crashing-all-modes - Tumblr blog

crashing-all-modes · 15 days

Text

Why Mike Referring to El as "Superman" is Byler Coded

*Note this theory has nothing to do with gender*

This is gonna be long. But don't worry. I think it's worth it.

El + Will

El and Will are intertwined. Interchangeable characters. Almost like doppelgängers or alter-egos. Yet sometimes behave or are placed in situations as if they are foils. Here's what I mean by this.

Season One

From the very beginning, Will and El are linked. When Will goes missing from Hawkins, El appears in the woods of Hawkins. Will is taken from the party and El is given to them (in a sense) when they find her. Immediately they are put in contrasting situations (foils) yet are interchangeable characters (I'll be calling this alter ego since doppelgänger isn't a completely accurate term

Physically she is smaller than the rest of the group, like Will, and she is also shy, like Will. She's not just shy because she doesn't know many words as we know from later seasons, when she knows a lot more English. Though she talks a bit more, she is still reserved with communication, just like Will.

And we can also see their characters mirror each other in the way other characters react to them. Not only just Mike but Lucas and Dustin eventually become protective over El just like they are with Will. Joyce becomes a motherly figure for El once she meets her. Not in season one but eventually Hopper becomes both of their father figures. The bullies make fun of her just like they make fun of Will. But from the very first few minutes, we understand Mike and Will have a special friendship compared to themselves with Lucas and Dustin. Will only tells Mike the truth about the dice. He doesn't lie. Mike's also very protective over and sensitive about Will. He notices he doesn't show up to school. He goes to his house to find him. He genuinely wants to help find Will, just like the others, but he's really adamant from the get go. He has a protector role. As soon as Will becomes lost and they find El in the woods, she takes Will's place in his absence. Immediately, Mike takes her under his wing and protects her. They have a thing about friends not lying, referencing the very first scene where Will doesn't lie to Mike, and only Mike. They both have a special relationship with Mike and it's emphasized by all the other similarities between Will and El. Such as...

Both of the characters being the only ones to have outwardly abusive, shitty fathers. Lonnie is a homophobic bully to his own son and would gladly exploit his death, while Brenner imprisoned El her entire childhood and did nothing but manipulate and exploit her. They both were taken from their mothers, who go crazy looking for them and never stop until they find them or are physically prevented from doing so :( They are the only characters alive who have been abducted, so they share a complex trauma that none of the others can relate to. Automatically this gives them a similar character profile starkly contrasted to the rest. They both feel a connection to the Upside Down and are the other characters main (only?) connections to the Upside Down.

Finally, in the final moments of season one, Will is brought back to the original Hawkins and El is taken into the Upside Down. Interchangeably. A transfer of their characters. The paralellism lol. And this brings us directly into season two.

But before that.

This next sentence is important, so pay attention. Essentially, the only major difference between Will and El is that Will has no powers. Remember this.

Season Two

So immediately in season two there is already another situational contrast between our mirrored characters; Will is now in Hawkins, placed back inside the party, and El was in the Upside Down until she was in the woods (just like Will except reversed) and then Hopper took her in (same person who saved Will), taken from the party. So Will is given back and El is taken. Almost like you can only have one because they're so interchangeable. So there are already many parallels.

**So many that I could stop here and make my Superman point honestly but this is too much fun. So if you want you can just skip to the end for the rest of the theory and it will still make sense. But I suggest reading the whole thing for it to really hit.**

Anyway. Now instead of El being the main character, Will is, at least in relation to the other party members. I would say both El and Will are the main main characters of s2, but regardless, Will takes her place as the main character in the party. So again, they switch places. Indicating they are interchangeable. Which is very important. Just like season one where the party members and eventually the other characters were protecting El from the bad men, they're now protecting Will from the Mind Flayer. He takes the place of protected and Mike is his main protector as far as the kids and teens. Not only that but there are tons of Byler moments in this season and they mirror how Mileven were in season one. If what's happening in a canon ship is happening in a supposed "unrequited" ship, then maybe that ship isn't so unrequited. If people even question it, maybe that ship isn't so canon.

But I digress. Lol

Just because Will and El are so alike doesn't mean they don't clash. That's why they're also foils, imo. And this is what we see in season three.

