#MIKE MAKES THIS WILL FEEL LIKE HES NOT A MISTAKE????? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chirpsythismorning · 11 months

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There isn't much discourse about how Mike went from saying that El was a weapon in s1, even encouraging the others to use El's powers when she was still recuperating after finding Will in the void, to then in s3 accusing the others of being reckless with her powers, saying she's risking her life for no reason.

Now, I want to make clear that I'm not bashing Mike here, this has less to do with what he's doing being right or wrong. What this is about is how Mike went from doing something himself, to calling out other people for doing it, without acknowledging that fact and why the writers chose to frame it all this way.

You might think it's insignificant, but these two following scenes are clearly being paralleled to each other. And so the fact that Mike himself is acknowledging this as something to be critical of, makes me wonder what exactly is going on in his mind...

I want to preface this scene from s1 by saying that Mike is giving very off vibes here. I know that I certainly viewed this scene as romantic the first time I saw it, but since rewatching it recently, I was getting completely different vibes.

They literally make a point to focus on Mike being distracted, on the verge of impatience. Then, the way El reacts upon Mike getting up abruptly, gives this feeling of uncertainty about Mike's consideration for her in this moment, as she's clearly not what's on the top of his mind right now. And it just makes you wonder, are we truly supposed to be feeling peak romance rn?

I never realized how out of place this scene was until now (or is it...). It's just such an odd choice to have El resting her head on Mike's shoulder for comfort, only for Mike to cut it short with him being distracted, and with Dustin and El looking awkwardly at Mike like "Okay?...", then followed by a scene where he's trying to convince the others to use El's powers to help.

Here we have s1 Mike displaying behavior that s3 Mike was calling out the others for displaying:

Here we have Lucas, who was very, very critical of El being dangerous ALL of s1, and yet now in complete contrast to that, he is showing more consideration and common sense for El's well being than Mike, the supposed love (at first sight) interest ...

'That's the most important thing, remember?'

A question, followed by Mike just standing there in silence, like he's only just now really thinking about El being safe as their main priority... This is something that combined with everything else unfolding over the course of this season and the seasons after, that makes Mike's behavior a whole lot easier to understand.

I'll have to make several other posts about this, because there are a lot of aspects to it, but for now I'm just going to focus on these two parallels.

Here we have what happens in s3, with Mike being critical of the others doing something he himself literally did in s1:

In fact, how careless all of you are.

THIS. When Mike makes it a big deal to call out everyone for doing something he himself has already done, he's outright admitting that it's something that he believes is wrong, and by not even slightly acknowledging his role in doing something similar in the past, it's very likely that he feels guilty about it.

This was probably his way of trying to make it right, by standing up for El in a way that he didn't before because he was treating her like some superhero and not a real person back then.

It's just that the word love slipped out, in the heat of the moment. And El, upon overhearing this, is seeing this development of Mike herself, with s1 Mike going from, yes being more kind and considerate than the other 2 boys in the beginning, but still sort of expecting stuff from her without her being able to verbally agree to it, to now having developed and changed to saying that one of his big priorities is her safety.

El is taking this as being evidence he went from not loving her, to loving her. Another reason why it's pretty obvious El didn't believe Mike's monologue, bc she herself witnessed Mike develop his apparent romantic feelings for her over time, and so him saying it was love at first sight, was probably the catalyst that made it abundantly clear to her that he wasn't being truthful, bc she knows it's not the truth. She's not stupid.

Again this isn't about Mike doing this back then or even the others doing it now as being bad vs. good, this is about the writers going about it this way, sending a message that Mike feels guilt, enough to try to make things right, but is apparently not ready to unpack the actual guilt that is beneath the surface which lead him to this point.

And then there's this scene, which... it's actually terrifying how obvious it is they instructed Sadie and Caleb to lean out of that shot with Will and Mike reacting to El entering the room... Like... It's SOO obvious when you watch it now what they're trying to hint at without saying it.

Not only are they hinting at Will's feelings, because that is part of it, they're also hinting at Mike's internal struggle. Will is always on the back of his mind whether he's willing to address it or not. And all while that is happening, he is feeling unaddressed guilt about how he treated El when they first met and spent that one week together helping her run away from the bad guys while also looking for Will, something Mike viewed as being worthy of El using her powers...

I'll have to make the other posts regarding this soon, because it all starts to click what's going on with Mike when you look at all of these things together.

While Mike is just a kid like pretty much everyone else in this story, and while he didn't mean any harm by asking El to help them find Will (none of them did), I think that's kind of the whole point?

I think that he got lucky superman landed on his doorstep, who just so happened to be in danger herself, giving him his own purpose to help her too, with her needing him as well, and so it became a situation where they both needed each other.

But because El could literally not speak, it's not like she could really voice her feelings about things they were doing, beyond yes and no. She had Lucas sort of being critical of her, with Mike encouraging El to do things that would make the others see her as being worthy of sticking around so they can find Will. It goes without saying she felt obligated to do these things, even if they didn't outright tell her she had to or else. We literally see almost all of these scenes with her doing stuff for the others being instantly juxtaposed with scenes of Brenner doing the same. It's not the same scale of severity, but it is an acknowledgment that although she is outside of the lab, she still feels like her powers are what define her and it's all people want from her.

I think what it comes down to, is that in that moment when she is sacrificing herself to the demogorgan at the end of s1, we are seeing in real time Mike realizing what he and the other's have been asking of her this whole time, without outright asking her.

