#ghostbusters remastered

[pooka-dragon]

I want to do Switch Games, but I’m unsure of how to set it all up on Twitch, otherwise I would have Legends Arceus or Loz: Tears of the Kingdom on the survey.

#pooka speaks #pooka’s birthday #birthday stream #Twitch stream #pooka derps at games #mh rise #mh Sunbreak #ghostbusters remastered #mh world #mh Iceborne #borderlands 3

[666h3llbl4ckc4t666]

Forgot to post about this but I digitally restored the “Peoplebusters” plush by A1 Novelty Ghostbusters knockoff symbol, couldn’t find any clear images online so I did this, it was kinda fun and I would like to do more in the future!

(Restore by H3llBl4ckC4t, can be reused with credit!)

#knockoffplush #knockoff #bootleg plush #bootleg #bootlegs #knockoffs #fakie #fakieplush #fakies #offbrand #off brand #ghostbusters #peoplebusters #ghostbusters knockoff #ghostbustersbootleg #digital restore #restore #restoration #remaster #remastered #digital remaster #80s #80s nostalgia #please credit if you repost #please credit if you use

[therejectkat]

My Ghostbusters collection is coming along real nicely 👻💚

#Ghostbusters #Ghostbusters II #ghostbusters afterlife #ghostbusters 2016 #collection #dvd #blu ray #ps4 game #Ghostbusters the video game remastered #Ghostbusters ultimate collection #idw comics #Ghostbuster's daughter #books #my photos #my post #tobin's spirit guide #Ghostbusters omnibus

[hauntingmiser]

Here some drawings I did on when I was bored lol.

Vamp Maruki wen?

No idea but Spirit week ( fruit bat snack man )

#also I kind of remastered the crossdress Halloween costume Nurse zombie outfit #tumblr memes #anime and manga #persona 5 royal #persona 5 #persona 5 royal maruki #maruki #dr. maruki #dr maruki #takuto maruki #maruki takuto #persona 5 maruki #spirit week wen? #sans #rem Maruki lol #pumpkin snack man #clown #call the Ghostbusters because ghost counselor lol

[spenglerposting]

I wish the remastered version of the ghostbusters video game gave the option to customize your character and used genderneutral terms for the protag. Or at the very least gave a female option like it used to have on the original version. I'm not a middle aged man, I'm a young petite woman who wishes to bust some ghosts with my favorite boys.

#i don't plan on playing spirits unleashed unless i find a way to pirate it or it's released on switch #love ghostcorps but i'm not about to pay thousands of dollars for another console AND the game on top of it #make a remaster of the remaster and use the character creator from spirits unleashed pls <3 #ghostbusters #ghostbusters the video game

[majortomslonelyspidersfrommars]

Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Remastered), My Favorite Egon (and Ray) Scenes

#I love Ray's face in that first one #and Ray wanting to blast the door down after Egon just ripped up that paper and then Egon's just like nah we're civilized people #and Egon's hand shaking as he scans the Spiderwitch in the elevator #this whole game is just so good #and I didn't include the 'We eat gods for breakfast' bit since I gave that its own post #ghostbusters #ghostbusters the video game #egon spengler #ray stantz #peter venkman #winston zeddemore #janine melnitz #rookie

[doctorvenko-bye]

⸻ you've reached the office of dr. peter venkman. if you're calling before 10am, i'd rather you didn't. otherwise, leave a message at the tone. ☎️

DOCTORVENKO : an  independent,  canon  divergent  and  selective  portrayal  of  the  ghostbuster  franchise’s  DR.  PETER  VENKMAN.

#⠀‘⠀hey piece of cake!⠀/⠀𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙵-𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙾 #seven years of love and appreciation for dr v right here #80s rp #ghostbusters rp #stranger things rp #sci fi rp #horror rp

[tigirl-and-co]

ghostbusters remastered kinda fucks ngl. I'm like 4-ish hours in, sources say it's about an 8 hour game. if you're looking for something to keep you occupied and you wish Luigi's mansion had team mechanics, consider picking it up!

#titi talks

[ketilsfarm]

QUESTION: Why are Japanese fans saying that 🟥🟩 aren't blood related in the 1993 version of the movie?

ANSWER: In the finished movie, 🟩 says that he doesn't know "who" his parents were: this was picked up by the official Twitter for the Japanese 4k remaster, which describes him as being an orphan who was taken in by 🟥. But they also call each other brothers throughout, and 🟥 at one point says "I'd high five you, but then you'd be an only child."

