#this is mike and el friendship agenda

[blueraine]

it sucks watching stranger things 1 and thinking wow mike and eleven are so cute i love their friendship and then knowing what happens to them in later seasons

[butter-bubbles]

How Mike's S4 Rink-o-Mania Fight Parallels Will's S3 Rain Fight....

OMG, OMG, OMG. So while allowing chronic Byler brainrot to consume my thoughts, I had a revelation and I'm not okay. Like at all.

Okay, so in S3 with the iconic Byler rain fight, Will says this:

This whole fight stems from two feelings.

Will's upset that Mike's ignoring and neglecting their friendship to "swap spit with some stupid girl", thus ruining their party.

Will feels abandoned by the person who he's developing romantic feelings for and doesn't know how to handle it.

This was never about the party, not really. It was about Mike's failure to be a good friend to Will and Will's frustration at not being a priority in Mike's life when Mike is a huge priority in his.

Now, let's look at what Mike says to Will during their Rink-O-Mania fight:

This is an interesting choice of words, as it's not an exact parallel to "ruining". Instead, he says "sabotaging", as though Will was actively trying to ruin their date by being snide and sarcastic. Implicitly, it reveals to the audience that Mike believes Will has enough influence over his and El's date to ruin it at all with some very minor sass.

But let's put that aside for a moment and think about what Mike is actually talking about here, since it clearly has nothing to do with El

Will is attempting to sabotage his relationship by... not being as nice and emotionally invest in Mike as he usually is.

Now we know that at the end of S3 that Will promises not to join a new party, and Mike breaks out into this absolutely elated smile.

But at the beginning of S4, Mike fiinds out that Will might have a girl he likes via the letter from El.

Will brings the girl's painting to the airport, Mike does not ask about the girl/crush (like most friends would) but instead very weirdly/passive aggressively questions Will about the painting after awkwardly ignoring his hug, and then spends the remainder of the date pretending to ignore Will and getting pissed at him.

So for reason number #2 we can deduce:

2. Mike is upset that Will is neglecting their relationship for a girl by bringing her painting to their reuinion at the airport and not paying attention to him/acting rude during his date with his girlfriend.

If you look at the reasonings side-by-side, they're basically exact parallels to one another, even down to the immediate denial from both Mike ("That's not true!") and Will ("She was lying to you!"). In fact, I'd argue Mike's accusation is even more damning because it's basically admitting that Will has influence over his relationship with his girlfriend and that he believes Will is intentionally ruining something dear to him, while Will's accusation is more about Mike's inconsiderateness/selfishness. Mike lets Will know Will has influence over him through his willful acts of sabotage whereas Will doesn't even think Mike is considering him at all/he has no influence over Mike because he's too wrapped up in his relationship with El. Will accuses Mike of "ruining our party" because his feelings for Mike go deeper than friendship and therefore he feels neglected when he isn't Mike's priority, and Mike accuses Will of "sabotag[ing] the whole day" because his feelings for Will go deeper than friendship and he feels neglected when he isn't Will's priority.

This parallel just seems like further proof that Will's feelings are reciprocated because there's no way it's a coincidence that both of their signifcant fights in S3/S4 mirror each other so perfectly if the show wasn't trying to communicate that they have mutual romantic feelings/crushes towards one another. They're literally having the exact same argument, but this time it's flipped with Mike expressing disproportionate anger at Will's lack of interest in him. This is great foreshadowing for the #WillfellfirstbutMikefellharder agenda!!

[rainypebble07]

My Byler Fanfics (and a short introduction to each one- so you can find your perfect match)

Hello! I'm trying something new because I feel like my prior fic masterpost with my honest opinions was too many words to look at, so I'm just gonna list the best parts of each of my fics and you can see if you're interested!

It Wasn't a Bad Thing- Don't read this. It was my first fic and it's bad. I did write a rewrite though, which comes up later in the list.

How To Handle Your Love Life and the Apocolypse at the Same Time- Takes place after season four, TONS of Nancy and Mike stuff, Will and Mike in the Upside Down, Mike might sing, MIKE AND NANCY GIRLS' NIGHT, one of my earlier fics but still decent! (46k words)

Much Ado About... Something?- High school theatre AU, they put on Much Ado About Nothing, Mike's a theatre kid, Suzie and Dustin in tech make me happy, very angst at the end, MURRAY'S THE DIRECTOR SO YOU KNOW THAT IT'LL BE GOOD, my most kudos-ed fic. (54k words)

The Unwanted Return of Everything (And How it Finally Ends)- Long, possession stuff, everyone's in college but they have to come back to Hawkins bc the Upside Down is back, decent plot twists, Will has a boyfriend so JEALOUS MIKE, there's like three different conflicts, angsty angst sometimes (76k words)

Shady Business- My fav, Superspy AU, Will's working for the evil corporation and is secretly trying to take down the agency Mike works at, Mike writes a poem, suspenseful plot, gala gala dancing dancing, just my favorite thing ever idk what else to say (54k words)

Mike Wheeler's Guide to the Undead- LITTLE BABY MIWI, Will died in the upside down and comes back as a zombie, cute cute cute, the little baby party, Nancy Wheeler, Miwi again, heart-to-heart on top of a crypt, we get REVENGE on Troy Walsh, it's younger Mike so he's sweet (31k words)

It Wasn't A Bad Thing (REWRITTEN)- Mike's a florist, Will own's a tattoo parlor, El and Mike and Will all have POVs as they try to figure themselves out, my aro/ace Eleven agenda is showing, Mike and Nancy, Will and El!, Mike's an absolute disaster, the zoo, Robin and Will friendship, Mike and Will get matching tattoos, the angst very much agnsts (52k words)

If Time Runs Out- Pirate AU, Mike's a royal and he gets kidnapped by pirates, Jonathan's the captain, so Jancy's also there, Will teaches Mike to sword fight, Mike teaches Will to waltz, Mike has internalized piratephobia, Murray can tell the future, Steve has a ship called the toddfather (70k words)

Alright! That's all! Hopefully, you found something you are interested in!

[strawberrybyers]

how to say you’re homophobic and lack the ability to analyze the media you consume without actually saying you’re homophobic and lack the ability to analyze the media you consume:

“it’s the 80’s there weren’t that many gay people around”

“mike and el have been a couple for the past 4 seasons so having mike and will date would come from out of nowhere”

“will is a homewrecker and destroying mikeven”

“el is going to hate will”

“i hope mike is homophobic towards will”

“you want el to be sad and alone”

“you’re delusional. not everybody needs to be gay. i hate this woke agenda netflix puts out there”

“you wanting a traumatized girl who finally found love to have her heart get broken for two white boys to get together is disgusting”

“why can’t you let two boys just be friends? none of their interactions are romantic stop fetishizing them”

“this show isn’t only about ships! stop analyzing everything thinking it points towards byler becoming canon!”

“they’re 14/15. friendships change at that age and honestly will needs to get over it! of course mike is going to pay more attention to el that’s his girlfriend”

“will is jealous of mike because he has a crush on el”

[you-usuratonkachi]

This is my interpretation ofc but I think both El and Mike have savior complex syndrome towards each other, which is why they are incompatible (aside from everything else).

In S1, El was a hero with powers but essentially was in need of protection. When Mike and others found her, they helped her to meet the world for the first time after she spent 11 years of her life in a lab. But the moment El started to grow and become independent, her relationship with Mike started to become weird really fast.