And you can literally see the retaliation and devastation hit him all at once. The instant regret, where he's backtracking and El stops him from even trying.

'Goodbye Mike' singles him out, because while he was the one out of the three that showed her the most kindness from the start, he was also the one who at the end of it all, was still expecting her to risk her life for them...

And that just makes it hit so much harder when you think about how that made Mike feel in that moment.

And then in s2 how that impacts Mike and his journey going forward.

His breakdown at the end of s2 upon her return.

His behavior in s3-4, in relation to him juggling his relationship with Will and El, now that they are both in his life at the same time.

It all starts to make sense.

I won't go too much into it because those other posts are bound to be long with a bunch of pictures too!

But on that note, there's at least one thing Mike isn't acknowledging, and it's literally what led up to the unintentional love confession that then led us to 10 more episodes of miscommunication because of it...

It's going to be important for him to address this guilt for him to fulfill his arc and to also close off his expectations that he has to have a romantic relationship with El in order to keep her in his life at all.

The audience themselves seeing this and being forced to face it is also going to make it a lot easier for them understand why Mike did what he did, not only because he's a queer kid in the 80's who has every reason to doubt and repress, but also because he understandably feels sort of indebted to El after everything.

It's more complex than him just falling out of love with her and falling in love with Will because of XYZ.

I think there is a lot of guilt and shame and trauma connected to their meeting and the events that followed. And addressing that is going to give a lot of closure to the ending of the story and also the beginning.

#byler #stranger things #mike wheeler #i feel like mikes arc always comes off as convoluted to most viewers bc they’re missing the whole picture #like this is literally canon #Mike went from doing something to saying other people doing it was wrong without acknowledging his role in that from the beginning #and so ppl using that development as aww he loves her now…#doesn’t even work when apparently he loved her since the moment he saw her…#not being willing to pay attention to how they are building up mikes arc #dancing around all of his actions with #everyone makes mistakes bc they’re children and that’s okay #and just leave it at that…#bc yes obviously all of the characters should be able to make mistakes and be forgiven #but were ignoring the elephant in the room here #it’s canon Mike feels guilt for how he treated el in s1 yet he hasn’t acknowledged it…#instead of acknowledging his history of doing something similar #he’s pointed out everyone else doing it as if they’re doing something wrong he himself would never do…#as if he doesn’t have first hand experience #they could have actually made this moment romantic and genuine IF they wanted to #they could have had mike open up about how he used to do that #but after getting to know el and realize she is her own person #it made him think differently and he wants to do better by her #then maybe when she confronted him in front of everyone he could have said it again or asked to be alone to say it to her directly #and to apologize for how he acted in the past by expecting stuff of her #and THATS why he is extra cautious now #and then got her reaction #instead they give fans the impression Mike is the ideal male love interest #who is perfect for el #with this moment being one of their top reasons #and it’s a scene where he avoids confronting series long built up guilt…

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willel · 6 months

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"I'm too busy to discuss this with you right now and I'm totally not repressing my feelings."

#stranger things #willel #will byers #el hopper #lucas sinclair #mike wheeler #my content #I was going to add text but El and Mike's conversation didn't flow quite the same #basically I just now noticed that both Will and El blow of Lucas and Mike when they were trying to apologize or explain themselves #I feel like Lucas's apology came across a little more genuine #his face at the end breaks my heart #Will is SO obviously trying to play it off but #I think Lucas can see that he's hurting so he's like #'Damn... we really hurt him.'#'What should I do?'#I LOVE LUCAS SO MUCH #OENELNWETW #Seriously he is one of the best friends a kid could ask for #He makes mistakes but you can rest assured he'll do anything to make things right #I don't think Will is really upset at Lucas which is the root of why he didn't want/accept Lucas's apology #but still it's clear Lucas wanted to fix whatever was going on and he got walled out #i need lucas and Will scenes next season pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee #anyway #back to the willel parallels #I just find it interesting that when offered apologies #they blew them off #Will did it easily because Lucas could read the room and didn't want to push Will on the subject #El tried to blow Mike off multiple times because she didn't want to talk about it but he wouldn't let her leave #so she kinda unloaded on him a bit #though I'm sure if given the opportunity

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thranduel · 2 years

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i've cried over will so many times ever since the show started all the way back in 2016 because he's suffered from the very beginning and it absolutely breaks my heart knowing that he's barely had any happy moments in his life. and it’s not just because he’s my favourite character and comfort character and i relate to him so much, but also because he’s the most kind, loving, strong and selfless person on this entire show and it hurts so bad knowing he’s never truly been happy.