SOLUTION: Both of these lines originate in the "Disney Princess" version of the script, but the phrasing is much clearer there, with 🟩 immediately calling 🟥 his brother.

It's also made much clearer in this script that they do share the same parents. So the weird "don't know who" phrasing stuck around through numerous revisions and wound up in the final version of the movie, but anything that would have clarified the situation to the Japanese translators got cut.

"Disney Princess" is also the version of the script that implies 🟥's name is actually Mar1o Mar1o Mar1o the fourth.

QUESTION: Does 🟥 fuck?

ANSWER: The "Ghostbusters" script establishes that he does; every treatment up until the "Disney Princess" script keeps this trait.

However, in "Disney Princess", he's saving himself for marriage. Or maybe just a Nevernude.

Then in the "Rainbow" rewrites he starts fucking again.

QUESTION: Why does 🟥 cheat on his girlfriend so eagerly in the movie?

ANSWER: Bertha is fully introduced into the story in the "Disney Princess" script; there 🟥 thinks she’s going to force a kiss on him in exchange for saving them, and it’s presented as threatening and unwanted. But then when she offers to help for free he gives her a kiss in excitement.

This basic idea first appeared in the original "Wizards and Shit Wizard of Oz" script, in which 🟥 gets assaulted by an ugly hag who forcibly kisses him, and then later turns into a hot young lady who he's fixin' to marry in the final scene. It’s the 1990s and this is hilarious family fun, baby!!!

The "Disney Princess" script defuses his quick kiss with Bertha like this ⬆️, and has him propose to his girlfriend Daniella, then marry her at the end.

However, in the final version of the movie, 🟥 doesn’t just get carried away for a second; he walks up to Bertha and is clearly absolutely jazzed both before and after the kiss. Then when Daisy mentions Daniella a minute later, he goes “Daniella!!” and for a split second it plays as if he forgot he had a girlfriend. So yeah, he doesn’t come off great.

QUESTION: How old are they in the movie?

ANSWER: It's not in any of the dialogue, but the "Disney Princess" script says they're 35 and 22, and that’s repeated in a couple of the later versions.

Question: What’s up with 🟥🟩’s interior decorating?

Answer: You didn’t really ask this, but I’d like to share it anyway. A couple of the scripts mention that their apartment has old people furniture because they haven’t really redecorated since their parents died.

Question: What does the line “Strap your bone on, kid” mean?

Answer: In context, he’s talking about their tool belts. This exact same line is actually in the “Rainbow” script rewrites as “Strap your tool belt on”. Apparently at some point during filming, someone decided that “bone” was secret plumber lingo. We'd need to conduct extensive interviews to find out who thought this and why.

#mariocest

[video-gh0st]

Ghostbusters Remastered - Finale with @spoonylu

Hey wake up, a whole ass island showed up in the Hudson River...

#envtuber #vtuber #ghostbusters: the video game remastered #vtuber uprising #indie vtuber

[raiderlucy]

tagged by @emblazons, thank you sweetie

put your on repeats playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up

Psycho Killer (2005 Remaster) by Talking Heads

No Return (Extended Version) by Craig Wedren & Anna Waronker

Doom And Gloom (Jeff Bhasker Mix) by The Rolling Stones

Girl Gang by The Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Barracuda by Heart

Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.

Face to Face by The Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks

Trouble by P!nk

New Cool by The Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink

...is it obvious i'm craving my fave cancelled show right now?

tagging some cool people, no clue who else has done this recently but no pressure anyways 😘; @tezzzzza @vinmauro @miwtual @sidekick-hero @emziess and whoever else wants in

#tag games

[hopeymchope]

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the best Ghostbusters *thing* released since 2009.

In yet another one of my wacky minority opinions, apparently, I think Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is fucking GREAT.

Background: Ye olde Ghostbusters movies were something I grew up on and always loved. I even used to watch "The Real Ghostbusters" reruns. And like many fans, I adore the 2009 video game (now available in a Remaster!).

Then we got the 2016 reboot, and you know something? In spite of all the hate it gets, I enjoyed it! I thought it was funny more often than it wasn't... the theatrical version, that is. The "Extended Cut" they put on Blu-Ray later is like, loaded with alternate takes and extended scenes that are painfully awkward and unfunny IMO. But the theatrical cut is a pretty fun time, albeit a bit lacking in new ideas.

