this was me when i realized bob wasn’t going to make it:

bob you were so pure. you were too good. that’s why you had to die, i guess. RIP barb ‘n’ bob

-but honestly, why did he stop when he saw joyce?!? his fight or flight should’ve had him running out that door and grabbing her with him. he shouldn’t have had to die

-also why didn’t the doc die? why was he just like, lightly mauled? why did they not devour him too? why was he allowed to live? was that just a total plot contrivance??

-millie bobby brown continues to crush it. i mean, ALL the kids are amazing but she truly does something special. i think it’s something to do with the fact that she’s playing a girl i’ve never really seen before. a kid who doesn’t know what it’s like to interact with other kids. that shows in really minute ways. off the top of my head (since it was the last episode) the bit where dustin shows her his new teeth and does his little “sexy” purr thing, it cuts to her quietly baffled look. She does that kind of thing a lot - these very understated reactions where i think another kid (or a different director) might’ve gone for something more exaggerated 

-so much body horror this time around. will being possessed by the shadow monster fundamentally disturbed me. his spasming after the vines got set on fire was also deeply disturbing. sean astin being devoured i could kind of handle seeing (despite my devastation) bc those cgi things aren’t real but Will twitching and screaming and crying was very very real and that little boy deserves all the awards

-also on the body horror note: holy shit, 11′s mom. that was so horrifying. 

-that scene where joyce and mike are sharing memories with will in the shed? i cried. also someone else was there i think?? hmm that brings me to

-jonathan, who i have not forgiven. So many people I know irl watch/love this show, and yet I seem to be the only one upset by the fact that he photographed nancy while she was undressing - without her knowledge - and it’s never addressed?? strike that, it’s addressed when steve broke his camera in retaliation - but we’re supposed to feel bad for jonathan and be angry at steve??? bc boo hoo jonathan’s the town weirdo nobody understandz (*cough* duffer brother stand-in *cough*) and steve’s just a big ole jock meanie

-i mean i get that they redeem steve - back in s1!!!!! - and i loved him in this season. i do wish he’d told dustin to cool it a bit when he was being mean to max but other than that i loved him. i liked that he still pines for nancy but wasn’t a jerk about it

-I was hoping tomboy Max would like girls but wasn’t counting on it, and then I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked her and Lucas. That talk they had on top of the school bus really got me, idk what to tell ya

-didn’t love the whole Billy red herring thing. I kept expecting him to be like ... idk a vampire or something ridiculous but he was just a really abusive guy. And while of course that’s something to consider exploring, I think they pushed the mystery of it way too hard. Way too hard. 

-that said, max saving steve/the boys from him was nice

-11′s makeover was SO BADASS. i loved it. her outfit was sick. I knew it’d never happen but i really really really wanted her to show up to the winter dance in a suit. that would’ve been so kickass and she would’ve rocked it. 

-look, I get it, like I understand why 11 would be sensitive about Max being part of the gang. But it still killed me a little inside when 11 wouldn’t shake her hand when they met, or say a word to her. I reassured myself by assuming we’d see them be friends in the resolution BUT NOPE. That really kinda stung. This show is dodgy enough with its treatment of women; it didn’t need to add that “jealous female” thing into it. At least, not to stay. I really wanted to see them being cool together. >1 girl at a time.

-I guess we kind of got that with Kali! Who I sort of thought would somehow show up in the finale until I realized she had no idea where 11 came from. I was p conflicted about that whole episode. I think learning to channel anger and validating it can be important, and I liked the sweet moments they shared (brief as they were) and as I said obvs I loved the makeover. But when 11 couldn’t bring herself to let their target be harmed, my first thought was “oh bby ur so pure and I love you, sweetheart, please don’t change <3333.” My next thought was “oh shit this is lowkey racist isn’t it” bc I thought of that scene in the newest season of OITNB where alex vause is human and doesn’t want to watch the guards get cavity-searched while Ruiz is all like AAAAYYYYYYYY YES LET’S BE INHUMAAAAAANE!!!!!

-also what was with Funshine calling 11 “miss jane”? did that give anyone else serious antebellum vibes???

-while that guy did in fact have a sick mohawk, wouldn’t that be kind of an incriminating hairdo? it’s not like a mask or a hood could hide it

-to be fair that episode had my favorite exchange of the season: “why do you want to go back there? they can’t save you.” “no. but i can save them.” 11 being a hero is everything.

-incredible soundtrack

-and of course, so compelling as to be binged. despite being so derivative

-my brother likes to eat 3 musketeers bars by eating the chocolate off and then eating the nougat. dustin reminded me of him.

