#the painting

[chirpsythismorning]

Never getting over how accurate this meme was 😭

#byler #stranger things #the painting #the van scene #st memes

[zooperspy]

“What painting?” The two words that are going to break Mike Wheelers brain

#the painting #byler #byler tumblr #mike wheeler #will byers #el hopper #stranger things #byler theory #st5 theory

[gayofthefae]

I just realized something so sweet and personal about Will's painting.

Their DnD characters don't look like that. We saw him draw them plenty in season 1. Will the Wise has a long beard and Mike's character I think has straight blond hair.

Will didn't just draw their characters per usual, he drew them as their characters. He's drawn Mike's knight character a hundred times. But he's never drawn Mike as a knight. He was understanding that Mike's character is a projection of who he aims to be, like all of them, so he drew MIke as the knight this time. For the first time.

That's what this smile is. Mike has played a hero for years. But he's never been one. He saw a dragon and probably expected his character, overjoyed with more of Will's familiar art, but instead, he was met with a glorious knight in shining armor with black, wavy hair. He was the hero this time. *(you can even see his facial expression change from happy excitement to this broad smile)

In season 1, Mike initiates the search party because of Will's heroics in DnD meaning that he would do it for them. He acknowledges that Will's actions in character are still his own. This is the same. This is Will saying "To play a hero, you have to be one yourself. And you are. I see through your character disguise. I see you. This is just the hero you've always been without the mask."

THAT is why it's different. THAT is why it's so much more personal than all the others, not just the heart, MIKE. THAT is why it hurts so bad (Will too but I'm referring to me/us).

I've said in a previous post that it wasn't about the heart, the heart was kind of for us, it was more-so about the heroism. And that's exactly what I standby. The heart isn't the only new thing about this painting. The hero has never actually been Mike before. And Will responded "Yes it has been. It always has been."

#the painting #byler #the van scene #byler analysis #mike wheeler #i might cry wtf #will byers the way you love #you love like #well you love like mike wheeler #you love like the party #you love the way the people you love love #and that is so beautiful #will byers <3 #will byers #THEIR LOVE #mike calling Will a hero and Dustin a superhero in episode 1. #to this. #he finally gets it back #that one meme but in earnest #'i'm the hero?' #'you always have been' #and also without the gun in the meme #they've had enough guns this season #(they the boys never nancy) #stranger things #mike wheeler hero

[byler-com]

“Will is painting a lot, but he won’t show me what he’s working on.”

It’s finally done !!

After 4 days of painting I finally have my own Byler Painting™

I love it so much it’s going up on my wall,

Everybody thank Will Byers for creating this masterpiece <3

#stranger things #this was so so fun thank u Will lmao #will byers #willbyersdtiys #byler #< target audience #byler target audience #mike wheeler #byler tumblr #byler endgame #miwi #byler nation #mike x will #will x mike #byler painting #will byers art #st fanart #the painting #byler art

[phonopsyche]

what do you see in your dreams, ophelia alina ariane?

(process under the cut)

#signalis #signalis spoilers #ariane yeong #my art #i added ophelia here only bc this scene reminded me of death of ophelia #the painting #so i thought it'd be neat #and alina is mentioned because i headcanon that it's her body #turned into ariane by bioresonance

[runninguplenorahills]

And what if I told you that the fact that Mike asked: “did you paint this?” was neither about being impressed by Will’s art improvement, nor was it about being shocked that someone put that much effort into a gift for him.

This was Mike asking for reassurance that this is The painting! That’s the painting Will’s been working on! That’s the painting for the “girl” he likes! Only that the girl isn’t a girl at all and the painting was for Mike all along!! This was Mike asking for reassurance that: “it’s me!? I’m the person you like?” because of course Will painted this! Of course he did and that didn’t come as a surprise to Mike because he knows how good Will is at art! And he knows that Will usually shares his art with him! What Mike is in disbelief over is the implication this has if it’s actually The painting! The realization that he might be the person Will likes!! And so he asks, and oh boy, he sounds so happy! So hopeful! So in disbelief! And then Will says ”yes” and for a moment time stands still….. until Will tells Mike that El commissioned the painting. Which shocks Mike and there’s a mix of disappointment and confusion on his face because “Oh… So this isn’t The painting after all?” but also “but this doesn’t make any sense!” And now Mike is torn because “what is happening right now?” But as Will starts to explain Mike realizes that he was right. Will is talking about himself. This is The painting. He is the person Will is in love with. And he’s speechless, doesn’t know what to say except for asking for reassurance again and Will says “yes”.