he was abused and bullied as a child by his own father and school bullies. his family has always struggled financially and is looked down upon by other people in town. he suffers from anxiety. he has been struggling with his sexuality in a time where being gay isn’t accepted. he’s in love with his best friend. he got kidnapped and taken to an alternate dimension, resulting in more ptsd. he comes back and finds out the boy he’s in love with has eyes for the girl that opened the gate to the upside down that resulted in his kidnapping in the first place. he gets possessed by the mindflayer and suffers physically and mentally. his body was burning, his brain was being affected, the mindflayer was literally taking over him. he was willing to sacrifice his own life to put an end to it all. summer comes around and everyone is happy in their relationships and experiencing romance while will is alone. he just wants to play d&d because it’s an escape and distraction from the real world and he’s been through so much trauma. no one wants to play or spend time with him so he gets excluded. he has to watch the boy he’s in love with obsess over his girlfriend and it hurts so bad. he gets told that everyone is growing up and getting girlfriends and feels even more left out and isolated when he hears the words “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls”. he destroys castle byers, his hiding spot and safe place, and rips up his photographs and artwork because he feels so alone and different. he has to leave his best friend and the boy he’s in love with even though they’ve been by each other’s side since they were 4 years old. he gets asked if he’ll join another party and he says “not possible”, because he could never move on from him. he keeps his promise and creates a beautiful painting for the boy he loves most of something that’s incredibly special to them; their d&d party. he’s excited to finally reunite with him because they lost contact and he misses him so much. he goes in for a hug but is met with a awkward shoulder touch instead. imagine how horrible and embarrassing it would feel to have a hug rejected by the person you love most and just wanted to hold again. he’s excluded again and has to watch him with his girlfriend. they don’t talk to him or include him on their date. it’s like he doesn’t even matter. he gets told he’s being an asshole for looking sad and then confronts mike for not contacting him enough. he gets apologised to shortly after and feels a moment of happiness but it’s still sad because he doesn’t know what to do about his feelings. he sits with mike on top of a car and explains why it’s so hard to open up to the people you care about most in case they don’t like the truth. he knows he can’t confess his feelings for many reasons; the boy he loves is currently in a relationship and being gay wasn’t accepted so he doesn’t know how people will react. it’s devastating and terrifying. will ends up showing him his painting that he worked so hard on and his face lights up when he sees it. this makes the next part even more painful. will lies and says it was commissioned by his girlfriend and then confesses his love for mike, but he uses eleven’s name to disguise it. he pours his heart out and makes mike so happy. will needs mike the same way mike wants to be needed. they both need each other and they don’t even realise it yet. will calls mike “the heart”, because he’s his heart. mike has always been will’s safe place and comfort. when he saw that mike was upset in the car, he did whatever he could to make him happy. will inspired him, gave him motivation and made him smile. this entire scene shows us how selfless and loving will is. it’s beautiful but heartbreaking. will loves mike so much that he did what he had to in order to make him happy even if that meant sacrificing his own feelings and hiding the truth. then he had to watch mike confess to his girlfriend even though the monologue was filled with lies and mike copied will’s words since will is the one that made him say it in the first place.

will byers deserves to be happy. he has to get his happy ending. they can’t put him through any more pain. and regardless of what anyone says, i think he deserves to end up with the boy he loves most that he’s known for almost his entire life because that would make him the happiest. they belong together and they make each other feel safe. they bring out the best in each other. they can actually be themselves with each other. they both make each other feel worth something. will also told mike that he’s never felt like a mistake because of him. he isn’t just a “crush” to will, he’s the love of his life. they make each other the happiest and i just want to see them happy.

#will byers #byler #stranger things #noah schnapp #i love him so much #he deserves nothing but happiness #and i want him to be with the boy that he loves #the boy that doesn't make him feel like a mistake #the boy that makes him feel better for being different #the boy that has given him the courage to fight on when no one else could #he deserves to be with his safe place #and not only that #but will is also the person that mike needs #the one that has always made him feel loved and worth something #they both make each other feel so safe and happy #they deserve to be happy together #i love them so much

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onstoryladders · 1 year

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both will and mike feel unlovable in their own ways and yet they love each other so much because they both make each other feel brave and worthy and just better and. kill me rn

#byler #just woke up w/ some feelings #this trope kills me every time #especially wills love for mike like!!!!!!!!#he really saw that skrunkly and said: YES HES THE ONE HE MAKES ME FEEL LILE IM NOT A MISTAKE (CANON)!!!!!!!#and im supposed to be normal abt that??#no siree #truly no can do

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bylertruther · 11 months

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do you ever think about how will probably wishes he was braver?

that he could tell mike the truth about himself without having to speak in code. that he could stick to his guns when he's been wronged and stand up for himself rather than tucking tail and turning the other cheek. that he could be less shy, less sensitive, less cowardly, and maybe then his loved ones wouldn't forget about him as often as they do.

maybe then they would pick him first, rather than leaving him for last. maybe then they would want to hang out with him and hear what he has to say. maybe then they would treat him like they used to, like he can still take care of himself just like they can, instead of like a fragile little thing that they pick up only when they need him. maybe then they would care about him as much as he cares about them. maybe then he wouldn't doubt that it could all come crashing down once they know who he really is, and always has been, because the rest of him would've been enough.

like, maybe he wishes he didn't freeze or run away so much. maybe he wishes he wasn't so afraid all the time, of every little thing. that he could be brave like mike, el, or his mom. i mean, el's been through so much, too. why can't he be more like her? why does he have to hide behind her? he hides behind her when the monsters come crawling back, and he hides behind her when he can't bring himself to say what he really means—even after getting on her case about it.

he spent so much time on that painting. he didn't let anyone see it—it was that special to him. why couldn't he own up to that? there's no monster in the van with him; it's just him and mike and this painting of the party, nothing inherently incriminating or romantic, and still—he can't help himself. he retreats back into the shadow, shrinks into himself, and tells lie after lie to the person that he never lies to, that he knows doesn't fucking deserve that, just because he's too scared.

of course he'd feel like a mistake sometimes. of course he'd hate who he is (if That script is to be believed), when he can't even talk to the one person that would understand without lying straight to his face, over and over again, like a fucking hypocrite. of course he'd feel so lost without the person that tells him it's okay to be this way and shows him that there is indeed strength in it. of course he'd hate who he is when he's encouraging someone to be true and speaking about their courage, all while being incapable of taking his own advice, and giving the credit for all of his love and efforts and emotions to someone else.

