#mike DENYING

[chirpsythismorning]

Me when I remember what the Cocoa Puffs featuring in S3 of Stranger Things are meant to signify:

#byler #byler proof #byler evidence #byler theory #context: #the cocoa puffs in the background during will's campaign when mike is feening boredom #lucas and mike rushing to the phone bc they think the girls are calling #will finally revealing how upset he is and in that same moment giving up #mike walking back over to stand in front of the cocoa puffs blocking it as he tries to reason with will to keep playing #will refusing and storming out #*one episode later* #lucas offering mike the cocoa puffs #mike DENYING #mike then going off on a tangent about how max is conspiring against him in his efforts to win back over el #if you're still lost #cocoa puffs have one of the most easily recognizable slogans of any product in the history of products with slogans #it's practically universal #'cuckoo for cocoa puffs' #going cuckoo is just another way to say going crazy... #so it's essentially 'crazy for cocoa puffs'... #AKA #in s3 #the season directly after s2 #mike is now denying himself going crazy together with will... #and if i said that the audience stopped liking mike when he stopped leading with his heart... #then what? #'without heart we'd all fall apart' #mike isn't leading with his heart at the end of s4... in fact he's outright denying it literally this time #and hawkins is currently burning to a crisp #coincidence? I think not!

[teambyler]

Will said he's "not gonna fall in love" EXACTLY when he does something referring to Mike:

I'm late to Byler (just watched s4 a month ago and found y'all after), and I'm guessing some caught that Will opened a bottle of syrup in front of his plate which has eggs, and Mike definitely liked syrup on his eggs in s1.

But has anyone pointed out the IRONY of Will saying "I'm not gonna fall in love" EXACTLY when he gets the syrup? The creators must have known eagle-eyed viewers would remember s1 Mike grossing out his sister with this.

So Will said "I'm not gonna fall in love," while we're all reminded of someone he's already in love with. But not only that: syrup on eggs is an unusual preference he seems to share with the boy he loves. Which symbolically suggests they're meant for each other.

(Yes, I know Will has pancakes there, but we all know you put ketchup on eggs lol. And he starts eating with just the syrup!)

The creators SO wanted him to say this line while unscrewing the cap that they made a continuity error. In the IMMEDIATE previous shot, Will had already unscrewed the cap:

So the timing was deliberate.

And we all remember the very gay-coded Mike Tries Fruit on Pizza Incident. To which I'll point out:

Syrup on eggs = Fruit on pizza

Syrup and fruit both add sweetness to an otherwise starchy food. Just like being queer, some people instantly find the IDEA of it repulsive (Mike's sister called the syrup "disgusting"). But others find it delicious!

And it's canon that Mike has always liked sugar on his starch ;)

Mike didn't want to try fruit on pizza. "Fruit" is historically a derogatory word for gay men. He called fruit on pizza "blasphemous." His friends had to coax him to try sugar on his starch, which he always liked.

Afterward, Mike says off-camera that he liked his fruity pizza (screencap with subtitle):

Oh, Mike, you just had to try it! And what's the harm in telling Will you like him? He just might like sugar on his starch as well!

"Try before you deny" indeed!

P.S. Follow me and read my blog! I have so much to say!

#byler #pizza #fruit on pizza #try before you deny #syrup #not gonna fall in love #will byers #mike wheeler #stranger things #byler theory #pizzagate #syrupgate

[oursonwithagirl]

“byler is cute but it will be unrequited”

“one-sided”

“unreciprocated”

“mike will let will down gently”

“he’s just a close friend”

“it wouldn’t be realistic”

“he’ll definitely get friend-zoned”

“it’s obviously platonic”

“mike doesn’t want will’s affections”

to quote that one person: “who the fuck writes a slowburn rejection?”

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #st #byler season 4 #deny deny deny #sounds to me more like lie lie lie

[thecelestialsyzygy]

Byler: *Happens*

GA: *Genuinely shocked* OMG what a plot twist! Who would have seen that coming?