Is it just a coincidence that all of El's personal development and growth happens when she's away from Mike? S1 was El's first introduction to the outside world (the real world outside of the lab).

Her development starts in S2... interestingly when she's away from Mike. She meets Kali and others, starts to learn more about her past and realizes her powers, and gets to learn more about them.

In S3, her personal development takes place when she breaks up with Mike. The moment she decides to form a friendship with Max and when the two girls become close. She learns how to be free, how to decide her own likes and tastes, she says it herself that she didn't even know what she likes. She learns it through Max and their connection and influence. In S3, that's the moment where she's truly happy and gets to learn more about herself and personal development.

In S4, she grows stronger and more independent when she leaves Mike... like this is a thing that's constantly happening on the show that it's getting weird if not intentional. She faces the demons of her past, faces that she's not a hero or a monster, and gains more confidence. Is it really random that she constantly grows and develops when she's away from Mike?

Mike claims that he needs El to need him... Is it really true? I think Mike has a savior complex because after all when they found El, Mike was the one who introduced her to real life. Forget that they were only 11 and El was ignorant to the outside world, she never had to chance to find her own identity. She didn't even know what romance even meant. This thing between Mike and El... is it really a romance? Or something that they stick to because that's what they feel they should do?

Let's also take a look at Mike: he never showed any interest in any girl before aside from El before, this girl with superpowers whom he and his friends found. Is it strange to think that he ended up sticking to her because of ''oh, this is a girl so I should love him'' mentality and heteronormativity? But the moment this girl doesn't need him anymore as she grows older and has more personality and agenda, Mike feels conflicted that she wouldn't need him anymore... which is, yeah, he's right.

Mike and El bring each other down. They cannot even be themselves around each other. Mike feels inferior whereas El's development stops when they are together in a relationship. The only moment Mike was genuinely himself was when he was in Hawkins playing D&D and was with his friends and Eddie. He tries to be this different person to El but he fails because that's not who he is, after all. Whereas El lies to him constantly because she wants to seem perfect. They cannot even be honest to each other yet open up to each other.

Is it a coincidence that Mike feels like himself and more open when he's with Will, despite the fact that they barely spoke when they were apart from each other during this time period? Mike can be vulnerable and relaxed when he's around Will, because he doesn't have to act like someone he's not. They have many heart-to-heart convos. Did El and Mike even heart-to-heart convos in any way on the show? Mike opens up to Will like the way he never opens up to anyone. He cannot even hold his relationship with El without Will's peer pressure and coded-confession and prompt, apparently. I was actually kind of shocked seeing how emotionally dependent Mike was on Will in this season. Because in the earlier seasons, Mike was the one who always helped Will. But this time Mike himself was almost completely dependent on Will. This drew a major parallel in Mike/El versus Mike/Will relationship.

Mike and El work platonically. But they don't work together romantically, this has been constantly shown on the show. I was never able to understand Milevens when they said ''Mileven has been built for season''. No. It hasn't. It's been constantly torn down in S3 and S4. If anything, what we been shown that they are incompatible together when they are in a relationship. They can never grow together (unless they are away from each other), they can never be honest with each other and never have heart-to-heart moments, they always have the urge to lie, they have to act like someone they are not, etc...

That's why I think Mileven won't be end game, whatever happens with Byler.

you already said everything, anon. it's curious that when they are together they don't seem able to communicate or grow together. it's their major issue.

[sevensided]

help that david/finn/winona/caleb interview has me SO befuddled... based on the reviews of eps 1 - 6, and pessimism, and all the rest i think it's likely going to be unrequited on will's side. BUT on the other hand they seem so oddly jolly (for lack of a better word- "giddy," maybe?) for talking about a plot in which will's going to ultimately end up rejected by mike. even if mike's super cool about it, and they end the season in a solid place with their friendship, will would still be- understandably- a little sad/upset about liking someone who doesn't like him back. confusing indeed...

I hear what you're saying, but I think you're taking a slightly pessimistic view of what is quite a light-hearted interview. I interpreted their reactions as quite authentic - they seemed really quite surprised by the 'twist' of the question being spun towards El/Will rather than the anticipated Mike/Will. I honestly believe they were taken aback, and the laughter was probably half defensive, half shock. It's easy to get sucked into some of the more negative commentary, but don't lose sight of the reality, which is this: we haven't seen anything yet! Lots of people tangetially or directly involved with the show have agendas. In the end, the only thing that's going to matter is what you feel when you see the show for yourself.

Also, don't forget that we'll have six episodes with more to go. Part 1 of this season is quite literally only half of the story. I know it's a cop out to say 'we'll just have to wait and see', but seriously, we'll just have to wait and see. But chin up! I am ready to be pleasantly surprised. I hope you are too.

[enneagramwingmiranda]

Stranger Things: The actual enneagram types of Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Will, Eleven, and Max

The Lover: Mike Wheeler [Type 2]

“El, are you there? El? It’s me, it’s Mike. It’s day 352, 7:40 pm, I am still here. If you’re out there, say something… or give me a sign, I won’t, I won’t even say anything, I just… I want to know if you’re okay.”

Enneagram wing: 2w1|2w3 (Helper along with the reformer and achiever)

Core Desire: To feel loved, needed, and appreciated

Core Fear: Being rejected, unwanted and unneeded

Mike is a loyal to a fault going through great lengths to be there for his friends. He was willing to sacrifice himself off a cliff to protect Dustin. He never gave up pursing justice for Will. He also hid Eleven in his home despite the repercussions he may face with his parents and the evil scientists. The hidden motivation behind his actions are to be needed, loved, and wanted. He is very good at intuiting others needs as we see this in his close friendship with Will in season 2 and in his blossoming relationship with Eleven. He sees the good in others and is very trusting which Lucas, a type 6, doesn’t quite understand. He often asserts himself in situations where he is not needed and we see this become a conflict in his relationship with Eleven in season 3. We see him often go into an 8 in stress where he becomes aggressive, outspoken, dominating, and advocating for justice. I believe he leans on both of his wings equally; he shows to have a strong sense of right and wrong but also a innate desire to succeed, be admired, and respected. 

The Intuitive One: Will Byers [Type 4]

"Sometimes the bad guys are smart too."

Enneagram wing: 4w5 (Individualist along with the investigator)

Core Desire: Being accepted for one’s uniqueness 

Core Fear: Being inherently flawed, inadequate, or mundane

Will is the stand out of the bunch not just because of his strong introversion but also his imaginative mind and artistic hobbies. He has never been interested in what his age group has been interested in therefore he is misunderstood by his peers. He also lacked a strong father figure and this has resulted in deep feelings of inadequacy. He desires to be seen and understood by others and it doesn’t help his case that he “died” and lived to tell the tale. I’m hoping to see Will grow more into himself in the upcoming seasons because he is a valuable and important character. His link to the Upside Down proves that. I think he leans on his wing 5 for his intellectual hobbies. 

The Defender: Eleven [Type 9]

“I’m going to my friends. I’m going home.”

Enneagram wing: 9w8 (Peacemaker along with the challenger)

Core Desire: Inner peace and human connection

Core Fear: Instability and separation

Contrary to the life she’s had and the chaotic situations she constantly finds herself in, Eleven is 100% motivated by having inner peace. She is very much values her friends and adoptive family and leans on her wing 8 to protect them. She is a very complex character and this is clearly from the emotional and physical trauma she suffered in her childhood; she is tough but also extremely empathetic and has has the ability to see things objectively rather than emotionally (a true gift of a 9). This is shown in her choosing to spare one of the scientist’s life from Brenner’s lab despite his contribution to her abuse and Eight (Kali) pressuring her to show no mercy. She empathized with Billy and his abuse despite him being a raging bully. 