I was basically the prime audience for 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and... I really, really didn't like it. Because: 1) It's not very funny at all? The "Podcast" character was funny and Paul Rudd gets a couple moments, but it's too busy being sentimental about callbacks to the old movies and memorializing Harold Ramis to focus on comedy. 2) The other half of the movie is a blatant nostalgic retread of the original Ghostbusters, except now in a small town instead of New York. Imagine if half of The Force Awakens was focused on blowing up another Death Star, and you'll get it. 3) Why are ALL the new Ghostbusters children? I get that the series gained a lot of kid fans along the way, but the original was never aimed at kids. Doesn't this feel like a backslide, to make the entire new team be under 18? 4) You're telling me that Egon never told Ray that Gozer was returning? Or that Ray wouldn't believe him? *EXTREMELY* OUT OF CHARACTER FOR BOTH, FUCK THAT. And that NO GHOSTS have showed up for DECADES for no fucking reason? THANKS FOR RUINING ALL OUR IMAGININGS OF INTERIM ADVENTURES. I will say, at least, that the performances were all good, and there are some heartwarming moments in here; Egon's apperance near the end and the credits scene with Dana stand out.

....but here comess Frozen Empire to save the day.

We get a returning cast of both ADULT and KID Ghostbusters... yes, even new adult Ghostbusters! MULTIPLE! Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon get upgraded into the family business, and there's even a plot point centered on whether CHILDREN should be allowed into such dangerous work.

There are ghosts randomly running around even when there's no greater threat pushing them forth; no reason is given for the change in lore, but I don't care because THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD'VE BEEN.

A lot of ideas that me and other fans have often discussed/pondered over the years ("Are there any friendly ghosts who fear the Ghostbusters? What do the ghostbusters themselves think will happen when THEY die? Will THEY become ghosts, and if so, won't other ghosts hate them? Or will they immediately become as hostile as every other ghost we meet? Or what?") are made not only points of discussion but even MAJOR PLOT EVENTS!

We get a new, NON-REPEAT threat — and frankly, it's a spooky-awesome one?!?!

Extensive comedy BACK and ACTUALLY FUCKING FUNNY! (IMO, anyway. Humor is subjective, I know. But they do it while still including good dramatic character development with genuinely touching scenes plus legitimately strong spooks.)

The returning classic GBs are not only in-character, but Janine gets to put on a uniform and fight alongside the boys, just like in the old cartoons!

Phoebe's character is expanded upon in ways that make her still endearing but much more unique than just "mini-Egon genius" like last time.

GHOSTBUSTERS II GETS ACKNOWLEDGED AS HAVING HAPPENED, THANK YOU. I wish the video game was somehow canon, too, but I guess I can't have everything? I preferred Winston getting his doctorate over him becoming a finance tycoon, but whatevs.

My only real complaint is like: Seriously, y'all never went back to the New York Library to get that library ghost between the open scenes of the 1984 movie and now? :P And... well, I do wish Walter Peck had grown and changed as a character since we last saw him, but I've got no other issues. EVERYTHING ELSE IS SO WONDERFUL.

This movie is everything I wish Afterlife had been, and THEN some. And yet... people don't seem to care? The reviews are very "meh"? Despite all these new ideas and great stuff?? Did y'all just want the Ghostbusters to stick to the Midwest from now on or what? Is it too soon for people to want more Ghostbusters? I DON'T GET IT.

Except... well, maybe people just don't care because this is an OLD franchise that failed to get a new movie for like, over 25 years, and people just lost interest in that time? Most adults today probably weren't raised on '80s movies like I was. :P Maybe that's all there is to it.

If this series is gonna die out, though? What a note to end us on.

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters: frozen empire #movie reviews #frozen empire

[soldier-requests]

hi :)

may i request a playlist for marty mcfly from back to the future, mainly with songs from the 80s?

tysm for the chance :)

hello!!! this is mainly 80s music* with a total of 80 songs! happy new year, and sorry for the wait!!