Season Three

So by clash I don't mean they don't like each other or have ill will for one and other. I mean the trope or role they hold in comparison to the other characters only has room for one, so it can create tension. Otherwise, they still pretty much mirror each other. Both are finally getting to grow up and not experience trauma (in the first few episodes). They are both recovering from their childhood being ripped apart by two heads of the same beast. El has girls night with Max before+after breaking up with Mike, Will has boys night before fighting with Mike. They're two peas in one pod that are constantly revolving around each other. The yin and yang. So similar but constantly moving in opposite directions. When one does this, the other does that. Mileven's breakup scene is funny, lighthearted, fun colored and sunny. Bylers fight is dreary, dark, mono toned color scheme, emotional acting and serious implications. El is seen having fun thinking of other things after the breakup. Will destroys Castle Byers, the place he felt was safe for him, which could even parallel when El destroys the cabin because Hopper won't let her leave/see Mike. They're in almost identical situations (lover/crush isn't reciprocating the feelings I have for them, or at least isn't showing it properly) yet their situations end up completely different. This mirrors their characters but also foils them. Regardless it creates a link between the two indicating they hold similar roles within the show. Other than Mike relations, while El is figuring out something is up with Billy/the Upside Down, Will knows the Mind Flayer is back. They both consistently represent the fantasy aspect and always facilitate that storyline. Now that they've finally been present together in a season, it becomes A LOT more obvious how their characters are so similar it causes clashes, which only further emphasizes how alike they are.

Let's just get into S4 because this is so long lol.

Season Four

El and Will becoming siblings heavily emphasizes them being each others alter-egos and the fact that El has no powers only maximizes this to the fullest. Essentially they're now the exact same character trope/profile whatever you want to call it. El is now being bullied for being "different" and because she no longer has powers. We all know Will has been bullied since the womb 💀 Without her powers, El has a very difficult time defending herself, and so does Will in general. She can't vocally speak up for herself, the only time Will does is when Mike has ticked him off so bad, similar to El without her powers. They both just don't fit in. So why don't they also show Will being bullied? It goes back to how they clash, reiterating how they're the yin and yang, switching situations constantly. When Mike first gets to Cali, Mileven are all over each other leaving Will dilly dallying somewhere in the background and Byler eventually fighting. Then Mileven fight and Byler make up. Both Will and El want to hear something from Mike that he's isn't ready to say. He dances around the issue with the both of them - telling El she's incredible and he cares for her, telling Will they're just friends, and indicating their relationship didn't warrant regular contact. Same situation (I want Mike to reciprocate my feelings) different outcome (Mike doesn't love me, Mike can't admit we were best friends ((or more than that)) and his behavior is weird). This is not for no reason. Writers (and no it's not just the Duffers, so please stop shitting on the writing when if you look into it there's some good subtext) don't parallel characters for no reason. They are trying to indicate something. That Will and El are so alike but constantly stuck in opposing situations.

Okay so that's my in depth analysis of why Will and El are essentially the same character while simultaneously contrasting each other. Alter ego foils. Let's get to the ACTUAL point 😭

Superman

So, in the van scene, before Will gives his speech, Mike has his own little semi-speech and towards the end he says "...that I'm just some random nerd who got lucky Superman landed on his doortstep. I mean at least Lois Lane is a reporter for the daily planet, right?"

Now this may seem like a simple analogy, not knowing much about Superman. However, even when I only knew the basics and tropes, it still stood out to me that he referred to el as Superman, not Superwoman, wonder woman or Supergirl. I've seen a few people for and against this theory and it always revolves around the idea that El is a girl not a boy so it should be Supergirl. And yes, I think that partially helps this analogy, it gives it more attention to an average viewer; but that's not the only reason it works. In fact, I don't think that's the main point at all. It's also important that Mike refers to himself as Lois Lane. Now hear me out...

In the original Superman comics, and some iterations of it, Lois Lane falls for Superman because of his super powers and subsequent charisma/attractiveness, while befriending Clark Kent and not realizing they are the same person. Are we seeing this comparison? Please tell me I'm not crazy.

If it wasn't obvious, Mike = Lois Lane, Will = Clark Kent and El = Superman.

Here's a description of the "love triangle" between Lois, Clark and Superman. Yellow is Will, blue is Mike and green is El.

Now obviously, Superman and Kent really are the same person. However, I think there's plenty of support for the idea that Will and El are nearly interchangeable characters without the powers. So the Writers used a clever reference to indicate this love triangle (or at least I think they intentionally did lol).