so many people died to bring him back, so many people died just because he didn't stay dead when maybe he should have, and for what? so that he can continue to hide rather than live his life? so that he can turn into a "worse" version of himself? so that he can live in fear? so that he can continue to ache for a past that he can never return to, while everyone else moves forward and berates him for not doing the same? time stopped in the upside down when will went missing, and he's been stuck there ever since, too. too much has happened for him to move on from. too much has changed—he's changed. he's too different now, in every way, and the older he gets the more clear it becomes.

of course he'd feel like a mistake. of course he'd hate who he is. he's the common denominator here: in his loneliness and in this war. the boy who came back to life when others didn't. the boy that got possessed and couldn't fight it. the boy that turned into a liar and a coward and must learn to live with it, even if it's at his own expense. the boy that can't let go of the past and whom the past won't let go of either, because even after everything, he's still connected to this great evil that won't let him go. they got it out of him, and yet the tether remains, because of-fucking-course it would.

just—why? why him? why can't anything ever go right with him? why is he always the outlier? i think that overwhelming amount of fear, shame, grief, guilt, exhaustion, and loneliness would wear anyone down, let alone a teenager that never asked for any of it and has experiences so unfathomably unique that the only other people that could have possibly understood are literally dead.

#will byers #byler #mine #long post #will #anyway. this is how i always interpreted the i hate WHO i am line especially in conjunction with the word ''mistake'' + being different #within the context of EVERYTHING that's happened to will and continues to happen to him and how unique it is to him in this narrative #bc rly. if you were will.... wouldn't you feel like a mistake? even outside of that outside of the supernatural i'm speaking to my #friends that have ''Something Wrong'' with them. when something happens to you and you're not the same after and you're surrounded #by people who are able to move on and be normal—don't you ever have those moments where you feel like a mistake? when you're #growing up and still interested in your same old interests but your friends start moving on and then you see that they went back to #those interests in your absence—don't you feel like you were the problem then? when people are able to be brave and you can't #find it within yourself to overcome your fear—don't you hate that feeling? don't you feel that negativity towards yourself when you #know that you SHOULD do something but you can't bring yourself to and it works against yourself? like. everything that has happened #to will E V E R Y T H I N G !!!!!!!!!!!!! can easily make anyone no matter what part of him you relate to the most understand that #u kno wht i mean? anyway. i jus wanted to bring this up bc his life is a fucking tragedy even without the gay stuff n his current pov on th #and the way that That conversation always centers on fear and bravery it's like. obviously being gay is not easy in that era but i don't #think that line is ''i hate being gay'' with no factoring in of the great many things that have happened to him which alienate him further #as well as with how he does want mike to know and his alan turing poster and his talk with jonathan etc etc #his conflict has always centered around how other people treat him and his issue with that bc that's what makes him feel bad #that just because he's different that doesn't mean that he's Different and must be treated as such #he's different and has people that make him feel BETTER for it like look at s2 for example all of those talks abt using what he perceives #as a weakness abt himself as a strength that no one else can bring to the table. and in s3 when he still believed in being a nerd #and never getting girlfriends etc but when it came from mike thts when he called himself stupid n started down this path bc now #there's that sprinkle of doubt. n tht doubt is the scariest thing in the world—understandably so #also. he literally has an evil monster in his brain like bdkfjhsbkdjhfbskj IT'S JUST A LOT.#he is different for many reasons and has even more reasons to hate Who he is the kind of person that he is #jus my take 😁👍

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uselessnbee · 1 year

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ok but like the fall from the quarry before El saved Mike was so high like he didn't barely jump and then was immediately saved he fell a long way

just watching it is terrifying imagine how terrified Mike must have felt imagine him regretting jumping but knowing there's no way back and he could only watch as the ground neared as he neared his death like yes he was saved but that moment could have lasted a second and still be traumatising holy shit he was 12 im gonna throw up

#ok i'll be honest idk if the first part makes sense and is correct cause my brain is not englishing right now #but i'm having quarry thoughts again and needed to make it everyone else's problem #so hopefully yall get what i'm trying to say!#give mike wheeler a hug please he needs it #i'll be thinking im too overprotective of him but then i remember shit like this and suddenly i think i could be even worse tbh #mike wheeler #byler #no really byler related i guess?#mike wheeler protection squad #i would kill for this child fr i'm not even ashamed of it #that's my son that's my baby he's been through so much please give him a break #i don't care anymore what mistakes he did he never did anything wrong he can literally kill a dog and i'll be like it's ok #we all make mistakes it's fine come here do you want hot chocolate? yes? i'll wrap you in a blanket and we can watch a movie! yay!#yeah i'm in my feels about him again what about it

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maddy-ferguson · 8 months

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just saw someone try to apply something that was famously said about jackie and shauna to mike and will respectively and it tragically did not work at all

#i can see the mike would be fine with being in love with will if it didn't make him queer vision ig but will would be fine with being queer #if it didn't mean he was in love with mike...are we saying the opposite of what we mean now. does will not have a scene in which he says #verbatim that being different makes him feel like a mistake and that mike makes him feel like not a mistake. obviously being gay isn't the #only thing that's different about him that mike would make him feel better about but how do you get will would be fine with being queer if #he wasn't in love with mike from that. obviously mike being his straight bff who's dating his recent sister is a shitty situation but just #what #you already lost me at will would be fine with being queer if *only one change* but the idea of being in love with mike making it #harder for him to come to terms with being gay is literally nonsensical😭#and like i say: brf slt