*(or at least i think it is. could be very wrong, ha. hopefully not!)

songs go like "song" + "artist"

"Billie Jean" + "Michael Jackson"

"Tainted Love" + "Soft Cell"

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" + "Dead Or Alive"

"Love Shack" + "The B-52's"

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" (Remastered) + "The Clash"

"London Calling" (Remastered) + "The Clash"

"Rock the Casbah" (Remastered) + "The Clash"

"Hungry Like the Wolf" (Remastered 2009) + "Duran Duran"

"We Didn't Start the Fire" + "Billy Joel"

"Material Girl" + "Madonna"

"Edge of Seventeen" (Remastered 2016) + "Stevie Nicks"

"Shout" + "Tears For Fears"

"Eyes Without A Face" (Remastered 1999) + "Billy Idol"

"White Wedding" (Pts. 1 & 2) (Shotgun Mix / Remastered 2001) + "Billy Idol"

"Maneater" + "Daryl Hall & John Oates"

"You Make My Dreams (Come True)" + "Daryl Hall & John Oates"

"Out of Touch" + "Daryl Hall & John Oates"

"Enjoy the Silence" + "Depeche Mode" and "Daniel Miller" and "Phil Legg"

"Kids In America" + "Kim Wilde"

"Somebody's Watching Me" (Single Version) + "Rockwell"

"Abracadabra" + "Steve Miller Band"

"Walk This Way" + "Aerosmith"

"Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" + "Aerosmith"

"Jessie's Girl" + "Rick Springfield"

"Kickstart My Heart" + "Mötley Crüe"

"Raspberry Beret" + "Prince"

"I Wanna Rock" + "Twisted Sister"

"Ghostbusters" + "Ray Parker Jr."

"Paradise City" + "Guns N' Roses"

"Sweet Child O' Mine" + "Guns N' Roses"

"Centerfold" + "The J. Geils Band"

"Poison" + "Alice Cooper"

"Cheri Cheri Lady" + "Modern Talking"

"The Power Of Love" + "Huey Lewis & The News"

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" + "The Proclaimers"

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" + "Def Leppard"

"Gold" (Remastered 2003) + "Spandau Ballet"

"Jump" (Remastered 2015) + "Van Halen"

"Everywhere" (Remastered 2017) + "Fleetwood Mac"

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" + "Cyndi Lauper"

"Let's Dance" (Remastered 2002) + "David Bowie"

"You Shook Me All Night Long" + "AC/DC"

"(I Just) Died In Your Arms" + "Cutting Crew"

"Karma Chameleon" + "Culture Club"

"Cruel Summer" + "Bananarama"

"Puppet Boy" + "DEVO"

"This Charming Man" (Remastered 2011) + "The Smiths"

"Human Fly" + "The Cramps"

"Generals And Majors" (Remastered 2001) + "XTC"

"Puttin' on the Ritz" + "Taco"

"Don't You Want Me" + "The Human League"

"Don't Let's Start" + "They Might Be Giants"

"Monitor" + "Siouxsie and the Banshees"

"Blister In The Sun" + "Violent Femmes"

"It Only Makes Me Laugh" + "Danny Elfman"

"I Ran (So Far Away)" (Single Edit) + "A Flock Of Seagulls"

"Running On A Treadmill" + "Oingo Boingo"

"Demolition Man" + "The Police"

"Every Breath You Take" + "The Police"

"What I Like About You" + "The Romantics"

"Yankee Rose" + "David Lee Roth"

"Rock Me Amadeus" + "Falco"

"Viet Nam" + "Minutemen"

"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" + "Beastie Boys"

"Let's Groove" + "Earth, Wind & Fire"

"Don't Worry Be Happy" + "Bobby McFerrin"

"Take on Me" + "a-ha"

"Celebration" + "Kool & The Gang"

"99 Luftballons" + "Nena"

"Hooked On A Feeling" + "Blue Swede" and "Björn Skifs"

"Kung Fu Fighting" + "Carl Douglas"

"Call Me" + "Blondie"

"One Way Or Another" (Remastered 2001) + "Blondie"

"Super Trouper" + "ABBA"

"Dancing Queen" + "ABBA"

"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Remastered) + "Eurythmics" and "Annie Lennox" and "Dave Stewart"

"Don't Stop Believin'" + "Journey"

"Any Way You Want It" + "Journey"

"Crocodile Rock" + "Elton John"

dividers from @/animatedglittergraphics-n-more

#request accepted | ''Allons-y; Allonzo!'' #kin music #kin playlist #back to the future #anonymous request #playlists | ''This reminds me of someone...''

[bixiebeet]

Why is this so adorable? Dan Aykroyd promo for the remastered version of the Ghostbusters video game.