What supports this theory more is Mike's descriptions throughout the seasons of El. He's references her super powers more than twice, referred to her as a "machine" a "weapon in s1". In S3 and S4 he has trouble saying ILY which on its own could be plenty of things but coupled with all of the other subtext... let's just say maybe I choose to be delusional. In the monologue, he refers multiple times to her super powers instead of like "i love your caring soul, your warming smile, how you are literally always there for us". No its "you can move mountains, fly, do anything" etc. Clear romanticization of her powers which she probably doesn't like and isn't a healthy thing in a relationship anyway.

Lois Lane has a close personal relationship with both Superman and Clark Kent, yet she's unable to tell that they're the same person. Even though the only thing being different is a pair of glasses and obviously super powers. This parallels how Mike is unable to differentiate between his feelings for Will and his feelings for El. They're confusing because he thinks he's supposed to like El because of society (Lois is primarily attracted to Superman first over Kent because of the allure he brings with his fame and powers, which relates to social standing) and that he can't like Will because of the obvious implications - being gay would give him hardship. For Lois Lane, it means she has a lower social status than if she were to be with Superman. The way El and Will have so many parallels I feel like this analogy is too blatant to not mean something. Especially considering this is a sci-fi action show and Superman would attract similar fanbases, so some of them would be able to make the connection.

+++It's also NOT a coincidence that he says this RIGHT before Will confesses his feeling VICARIOUSLY THROUGH El. It just can't be sorry.

Now obviously this is all speculation, but this next part is really speculation.

So how is Mike's behavior explained in the context of this Superman analogy?

Now that El lost her powers, Will and El are essentially two peas in a pod. If you analyze closely throughout the seasons you would catch on to it, but now more than ever. Mike has too. They call and write all the time so presumably they talk A LOT about A LOT of things. This gave him the time to understand El apart from her powers. Not only that but they were physically separated so even if she did have her powers, he still wouldn't be as affected by them. He finally gets to know her. And that's not to say he doesn't like her. Or even love her. He just doesn't romantically love her. And he realizes that once he's confronted her true self, and once he gets to Cali it's thrown right into his face (as he may or may not have been expecting) causing him to ignore Will. Even though he's never, even in s3, acted this nonchalant and apathetic towards Will. It's noticeable, probably noticeable enough for the general audience. A stark contrast even. Yes it could be the distance so they grew apart but we know from their talks in Vol 1 that it wasn't intentional. Mike says he lost Will. When's the last time he lost Will? In s2 with the Mind Flayer and in s1 with the abduction. How did he react? Negatively, but urgently tried to find Will. This time he reacts negatively but avoids fixing it. Why? Because he, at least on some level, has recognized his feelings for Will. Perhaps the similarities are so glaringly obvious that he feels stupid and naïve.

And one last thing to drive the point home.

Mike, in episode 8, refers to El as "superman". You can brush it all off as oh that's just the most popular superhero, etc. But in the VERY next episode, Argyle refers to her as "supergirl". It shows that Argyle sees her as a girl, not a boy. Not that Mike doesn't know she's a girl but that he chose not to refer to her as such. Someone else pointed out that he has referred to her as "person" multiple times throughout the series. I don't have the proof in that but if it's true it supports this. It also shows that the writers (may) have used the word Superman intentionally.

Well that was super fucking long but I would love to hear opinions if you've gotten this far!!! I don't think it's that far fetched but I am deluded so I truly can't tell lol.

#byler #op is big brain

2K notes · View notes

crashing-all-modes · 15 days

Text

stranger things habits of cycles and mini arcs that make me think byler is endgame

This is kind of my first stranger things theory/study so I don't know if somebody already took note of what I'm about to say on here or not so I'm sorry if I'm just reiterating common knowledge, I'm new on tumblr! I just hope to put information that we already have and understand in a different way that puts the show into perspective. If someone already noted this, I hope you enjoy reading what I think anyway :) I’m just having fun studying these characters

What is my definition of a cycle? A repeating theme/s in a character that often shows their flaw or something to take note of, and then allows you to take into perspective what the overall show is trying to tell you about this character. This further allows the audience to understand where their story is going, and how the character is thinking or feeling. Each full cycle shows the same repeating flaw and the character’s reaction to it, which gives us a window into their next move or arc, and what they are going to do about this cycle. Cycles feel like parallels but are more consistent within the characters. Cycles are similar to character arcs but not quite character arcs because I find that these pieces of character information repeat each other over and over rather than advancing or developing by much (like Steve and his troubles with the ladies), until they finally resolve. So, more like mini, bite-sized character arcs that make you think about what the character is thinking. It does not follow the traditional exoskeleton of a character arc. This definition is not official by any means and is just me putting a name to mini-arcs throughout the season that I find repeat themselves, thus a cycle.

