#the most condemning proof that mike is not in love with el

[love-byers]

"Look, Mike, you're gonna see her again, and whatever you didn't say you can say it to her then, okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah..."

[hawkinsschoolcounselor]

Mike Wheeler & The Closet

As we ever so slowly approach season 4, I want to discuss what is, to me, a very intriguing bit of speculation. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that Mike’s season 4 arc will deal with him being in the closet. 

I know there’s fans out there who like to depict Mike as being adorably in love with Will, but I’m afraid that we aren’t going to see anything like that, at least, not in season 4. I started thinking about this because of those “leaks” about Mike ignoring Will when he comes to visit.

When we last saw Mike, he was saying his goodbyes to Will and El, specifically in that order. He talked to Will in a guarded, but still earnest, manner. He was afraid Will would move on from him, but Will assured him that it was “not possible.” He then went to talk to El, oddly enough, in front of a closet. This was an awkward goodbye, as Mike tried to play dumb about having said he loved her before. When El kissed Mike, he didn’t respond. He stood there, eyes open, and looked confused when she walked off. 

The big moments seem to come after all of this. When the Byers pull away, we get a shot focused on Mike.

He’s sad, but visibly moreso than the others. When the others leave, he lingers behind. 

Looking at his face, you can see he’s grappling with emotion. His mouth opens and closes as if he has words he can’t manage to say. He eventually sets off, but not before looking back.

That’s a heartbreaking look right there. He’s looking back at Will’s house knowing he won’t ever bike back there again.

When he gets home, he seems in shock, almost catatonic. He stops and stands in the middle of the room, stiffly and unblinking. In a callback to when he returned home after Will’s “body” was found, Karen sees him and comes to give him a motherly hug.

Mike accepts the hug, but remains emotionless. The most we get is him looking down at the very end. Mike has feelings that he has no idea what to do with. I don’t think it’s because he’s dealing with losing Will and El. He’d be far more visibly sad if that were the case. Mike is an emotional guy. Even as a teenager, I think he’d noticeably be in anguish, if not outright crying onto his mother’s shoulder. This is someone who is temporarily blocking out emotion because of what it could mean.

The ending of season 3 could very well be when Mike first considered that he may be gay. Losing Will has always been a fear for him, and he may have finally figured out why.

It seems very intentional that Mike was left hanging like this. This has allowed fans to interpret things very differently depending on who you ask. Using available character and setting developments, though, I intend to hypothesize what I believe will be Mike’s most likely arc for season 4.

Mike now knows something isn’t quite “normal” about him. His likely response is to deny it, hide it, and, possibly, condemn it. This is where any tension between him and Will might originate. 

Mike is probably eager to get out of Hawkins. He may well be under heavy pressure to get a girlfriend, and any claims of his girlfriend “who moved away” would start to seem like a tired excuse after a while. This can come from multiple sources, including peers, other Party members, or even his own family. A visit to California would not only allow him a break from that pressure, but it could also give him some “proof” that he still has his out-of-state girlfriend.

Since we know that Will is doing a hero project on Alan Turing, there’s also a big possibility that he’s now going to be bullied in Lenora Hills like he was in Hawkins. We got a glimpse of El getting mistreated, so it’s not really a stretch to think Will gets it, too.

Will may not have done the project on him because the man was gay. Will may not have even known that, at least before doing the project. A nerd doing a project on the father of computer science checks out. Still, if other kids make the connection, especially if Will mentions it in the project, then I imagine it’ll be open season on him. This project appears to be due right before Spring Break, when Mike is scheduled to visit.

Will is likely to keep his mouth shut about any bullying, especially if it’s gay-related. He may have thought he escaped that, and he wouldn’t want anyone to know it’s happening again. Unfortunately, El wouldn’t be likely to know to keep quiet about that, especially since she’s getting bullied, too. He may try to explain it to her without her knowing the specifics, and, perhaps, she will do well with it, at least at first. She’ll no doubt be confused, but she’ll understand that he doesn’t want Jonathan, Joyce, or Mike to know.

What may happen in season 4 is that 1) El lets slip to Mike that Will is being bullied for being gay, probably in the course of talking about her own bullying, or 2) Mike witnesses the bullying. 

Mike will probably already be keeping Will at an arm’s length when he arrives. This wouldn’t be out of cruelty, but, rather, because Will reminds him of what he’s trying to ignore. Mike is likely to double down on El as his girlfriend, all the while trying to avoid any overly intimate moments with her. This will create some tension, and Mike may be visibly guilty about it, but believe it to be for everyone’s own good. In his mind, the last thing Will probably wants is to find out his best friend has a thing for him, and that’s if Mike is even willing to consciously admit that to himself.

Mike finding out Will is again being bullied for being gay may make it all too real for him. He likely thought Will would be away from all of that. When he finds out why it happened, he may criticize Will on doing his project on Alan Turing. He wouldn’t be trying to be mean, but he would be thinking in terms of the same self-preservation he’s been working on. Will, of course, would take it as disapproval, especially if Mike is overly blunt and defensive about it. Mike might also want to avoid associating with Will out of fear that people might pick up on his own internal struggle. 

This could lead to the rumored argument between Mike and Jonathan. A defensive, closeted Mike might be so harsh in his disapproval of Will’s project, as a result of him overidentifying with the bullying, that he might come across as a bully himself. It could create a rift between them that is similar, but altogether different, from what was seen in season 3. 

Internalized homophobia is a powerful thing. Mike and Will both have their own obstacles to overcome in regards to their feelings. Mike’s, however, are defined by self-loathing. He’s been brought up to see being gay as a bad thing. He’s never thought less of Will for the bullying he received, but that was before being gay became such a real thing. Before now, Mike was always able to see it as one of those things that happened to other people in other parts of the country. Now that he’s starting to realize what’s going on, the last thing he wants is to encounter it in his own life. He doesn’t have any ill will for Will, but the bullying, and the possibility Will is gay, only make the whole situation too real for Mike. He can’t ignore his own feelings if he has to acknowledge Will’s situation, as well.

Mike will badly need someone or something to help him get past seeing being gay as bad. This is unlikely to happen within the scope of season 4. Perhaps it might start to develop towards the end, after they return to Hawkins. If anyone could help with this situation, it would be Robin. Having a positive role model is an important step for someone coming to terms with being LGBT, especially in an environment like a conservative, rural town in the 80s. Steve may be important, too, as he’s a regular, “cool” guy who easily shifted from seeing Robin as a love interest to a best friend.

I know a lot of people are already looking ahead to Mike and Will being happy together, but the journey is just as, if not more, important as the destination. Mike is going to be alternating between concern for Will and fear of Will’s situation being his own. It’s not his feelings for Will that upset him. It’s the implication of what it means for him in the grand scheme of things. Mike just wants to be normal and accepted, and this is another thing keeping him from that. In a perfect world, he’d have both, but, instead, he’ll have to choose. Unfortunately, he’s not ready to do that, yet, and it will almost certainly get messy before he comes to terms with it all.