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters 1984 #dan aykroyd #ghostbusters the video game #ray stantz #this game is canon and you can’t convince me otherwise #Youtube

[exactlyholycoffee]

Play NES Ghostbusters II (USA) Online in your browser - RetroGames.cc

Hi this is Steven Moore children can play the ghost game called Ghostbusters II in 1990 that's why the computer game called Ghostbusters II is Rated RP because that's why the computer game called Ghostbusters II has no violence in it that's why the computer game called Ghostbusters II is Rated RP for Nintendo NES that's why children can play the computer game called Ghostbusters II because that's why the computer game called Ghostbusters II has no violence in it that's why the computer game called Ghostbusters II is Rated RP for Nintendo NES from Steven Moore

#anllela sagra #brighton sharbino #becky g #selena gomez #mortal kombat 11 #mckenna grace #isabela merced #ava allan #simone biles #sabrina carpenter #madison beer #emily browning #SoundCloud

[digestionsack]

Mike’s Playlist Analysis: Part 1

*Adjusts tin foil hat* Alright gang leggo.

1: “Love is a Stranger” by Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, and Dave Stewart

Starting off a little chill.

“Love is a stranger/In an open car/To tempt you in/And drive you far away”—Definitely giving Byler road trip vibes. This actually isn’t the first time cars are mentioned (see “Cars” by Gary Numan, #11 on this list), and “drive you far away” is really fitting with the “running away” motif I have noticed in Mike’s playlist.

“And I want you”—This line is repeated lots of times in this song. It makes me think about the “love you because I need you vs need you because I love you” themes we have discussed in the Byler tag. “I need you because I love you” basically says “I want you.” When we look at the way Mike wants to be needed but also fears that because El does not need him she does not love him, it becomes clear that what Mike really needs in a relationship is to be needed because he is loved and wanted for who he is. I wonder who can give him that kind of love—oh wait…

Extra note about this song: I noticed that El has a song by the same band on her playlist (“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by the same artists). Mike’s version is said to be a remastered version of that song, but when I listened to them both, the lyrics were completely different as well as the melodies. Is this a metaphor, I wonder?

2: “In The Face of Evil” by Magic Sword

This song had no words, so the analysis I made had to come from the title, the artist, and the album cover alone. The title of this song is very hero-esque in regards to the “good vs evil” motif that I’ve seen pop up a couple times in this album. The title plus the band name makes me think of Mike Wheeler Main Character/Redemption Arc in S5. The band name especially is very interesting, because some on the Byler tag have pointed out that the sword imagery is yet another parallel between Hopper and Mike (when Hopper uses the sword at the end of S4 to kill the Demogorgon. Adding onto the hero/sword idea, the album cover for this song is an image of a sword. Also fits with Mike’s D&D character (Paladin)—it would make sense if he had a sword, especially considering he was wielding one in Will’s painting.

3: “A Real Hero” by Electric Youth, College

Again with the “hero” motif. this title defiantly solidified my “Mike Wheeler S5 Hero/Redemption Arc” expectations. But I’m also wondering if the “hero” motif is a nod to Mike’s saviour complex—how he feels useless unless he is needed? I also noticed the name of the band (Electric Youth), which made me think of another song (“Are ‘Friends’ Electric?”) on Mike’s playlist, along with (as many Bylers have pointed out) Dustin’s comments to Lucas in S2 regarding his romantic chemistry with Max (“I could feel it.” “What?” “The electricity.”) The lyrics are pretty standard for a hero narrative (“A real human being/And a real hero/Back against the wall and odds/With the strength of a will and a cause”).

4: “Ghostbusters” by WALK THE MOON

A reference to Halloween, of course. What I find really interesting is that this is not the only Halloween mention in the playlist (will cover that in Part 3). Crazy together, maybe?

5: “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” By Gary Numan

Ah, we all know what this (if not, see #3 for context). Are friends electric, Michael? Girl stand up.

6: “Dead of Night” by Dance With The Dead

This song has no lyrics as well, so I’m left to go off the title and the artist…and it isn’t looking pretty. That’s a lot of death references there, bud. Makes me a little scared for Mike…The only thing that’s making me a little less scared is the whole “dance with the dead” thing. It sounds a whole lot like “flirting with death,” which is a way of saying someone gets really close to death but doesn’t necessarily die. I hope that’s what they were going for…

7: “A Victory of Love” by Alphaville

Makes me think of Matthew Modine’s “All You Need is Love” tweet (I’m sorry, I couldn’t find it, I don’t have Twitter). Love will win in the end—cheesy, yes, but tried and true and very wholesome. That was just the title, though. Let’s look at the lyrics.