Just a warning that this can get kind of rambly lol you have to stay with me here!!! I promise it mostly makes sense. I am just mega autistic and I have so much to write.

Before I go into my theories, I need to lay some groundwork information down.

We know that;

Will, El, and Henry Creel have all been abused

Will, El, and Henry Creel parallel and mirror each other

Thanks to Tumblr user snacksizedgates, we also know about Will and El’s cyclical mirroring and foiling of each other

Mike and Nancy share similar perspectives on relationships

Mike Wheeler’s arc for two seasons has been about being unable to say “I love you”

Mike Wheeler’s arc is unfinished (we know this because of the end of e09 of s04)

The painting scene is probably one of the most important pieces of information to understanding Will’s character

Part 1) Proving that Stranger Things is Cyclical

The characters that I mentioned above are not the only characters that experience cycles. To prove that what I’m talking about in regards to Byler is tangible, I first have to prove that cycles are prevalent at all.

Steve, Robin, Joyce, Hopper, and Jonathan are all seen going through specific cycles in their arcs. Nancy as well, but I did not mention her because she comes into play later on. The story itself also follows certain cycles without the characters (such as the start of the upside down and the continuing of it into the 80’s), but it follows more of the traditional arc-exoskeleton that I mentioned before.

Joyce’s cycle includes a level of distrust in romantic relationships because of a cycle of traumatic experiences. Her flaw is distrust. Joyce is a single mother, and her past relationship with Lonnie was not only traumatizing for her, but for her children too. We know that Joyce was abused, along with her children, which is the start of not only her cycle, but Will and Jonathan’s. Joyce then is put with another man in Season 2, Bob. Bob appears to be a good role model and a kind man, but Joyce is put into another traumatic situation when Bob is promptly killed off by a demogorgon in front of her. This created another lasting impact on her, which bleeds into Season 3 where she gets a traumatic flashback of Bob dying. Then, in Season 3, she has to watch Hopper “die”. However, in Season 4, because Hopper actually ends up alive, I think that he is what puts a stop to Joyce’s cycle. Joyce has an expectation that the relationships she goes into will fail, which is probably also why she was hesitant to go on a date with Hopper. Now that she knows that Hopper won’t essentially fail her like the rest of the people she’s been in relationships with, she can heal. This is her closure.

Steve’s cycle includes troubles in romance and finding true connections. He is shown inside his cycle and attempting to break out of it, either by going on dates or even confessing to Robin. The issue is, the women he goes after are either uninteresting or not for him, because he is stuck in a past relationship (Nancy). He has an ideal in his head about who the girl he dates should be like, and he cannot break out of it because he is stuck in his own expectations. Season 4 highlighted this flaw of his, and I believe Season 5 leads into him accepting that what happened will stay (his breakup with Nancy), or, disfavorably, a Stancy endgame.

Robin’s cycle, similar to Steve’s, includes troubles in romance. However, this cycle is more nuanced because Robin is a lesbian, and this struggle is highlighted by her in the show. Her flaw is the inability to be her true self. Robin recognizes how Steve and her are similar within their struggles, but she is put at a higher disadvantage. Robin cannot be herself, and this is arguably not a personal struggle, but a struggle with societal expectations. Queer characters in the show grapple with an amalgamation of character vs. society and character vs. self, which makes me appreciate the nuance of these characters.I do believe that Robin’s break will be during Season 5, when she hopefully gets together with Vickie, especially because at the end of Season 4, Robin appears more comfortable with being herself around Vickie. She’s already accepted her queerness, and that’s half the battle. Does this remind you of someone?