Bylers who have been called delusional for literal years:

#ik not all GA are oblivious or whatever #I mean obviously look how many bylers we've gained after S4 #but the amount of ppl in the general audience that i've seen STILL try to deny byler is... a lot #byler #byler tumblr #byler s5 #will byers #mike wheeler

[strawberrybyers]

“noah schnapp in the car still buckled in”

“THE BIG REVEAL”

“you’re in the shot, noah”

“he was shot through the lungs… he has a crater in his chest, i don’t know how he’s still talking”

“they’re going to drive over him”

IM SORRY BUT THIS WILL NEVER NOT BE THE FUNNIEST COMMENTARY LMFAO

#it’s the big reveal part that really sends me #like to put will right in between mike and el’s reunion is top tier comedy #THEYRE NOT EVEN BEING SUBTLE ABOUT BYLER HOW DO PPL KEEP DENYING IT LMAOOOO #byler #stranger things

[willbyersenthusiast]

i love seeing milevens say “mike isn’t in love with will” and all i think about is the van scene and the way he looks at will and he has never EVER looked at eleven with that much love and care and passion.

it makes me laugh and giggle and be like “bitch guess what i have some news for u”

#stranger things #will byers #mike wheeler #byler #byler tumblr #byler endgame #st5 #stranger things 5 #anti milkvan #deny deny deny #it’s all you guys do is just deny and you don’t even have any real proof smh

[halfthebrain]

Guys, Idk why it took me so long to realise this but hiring Mike was never a rational decision.

Mr. No Emotions was overwhelmed by want, by desire and he hired that goddamned kid. This is equal parts hilarious and tragic.

#marvey #harvey specter #mike ross #suits usa #and this isn’t even necessarily seen thru the marvey lens this is just facts #harvey wanted mike and when does Harvey Specter ever deny himself anything #moron

[emblazons]

Thinking about how people who only (or primarily) understand Mike’s arc through a “hes queer and coming to accept it / struggling with heteronormativity/will get his happy ending when he gets with Will” lens are missing at least half of what defines his arc in the wider context / themes of the show.

Forewarning: long post (& also maybe an unpopular opinion)

Even as a queer person myself, I know that his arc isn’t solely about embracing his queerness (though it’s inherently interlinked). In Mike, you have a character who is being radically challenged by both external circumstances and his own decisions through a journey away from all kinds of forced conformity (social, familial, romantic & heteronormative) and into someone self actualized enough to live how they want…while also being strong enough to accept that they made mistakes along the way. Someone who is learning to be brave enough to say “this is who I am, what I enjoy, and what/who I love…and while it took me a lot of time to figure it out, now I can exist in the world embracing that even though it will take consistently resisting the tendency to accommodate people who think it’s unacceptable.”

Like. Even from a time before puberty (see: S3) Mike wants a life that stands apart from what’s expected of him in every area, not just in choosing a romantic relationship with another guy. He wants to continue to be a nerd and “child at heart” even though something else is repeatedly demanded of him by everyone from his parents to El in his romantic relationship. He wants to be a writer and someone who takes those nerdy interests into his adult life (cue aggressive gesturing toward the duffers themselves) and grates against all that’s been constructed for him even when he’s not (yet) brave enough to challenge it directly. Mike liking boys/loving Will is just “the final nail in the coffin” of his social and societal nonconformity—not the first (or the last) aspect of what makes him different from Hawkins or the life he was made to believe would suit him best.

Even the fact that Mike has a desire to be “normal” comes from an insecurity and fear that choosing what he truly wants will lead to him being outcasted and losing the people he cares for entirely—which is partially motivated by his queerness yes, but that also has a basis in his general interests and personality…which becomes especially obvious when you realize we are repeatedly shown that he is punished/has his wishes ignored in all areas he doesn’t conform, even long before we get into a plot where it’s clearer he likes boys.

We see it in how his parents have already started to demand he put boundaries on the time he spends playing his “childhood games” the very first scene of season one, how they demand social acceptable emotions from him when Will is missing, and how Karen & Ted want him to give up toys in S2 when he’s showing signs of depression (because they think the issue is him growing up, not that he’s struggling with loss or guilt for what happened to El).