The Safeguard: Lucas Sinclair [Type 6]

“We have a lot of rules in our party, but the most important is, 'Friends don't lie.' Never ever. No matter what.”

Enneagram wing: 6w5 | 6w7 (Loyalist along with investigator and enthusiast)

Core Desire: To have security

Core Fear: Being without security

Lucas has demonstrated an innate maturity since season 1. He pushes others to practice self preservation. He likes to have a plan in their action and adventure. Lucas is motivated by his desire to be safe so he calls out others in their stupor, so much so, that his friends are nervous to confess their mistakes to him; this clashes with Mike’s agenda as his need to serve, love, and be there for others. Mike’s potential to be compromised by rose colored glasses, poses as a threat to Lucas’s need for security. Max makes it harder for him in achieving security by constantly raising the bar him in their relationship. Despite this, Max’s challenging nature is what is most attractive to him because it somewhat alludes to security. I think Lucas has balanced wings and draws from his intellectual side as well as his adventurous side. 

The Analyst: Dustin Henderson [Type 5]

“You always say we should never stop being curious, to always open any curiosity door we find. Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?”

Enneagram wing: 5w6 (Investigator along with loyalist)

Core Desire: To be capable and competent 

Core Fear: Annihilation, depletion, and being viewed as lacking in capability

Dustin is the clear intellect of the Stranger Kids clan. He is always learning and storing information, mentally retrieving it up when necessary. He is essentially the one who makes the needed mental connections in their quest for victory. He is awkwardly confident yet insecure. He cares a lot about what others think of him and is motivated by a need to be seen as competent. Dustin’s friends mean the world to him and valuing that security from this support/community shows that leans on his wing 6. 

The Advocate: Max Mayfield [Type 8]

“It's just, I know I can be a jerk like him sometimes, and I do not want to be like him. Ever.”

Enneagram wing: 8w7 | 8w9 (Challenger along with enthusiast and the peacemaker)

Core Desire: Self protection and protecting my people

Core Fear: Being weak, powerless, and controlled 

Max is the toughest one of the bunch with almost bully-like qualities. She marches to the beat of her own drum and doesn’t care what other people think. Her character flaw is that she can be too careless sometimes at the expense of others. She is self aware of that though and does her best to combat it. She is motivated by a need to protect herself because no one ever protected her against the abuse of her brother and step-father. Despite her tough act, she cares deeply for her friends and will do whatever she can to protect them too; She is willing to be vulnerable to bond with them. She does not show to lean on either wing making me think she has balanced wings. She definitely doesn’t like to commit too quickly to anything and keep her options open (7) but also can try her best to mediate (9) when this is required of her. 

Note: In honor of Stranger Things 4 possibly coming out in 2021. See my typing of the Stranger Things adults here: https://enneagramwingmiranda.tumblr.com/post/639047330136522752/stranger-things-the-actual-enneagram-types-of

[frogfaceandzombieboy]

The tweet probably would be about Mike and Will cause I feel they're more personally tied to D&D than Lucas and Dustin (not to mention Max and Suzie don't show interest in the game). If they're doing this to draw the attention of Byeler shippers without intending to make it canon, it's definitely queerbaiting though.

AGREED & that’s why i’m keeping my distance. i mean this sincerely: i am tired of queerbaiting and i literally can’t do it anymore. stranger things is on the fence with me- while i believe the story ultimately and naturally leads to byeler, i don’t have 100% faith in the duffer brothers not caving to sponsor’s demands (and by proxy, netflix as well. netflix has always been great w representation however stranger things is a show that’s exploded to the mass audience so it’s funded by other companies who have agendas.. so i still don’t trust them entirely).

but that aside, speaking to the tweet- it’s definitely about byeler. because much like what you said, upon second thought, max, el & suzie don’t really have any connection to dnd. and unless it’s dustin & lucas (doubtful, they don’t have that kind of outwardly touchy feely friendship), it’s absolutely mike & will. which... physically makes me unable to breathe.

it’d be such a beautiful continuation of where they left off last season - about them both using mike’s dnd set when will comes back. and how will would never join another party if it meant leaving mike (double meaning! another party- sexuality). UGH MY HEART THE BOYS GETTING TOGETHER THROUGH DND THEIR ONE TRUE SAFE HAVEN FROM THE WORLD AND WITH EACH OTHER SINCE S1. I’M PERISHED P E R I S H E D.

[keitmeg]

As much as I love this and would love for most of it to happen, I know it won’t.

I’m not trying to be a contrarian; I loved the analysis and I can’t argue some pretty valid points that you’ve made, but I’ve watched a lot of shows that start off with great potential for a certain pairing only for it to sink down the drain because the show-runners have agendas.

[SPOILERS] In Captain America’s comics, for example, Steve and the Winter Soldier (or Bucky Barnes, Steve’s best friend) were depicted as a couple at certain points. They were even holding hands and going on dates in a few books. Steve drew a picture of his “dead” “friend” who always wanted to see the Grand Canyon and held it up to the stars. He even talked about how he wanted to go back to old times (around where Bucky was still alive) because it’s familiar and comfortable.  In another one, Steve wishes Bucky was still around; he couldn’t go back to his career as Captain America because it was meaningless without Bucky. And many more!

[SPOILERS] Then comes the three Captain America movies where his relationship with Bucky is described as “platonic”, even though he forgoes his own title as CP, throws away his armor and becomes a criminal, going against SHIELD, the entire German National Security and his best pal, Iron Man, just to keep Bucky, who, mind you, still doesn’t know who he really is at that point, safe! Can you imagine the contradictions!

[SPOILERS] But CA is perfection; he’s America’s pride and they can’t make him gay, not after making so many movies off of him! It’d ruin everything and make a lot of republicans angry. Of course he’s straight, despite the fact he’s never dated or had any interest in women –a 100 year-old virgin. But that was a problem, so they shipped him with Peggy and called it true love.

[SPOILERS] That’s not what bothered me. What killed me is that they had Steve go back in time, around the same timeline Bucky was being held hostage by Hydra and getting tortured and mutilated, just so he’d have that dance with Peggy.

Everything you mentioned has some truth in it, but when it comes to enacting a scenario, the best we’re going to get is ‘Fan-service’. Some people call it queer-baiting, foreshadowing; but, really, it’s just fanservice. They can’t make actual Byler contents because the writers have to put everyone and everything into consideration, including angry 13-year-olds who either integrate themselves into El and Mike’s relationship, somehow seeing themselves in it, or dream about dating Finn.

In both cases, whatever the writers do to try and make everyone happy is going to affect one lane of the fandom and cause another war like the one happening in the SPN fandom over Destiel because Bibros won in the finale, which, quite frankly, those hellers had it coming for being so toxic and sending the writers death threats if they didn’t make their ship happen.

Every TV show is a business, and in every show, you’ve got those who ship a certain pairing and those who can’t see it happen. And, it’s not about how heartfelt your analysis is, it’s about which ship, actor, theme or plot brings in more views, and thus more money.