Hopper’s cycle is more familial based, because of his dead daughter. Hopper’s old family completely abandoned him, his wife left him. This creates an expectation in him that everybody he gets close to will fail him too. However, his closure comes faster than most characters after El and Joyce come into his life. They are the missing pieces in his equation, therefore when he is with them, he feels whole again and the cycle is broken. I believe that he felt truly whole again in Season 2 and 3 after he was able to step up as a father, and then again in Season 4 when Joyce rescued him.

Jonathan’s cycle is also about distrust and fear, and I believe that Joyce’s fears bled into him which in turn caused this cycle. His flaw and cycle is also very similar to Will, because of the shared experiences with their father, but his perception of it is much more parentified and hardened than Will’s. I believe his closure will come in Season 5, and I think that Nancy plays a key role in it.

Part 2) The Arcs and Cycles of Eleven, One, and Will

We know that El, One, and Will are similar, not only because of snacksizedgate’s brilliant superman theory, but because of common character descriptors and wardrobe choices in the show. One is described as a sensitive boy from his biological father, and Will is described as a sensitive boy from his biological mother. One wears a very similar plaid button up shirt to what Will is wearing, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. El and Will are treated similarly by Mike because they have similar character profiles. They are both shy, they are both quiet. El and One have shared trauma and power profiles, One sees something special in Eleven because he notes that Eleven is a lot like him. These are not coincidences, therefore all three of them parallel each other.

Eleven is shown to be put through situations that are very similar one after another. When she is young, she is under a cycle of abuse by the hands of her father figure. When she meets Hopper, her freedom is again limited. Then, she is put into a relationship with Mike who feels the need to moderate her powers. I am not saying that Hopper or Mike are bad people, they can have good intentions, but their limits that they place on Eleven prove to have impacted her character growth. This is inherent when we see Max and El’s shopping mall date in Season 3, and we see the most growth she’s had in a long time, and again in Season 4, when she has to be away from Mike to relearn her own strength, and cut off a part of the abuse cycle that has been impacting her (Papa). When she is away from the catalyst of control in her life, whichever it is at the time, she is shown to grow and learn the most than from when she is with them. We have to remember that this connection is completely intentional from a writer’s perspective, because they all parallel one after another. You are supposed to wonder if El’s relationships are benefiting her or stunting her, and you are supposed to tie those strings together to come to that conclusion. This is how media literacy works. Additionally, I find identifying a true flaw on El much more difficult because of her lack of personhood. She doesn't know who she is because she was not taught to understand who she is until Season 3.

One is shown to be the start of this cycle of abusive father figures, and I believe that the relationship between Eleven and One is similar to that of generational abuse. We are told this repeatedly throughout Season 4 when El and One communicate (and the fact that they are literally numbered helps with my point. One is 1 and Eleven is double 1, which I also believe foreshadows their battle and the victor. This is not a coincidence.) and we are reminded of what Eleven went through with One when she reunites with Dr. Brenner to focus on herself. We are told directly how they view Dr. Brenner. Eleven and One view him as a father figure, calling him Papa, which solidifies the similarities they have with Will and parental abuse. I believe that because Dr. Brenner was the cause and One was the continuation, Will and El will step up to break this cycle in Season 5. This is why I believe these things are worth mentioning in the first place. These cycles of abuse play key roles in the progression of the storyline, and are meant to be thought about.

Will is also shown to be put through very similar situations. He had a terribly abusive father who put limits on who he was as a person, and stunted his growth, just like El. However, Will’s case is different because he is gay. Will feels as if he cannot be himself, and El feels like that too, but it is not the focal point of her cycle. Will’s cycle is one of shame and self realization that stems from his abuse cycle’s starting point, his father. He is raised to believe that being himself is bad, therefore he internalizes those feelings, which I believe could be his main flaw. Interestingly, all of Will’s major growth points come from Mike, such as in the rain fight in S03/E03. This may seem like a strange thing to highlight as a growth point, but I truly believe that the argument Will had with Mike proves that he has the ability and the strength to be more combative, unlike when he was younger. This is again shown to me in Season 4, where Will is struggling to stand up for himself and his sister in school, but when he is with Mike, he is comfortable enough to be more combative, and his ability to be himself skyrockets, because now we know that Mike makes him feel better for being different. A lot of Will’s growth points also develop Mike’s character, which is why when they are together, they are better together. This was said by Mike in Season 4, that when they are a team they are better. This is the antichrist of Mike and El, it starkly contrasts where they grow. El grows when she can find herself. Mike grows when he is with Will. Another one of Will’s growth points is the ability to be himself, and when he is with Mike, he is completely and wholly himself, compared to the scenes that show him alone and Mike-less in California. This contrast is completely intentional and is supposed to make the viewer think about Mike and Will’s relationship. Because Will’s cycle is focusing on how to be himself, and Will is himself the most when he is around Mike, we can assume that the way to break Will’s cycle of flaw is for him to be with Mike. The fact that Will, El, and One have such close ties with not only the upside down, but with cycles of abuse, lead me to believe that these cycles are worth drawing theories out of and thinking about. They are there for a reason, and therefore they have consequences on the story.