We see it in how his own father comments about taking his CA trip away from him after calling Hellfire being a group for “dropouts” in S4 (implying that he is failing on an academic and social level that matters to wheelers—and that Nancy is good at).

We even see it in the way everyone from his bullies to his own girlfriend threaten and take things away from him when he doesn’t conform to social expectations...from Troy telling him to jump off the cliff to save Dustin in S1 (as punishment for the one time Mike stands up for himself in the gymnasium) to El jumping straight into breaking up with him and spying on him when he doesn’t do exactly what she wants him to in Season 3.

All of these moments are critical to understanding Mike as a person because they show us that, even without addressing his queerness, Mike’s desire to conform to socialized expectations involves but is not solely about him moving out of heteronormativity—it’s about him moving against everything that WASP, patriarchal, heteronormative and capitalistic and performative “wholesome American” values…and how he is learning to move past the fear of what will happen if he steps outside the lines in general, even though he already knows he hates those standards.

Mike’s “coming of age” arc is about finding the strength to choose the “path less traveled” in all areas of his life—even when it means (potentially) losing the support of the people he cares about. It’s about starting from a place of privilege and becoming okay with being outcasted from it in a way your insecurities never let you be before (which is inherently different than Will, who has always been shown to have some kind of support not just for his queerness but his artistic endeavors as well). Mike’s lack of support is why he starts from a place of deep insecurity, yes—but it’s also why him learning power of choosing to be himself, even if it means “losing” people when he’s honest about who (& what) he is will be universally powerful.

You don’t need to be queer to understand the power of what it means to know you will be okay even if people leave you. You don’t need to be queer to understand the power of stepping outside social expectations or your family’s way of raising you. You don’t even need to be queer to understand the weight of breaking up with someone you were only with to satisfy what you thought you should do, rather than be with who you want to.

The power of being strong enough to overcome your insecurities in order to “step out of line” and live and love as you want to is universal, and a stunningly brave choice no matter what or why you chose to do so. The fact that Will will be there waiting to love him in that honesty with himself is beautiful, yes—but it’s not the only lesson to be learned for Mike’s character.

Mike starting out with everything the world (or, at least America) tells would make you happy, realizing he is not happy with those things and rejecting them knowing it might have consequences is what makes his arc powerful, because he is learning (exactly like his sister Nancy) to be brave enough to accept those consequences (which for him are getting dumped, and feeling like he’s being left behind by some of his friends) to follow his own heart.

Even though The Duffers aren’t writing this into a tragic ending (aka: he’s not going to die or be left alone, because the duffers writing is inherently designed ro champion the outcast), these are the things that have (and will) make him relatable even to an audience that doesn’t know queerness. Erasing the fact that his lesson is the bravery it takes to follow your heart solely to talk about him liking guys (even Will) is to undermine his humanity, and the lessons to be learned from him by even the most general an audience.

TL:DR - the heteronormative aspect of Mike’s character is not the sole or even inherent issue within Mike, though heteronormativity is inherently built into his struggle.

There are deep dives on how his arc is also about a war against toxic patriarchy, toxic masculinity, emphasis on capitalistic and academic accomplishments over artistic ones, and even conformist relationships (whether they’re queer or not) that should be explored for his character—and I for one like him too much not to move out of just “this boy is queer because xyz” and into “let’s talk about Mike in terms of the wider scope of his cultural context and upbringing.” 🤷🏽‍♀️😂