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pythonjewels · 2 years

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wills suicidal ideation is actually pretty similar to how i used to describe mine - more like passive ideation than active ideation- wishing you were dead or that you could just die but not wanting to actually go through with it, hoping for an accident or something that would kill you without you having to take the steps yourself

for me it was because i was afraid of the fallout if i survived but for will it’s probably more that he feels like a coward because he’s always been told that men have to be strong, men have to have no feelings, so he feels like even more of a failure for wanting to die- so instead he represses it and doesnt think about it, because if he actually tried to kill himself, then it would solidify that he was weak and a fairy

#will byers #byler #tagging this as byler because its canon that mike makes will feel like he isnt a mistake & that hes lucky to be alive #they mean so much to me i feel sick

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heliumcake · 2 years

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noticed a lot of the people who are against byler heavily dislike mike and think he’s the worst and that will deserves better. and it annoys me SO much. not only because they are holding a traumatized 14/15 year old they don’t even make an effort to understand to ridiculously high standards, but also because there has never been a time where mike hasn’t been or at least tried to be there for will. i mean even despite their arguing and the confusion and fear and pressure mike feels all the time he still cares so much about will and he’ll always prioritize his safety and well-being no matter what

#like people forget his trauma involves a great fear of losing will and el again #and that along with many confusing feelings he developed over the years #it’s inevitably going to mess with him #and he makes and will continue to make so many mistakes #but he never stops caring #will is his best friend ffs #give the kid a BREAK #mike wheeler #byler

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coldninjaruins-blog · 1 year

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Thinking again about the beauty of Will's speech from the van scene.

Like we always talk about how it was a veiled confession of love and the romantic aspect of it but Will didn't just say "yeah, she needs you because you are her boyfriend/special to her" he said "she needs you just like we all do, because you are our leader, you guide us; you are a fundamental part of the party because you are what keeps us together, without you we would fall apart because you are the heart of our party. So yes, El needs you because who wouldn't?"

And to put myself in Mike's shoes and imagine someone saying that to me? It would mean the world to me and it certainly did to Mike.

#And this is not to mention how he said Mike is what gives him the courage to fight and how he doesn't make him feel like a mistake and how —#such a beautiful scene fr #byler #will byers #mike wheeler

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over-rated-cheese · 1 year

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okay yeah sure, I believe you will

#will ily but be fr #not even ONCE #I was watching a st review vid and I saw this #I know wills forgiving but idk man I just feel like maybe he felt like a mistake here #This scene still makes me cry #byler #byler endgame #will byers #speaking my truth #mike wheeler #it’s 1 am on a Wednesday omg #what have my life become 💀

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lovesitcomsandgaystuffs · 2 years

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“Did Mike make you feel like you were nothing…?”

“Ha! Mike made me feel… Like I was… everything…”

#Do you ever think about how Will feels like a mistake for being different but Mike makes him feel like it's not a mistake at all?#Like he's better for being different? No? Me neither...#Byler x Steven Universe because I can #byler #stranger things #will byers #Mike wheeler #steven universe

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thranduel · 2 years

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mike's expressions during the car monologue

rewatched the car monologue AGAIN and i'm going crazy. i know people have already talked about this but i just had to break it down and take screenshots because mike wasn't completely oblivious and his expressions reveal everything. you can see that his face changes whenever he thinks will is talking about el and he looks a bit uninterested and bored, but when he thinks will is talking about himself, he looks so much more interested and emotional.

also, the party is something meaningful to mike, will, dustin and lucas only. he doesn't talk about the party with el and she doesn't know anything about d&d. it's even more special to mike and will because at the end of season 3, mike was worried will would join another party and forget about him, but will said "not possible" and mike looked so relieved. then will kept his promise and made mike a beautiful painting and mike absolutely loved it when he saw it. his smile only faded when will pretended it was commissioned by el. he looked disappointed because he wanted it to be from will since that's their own special little thing.

"but that's what holds this whole party together... heart. because, i mean, without heart, we'd all fall apart". when will says this, mike takes a deep breath, like he's trying to process what he's saying. what other reason is there for him to feel nervous here if he's just talking about el? not only is will making mike feel better about himself and giving him hope and strength and calling him "the heart", but i'm pretty sure mike knows will is talking about how he feels for him here which is why he looks more nervous and emotional. you can't really see it in the screenshot but he takes a deep breath right here when you actually watch it.

"even el, especially el". so many people probably won't notice this because it's such a subtle detail, but mike's face changes SO much after will mentions el's name here. his eyes look almost emotionless and he actually looks disappointed the moment el is brought up again. then he turns away and looks down at the painting again.