Part 3) Mike and The Wheeler Family

I think that before I completely draw my conclusion and connect all of this, we have to focus on Mike as a character and we have to think about how he grew up.

Mike’s parents are in a loveless marriage. We can tell that something is wrong in Season 1, when we first meet Mike’s apathetic father, but the deterioration grows even more prevalent throughout the seasons. In Season 3, this is fully solidified when we see Karen Wheeler feel tempted to cheat on her husband. The only reason why she doesn’t is not because she realizes that she loves Ted, but because she doesn’t want to put her children in a difficult situation of divorce. Children pick up on these things at a young age, and I do believe that Nancy is aware of her father and mother’s situation, but that does not stop the influences that they have on Mike and her.

Nancy and Stancy as a whole reflected her parent’s loveless marriage in Season 2. Nancy, like Mike, was unable to say I love you. It wasn’t because she was afraid that Steve “wouldn’t need her”, it was because she didn’t love Steve but felt like she had to, similarly to her parents. She mirrored their loveless marriage because that is what she thought was correct. I believe that Nancy’s arc had toned down in Season 3 because of Jonathan, and I honestly don’t know what they’re doing with it now, but I truly believe that she will never love Steve Harrington (fingers crossed cause my bone to pick with Stancy could be a whole other post). Because Stancy parallels Mileven so heavily, and the Wheelers show time and time again how similar their reactions are to highly emotional situations (I can even argue that Nancy was quite repressed, but that’s for another time), it is fair to say that Mike Wheeler’s attempt to be ‘normal’ (thanks Finn Wolfhard) ties into his attempt to mirror his parents within his relationship with Eleven.

Mike was raised to believe that love is what his parent’s relationship looks like, which caused him to reflect that view onto El. The start of Mike’s cycle is at the root of what his family is, loveless. Mike’s major flaw is repression of who he is, which is very similar to Will, but Mike has not accepted this part of himself. We can see Mike repress himself emotionally throughout the seasons, such as resorting to anger and feeling personally attacked when he is called out on poor behavior (rink-o-mania, you don’t say I love you, the rain fight). Anger is a secondary emotion to a separate feeling, and because he cannot feel his emotions properly, anger is what he expresses out of the repression. Why was Mike so angry when Will was hurt by his lack of contact? Why was Mike so defensive when El said that he doesn’t say I love you? Why was Mike so mad at Will for saying that he doesn’t spend time with him anymore in Season 3? These are things that we have to ask when we are attempting to understand Mike’s character, because all of these instances are ones where emotion and tension is high, so his truer self is revealed. Now, let’s dig deeper into those former questions. Why didn’t Mike keep contact with Will, his best friend? Why is Mike so unable to meet his girlfriend’s emotional needs, when she is directly stating what she needs? Why is Mike ignoring his childhood best friend and acting like an asshole because of it? Because he is repressed. Mike has been unable to say I love you since Season 3, and opts to saying it when he’s scared for El’s safety. Mike has always only been able to say I love you when he is pushed to say it (high tension situations, his best friend encouraging him to). If all of these situations are where he is not rational, not himself, where someone is in danger and he feels the need to save them, how can we trust to believe that this is how he truly feels? The love that he states he has for El is not stated or clear when she is safe, it is stated when Mike believes that El is in danger. It is stated as a last resort, and therefore it is not clear on if he actually feels that way romantically or if he feels like he has to, because he is repressed. Mike’s cycle has been prevalent throughout all seasons, but the newest addition to it (not being able to say things his loved ones need) started in Season 3. I think that because it has gone for two seasons, it will resolve in Season 5, and to discuss the full picture, I now present my overall idea.