#imma go watch the Oscars now but #i know people mean NO HARM in focusing on the heteronormative part of his arc because on tumblr esp that is inherently relatable but #it’s not the only thing that makes his character interesting! #and it’s not the only thing he’s struggling with in his ‘coming of age!’ #understanding white masculinity in America on a wider scale is SUPER helpful to understanding Mike #and in that sense Reddit is actually pretty good at catching his drift—THEY JUST DONT REALIZE THE DUFFERS ARE U N D E R M I N I N G it #erasing Mike’s queerness is to do him a disservice. I absolutely believe this. #but to deny every other part of him that isn’t just expected to be straight is to oversimplify him aggressively #you need BOTH to understand him #which is why you need both El and Will to make sense of his struggle lmao #(I still 100% believe he’s gay not bi) #(but him dating a girl was necessary to make sense of understanding that aspect of socialized expectations). #ANYWAY. Sorry for the rant lmao #mike wheeler core #mike wheeler #my st commentary #byler #< target audience #stranger things

[i-give-u--stuff]

#meme #fnaf #fnaf movie #fnaf memes #five nights at freddy's #five nights at freddys #five nights at freddys movie #fnaf mike #fnaf fan art #william afton #willam afton #fnaf afton #fnaf william afton #vanessa afton #im looking at you gay boy #Yea you #don’t deny it #fnaf ness #mattpatt #fnaf mike schmidt #mike emily #mike #mike schmidt

[thefirstlioveyou]

melvins actually saying theyre not the same shoes just similar as if they aint the same ones that thought mike and el were wearing the same rugby t shirt somehow despite being over 2000 miles away. like why are you even talking. this is a family matter, shoo

#if you are seriously denying theyre not the same you need to stop #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #stranger things

[chirpsythismorning]

Some of the evidence supporting Mike not being in love with El is brutal. No, but seriously.

In s3, when El's leg is injured, instead of Mike putting his arm around her waist, allowing him to take some of the weight off her injured leg, he puts his arm around her shoulder, basically having the exact opposite affect of taking the weight off of her, instead just adding more weight for her to have to carry.

Now, I’m not coming at Mike here, I’m actually coming at the writers, because this choice here has everything to do with them using this gesture to signal Mike’s lack of feelings for El, even at the expense of realism.

I say this bc any person with common sense, including Finn and everyone around him and Millie filming these shots, would've known it looked unnatural for Mike to be adding more weight onto El as opposed to taking some off of her.

This means that what Mike did here, Finn was directed to do, and therefore it was for a specific reason.

And we know they could have easily made the opposite choice, because they show us Max AND Lucas doing it.

See how putting an arm around El's waist looks so much more natural? Because homegirl is injured and clearly needs help taking weight off her leg to qualm some of the pain she's experiencing there, which is why Max and Lucas are shown here doing it the correct way.

And so, why can't Mike do the same? Why are the writers making a point to show Mike being incapable of simply taking some weight off of El, instead doing the exact opposite?

I don't think it's as deep as Mike not being able to do something intimate, and that's bc, again we see Max and Lucas doing it.

I honestly think what they're trying to convey with this choice here, is that Mike thinks he's helping El, when he is in fact doing the opposite despite his best efforts. The implications of that and how that sort of aligns with their romantic relationship and what it leads to at the end of s3, going into s4, is pretty spot on.

I do think Mike thinks he's doing the right thing by being with El instead of voicing any doubts at the end of s3, because he is under the assumption that she is in love with him. I do think he believes he is indebted to her and that this is the least he can do after everything they've been through together, which has mostly been riddled with romantic pressures and so continuing that instead of disputing it seems like the only option anyways. Not to mention, he does care for her deeply, so it's not hard to imagine that he's a teenage boy confusing deep care for love (he literally tells us this is his problem when he can only say care and not love to El's face... but that's a whole other conversation).

Still, when it's all said and done, Mike's not actually doing El any favors by being with her romantically, if that is not what he truly wants.

Because that's the sad truth about all of this, which is that you would never want someone to be with you just because you want them. If you knew that they truly couldn't have those feelings for you, you'd want to know, right? You don't deserve someone just because you have deep feelings for them. And I think there's so many layers to this idea, bc many people are capable of not giving Byler a chance bc they truly believe Mike could never return Will's feelings. Will also feels this way atp, so though it hurts, he rips the band aid off, because he would never want Mike to be with him just out of pity or something. No one would want that. And so it all really comes down to who Mike truly loves romantically and wants to be with. And the right thing to do, even if it hurts someone, is to be honest, because being with them just bc you think that will make them happy is never going to be enough if you aren't truly feeling it, or worse, feel it for someone else.