"when you're different... you feel like a mistake." will says this while he's facing the window, and mike notices. then he turns around with tears in his eyes and of course mike would be able to see that too. "but you make [her] feel like [she's] not a mistake at all. like [she's] better for being different. and that gives her the courage to fight on". now mike's eyebrows are slightly raised (like when you're genuinely concerned and listening very carefully), his eyes are watery and he looks like he's trying to process what will just said because he's starting to realise that he's talking about himself. this line can't even be applied to eleven because mike heard her say "you think i'm a monster" right to his face. he knows he has made her feel like a mistake before because their last conversation was literally the fight they had. this line can only be applied to will.

then will starts the next line "if [she] was mean to you...", and the camera immediately goes back to mike to show his face. he raises his eyebrows again, looks down at will's lips and there's even a tiny smile for a second.

seriously why would he be smiling if will is talking about el being "mean" to him?! he obviously knows he's not even talking about el here. i feel like a bit of relief hit mike in this scene which is why he smiled like that for a split second and then tried to brush it off so will wouldn't notice. it's like he knows that the boy he loves also loves him and he's talking about his own feelings.

will continues "or [she] seemed like [she] was pushing you away, it's probably just because [she's] scared of losing you, just like you're scared of losing [her]", and mike slightly nods and he looks like he just processed everything going on. this line makes it even more obvious. even if mike doesn't FULLY realise, he knows that these words can't even be applied to eleven. "you make her feel like she's not a mistake at all"?? he literally saw her have a breakdown in front of him and she said he sees her as a monster. and then the whole part about being mean and pushing mike away... eleven never did that. she was constantly sending mike letters and showing him love. "she's scared of losing you just like you're scared of losing her" is a direct response to when mike said "i feel like i lost you" to will. mike HAS to know that will is talking about himself here.

then will says "if [she] was going to lose you, i think [she] would rather just get it over with quick, like ripping off a band-aid" and the face mike makes says it all. his eyes are even more watery, he looks at will's lips AGAIN and he swallows as though he's trying to hold back his own tears because he just processed everything.

will says "so yeah, [el] needs you mike. and [she] always will", and mike looks so happy because he realises that will is talking about himself here. what makes this even more obvious is because he responds in his soft voice that he only uses with will when he says "yeah?" and you can just tell he knows.

and then of course we have THE WILL SMILE which says it all. mike smiles, looks away, then looks back at will and smiles at him when he isn't looking.

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #mike wheeler i know what you are #and either way #whether he's oblivious or not #WILL IS THE ONE THAT MADE HIM SMILE IN THIS SCENE #WILL NEEDS MIKE THE WAY MIKE WANTS TO BE NEEDED #WILL MAKES MIKE FEEL WORTH SOMETHING #AND MIKE DOES THE SAME FOR WILL #HE DOESN'T MAKE HIM FEEL LIKE A MISTAKE #they belong together i don't care what anyone says #byler analysis

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allhappyandgay · 10 months

Text

Rink-O-Mania: Bonus Content

First things first, we have the scene transition from Hopper being tortured by suffocation to Mike and El hopping out of the SBP van and joining hands—which can be added to the long list of fucked up mileven associations lol. seriously though, way to remind us of the stifling parentification of Mike by showing El’s dad yet again in the process of being killed mere seconds before a seemingly innocent mileven hand-holding…

I have so any feelings about the next few minutes, let’s see if my translation does them any justice.

So El goes to parties here… and Will does not. but he did clock the socks they sell at the counter, and he’s looked Mike up-and-down enough times since he arrived to know he wasn’t wearing any. Will, you devious dog. who said Will left his spite back in s3? no, the fight they have just a few scenes later is when he leaves it behind.

Of course, in reality, neither Will nor El actively goes to parties there, but El’s the one who forgot about the socks. she simply looks to Mike expectantly after telling him nothing more than the fact that he needs them; did she even know there were socks available at the counter for this exact type of situation?

Either way, Will did. but if this is only his first or second time at Rink-O-Mania (did he come to the party held there for Joyce’s work too? or was it only El, and Will just knew about it? if it’s the ladder, he’s never been; if it’s the former, well… he doesn’t strike me as an open-toed shoes kinda guy), how’d he know they sell socks at the counter unless he noticed them when they were getting their skates? even Mike was looking right in their direction despite being in the middle of sneaking one of his many peeks at will—but to be fair I don’t think he’d care anyway, he was fully ready to put his feet into those skates without protection until El said anything.

But Will jumps in to save the day with a brush (let’s be honest, it was more of a light slap; a well-deserved light slap) against Mikes bare leg with the back of his hand—anything to be as close as possible after, but not exclusive to, his rejected hug at the airport. Sigh. that Gay Teen Moment when your best friend, whom you’re in love with, starts avoiding your touch like the plague out of nowhere. *shudders*

Mike reacts to this gesture as if it shocked him—are they? are ‘friends’ electric, Michael? and this is the main thing I want to talk about; mike and wills behavior around each other as both best friends and romantic interests, because they interestingly swap places in a way right at this moment that will touches him.

Mike was introduced at the airport as physically distant, cold, and indifferent toward Will. he could barely hug him, and then proceeded to act unbothered and uninterested, never initiating conversation. know what this reminds me of? the classic “if you want her to like you, make her think you don’t care” spiel that dudes on TV give each other when asked for advice with girls. and what do the girls in question always end up thinking about this? “seems like you’ve made it super clear that you’re not interested in anything I have to say.”

There’s a lot going on in Mikes head right now, but after the awkward reunion I think his jealously surrounding the painting is at the forefront. he’s holding on to these feelings tight by bringing them to mind each time his eyes move to Will out of curious habit, as if he’s a magnet he can’t help but bore holes into; his grown face asking to be memorized, somehow illuminated in the dim blue and yellow covering the rink like an encapsulated cove, oblivion of natural light. there’s only a few things that would make him say ‘fuck it’—subconsciously or not—and let his grudge fade to the back of his head to give Will the level of attention he wants to. the most Mike will give him right now are looks, but Will’s barely talking anyway, strengthening Mikes jealously and fueling his attitude.