We have established that cycles are commonplace in Stranger Things, and that characters have bite-sized arcs in every season that will attach to an overall story because they are all linked as of now. But how does this relate to Byler? Well, I believe that to stop Will’s cycle of abuse and shame, and to stop Mike’s cycle of repression, Byler has to happen as the logical outcome of both of those things. We see throughout the seasons that Mike and Will see the most growth within each other, which is just a fact when you look at it from a full-picture perspective. Will is able to tell Mike how he feels, Mike is able to tell Will how he feels. The repression-shame cycle is removed from the equation when they are together. We also know that Mike and Will have ‘shared looks’ that are specifically added into the story to create a feeling in the viewer. These shared looks are completely purposeful in their characters, because it proves that they don’t have to say anything to understand how each other feels. It removes the expectation of having to explain themselves, after feeling like they’ve had to their entire lives. Their cycles not only complement each other, with themes of shame, but they complete each other. Their bite-sized arcs are cohesively paired together every season because of how ‘on the same page’ they are. An example is in Season 3, where we see a lot of Byler’s conflict. Will doesn’t understand why Mike doesn’t want to spend time with him, Will has basically accepted himself, and Mike is afraid of himself which is why he chooses to push Will aside. Mike in Season 3 did not accept himself, and repressed who he was, whilst Will was finally figuring out who he is. These arcs are inherently complementary to each other, because it shows growth and an olive branch on one side and hesitance for the same reasons on the other. And again in Season 4, we see Mike finally being himself with Will again, slowly opening himself up, which is complementary to Will’s arc, which was telling Mike how he’s been feeling. Though I am showing two examples, one with conflict and one where they are on the same page, they are still both complementary to each other because El’s arc is indifferent to Will and Mike’s. El’s arc is not opposing or complementing Will or Mike’s, it is simply redirecting her character. Therefore, if her arc and what she needs to do is indifferent to other character’s, those characters are not involved in her arc or her needs.

I’m very excited to see where this show leads and it is the longest interest I’ve ever had in my life. Remember that this is all in good fun. Sorry if this is kind of bad lol I am a little scrambled cause I wrote this in one day and I got excited. I didn't even scrape the surface of the crazy amount of parallels in this show !!! I'm excited to write more about what I think.

#this is so well written!!!#op is a genius #byler #byler endgame #stranger things study #byler study

13 notes · View notes

crashing-all-modes · 17 days

Text

#this is a callout post about ME LOL

15K notes · View notes

crashing-all-modes · 18 days

Text

Back at it again with another chapter YIPPEE

#bluepulse #bart allen #jaime reyes #bluepulse fic #impulse #blue beetle #thanatophobia fic

6 notes · View notes

crashing-all-modes · 1 month

Text

UPDATE ON THE RAVEN CYCLE SCULPTURE!!

Sorry for such a long wait for the update. It was my last two weeks of school, and MAN, OH MAN, was it stressful for homework!!

Okay, so first of all, this is a long update with lots of pictures!!! (I’m going to make a TLDR version for anybody who doesn’t want to hear me yap, LOL)!

Once again, no spoilers if you have thoughts please!

As some of you may know, I had a project for my 3D design class where we had to pick a book and then create a sculpture out of the book (it can be anything, a scene from the book, a feeling you got while reading it, symbolism and so on). The one rule of the assignment is the pages of the book have to be the most prominent part of the design. So I was allowed to paint it, draw on it, and use whatever I saw fit as long as the pages of the book were included and the most prominent!!

For my project I decided to do the raven boys as tarot cards using the major arcana.

I’m gonna break this up into sections so it's easy to navigate!

Making the Hand

So funny story, I thought this project was due two weeks ago and spent all night (stayed up till 6am) working on it, only to wake up at 8am to find out it was due the following week. AH. So here’s what I did that night:

Dw, the hand looks way better after I had more time to work on it; I used about… 4 jumbo sticks of hot glue to attach it to the board? You can pick this up by the hand and use it as a weapon, and it will stay attached.

Building The Base Tarot Card

I made all 5 cards with 2 pieces: one large piece, which would be the back of the card, and another smaller piece, which would act as the part for the character to be on. I made them out of cardboard, so there’s definition.

Back Piece

I carved into the cardboard these small little triangles which was for the gold foil I planned on using! To cover the back pieces, I ripped up pages into uneven pieces and mod-podged them on there (because glue itself made the pages translucent).