“She’s really an angel/She stands in the sunshine/She’s closing her eyes/She’s starting to dream/She’s pulling the strings/She’s dreaming the strange dream”—That sunshine line is making me think that this is about Will. In the two scenes that we might be able to infer are at least partially from Mike’s POV (the van scene and the couch scene), Will is bathed in an almost angelic sort of light. “Strange dream” and “closing eyes” makes me worried that Will is going to be Vecna’d, though. “Pulling the strings…” Maybe that is hinting at Will gaining some sort of control over the Vecna trance, which also makes the sunshine line make sense (Max saying that “hiding in the light” helped her escape Vecna the first time).

“Counting/I count every second/And I'm standing/I stand in the rain, I walk up that lane/Which leads to the sunshine/She stands in the sunshine/She's closing her eyes/Then she takes me away and she's pulling the strings”—I think these lines foreshadow Mike getting Vecna’d as well, especially when we consider the lighting of the couch scene (Mike being in the dark, reaching out to Will in the light). The mention of the rain makes me wonder if these “stepping out of the rain and into the sunlight” hints began during the infamous S3 rain fight. If that’s the case…damn.

Extra note about this song: I noticed that on Mike’s playlist, this song comes directly after “Dead of Night” by Dance With The Dead. That song concerned me due to its lack of lyrics and death implications, but “A Victory of Love” being placed right after “Dead of Night” gives me hope that love truly will win in the end.

8: “Running in the Night” by FM-84, Ollie Wride

Right away I notice that we have another nod to the “running away” motif. Like damn, this is popping up a suspicious number of times…now the lyrics. I wasn’t able to sus out the meaning behind all the verses, but I found these particular lines interesting all the same:

“Oh, I'm running in the night so soon/I've got nothing left to lose/I'm leaving it all behind, running in the night with you/I won't let you get away again/We can see it through to the end/But whatever we do/I'm running in the night with you”—As I read through this, I’m pretty sure it’s about Will, especially with Mike’s “I don’t know, maybe I feel like I lost you or something.” Add that piece of dialogue with Mike being the one to grab Will’s shoulder in the cabin scene and their blocking on the hill in the final scene, and it just makes sense. Mike does not want to lose Will again. Omg the feels 🥰

“I used to be the one/I used to be your place to land/Under the shadows/Into the palm of my hand/You're always changing the situation/Just when we found paradise/You're always shutting down the conversation/I can never read your mind”—A reference to Will feeling secure around Mike, for sure. Season 2 Byler comes to mind readily. The part about changing the situation…that’s trickier. I think this might be a reference to the van scene, since that was the first time Will has ever lied to Mike. Mike can tell that something’s wrong, but he can’t figure out what.

9: “Something About You - 7” Version” by Level 42

“But making mistakes is part/Of life’s imperfections…Is it so wrong to be human after all”—This makes me sure that Mike’s wack-ass behavior these past two seasons is definitely not because he’s just as asshole. This was all intentional.

 “If ever our love was concealed/No one can say that we didn’t feel/A million things”—In an attempt to see it from multiple sides, I’m going to entertain the idea that this possibly could be about Microsoft, since El had to be hidden from the government. But my biased Byler ass is also pretty sure that this is hella queercoded.

“Oh these changing years/They add to your confusion”—Again, I’m going to try to look at this from both a Melvin and Byler viewpoint. But it’s still kind of going against Melvin—confusion about feelings over the years when, at face value, those feelings have been “clear” to the audience? And as for Byler…confusion about feelings…maybe referencing the shift from platonic feelings to something else? Again, pretty queercoded.

“I couldn’t live without you”—This is an interesting contrast to “I don’t know how to live without you” from Mike’s speech. Like other Bylers have mentioned, “I don’t know how to live without you” implies love because of need, and “I can’t/couldn’t live without you” implies need because of love. This is purely an opinion; these lines could be interpreted many different ways depending on where your biases lie. We all know which way I’m leaning…

10: “If You Leave” by Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark

I…honestly think this song is foreshadowing a Mitochondria breakup. Yes, the song is about the singer not wanting to let their love interest go (to an extent), but I also noticed the phrase “I need you” thrown around a lot. Because of that, and the energy of the other lyrics in the song, I was getting the sense that the singer was afraid of loosing the person they were singing to. This is pretty on-brand for Mike. It’s been made pretty clear that Mike does not want to lose El—platonically, in my opinion. He cares about her and does not want to lose her. And if we’re going off of that, he’s afraid that a breakup would cause him to lose her, even as a friend. But…as I’m reading through the rest of the lyrics, you get those hints of “he doesn’t want to lose her, but he doesn’t want to be with her romantically either.” This was particularly clear to me with these lyrics:

“Oh if you leave/Oh if you leave/Don’t look back/Don’t look back.”