Will.

Will is ecstatic; these past few months he’s been so lost without Mike. He waits next to El for him to come into view at the airport—eclipsed by his own rose-tinted world, clutching his very love for this boy in his hands, ready to give it to him. he can’t stop smiling, overtaken by the anticipation of that butterfly inducing, heart dropping feeling when you register the person you’re looking for, and then flooded with a familiar settling of nerves among the crowd of strangers. he’s practically jumping in place waiting his turn to hold Mike, to feel his body click into place around his, for Mike’s chin to fall onto his shoulder again; it’s been missing since last summer.

Then we come full circle back to Will grazing his leg, directing him to the counter at Rink-O-Mania. Mike’s head spins at the contact, his brain rewiring itself as he gets up to do what Will told him. It’s not the same as the hug; he could feel Will begin to pull him in, gripping his pack behind him as to never let him go, but Mike implemented what was possibly already rehearsed, and held back then. now he’s walking up to the counter and it’s like nothing else matters anymore, sparks going off in his chest and on his leg where he can still feel Wills hand. maybe it’s just for a moment, but suddenly Mike is back at school and his crush has saved a seat for him. he comes up with a shitty joke and makes his way back to Will and El, legs moving faster by their own volition when he spots the Byers boy through a sea of people. now instinctively, not only are his eyes drawn to him, but his entire body, and he throws himself at Will—popping both their space bubbles as he takes back his spot between him and El. he brushes his leg against Will’s, the desire to be closer is now a need, even if subtle, even if your legs are already spread ridiculously far apart…

There were a good 6 inches between Mike and Will before he went to get socks, and now their knees are touching? after Mike quite literally lunged at him as if he was shot out of a cannon—Will had to move out of the way because Mike got so close—his hand almost lands on Will’s own, but he moves it just in time. the space gets obviously smaller as Will and El have their talk while Mikes gone; first Will scoots a bit to our right, then slowly turns inward to the space between them. then when Mike comes back he almost sits on El’s hand because he’s halfway turned to Will, and then scoots over to him more so that he’s in the middle. very interesting choices, directors.

Mike hasn’t directly spoken to Will on-screen since the airport; whatever was keeping him from doing so has melted away, if only momentarily, and he looks Will straight in the eyes as he asks a question that may or may not require a response depending on the circumstances. here I think Mike just meant to get a laugh out of it; whether at the oddness of requesting vomit green, the fact that the request was delivered, or his attempt at joking with Will itself—his own olive branch. as he does this, Mike gradually leans his leg needlessly closer to Will’s, bringing them together.

Mike takes a breath of air and bounces his knees after the skit misses with Will, similar to the breath he draws after Will turns away, flustered, at his “you didn’t have to [say it],” later on. these small expressions sort of let us in on Mike’s awareness of the situation; that it isn’t just Will at the rink who’s being rejected or ignored, but Mike who is trying and failing at interacting with Will as well. if he really was just giving Will the cold shoulder this whole time, why show him trying to keep his cool after getting the same treatment? this shows the audience that the situation is more complicated than that. it’s simple body language.

Alright, onto what got me writing this in the first place:

What is Will thinking after Mike’s sock joke???

I was watching this scene and all I could think of was text-posts of his death glare with things like “what is wrong with you” or “why am I in love with you” or “you embarrass me, you beautiful bastard,” you know, love/hate shit like that (but actually clever and not off the top of my head), and I had an epiphany about their friends-to-lovers relationship.

We return to The Leg Touch.

“They- they sell them at the counter.” Im staring at this stammer directly in the face, folks. obviously it could be nothing, but delivery is everything.

Now Im gonna digress for a minute and talk about crushes. or rather, the way people act around crushes, and people they like.

When you like someone, you want to impress them, and you don’t want to disappoint them. think of Mike with Eddie; he walks around his words, laughs at his insulting jokes, lets him throw food at his head without consequence. you sort of let them get away with anything because you’re focused on the parts of them that you’re drawn to, everything else can slide. that’s what makes a crush, a crush. and we see Eddie being more authentic around the other older teens, while around Mike (since he’s not there for his Eddie’s arc) he’s got this extra layer of ‘cool’ on in the comfort of the school and in the eyes of who he deems ‘lost sheep’ compared to, well, everything that follows. we learn who Eddie truly is as the season progresses, but Mike does not—he’s got a romanticized version of him in his head. and a crush can turn into something more, you may like what you find after getting to know someone you’re lusting over, but that’s the beauty of the friends-to-lovers trope; this process sort of goes backwards.

Mike and Will are best friends first. they’ve known each other their whole lives, and their feelings aren’t new—although presenting in a new light considering their age and time spent apart. this doesn’t mean they aren’t down bad though, especially Mike (I’ll come back to Wills side of this later).

Will points Mike to the counter after giving El the opportunity of a few seconds to do it herself, with which she just looks on in silence—exactly as he’d planned. her eyes grow wide for a moment at the new information, which is why I really don’t think she knew about the socks to begin with. was Will saving the sock knowledge to see if El would come through, the way he ended up doing? or to watch on as her lies fall apart and a fight ensues? but Mike doesn’t question her lack of a solution for his naked feets (sorry) and instead starts to panic a bit. so Will nudges him—a short-lived caressing—and his mouth moves faster than his brain, making him stammer a bit. after Mike saunters off he decides to put down his skate and confront El because Mike is his friend and he doesn’t deserve to be lied to. right now Will is holding on tight to his and Mike’s friendship, the whole day a reminder that they can be nothing more—a reminder that he’ll never fall in love.