Front Piece

The smaller pieces were very important when creating the cards because I used full pages from the book. I picked very specific moments in the book that helped to relate both the character and their card!

Ronan

This is the page where Ronan first "finds" Chainsaw. His card is The Moon, which deals with supernatural elements and visions, so I figured it would be a perfect page to use. Plus, it was one of my favourite Ronan moments!

Gansey

Originally, I wanted to use the page where Gansey recounted his near-death experience with the bees, but I must've used the page by accident because I couldn't find it ANYWHERE?? I opted for this page instead, because this is another instance where Gansey looked death in the eye and scared it off (his card is The Hanged Man).

Blue

I decided to use Blue for The Lovers card because I felt the irony of it was too fitting. I used the page where the reader learns about Blue's fate to kill her true love just by kissing him. The design for her card is so evil (if you keep reading, you'll see it), but it's good.

Noah

(Spoilers) If you've gotten this far, I'm hoping you've at least read the first book. Noah's card is Death, which is... very fitting for obvious reasons AND for the context of the card!! I decided to go with one of the craziest moments in the book when they find out Noah's a ghost. It's perfect for the Death card... and IT EVEN MENTIONS THE DEATH CARD ON THIS PAGE, WHICH I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL I WAS GLUING IT ONTO THE CARDBOARD!!

Adam

Adam is my favourite in the book and I had so many moments to pick from for his tarot card. Ultimately, I picked the scene where he and Whelk are having a face-off, and all MAGIC IS BREAKING LOSE BECAUSE HE'S THE MAGICIAN (as I've been told by many sources, I still have only read the first book)!!

After I glued all of the pages onto the smaller pieces of cardboard, I dyed them with food coloring!! I had no idea this would work, but thanks to YouTube, it worked so much better than trying to paint, and the colours turned out amazing!!

From left to right on the top row: Ronan, Noah (before tea wash), Adam, Gansey and the bottom one is Blue's!

Here's Noah's after being tea stained, I wanted his to look like it was old and worn, like it was lost in the earth. To make it blotchy, I used the actual tea bag and blotted it on the card like crazy.

I then went on to dye WAY MORE PAGES. It's surprisingly fun.

The Tarot Cards (Roughs)

So, for each tarot card, I created designs, trying to implement the original while making it my own in relation to the character. All of these are sketches, and I honestly might make them real pieces in the future!!

Blue

UGH. I think hers and Noah's might be my favourite designs (I'm very biased tho because I love skulls lol). Each card has an earthy theme, I included lots of flowers and branches!

Adam

Adam's is the closest to the OG tarot card, because I felt like it was so iconic I couldn't change much to the design. That's probably why his is my least favourite design LOL.

Gansey

Ngl, I really like the symbolism on this one. If you were to pull it in reverse it would be Gansey with the crown floating above his head, like it's his and he's close to reaching his goal.

Noah

OKAY, BUT LIKE GUYS, THIS IS AHGSSGSGHSH. Like???? I love him so much. I put him in a saint pose, like those you see sculptures in churches posing in or paintings of saints. But I love him so much.

Ronan

I love the vibe his card gives off. It's very contemplative and moody, just like him.

I love how all of the designs turned out, but I unfortunately only had time to make one, Ronan's!

Ronan's Card

To make Ronan's cutout, I cut pieces of different stained pages into the shapes I needed (like his shirt and his head), and I then drew on it with an ink pen. It was really difficult to make everything the correct size because of the way I did his card, so this alone took me an hour to do. Think of him like a paper dress-up doll, LOL.

THE FINAL

FINALLY HOLY CRAP. I'm running out of photo room for the post, so I'll make it brief here but post more on a different thread!!

Anyway, I'm going to make all of them into cards now that school's over, and I'll update y'all when I'm done!!

I just wanna give a really big shoutout to everyone who helped me decide which tarot cards to give to each character, especially @screechin-outloud! They went into so much depth without spoiling the book, and I APPRECIATE YOU!! I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU!!!

And if you made it down this far, thank you for reading all of this!! :)

#the raven cycle #the raven boys #ronan lynch #adam parrish #gansey #noah czerny #blue sargent #fanart #raven boys fanart #raven cycle fanart

17 notes · View notes