That kind of contradicts the rest of the song, which I found interesting, but it can totally apply to Mike if this is really how he feels about El.

11: “Cars” by Gary Numan

Okay, this is totally giving “repressed Mike/van scene” vibes. Lemme break down the lyrics:

“Here in my car/I feel safest of all/I can lock all my doors”—Feeling safe and locking doors sounds like the metaphor “putting up walls.” Mike has been putting up walls and repressing so much ever since S3 (and probably for much longer, considering his family life).

“Here in my car/I can only receive/I can listen to you”—Mike receiving and listening? Van scene vibes, 100%.

“Here in my car/Where the image breaks down/Will you visit me please/If I open my door in cars?”—Defiantly a reference to Mike feeling more comfortable around Will—letting his walls down, seeking emotional support. This goes not only with the van scene but the entire road trip in S4. An image breaking down…just remembering how Mike tried to pretend to be someone else when he first got to Cali to impress El. The “perfect straight boyfriend” image he was attempting to create. With Will, especially in the van scene, that image breaks down—Mike is more genuine, not trying to be someone else.

“I know I’ve started to think/About leaving tonight/Although nothing seems right in/Cars”—Ooooh…the implications. If we go with the idea that Mike knew he didn’t love El romantically before the van scene and was planning on ending things, this fits pretty well. And the confusion implied in the last two lines represents his conflicting emotions when Will gives him the painting and has the “being different” monologue. Will’s words made him feel loved, but he could still tell something was off (the Duffers saying that Mike “doesn’t fully understand” what went down during the van scene makes me think that although Mike didn’t get the full picture, he knew the pieces weren’t adding up).

12: “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls

Right away, we see more still of the “running away” motif. In the title, and in some of the reoccurring lines in the song (“And I ran, I ran so far away/I just ran, I ran all night and day/I couldn't get away”). But then we get a little farther into the song and…well…things get interesting.

“A cloud appears above your head/A beam of light comes shining down on you/Shining down on you/The cloud is moving nearer still/Aurora borealis comes in view/Aurora comes in view”—What instantly came to mind was the lighting in the couch scene, of course! And then, it’s followed by THIS:

“Reached out a hand to touch your face/You're slowly disappearing from my view/'Pearing from my view/Reached out a hand to try again/I'm floating in a beam of light with you/A beam of light with you”—After Mike’s monologue, Will most definitely felt like he had no shot. He has attempted to rip off the bandaid and thinks it will be better for Mike and El if he just stayed back—so many Bylers have predicted that Will is going to try to distance himself in S5. But Mike doesn’t want Will to pull back. All the Byler moments after the monologue were initiated by Mike—and I’m specifically referencing the cabin scene here. The light imagery returns, and what we said about the couch scene (that Mike is reaching into the light for Will is foreshadowing for Mike realizing his feelings) is supported by the lyrics in this song.

13: “No Other Way” by Classix Nouveaux

“Where are the days/The days that time erased/Innocence/We've had has been replaced/We were so/Free of hate they've taken that away/All I see is responsibility forced on me”—I know we already had the theory that Mike was projecting his own insecurities in the rain fight with Will (“we’re not kids anymore” “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls”) but this really solidifies that for me. These lyrics prove that Mike really does want those days of being a kid back, that they are important to him but he is feeling the pressure to conform, be someone he’s not, and “grow up.” I really hope S5 will address this, because not only will this confirm that he was in fact projecting in that rain fight, but him wanting to hang onto his childhood and thinking that he can’t has become really important to discuss when we talk about Mike’s mental health throughout the seasons (especially S3-4). The rest of the lyrics reflect this message.

14: “After Hours Run” by Mitch Murder

This song had no lyrics—interesting how a great deal of the songs on Mike’s playlist have no lyrics. So I’m just focusing on the title and the artist. Mike’s playlist definitely seems to have a “running away” motif, something that many Bylers have pointed out. The word “Murder” being present makes me a little uneasy…

15: “Let’s Cruise” by Jordan F

This song…also has no lyrics. Inch resting. But “let’s cruise” can kind of fit with the “running away” motif.

16: “Night Crawler” by Gost

Yet another song with no lyrics. But the title and the album cover (picture below) are hella Vecna-coded and definitely further the “Mike getting Vecna’d” theory.