All in all, I believe good things are waiting on Mike and Will in S4. They both might get girlfriends this season. We might witness some hiccups in Mike and El’s relationship. The focus will mainly be on the new cast members and the new Hellfire club. Which, if you ask me, is effing boring in no darkness and evil is added to the mix.

Personally, I hope they steer away from any romantic dramas; I chose Stranger Things because it wasn’t cautious about giving Barbara and Bob those horrible deaths, because it didn’t shy away from exploring darkness from a kid’s POV, and because it was about friendship.

Anyway, I think I made my point clear. I rest my case.

I feel like a lot of people seem to forget the Mike is the wheelers only son. Meaning he has different expectations than Nancy has and that Holly will have.

Example:

Nancy was always expected (By Ted, at least) to marry in to a good family of her own. Take someone else’s last name.

However with Mike, and with men in general and heteronormativity and toxic masculinity, men are the ones that are supposed to “carry on the family legacy.”

Mike isn’t supposed to marry into a family, a young lady is supposed to marry into THEIR family. The WHEELER family. For a young lady to take THE WHEELER last name.

Nancy was expected to be the house keeper. The cook. The house wife. She bares the children, takes them to school, while her husband is off at work. Following the pattern of Karen and Ted.

However Mike isnt expected to do that. He’s supposed to find a woman that marries into their family. She bares the children while he’s at work.

I do think Karen noticed early on that their son isn’t what 80’s society deemed as normal, not even from a sexuality stand point.

We don’t know much about Ted, but we do know that he is wealthy. He makes “6 figures” (or more) in the words of Jonathan. He was probably in some sort of sport. Most likely popular. Very much similar to Steve.

And well, Mike isn’t.... any of those things.

He isn’t athletic... like at all. Which in the 80’s , was very looked down upon. He isn’t popular, and he’s a “nerd.”

While Ted probably had girls swooning over him 24/7, Mike doesn’t have that. I’m sure Karen noticed very early on that he wasn’t going to continue the Wheeler family in the most conventional way possible. He wasn’t going to get prom king. He wasn’t going to work at an insurance firm, marry a Kathy or a Susan or a Tina and settle down working a 9-5. And that doesn’t even involve his sexuality.

But most importantly, I’m sure Ted noticed that.

There’s often a lot of focus on Will’s relationship with his father (which albeit, is much more front and center.) and how Lonnie often tried to “man up” Will. (I’m not invalidating that in any way.) However, it isn’t very out of character that Ted had very similar concerns and expectations. Definitely on a different scale, but he had them.

No, I don’t think Ted has ever “abused” any of his kids. However I do think he reinforced his expectations in... unhealthy ways. Especially on Mike.

Nancy was (in season 1, but still is.) the “perfect daughter.” She was on the cheer squad. She was pretty, popular (to an extent at some point), good grades, likable, she was doing everything her family wanted her to. She dated the most popular guy in school, and even in season 3, while she is dating Jonathan, she still seems to be doing pretty well. And although she is definitely more independant now, and isn’t following the structure her parents have set up for her (letting the man do the discovering and hunting and all of that, while she sits back as the damsel in distress.) it doesn’t seem like her parents are “disappointed” in her,, or worried about her future. Unlike Mike.

Very early on, I assume, Mike definitely wasn’t the “star son” Ted was looking for. Not the extroverted popular guy, the one who all girls swooned over. I’m sure Ted complained about this and to Karen, and expressed his concerns on why their son wasn’t fulfilling the expectations they set up for him. Instead of star football flayer, he’s a nerd. Instead of a ladies man, he’s well.. not a ladies man. I believe Ted set up these expectations at a very young age. And reinforced them, not in the best ways. He probably tried to in force “manly” stereotypes onto Mike. Maybe even tried to get him into a sport. We see in season 2 that he is forcing mike to “grow up” by giving away some of his toys, because in Ted’s mind, growing up means Mike could finally “man up” which then snowballs in season 3 to Mike feeling like he has to “grow up” so he can “man up” so he won’t be so childish. So he can finally fulfill his parents expectations. So he won’t be such an out cast (which we now know backfires, as he’s in the Hellfire club and will probably be under a lot of scrutiny.)

Mike is aware of these expectations, which only affect his personality and attitude further. I’m sure Ted had ridiculed him on not being athletic enough... failing PE. Not having a girlfriend. Not being very talkative, and when he is talkative having an attitude. Lashing out. Not being popular. Playing board games inside all day instead of going out and playing soccer. And this only affects Mike’s insecurities more.

Mike is insecure that he will never be able to fulfill his parents desires. That he will never be the star football player and valedictorian that all the parents think is phenomenal. And even though Mike hates to admit it, he relies on people, especially his father, for validation. His father very obviously didn’t and doesn’t give him enough love, and his mother, while definitely being more open and caring, can be distant. His family doesn’t give him much attention, which is why he lashes out. He needs attention, and if he can’t get it from his parents, maybe he can get it from other people. Or even worse, he does things, graffitiing the bathroom stall, cussing out people, stealing from Nancy, to get a rise out of his parents. So maybe his parents will notice him, pay attention to him. Ground him, take away his Atari. He may act like he hates it on the outside, but he subconsciously does it on purpose. So he can feel something again. So he can feel recognized. Mike possesses self destructive behavior because of his parents. Because at school, people don’t pay attention to him. At home, people don’t pay attention to him. He’s lost. He’s alone.

And in ways, Mike thinks he’s a failure.

This is where the party comes in.

I think a lot of people seem to round up Mike being against Max joining the party is because he doesn’t want someone to “replace El.” However, while that may be the case, I don’t think that’s all of it.

The reason he didn’t want Max to join the party is because, they are the exact. Same. Type. Of. Person.

Mike was projecting his personal insecurities onto Max because they are so similar. He seems himself in Max. And because he refuses to talk about his own personal problems he will be seen as “more of a freak” he takes them out on Max and ridicules Max for things that he actually ridicules himself for. And also, on a different note. Mike was scared. Scared he’d be replaced. Because his whole life that’s how he was treated. Ted seems to only give out love and praise when it fits his expectations. And when Mike doesn’t reach those expectations, Mike feels like a failure because he is told he is.

Mike is scared of being replaced or abandoned by the Party because he already has been by the rest of his school and his own father.

So Mike was upset that Dustin and Lucas found Max so entertaining, because he was afraid Max would take up his spot in the party. Because although he hates to admit it, she was awesome. Way more awesome than he could ever be. And he saw how cool she was. He felt threatened. Threatened that Dustin and Lucas, and probably Will too, would ditch him for Max.

Max radiates “leader” energy. She has the ability to take charge of a situation when she needs to. She’s cunning. Sarcastic. She can be slick, and doesn’t usually take no for an answer. She’s intimidating.

Mike felt threatened because, well, he is the leader of the party. And he didn’t want this girl to come in and take a hold of that. Because the party is literally all he has. He may act like he has this big ego or whatever, but this is all he has. He’s an out cast. And he needs validation from the party. He likes being a leader, because this is the only setting where he can be one. He isn’t popular, yet the people in the party look up to him. And he likes that attention, the attention that his parents didn’t give him. While Karen and Ted were busy paying attention to Nancy, he was alone. He had no nobody. He still sort of has nobody. But the party is his comfort. It’s his validation, the validation he needs from Ted but doesn’t get. He saw Max’s potentional and was afraid he’d be kicked to the curb. His attitude towards her in season 2 wasn’t because he wanted to be a jerk. It was a defense mechanism.