WILL. SAYS. YES!!

#and then the monologue scene comes around and this time mike is so shocked by realizing that will was actually talking about el in the van #mike is so disappointed in himself for letting himself hope that it was about will #that he doesn’t allow himself to hope anymore #and forces himself to lie to el #forces himself to give up on his own happy ending #but if there’s one thing about mike wheeler then it’s that he never loses hope! #never gives up on the people he loves! #so even when he tries to not hope anymore #he still does #mike wheeler #gay mike wheeler #will byers #byler #stranger things #the van scene #van scene #byler van scene #the painting #byler painting

[mikeslawyer]

mike changing his mind about the meaning of the painting every two episodes of season 4

#byler #mike wheeler #byler endgame #byler is canon #stranger things #will x mike #mike x will #will byers #byler s4 #byler tumblr #the painting

[pienaur]

Okay but some things don't add up if El commissioned the painting and I think if Mike thinks about it for a good 5 minutes he will see it too.

Okay so

1: If El wanted to surprise him with a painting why would she tell him that Will is working on something? I debunled this thought since it would still be a surprise for Mike when he finds out the painting is for him and not for a girl Will likes. Or Mike would think Will made a painting for a girl like El suspected than he also made the painting El commissioned.

2: If the painting was commissioned by El, then why didn't she give it to him in the airport? Will was the one who brought the painting, okay, that's because he is the artist, right? Even though El commissioned it he could still bring it instead of El. Okay. But why wouldn't he give it to him? It was an awkward half ass hug and Mike was acting all weird but it was still El's gift for Mike. Therefore he would at least give it to El so she would give it to Mike. Or, let's say he couldn't think about it at that moment, El would. El would be like "Hey, lemme give him the painting!" just to defuse the tension.

3: If El commissioned a painting, why would it be that? We know El, she is a romantic girl. She draws hearts and rainbows all around Mike's pictures. So if she commissioned a painting, she wouldn't be like "Can you draw you guys as your dnd characters figthing a monster or something like that? I think he would like it." No sir she would not say that and if Mike knows her even one bit he will know that.

But maybe she left the context to Will? Maybe she said "Just draw something Mike would like." and then Will came out with the dnd characters figthing a dragon. But no dude, she wouldn't. You know what she would? She would go in detail about what she wanted on that painting and it would be sunshine and rainbows and hearts and it would include both Mike and HERSELF.

So yeah, I think if Mike thinks about it for a moment, he will realize it wasn't commissioned by El. And Will lied to him for some reason. And if you think "Ooh he can't he isn't that smart." He is and you are wrong.

#byler #stranger things #mike wheeler #will byers #el hopper byers #el hopper #the painting

[frozenfrogz]

Me waiting for Mike to say thank you to El for the painting just for El to say, 'what painting?'.

#will byers #mike wheeler #byler #byler is endgame #byler is canon #byler is real #the painting #wills painting #el hopper #el hopper byers #anti mileven #anti m*leven #anti midleven #anti milkvan

[businesstiger]

weird fingers man

#btdraws #digital art #melodrama...! #square sine sawtooth #the painting

[tsugarubecker]

If you would like to be tagged/notified when my S5 fic about Mike finding out El Did Not Commission the Painting (and the subsequent fallout) drops, pls like or reblog or comment!

Side note this will be my longest fic to date. Do y’all prefer it when authors post one chapter at a time, or all at once? 🤔 This fic will be somewhere between 3-8 chapters I think. Currently at 3200 words and I’m not even 1/3 done 😅

Here’s a snippet:

#byler #byler fic #the painting #mike’s monologue #mike wheeler i know what you are #will byers #mike wheeler #byler fanfic #byler fanfiction #stranger things fanfic #stranger things #stranger things season 4 #stranger things S5 fanfic

[chirpsythismorning]

s/out to @wizardclericc for bringing this up!!

We always talk about the significance of Mike and El having their last talk in Will's room at the end of s3, but what about Mike and Will's last talk?

Why have their last talk in the Byers' kitchen?

Maybe because they wanted Will standing in front of the phone from Mike's POV, to hint about their storyline in s4...

What's crazy is they still left this aspect of story in the subtext AGAIN in s4, which is that Mike was constantly trying to get ahold of Will over the phone since the Byers' moved. Because these hints were so tiny, most of the audience missed it entirely, but the truth is still there nonetheless.