17: “Run Away” by International Music System

Yet ANOTHER nod to the running away motif. I believe this is brought up over five times in Mike’s whole playlist (emphasis on “over”). This song only has two lyrics:

“You can close your eyes to see me through”—Similar to “look right through me,” a line in “Mad World” (which I talk about in Part 2). Definitely implying that Mike is hiding something and putting up walls. Delusional theory time: Maybe when Mike is Vecna’d, El tries to piggyback to get him out (her using her sensory deprivation goggles to cover her eyes) and sees what he’s hiding? Fun thought to entertain.

“You can run away to search the truth”—Both the “running away” motif and a mention of truth. If we’re sticking with the theory that this song is about Mike and El, maybe the meaning here is that Mike needs to be broken up with El in order to learn more about himself (the truth). Honestly, this applies to El as well, since we’ve seen throughout the seasons that she grows so much more as a person when she’s broken up/away from Mike.

18: “Still Haunting Me” by Magic Dance

Without looking at the lyrics, this song totally foreshadows Mike getting Vecna’d. The use of the word “haunting” reminds me of this dialogue between Lucas and Max:

Lucas: “It’s like everyone Vecna targets has something in their life. Something that’s—“

Max: “—Hurting them. Haunting them.”

(Also, this is a bit of a tin foil hat theory, but to me, “magic dance” can sort of sound like possession depending on how you want to read it…)

And then I looked at the lyrics, and there wasn’t really anything alluding to Vecna’s trance, but I think it could be talking about Milkvan:

“There was this look in your eyes/Like fire burning to take flight/A distant call from the sky/Beckoning you to flee the night”—And again I say, ANOTHER reference to the “running away” motif. But I actually think these lines are about El, possibly foreshadowing a breakup with Mike. It’s giving “girlboss independent era” vibes, and I’m totally here for it.

“I never wanted it to end how it did/Another lover now crossed off/Off the list”—Yeah, from Mike’s POV I see how this could work, especially after the whole “I love you” monologue. If we’re right, and El is pissed and calling bs on that monologue, it probably won’t go well—we can maybe expect another fight. What makes me sure this isn’t about Will is that Will was never Mike’s “lover” and Mike isn’t aware of Will’s feelings (miscommunication trope, hello). And this song is fitting in with the other songs alluding to a Mitochondria breakup (a lot of these I will break down in Part 3). And although Will might have attempted to “rip of the bandaid,” he is not “crossed off” any lists in Mike’s mind. That shoulder touch and emotional conversation in the cabin were initiated by Mike, right? Right. Mike has not “crossed off” Will in any way shape or form.

“It's gone too far tonight/Let's bring our love back to the light/Where it once burned so bright/How can I let this die?”—Like I said before, after the whole monologue and Mike being desperately afraid of losing El in his life (platonically), he’s going to protest when El tries to break up with him. As we’ve inferred, he thinks that if they are not in a romantic relationship, she will leave him even as a friend—which she totally wouldn’t, seeing as they’ve been through so much, but it’s a valid fear, considering the “people never stay friends after they breakup” bullshit a lot of us have been fed. But what really stands out to me is the line “where it once burned so bright.” I’m not choosing sides in the gay Mike vs bi Mike thing (I think both would be great in their own ways), but if Mike turned out to be bi, I think this would fit pretty nicely. It would support the theory that Mike and El did once like/love each other romantically, but as they have gotten older, they have grown out of those romantic feelings.

20: “Beta Girl Lost in Forever” by SelloRekt/LA Dreams

Real tin foil hat theory comin’ at y’all now…

This song has no lyrics, so I’m just working with the title, album cover, and artists. I was having a hard time with the title, but the artists and album cover definitely stood out to me. First of all…LA Dreams? “CALIFORNIA DREAMING?” Damn, that’s a bit on the nose. The album cover…is pretty interesting as well.

So, we have two sets of lines forming an angle (colored blue and pink) and a glowing yellow sun. I notice that the album is called “Parallel Lines,” and the lines are running parallel—just not to each other. In fact, the blue and pink lines are not running parallel to each other—they are opposite each other. If you want to flip it around, the lines are drifting away from each other and fading out…

And then the glowing, yellow sun. The only thing shining a light on these two lines right now. The little extra circles of light overlapping with the blue lines. Yes, if the blue lines continued moving in the direction they are going (assuming they’re going up and to the left), they would eventually come in contact with the sun. Picking up what I’m putting down?

#byler #byler analysis #mike wheeler