And the thing is, they really are so similar.

Both have fairly absent fathers. Both are sarcastic. Both are leaders. Both are witty. They are both pretty smart (in different fields.) They are quick thinkers and are both able to take charge of a situation. The reason Mike “hates” Max is because he hates himself. Max is so similar to Mike which makes her an easy target for projection. He both envies her yet holds resentment towards her at the same time.

So Mike’s hatred of Max is because of a few things:

A coping mechanism and fear of being left behind and kicked out of the party because she is the much “cooler” version of him.

And a projection of his true feelings of himself on to her because they are so similar .

Mike has abandonment issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms. But even worse, he has high expectations that he can only meet in unhealthy and unhappy ways.

Mike believes that in order to become a “man” he needs to grow up. That’s something his father taught him. Mike believes that in order to become a “man” he must find a young lady to settle down with. He must settle in life. Work a 9-5. Have a wife that bares children.

Which is why it utterly shocks and scares mike that he can’t even fulfill that expectation either.

When Mike first realizes his feelings for Will, I don’t think he fully acknowledges it. I don’t think he wants himself to. Because he is fully aware that in his fathers eyes he is a failure. And even to himself, he sees himself as a failure. So it upsets him that the one thing, the ONE thing, that he thought he could do to make his parents happy, the one thing that would dig himself out of this hole, the one thing that would make Ted “proud” of him, be straight, isn’t possible for him. It scares him. He’s already messed up this far. He isn’t athletic, popular, talkative. Why can’t he just have this one thing? This one sense of normalcy?

So he pushes it away. I think he’s had these feelings for Will for a long time. In season one, he definitely had them, but didn’t realize or acknowledge them. In season two I definitely think he realized something was up, but just didn’t wanna believe it.

I do think he cares about El, and loves her platonically. However I also think that after he accessed that his feelings towards Will weren’t totally “bromantic.” , he began overcompensating. He pushed Will away in fear that if he connected with Will even more he’d act on his feelings. Now I don’t think he’s fully acknowledged his feelings yet, all I think is that he knew something was up and tried to stop it from flourishing. He was still under the impression that this was a “phase.” That all he has to do is “grow up.” Because he equates straight love with growing up and settling down. His feelings for Will are “childish.” He attempts (and fails) to act like an “adult” or a “man” by saying misogynistic things against El, (like the usual 80’s man would), by regularly using slang like “Man” or “Dude” against Will, which was a first. And calls himself a “7 year old” when he reverts back to talking about getting new toys for Christmas. This boy is reallyyyy trying to push his straight agenda here.

Then, after about 10 months of trying to push this “straight agenda”, by constantly reminding the party that he is in a STRAIGHT RELATIONSHIP. By acting all lovey dovey in front of the party yet never showing that alleged affection to El on screen. (Saying he loved el, came off as if he was trying to impress the party, or further prove he is “straight”, yet not being able to say it back to her. Acting like he’s all in love and crazy for el when he runs off the weather top in s3 e1, yet just going through the motions of making out with El and even taking her hands off of him behind closed doors.) Point is, he barks more than he bites.

Remember how I said this boy needs a lot of validation to function? Yeah well this is where that comes in.

He needs validation that people believe he’s in a straight relationship. He constantly reminds the party that he is and almost seems like he’s really trying to push it. He’s overcompensating. Because he NEEDS people to believe that he’s in a straight relationship so that he believes it himself. Because in his head, if people believe he is then, he is. Nobody knows what they don’t know. They never have to find out about his attraction to guys if he doesn’t show it. And in the beginning it’s paying off well. The party really believes it. But then he messes up big time and it all crumbles down. Very curious if Lucas ever realized how quickly Mike went off in the rain to fetch Will when he couldn’t even call El by phone.

But as I said, after 10 months of this “facade”, El says she loves him back, something he either actually forgot about or lied about forgetting, and kisses him. And then he stands there, and it turns out, all that work, all that time he spent, lying to himself and to the party, didn’t work. He realized that this isn’t just a phase. It’s real. He can’t just overcompensate for this. He cant just pray it away.

Mike, early on, developed an insecurity of not having a girlfriend because of the bullies at school and his father. No girl ever paid attention to him. He was sidelined, and the only people that even really knew his name were the members of the party. He saw how Will got bullied. And he was bullied for similar things too. He saw the aids epidemic spread infront of his eyes. He saw how homosexuals were treated. He didn’t want that to be him. Because he had already failed his parents and their expectations (Atleast in his eyes.) He already failed the kids at school and is seen as a nerd or outcast, why couldn’t he just have one thing that would make him “normal” . So then El came in and to El, Mike was this warrior. To El, Mike was this strong, charming, fearless ‘man.’ And Mike knew that wasn’t true. He knows he’s just a small town kid that’s a total nerd and a total joke to the kids at school, but El didnt and doesn’t know that. With El, he’s allowed to be something he’s not. And that made Mike happy. Someone gave him attention. Someone didn’t actually think of him as a “failure.” All the girls at school found him repulsive. He had already assumed he’d have to settle for a trophy wife. But El came into the picture and allowed him to appear normal for once.

I do think Mike loves El platonically, but I also think that he subconsciously liked her for his own personal benefits. Lucas said it the best. He liked her because she’s the first girl that isn’t grossed out by him.

He cares about El a lot, that’s undeniable, but he also thought that in El, he saw a chance to be normal. To impress his father who already assumed he was a lost cause. El was his gateway to being straight.

TLDR:

So what I encourage you all to realize is:

Being gay In the 80’s is hard as it is, but mike’s personal complexes and his parents expectations make it extra hard. He feels even more like a failure. Because out of everything, he isn’t straight. He isn’t athletic, popular, isn’t well liked, and he’s disappointed his father, when all he’s ever wanted was to impress his father, and now he knows he never really will be able to.

Mike’s journey in season 4 deserves to be about self acceptance. About learning to love yourself. Mike relies heavily on other people’s validation and attention. So when he isn’t given that attention he lashes out. Mike feels unloved and like a failure. He needs to be the leader of the party because he feels like that’s the only form of leadership he’ll ever have. He likes that in the parties eyes and in el’s eyes, he’s on this pedestal, because in his mind that’s the only pedestal he’ll ever stand on. Mike is full of self esteem issues, anxiety, ptsd, and most likely depression. He deserves to be uncondiontially loved by someone. But most of all, he deserves to love himself and become comfortable with the fact that A. A nerd and shouldn’t be ashamed of his nerdy hobbies and B. He isn’t straight and that’s okay! He needs to learn to accept his sexuality. Season 4 is the deciding season. I believe we will see him go through a lot of ups and downs, and a lot of realizations. But the end of season 3 was very telling as to where his arc is headed.

Mike’s reliability on validation and need for attention leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms. He’s been keeping up this fake agenda of “being straight” and shoving it in his friends faces in order to convince himself that he IS straight and that these feelings for Will are just a matter of “being a child” and needing to “grow up” , which backfires. His father has implemented a lot of these insecurities into his head. He wants to grow up faster than the rest of the party because growing up means finally being a man, which would in turn, impress his father. And impressing his father means he’d be loved by his father. And being loved by his father means getting attention from his father. The attention he has never received. Ted has affected Mike in more ways than most people notice. That needs to be addressed. I hope to see Mike come to terms with who he is. The fact that he’s a nerd, the fact that he is a “freak” and that’s okay, and the fact that he’s not straight, which is also okay.