But this doesn’t mean he is unaware of how Mike (and El by extension) is treating him—he’s been a total third wheel all day, and Mike has made it super clear he’s not interested in anything he has to say. it’s been miserable.

But do you remember how he was introduced in this episode? full of love and giddiness, smiling with his teeth before Mike had even gotten there. he’d spent their separation channeling his heartsickness and infatuation into a piece of physical art, illustrating the Mike that he knows—that he’s known his entire life—a rendering of emotional value that he would one day gift to him. there’s no doubt he is in love with Mike. he isn’t giving off a desired impression, or making a fool of himself; he is simply in love with his best friend.

Remember when I said Mike and Will swap places? Mike comes back from the counter speaking directly to Will; he let his touch override his system—the one that was set to give Will the least amount of attention as possible (whether he’s been secretly stealing glances or not) up until now. meanwhile Will stares at him and El with the most ‘done’ look in his eyes lol. he’s not doing shit to fool anybody into thinking he’s having a good time; he may not say how he feels unless provoked, but he wouldn’t fake a smile for Mike even if he could.

It’s like in Young Royals, how Wilhelm thinks he and Simon are instantly back together each time Simon is nice to him, and Simon just gives him the silent treatment and essentially tells him to back off before going home to write songs about Wille with the sweater he stole from him up to his nose. Ah, young love, desperately wanting things to go back to how they were—and having the opportunity to do so—but also wanting to prove to yourself and to them that you refuse to take yourself for granted, no matter how little you actually care about what started the quarrel in the first place.

And I thought Will wouldn’t take himself for granted, expected him to pick up his spite and go if things turned out how they actually ended up turning out; arguments unresolved, tension at full blast, blame in all the wrong places. I thought of Will’s confrontational tendency, his lack of a facade to match Mike and El’s, like the miscommunication of the party’s coordinated halloween costumes two seasons ago.

But then I remembered the aftermath of the rain fight, how he wouldn’t accept an apology from Lucas, shutting down the prospect that he was even owed one—as if in that time he’d made up his mind on something about himself. I remembered his loss for words after Mike’s “why is this on me? why am I the bad guy?” and then, later, believing he deserved everything.

So instead he leaves it—his spite—in the confines of Rink-O-Mania. maybe in the employee’s closet where El hid from the truth, from her bullies, from her past; similar to Will’s own Castle Byers—the one he destroyed out of resentment of what he thinks he’ll never have—where he too hid from the same things; his sexuality, Troy and James, Lonnie.

When you’re rejected in every aspect of your life over and over and over again, you start to internalize it; you start to feel like a mistake. your brain learns to twist situations to make you think that you deserve the bad things that happen to you after years of experience. if Will believes he deserved the treatment he got since Mike landed in Lenora, what’s stopping him from feeling like being taken, possessed, and forever linked to that place—never free from that dark, cold, disease-ridden underworld—was something he had coming to him, simply for being different.

Something Vecna knows about him, has experienced himself, and even better, knows exactly how to exacerbate to a convinced sense of worthlessness of one’s self (pun unintended).

I was going to apologize and explain that I read A Little Life a couple weeks ago and I haven’t recovered (iykyk), but honestly… It is that deep.

Will has resigned himself to never having his feelings returned by Mike, or anyone at all for that matter. it’s just not for him, the thing that all his friends have, that his brother has, that his mom has. maybe that’s another thing he deserves—or, doesn’t deserve: to ‘fall in love.’

Mike drops everything in an attempt to win Will over with a stupid sock story, all because he went haywire over the slightest unexpected skin-on-skin contact, meanwhile what it takes for Will to drop everything—all the conflict without resolution—is the desperation to keep Mike as at least his friend.

So he does take himself for granted, and he decides he isn’t worthy of an apology or an explanation before Mike even tries to give one. he takes full responsibility without expecting Mike to answer for his shitty behavior; he just wants his friend back.

Will spent the first half of the episode overtly rolling his eyes, moping, barely talking—and possibly keeping helpful information to himself until the right moment (I see u spicy Will)—all because he was jealous of the attention El was getting from Mike; because he had to third wheel the love of his life and his girlfriend. he thought he had a rightful place next to El as Mikes life-long best friend, expected a similar level of interaction having not seen each other in what’s felt like a year—of which he’s called maybe a couple times but sent a book-full of letters to El.

I just can’t believe he actually buried his feelings and got to work at keeping them together—and by that I mean I can believe it, it is so believable because that’s all gay characters are for, putting a good word in for the secret love of their life’s significant other! if Will doesn’t have a chance, maybe he can at least put his feelings to some use by offering Mike emotional support and reassuring him about his relationship, no matter how badly it hurts.

He probably realized he’d been acting ridiculous at the rink, stupid for even thinking he was allowed to act on his feelings, to think he had the right to an opinion. this is their world, and he’s just living in it. he was being a total jerk to El, he did deserve it, because it wasn’t even his place to be upset to begin with.

But wait… what’s that? I hear a soft voice meant for Wills ears, and Wills ears alone… hark! could it be? Michael?

“No. no, no, no. you didn’t deserve anything.”

#I made myself too sad about will to know how to end this non-abruptly so um. yeah mike makes him feel like he’s not a mistake at all #like he’s better for being different and that gives him the courage to fight on you know the words #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #rink o mania #st s4 #st4

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