-POOR MEWS UGH. MEWS. </3

WAYS YOU COULD TELL THIS SHOW WAS WRITTEN BY NERD DUDES (mostly in the finale)

-nancy telling dustin that girls his age suck and one day they’ll be dying to be his date. Look, dustin crying at the dance bc no one wanted to be his partner was heartbreaking. It legit got me. And I was so happy when nancy went over to dance with him. but she didn’t need to be written to throw other girls under the bus

-the Bored Housewife is sexually aroused by Teenage Bad Boy = LOLOLOL!!!! i don’t think i need to elaborate here

-11 showing up in a dress and mike calling her beautiful

-idk why but i just really didn’t want them to be, like, a romantic thing. i was thrown off when mike kissed her in s1 (they were even littler then, little bbys). idk i guess i just really wanted them to be a thing that showed boys and girls could be really good friends. i love 11 and i love mike but them as a thing idk it just kinda irks me

-max using “stalker” as a term of endearment for lucas

-mike hating on max was also very frustrating, as was the implication that lucas and dustin only wanted to befriend her bc they Like Liked her. I get that this all probably feels representative of the 8th grade boy mindset, but can’t we change that? i mean i guess mike eventually has to come to accept her since she saves them from billy and drives them, but seeing/hearing an affirmation of it would’ve been great - instead of just, “we already had a girl and she’s gone and i hate you bc you’re not her, Other Female”

-again, sorry, i have not forgiven how they wrote jonathan. i’d be on board with him if he hadn’t shot those creepy pictures of nancy - which again, she is way WAY too cool about. Also that perverted “journalist” creep? Wtf? giving teenagers vodka and then telling them to have sex?? wtf? So gross. Hated that. Hated them getting together. Gross. So awful. I’m not saying she like has to be with steve but again, but could she just not be with the pervert who violated her privacy? thnx

-no consideration at all for 11 and max being friends. I knowwww the bechdel test isn’t the end-all/be-all for Feminism in movies, but I think a lot of people subconsciously give this show a pass bc it has some great girls/women in it - all white, of course (Kali’s figuring in is complicated; see above). It’s like the slew of hollywood heroines like Rey, the Rogue One lady, Wonder Woman, and so on - give ‘em one Strong Female Character and BOOM!FEMINISM. But it’s like, joyce & a bunch of the boys. Nancy & multiple dudes. 11 & her guy friends bc SHES NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS. max & the guys while 11 was away. It’s not that the women/girls never interact on the show, it’s just that they rarely do in a meaningful way (perhaps another positive takeaway from “the lost sister”)

[killing-for-candy]

ST rant #1

People are still like “TEAM STANCY HOPE NANCY REGRETS HER DECISION TO FOR BEING WITH JONATHAN” and I just... Don’t get that. I don’t. Nancy was emotionally manipulative and foolhardy and she lied to Steve about being in love with him for nearly an entire year while she secretly pined over another boy. And it isn’t that I hate Nancy. I rather like Nancy, I really feel her struggle to bring justice for Barb. I also acknowledge that Steve and Nancy definitely weren’t on the same wavelength. When Nancy expressed to Steve that she couldn’t handle feeling responsible for Barb’s death, Steve didn’t exactly offer her any solace. He didn’t do anything wrong by being rational, btw; he reminded Nancy that they couldn’t uncover Barb’s death without betraying their governmental contract to keep their mouths shut. Instead Nancy ended up teaming with Jonathan again by devising a plan to safely — without their own exposure — unveiling some truth about Hawkins Laboratory. I’m just so tired of the Stancy v Jancy debate, tbh. I’m exhausted from the teen love triangle. The effort that goes into Anti-Jonathan rants is hilariously bad, since most people can’t take their shipping goggles off long enough to realize Nancy was a loser POS to Steve. And most fans who claim they hate Jonathan are mad because the dude ended up with Nancy and he’s “not as attractive” as Steve. As if anyone really thinks Charlie is better looking than Joe, pfffff. (I mean, I’m annoyed in a different way. Jancy was so well written in s1, but s2 Jancy was so rushed and pointed. It definitely ruined the relationship for me; I’m hoping for an improvement but I doubt it’ll happen) You can hate Jonathan for the camera incident in season one even though he deeply apologized, had his camera smashed, and ended up being the catalyst for the discovery of Barb being dragged to the Upside Down, whatever... what he did was REALLY shitty, but Stancy as a whole is a very generic teen relationship and Nancy was point blank abusive to Steve. It doesn’t have anything to do with Jonathan who truly paid his penance for being a creep in season one (here comes another rant one of these days.......) also he completely backed off from Nancy when Steve came back into the picture, just saying. Imagine how emotionally taxed Jonathan would have been after the week from hell when his brother had gone missing/died... Just saying. LOL. (But plenty of people miss the fact that the Byers are most likely struggling financially, hence the reason Jonathan was out late working the night that Will disappeared) Steve deserves better. That’s all. Also I’m probably always going to love Jonathan over Steve and that has nOTHING to do with Nancy. But I still love Steve. Xoxo