Mike isn’t a bad character. He is misunderstood and really really just needs a hug.

SUPER SORRY FOR LONG POST. PLEASE REBLOG AS THIS NEEDED TO BE SAID. GOOD NIGHT YALL <3

[ninjagoat]

Kara, Lena, and Maintaining Professional Objectivity (season 3 edition)

[Warning: Questionably organised thoughts of essay length, all written before 3x05]

So, during the hiatus, I wrote this:

Yes, Snapper does insist on Kara’s objectivity, and he’s right to do so*, but it’s the Mon-El situation that allows Kara to accept it. And then a curious thing happens (and this is what’s going to get me in trouble):

Kara MAINTAINS her objectivity.

As a journalist, Lena is Kara’s subject; Lena is Kara’s source; Lena is, on occasion, Kara’s cause to champion; and, as a journalist, it’s important to maintain those kinds of relationships by, say, getting together for lunch every once in a while.

But, for the most part, that’s as far as Kara lets it go. Lena is never allowed into the rest of Kara’s personal life (some might argue ‘Why would she? The others don’t trust Lena!’ like inviting her to Game Night one time wouldn’t solve that problem), and never goes to Lena for support with her own problems (Lena isn’t even allowed to know Mon-El’s real name, never mind what he’s done).

The only time in their working relationship where Lena offers support beyond the established parameters is when Snapper won’t publish the alien kidnapping story, and Lena offers the VERY Luthoresque solution of, essentially, screw everyone and do what you want, in complete opposition to both journalistic ethics and the concept of El Mariayah; which results in both Kara losing her job AND Alex being trapped on the ship after Lillian is forced into early launch (a very Pacific Rim** beat right there).

And after Kara’s fired, and that professional objectivity doesn’t apply anymore, and Lena comes to Kara with a personal problem that isn’t related to Cadmus? Kara makes it about the job: investigating Jack, and violating Lena’s personal boundaries by crashing their dinner while pretending to offer her support (‘Creepy journalism’ indeed). And once it’s over; yes, Lena forgives her, and Kara tells Lena she’ll be there for her, but what else are either of them going to do? Lena’s grieving, she’s having an existential crisis, and Kara is her only means of emotional support.

I find this conflict between journalistic objectivity and genuine friendship interesting, and hope they explore it properly in Season 3, especially given the interview above: what happens when Kara’s need to do her job well requires her to, more or less, betray her friend?

What happens when it gets ‘leaked’ that Lena isn’t as pro-Supergirl as she likes to pretend? ('Did you know he was dating Kara Danvers’ is going to bite SOMEONE in the ass, right?)

What happens when those aliens detectors means aliens start being denied service, or are subject to personal attacks, and Kara prints Lena’s response RIGHT NEXT to the answers Lena gave a year before?

What happens when Kara decides that L-Corp is doing some shady shit, and needs investigating? What happens if Kara believes that the 'responsible’ party for that shady shit is a fall guy, and keeps investigating L-Corp after he’s revealed (because if Lena WANTED to get up to shady shit, the evidence trail would absolutely lead to someone else)?

And what happens when, after all of this, Lena discovers that her good friend Kara Danvers, who 'trusts’ Lena completely, has been LYING to her for over a year?

Compelling television, that’s what happens.

And then, in 3x01, out of what she would probably describe as necessity, Lena buys Catco; and, in 3x02, announces she’s going to be very hands-on.

And that changes everything.

The potential for objectivity is now gone.

The carefully established boundaries are now gone.

It’s a big mess - the kind that Kara doesn’t need during this time in her life, and doesn’t do well with regardless - and that’s fun.

First, let’s talk about Lena.

Last season, Lena couldn’t get the transmat portal working, and so Rhea gave a fairly arch speech, one which can be considered a metaphor for Lena’s main conflict: the choice between power and balance.

Lex chose power. Luthors always do. Lena, as demonstrated during the above metaphor, has the same instinct. But, as we all know, power corrupts. It’s a testament to Lena’s character that she hasn’t been corrupted already; although, that being said, she has always had less power than Lex, and the advantage of having watched his cautionary tale unfold right in front of her eyes.

And now, she’s bought Catco, to keep it out of the hands of Morgan Edge, who she knows will use it 'to attack [his] enemies, and promote [his] own agenda’.

She possesses that power now. What will stop her from wielding it? Not in a super-villain behold-the-mighty-electro-ray sort of way, but a just-this-once, just-a-little sort of way? What’s to prevent her from suggesting that one of her reporters obfuscate or exaggerate a story, just to bring Edge down a peg or two? And, of course, if she does it once, and there’s no consequence… what stops her from doing it again? Our faith in her? Perhaps.

You may ask what prevented Cat from doing the same thing, but Cat - despite her connections - was ALWAYS a journalist, first and foremost; Lena is an old-money industrialist, and is largely protected from such things as tangible consequences by a protective bubble of wealth, power and privilege. The only thing she really need worry about is being held publically accountable; and in this, Catco’s power also doubles as a shield. It’s the main press outlet in her home city; if she owns it, who will hold her accountable? And will she permit them too?

What happens when the blow-back from the alien detector starts (okay, this doesn’t seem to be likely, given the season so far…)? What happens when the kids poisoned by the lead device start popping up (and please, for the love of God, show-writers; MAKE IT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN HER)?

Does she try to kill the story?

Bury it?

Render it vague enough that no one knows what’s really going on?

Or will she choose balance? Will she allow the facts about what she’s done and what the consequences are to become public knowledge, and thereby hinder the Great Luthor Comeback once again?

And how will she cope with that when it happens?

Then, there’s Kara; and there’s two aspects to how this affects her: there’s the job, and then there’s their friendship.

With regard to the job; as mentioned before, the objectivity Kara maintained throughout the past is now gone. Her ability to hold Lena accountable, should she feel it necessary, has been compromised.

What does she do if Lena asks her to be her voice in the press? What does she do if Lena asks her to be the one exaggerating or obfuscating the story? What if Lena asks her to drop a story that needs to be out there, or to cover a non-story because it’ll make Edge look bad? What if Kara agrees the first time, and then the second time it’s much worse?

What if Lena ORDERS Kara to do this?

What if James does, and Kara feels that it’s less to do with journalism than *other* things that might be going on with him (James’s need for validation and approval being his only consistent character flaw on the show)?

What kind of disagreements is she going to have with Snapper Carr over this (let’s face it, Snapper is NOT going to be happy about taking instruction from a monied interest to whom the press should be a burden, not a servant)? When will she take Lena’s side? When will she take Snapper���s?

If Lena doesn’t choose balance… will Kara force balance upon her, as an objective journalist *should*?

And then there’s their friendship.

In season two, Kara had complete control. Lena gets to see Kara when - and only when - Kara says it’s okay. At the start of 3x01, it’s even more imbalanced: Kara is shutting Lena out, and Lena knows it; their interactions now more perfunctory than ever.

Lena buying Catco swings the pendulum WAAAY in the other direction.

She’s ALWAYS there now. Kara can’t go and be Supergirl without getting questions (which Kara describes as 'new and horrible’ - note, not having to answer, but the questions themselves), and any deflection towards work - her previous go-to - will result in questions about work; which means she has to outright lie.