What's sad is thinking about how when Will called out Mike at Rink-O-Mania for sending El 'a book of letters', in comparison to only calling him like 'a couple of times'... the reason Mike probably got so defensive was because he knows he tried to call Will WAY more than he wrote El. Mike knows this. Will doesn't. And yet El knows this...

#stranger things #stranger things theory #byler #byler theory #byler meta #oh the miscommunication of it all #the painting #now this #why have el know mike called the byers all the time but not will? #the payoff is going to be #*chefs kiss* #like #phonegate #is coming into play one way or another #mark my words

[fleursfairies]

lovesong by the cure was definitely on the mixtape will was listening to while he was painting the painting ™️

edit: NOOOOO LOVESONG CAME OUT IN 89 AND ST4 WAS IN 86

fine he listened to it as soon as it came out tho

#now im sad #it would've been so true #i mean just listen to the lyrics #i hate time #byler #will byers #mike wheeler #stranger things #el hopper #the painting #jonathan byers #the cure #lovesong #love songs #lovesonglyrics #st4

[gayofthefae]

The core of the painting lie isn't just "someone needs you". It's "someone sees you. Someone sees the love you give everything you do and receives it. Someone who you see as your hero sees you as theirs. You aren't as helpless as you think, you're helping. And someone sees that and feels it so deeply that they wanted to tell you even without knowing how you think of yourself. This painting was started months ago, months before you ever said you felt small, you were painted as empowered and strong. Someone sees you as you wish you were. All the things you feel bad about not being, someone thinks you already are."

Mike was made to feel reciprocated in a way he's never felt before, loved in the way that he loves. It reminds me of the quote "I only believe in love because of the way that I love". And that love was worth believing in in other people, and he is a receiver of that kind of love.

Mike and Will love in the same language.

And he thinks it's El.

#i can emphasize enough my favorite fucking line I just wrote about them #mike and will love in the same language #mike and el love each other but it doesn't translate well right now #stranger things #byler #byler analysis #the painting #byler correct quotes #but make it really serious #subtext

[your-stranger-halfblood-things]

My guy looked so happy at first and then Mike gave him this awkward as fuck hug and he looked so sad after

Mike, go squeeze the shit out of Will and kiss his neck as you strangle him with love. No more pathetic hugs- only ones that show emotion

And Will, tell him the truth about the painting. Tell him and tell him about the letters you wrote him, but never sent. Tell him about all the times you wanted to hug him but couldn't. Tell him everything he needs to know

And fucking just talk about it- for hours, please. And then hug and kiss and fall asleep in each other's arms. Just be your two lame, loser selves, who love each other. That's all I'm asking

#stranger things #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #the painting #when blue meets yellow in the west #friends don't lie #gay mike truther #gay mike wheeler #gay will byers #bi mike truther #bi mike wheeler #airport scene

[wheelercurse]

The painting is the only proof I need to know byler is going to be endgame.

Just ask yourself what the purpose of the painting in the story is? The answer is 1) Develop Mike and Will’s relationship and 2) Reveal Will’s feelings for Mike.

About the first point, they clearly introduced it to generate tension between them. We can see it in the airport reunion when Mike asks about it and then pretends he doesn’t care much about it. And this tension exploded in their fight at rink o mania. When they also revealed that there was distance between them, Will missed his best friend. Then Mike apologizes and asks him to be best friends again. And Will decides to bring the painting with them, but he doesn’t give it to him at that moment. That’s an interesting writing choice because if they wanted the painting to be a plot device to generate more tension and then fix their friendship, they would have to get rid of the painting in the story at that moment. After all, it would have already accomplished its purpose.

Many people misinterpret the narrative and think their friendship is still broken, but not; they literally wrote Mike saying they were best friends… and then showed them closer than before. So if the painting is a plot device to develop them, and they were already best friends again, what’s next?

This brings me to point two. Will decided to lie about his feelings and gave the painting with a lie. A big lie like this can’t stay unresolved, so the truth has to come out. So yes, the other purpose is to reveal Will’s feelings for Mike.

And when that happens, something has to change in the story. There’s no need to build up this plot if their dynamic stays the same in the end. They have to develop their relationship further. The truth about the painting isn’t to fix their friendship because it’s already fixed. So the other only logical outcome is that they’re getting together.

#byler #the painting #it's really that simple :D #it's just a basic narrative structure