It’s okay for now, but Lena now knows enough to know that Kara keeps secrets, and she’s *good* at it. She knows that Kara lied about 'Mike’ really being Mon-El; she knows that Kara lies about how much Mon-El’s 'death’ affects her; and, as of 3x04, she knows that Kara lies about what happened to him. Easily.

This may inspire excitement from the 'Lena knows!’ crowd, but consider: Lena believes the Luthors are the most perceptive people in the world. She’s already proven - to herself, even, in 2x08 - that they are not (They are, however, the undisputed kings and queens of believing their own bullshit). But that’s not the same as being oblivious.

Add to this the new friendship with Sam; the fact that Alex & Maggie have been brought into the friendship group as well; the impending James/Lena relationship: Lena is now firmly - and I’m using this word very carefully - embedded into Kara’s life. The only important people in Kara’s life that Lena doesn’t frequently spend time with are Winn and J'onn: J'onn probably won’t be that much of a problem; but while Lena believes Alex to be FBI, she *knows* Winn is DEO, and any story that explains how Winn is part of this group will expose at least one part of The Secret (James? Alex? Kara?), which will eventually lead to the whole thing coming crashing down.

How long before Kara is exposed? How far does this go before Kara *gives up* trying to keep The Secret? What will push her to reveal herself? Will it be accidental? Coerced? Out of necessity? Or will it be voluntary, which, so far, has only happened with Winn?

And why is she still keeping it anyway, if she completely trusts her friend? How much of that trust is false? How much of it will Lena *consider* false when she learns the truth?

How much will keeping The Secret provoke a reaction that justifies keeping The Secret in the first place?

These are great questions to explore as a writer, and - as a viewer - great to watch get resolved. There was a lot of wheel-spinning in the second half of season two (Kreisberg himself has described it as 'table-setting’), but it was setting the table for this, and I’m excited to see where they take it.

One more thing, though (and thank you for scrolling this far);

Lena 'knows’ there was something between Mon-El and Supergirl, but since he’s gone, doesn’t seem to have brought it up with Kara (or indeed, Supergirl). And why would she? It would only cause her unnecessary pain.

So, what happens when he comes back?

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Reviews: B*tchin’

So, before I get into detail, Stranger Things 2 is dope. You should watch that right now if you haven’t. Is gud. This was one of the shows that I waited to see all year. Rick and Morty season 3 and the upcoming Search Party season 2 were on that list as well, but it was Stranger Things, all day. The hype was real and I can say, with no bias or agenda, Part 2 exceeds the hype.

The Best

The world the Duffer brothers have created is amazing. I could see potential in Series 1 with the Upside-Down and Hawkins Lab and everything but it gets real in series 2. It feels real. There is a real pulse to Hawkins, Indiana and I am loving it’s growth! This world has been lived in and feels like it has SO many more stories to tell. I’m looking forward to the next yarn it looms with great anticipation, especially if it’s as great as this one!

The Better

Speaking of the Duffers, they have directed their asses off in this show! You can tell there is a story they want to tell and they are telling it exactly how they want it told.

The overall narrative was a little cliché but still riveting. When you see as many shows and movies as I do, you can kind of telegraph where a season is going. While I wasn’t crazy surprised by the plot, I was still incredibly engaged and that’s testament to the performances therein.

Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven (or El as the Party calls her or Jane as she’s actually named) is absolutely breathtaking here. This is undeniably HER story and it shows. She’s grown as both an actress and woman which is conveyed, thoroughly, through Eleven. I enjoyed the fact she had her own journey of discovery and look forward to her living an actual life now that everything has been resolved. For now.

I also like how she has to lay low for a year because of that’s how long it takes for production. Wink, wink.

Finn Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler. What to say about Mike? Dude is hurting for EL, that’s for sure, and it makes him kind of petulant. Interesting turn for such an endearing character but completed expected. His reaction to El’s “death” was kind of heartbreaking but watching him grow into a real leader was a joy.

Gaten Matarazzo showed out as Dustin, yet again. He was probably my favorite character in the first series and continues to hold that title into the second. You actually get to see him do his solo thing for a bit and it pays off considerably.

Caleb McLaughlin’s Lucas also did a fantastic job. Of the four original kids, I think he was the one that showed the most growth. It helps, too, that you get an arc that doesn’t make you look like an asshole. Plus, his budding romance with Mad Max was adorable. I hope they get to actually be a thing in Series 3. It’d be fun to see how their relationship changes in contrast to Mike and El’s. Speaking of Mad Max…

Who the hell thought Sadie Sink would come in and kill it so hard? Her Maxine “Mad Max” Mayfield fit right in with The Party like she’d been there the entire time! I look forward to more from our resident “Zoomer”, particularly as she interacts with the “mage” and “ranger”.

We finally get to see Will Byers do some sh*t and he real good at that sh*t. Noah Schnapp was relegated to shivering in a box last Series but he does a great deal more than that this time! True enough, his story kind of devolves into “Save Will part 2” but I think it was handled with more agency this time around. Super curious where his arc takes him next. Hopefully not the damsel-in-distress for a third time. There’s a lot of meat there to get into. Hopefully the Duffers will give us, and Will, a bit more to do.

David Harbour shows why he deserves a shot at Hollywood big time with his current stint as Jim Hopper. During both series, Hopper is integral, particularly in Series 2. This is as much Hopper’s journey as it is Eleven’s and I find that just riveting.

The Good

The effects in series 2 have to mentioned. That little bump in budget made everything that much sharper. You can see it, in particular, with the Demo-dogs. Those thing look like they can be a thing. Watching Dart go from a tadpole to flesh eating monster was convincing as all sh*t and it doesn’t have a goddamn face!

Winona Ryder did her thing as Joyce Byers but she kind of takes a backseat in this outing. She felt like a supporting character as opposed to the force she was in series 1 but that makes sense as Will had such a prominent role this go-around.

I loved Steve’s growth from Series 1 to 2. It felt organic and real to the character. It was a little odd to see him getting constantly dog walked by everyone but that’s not really his element. He’s about bashing Demogorgon heads in and he’s still very good at that. Joe Keery’s energy and exuberance for the part makes it all happen. Plus, Steve and Dustin’s friendship is just precious and should be protected at all costs.

Paul Reiser was surprisingly charming as Sam Owens. I did not expect to like him as much as I did.

The Okay

The “love Triangle” between Nancy, Steve, and Johnathan kind of comes to it’s inevitable conclusion. If you were paying attention throughout Series 1, you know what I’m talking about. It seemed a little… forgone but it still an interesting revelation to behold. To be honest, there’s not a whole lot of Natalie Dyer or Charlie Heaton in this outing. It feels like they are the most supportive of the supporting cast. Seriously, anyone could have accomplished their arc.

While I felt the conflict with Billy Hargrove was a little tacked on, I found Dacre Montgomery’s portrayal of that character to be spot on. I read somewhere that he Duffers wanted to have an actual, human villain and, let me say, Billy is definitely that.

Steve gets beat up a lot. Like, a lot-a lot.

Sean Astin as Bob Newby was pretty okay. I thought he was a little meh but that as the point of his character. The way his arc ended, though, wasn’t all that big of a surprise to me. Kind of expected that to happen, to be honest.

All those little callbacks and easter eggs were delightful. I am, quintessentially, an 80s baby so seeing my era recreated with such care is always lovely to see.

All of the little guest spots and revelations throughout were crazy intense. I loved all of them particularly Eight. Her whole schtick was kind of understandable. Curious as to what her existence means for future outings.

The pacing was much better the second time through but it still felt a bit choppy, especially around Hopper. But this is  the minor-est of grievances.

The Verdict

I read somewhere that Part one was a proof concept and Part 2 is a celebration of concept. That’s actually a pretty apt description because, looking back, the first series seems like it was a bunch of ideas thrown at you whereas series 2 feels actually complete. It’s able to elaborate on key themes and embellish on a few new ones. There was legitimate growth with all of the characters, be it minute or revealing, that felt organic. The plot itself is heading toward a grandiose conclusion that has me both salivating and dreading for resolution. Stranger Things 2 is that rare circumstance when a sequel exceeds the original while still adding to the world, lore, and overall universe. The Duffer Brothers have created a masterpiece of cinema here and you’re doing yourself a disservice by not watching it. This thing is a goddamn love letter to being a kid in the 80s, to growing up through schoolyard interactions and puppy love. It was a rather brisk stroll down memory lane and i loved every bit of it!

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Review: B*tchin’

So, before I get into detail, Stranger Things 2 is dope. You should watch that right now if you haven’t. Is gud. This was one of the shows that I waited to see all year. Rick and Morty season 3 and the upcoming Search Party season 2 were on that list as well, but it was Stranger Things, all day. The hype was real and I can say, with no bias or agenda, Part 2 exceeds the hype.

The Best

The world the Duffer brothers have created is amazing. I could see potential in Series 1 with the Upside-Down and Hawkins Lab and everything but it gets real in series 2. It feels real. There is a real pulse to Hawkins, Indiana and I am loving it’s growth! This world has been lived in and feels like it has SO many more stories to tell. I’m looking forward to the next yarn it looms with great anticipation, especially if it’s as great as this one!

The Better

Speaking of the Duffers, they have directed their asses off in this show! You can tell there is a story they want to tell and they are telling it exactly how they want it told.

The overall narrative was a little cliché but still riveting. When you see as many shows and movies as I do, you can kind of telegraph where a season is going. While I wasn’t crazy surprised by the plot, I was still incredibly engaged and that’s testament to the performances therein.

Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven (or El as the Party calls her or Jane as she’s actually named) is absolutely breathtaking here. This is undeniably HER story and it shows. She’s grown as both an actress and woman which is conveyed, thoroughly, through Eleven. I enjoyed the fact she had her own journey of discovery and look forward to her living an actual life now that everything has been resolved. For now.

I also like how she has to lay low for a year because of that’s how long it takes for production. Wink, wink.

Finn Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler. What to say about Mike? Dude is hurting for EL, that’s for sure, and it makes him kind of petulant. Interesting turn for such an endearing character but completed expected. His reaction to El’s “death” was kind of heartbreaking but watching him grow into a real leader was a joy.

Gaten Matarazzo showed out as Dustin, yet again. He was probably my favorite character in the first series and continues to hold that title into the second. You actually get to see him do his solo thing for a bit and it pays off considerably.

Caleb McLaughlin’s Lucas also did a fantastic job. Of the four original kids, I think he was the one that showed the most growth. It helps, too, that you get an arc that doesn’t make you look like an asshole. Plus, his budding romance with Mad Max was adorable. I hope they get to actually be a thing in Series 3. It’d be fun to see how their relationship changes in contrast to Mike and El’s. Speaking of Mad Max…

Who the hell thought Sadie Sink would come in and kill it so hard? Her Maxine “Mad Max” Mayfield fit right in with The Party like she’d been there the entire time! I look forward to more from our resident “Zoomer”, particularly as she interacts with the “mage” and “ranger”.

We finally get to see Will Byers do some sh*t and he real good at that sh*t. Noah Schnapp was relegated to shivering in a box last Series but he does a great deal more than that this time! True enough, his story kind of devolves into “Save Will part 2” but I think it was handled with more agency this time around. Super curious where his arc takes him next. Hopefully not the damsel-in-distress for a third time. There’s a lot of meat there to get into. Hopefully the Duffers will give us, and Will, a bit more to do.

David Harbour shows why he deserves a shot at Hollywood big time with his current stint as Jim Hopper. During both series, Hopper is integral, particularly in Series 2. This is as much Hopper’s journey as it is Eleven’s and I find that just riveting.

The Good

The effects in series 2 have to mentioned. That little bump in budget made everything that much sharper. You can see it, in particular, with the Demo-dogs. Those thing look like they can be a thing. Watching Dart go from a tadpole to flesh eating monster was convincing as all sh*t and it doesn’t have a goddamn face!

Winona Ryder did her thing as Joyce Byers but she kind of takes a backseat in this outing. She felt like a supporting character as opposed to the force she was in series 1 but that makes sense as Will had such a prominent role this go-around.

I loved Steve’s growth from Series 1 to 2. It felt organic and real to the character. It was a little odd to see him getting constantly dog walked by everyone but that’s not really his element. He’s about bashing Demogorgon heads in and he’s still very good at that. Joe Keery’s energy and exuberance for the part makes it all happen. Plus, Steve and Dustin’s friendship is just precious and should be protected at all costs.

Paul Reiser was surprisingly charming as Sam Owens. I did not expect to like him as much as I did.

The Okay

The “love Triangle” between Nancy, Steve, and Johnathan kind of comes to it’s inevitable conclusion. If you were paying attention throughout Series 1, you know what I’m talking about. It seemed a little… forgone but it still an interesting revelation to behold. To be honest, there’s not a whole lot of Natalie Dyer or Charlie Heaton in this outing. It feels like they are the most supportive of the supporting cast. Seriously, anyone could have accomplished their arc.

While I felt the conflict with Billy Hargrove was a little tacked on, I found Dacre Montgomery’s portrayal of that character to be spot on. I read somewhere that he Duffers wanted to have an actual, human villain and, let me say, Billy is definitely that.

Steve gets beat up a lot. Like, a lot-a lot.

Sean Astin as Bob Newby was pretty okay. I thought he was a little meh but that as the point of his character. The way his arc ended, though, wasn’t all that big of a surprise to me. Kind of expected that to happen, to be honest.

All those little callbacks and easter eggs were delightful. I am, quintessentially, an 80s baby so seeing my era recreated with such care is always lovely to see.

All of the little guest spots and revelations throughout were crazy intense. I loved all of them particularly Eight. Her whole schtick was kind of understandable. Curious as to what her existence means for future outings.

The pacing was much better the second time through but it still felt a bit choppy, especially around Hopper. But this is  the minor-est of grievances.

The Verdict

I read somewhere that Part one was a proof concept and Part 2 is a celebration of concept. That’s actually a pretty apt description because, looking back, the first series seems like it was a bunch of ideas thrown at you whereas series 2 feels actually complete. It’s able to elaborate on key themes and embellish on a few new ones. There was legitimate growth with all of the characters, be it minute or revealing, that felt organic. The plot itself is heading toward a grandiose conclusion that has me both salivating and dreading for resolution. Stranger Things 2 is that rare circumstance when a sequel exceeds the original while still adding to the world, lore, and overall universe. The Duffer Brothers have created a masterpiece of cinema here and you’re doing yourself a disservice by not watching it. This thing is a goddamn love letter to being a kid in the 80s, to growing up through schoolyard interactions and puppy love. It was a rather brisk stroll down memory lane and i loved every bit of it!