We see how Mike's inability to be honest with El at the end of s3, leads to a season of Mike feeling deeply insecure and undeserving of the love El has to offer him, and even though he does try, he always comes up short. Despite Mike putting up this front that they are the perfect couple, the details are telling us something is off. And it gives him away.

Another example that I think is very similar to this loaded gesture from Mike to El in s3, is the scene in s4 when they hug in the airport.

Common sense ppl, picture this: You're reuniting with your long distance girlfriend. Then suddenly, she runs up to you, with her arms wide open, and instead of opening your arms wide to embrace her properly, you take the bouquet of flowers you brought her as a gift, and shove them against your chest just as she approaches to hug you, effectively squishing the present you got for her (a pretty delicate present at that) for no reason other than to... what exactly?

Like?? El isn't even squishing the present Mike, she's trying to hug you, dude! Your gf is trying to hug you properly and you threw the gift you got for her in between you so you could throw in a careful! x3??

Again, this has less to do with Mike's thoughts and reasoning behind this gesture in a literal sense, and more to do with the simple fact that this is a narrative choice! Mike is not a real person! There are real people sitting down and writing this and actors are having to do multiple takes to act it out. What feels natural for a situation is going to be what is often chosen 9 times out of 10, because of realism and wanting the audience to see stuff happening that is believable. That 1 time though, when it's not being done the way it would usually be, is usually because there's a specific reason for it.!

So the question really is, not why is Mike doing this, but why are the writers having Mike do this, and what message are they trying to convey about Mike's feelings based on his behavior, in these moments where he's just not capable of committing to El genuinely, one way or another?

#byler #no but most of the gay subtext is just so like... you really didn't have to do all that? #gay subtext at the expense of realism? check #mike thinks he's helping el by not breaking her heart and just being with her despite feelings for will he can't deny #very reminiscent of mike's 'maybe you thought you were helping but you weren't. you hurt me! what you did sucks!' #i do think it would be epic too see that moment come full circle but with el saying it to mike this time #bc i'm sure el would much rather have her heartbroken finding out that mike is incapable of loving her romantically #than to find out he was with her bc he didn't want to hurt her even at the expense of his own happiness #like no one wants to have someone be with them out of pity or obligation #we want someone to love us truly and deeply and genuinely! #we see how much el struggles in s4 bc of all the hints she's getting from mike that he doesn't genuinely love her #bc that's the most important part of a romantic relationship #it being equal #and it didn't feel that way #sure she's gonna be pissed #but she's gonna be more pissed he wasn't just honest #friends don't lie obvs

[bitchyghosthunter]

“Mike Wheeler is gay” I say into the mic.

The crowd boos, I begin to walk off in shame, when suddenly a voice speaks and commands silence from the room.

“They’re right,” they say. I look for the owner of the voice. There, in the 3rd row stands: Vecna.

#byler #gay mike wheeler #gay will byers #mike wheeler i know what you are #mike wheeler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #vecnussy #this is true guys vecna told me himself #all these people booing me #yall are just mike wheeler trying to deny the allegations from his alt accounts

[hawkwidows]

I know the idea of mike telling people off if they try and call shotgun for his car bc that’s will’s seat has been discussed but I think the thought of will being visibly offended someone would attempt to sit in the passenger seat when he’s right there, is equally as funny

#like maybe an outside the party member or college friend etc who doesn’t GET it just yet #bc they can’t yknow.. really say they’re boyfriends unless it’s the extended party they’re with so mike has excuses ready to fire #but it doesn’t stop the look on will’s face just on instinct HNFJD #byler #who are you to deny the passenger princess his rightful throne? #I have an agenda to spread #byler hc

[cogentranting]

The Harvey/Mike dynamic and the Peter/Neal dynamic are both essentially

Mike/Neal: you're like a father to me

Harvey/Peter: First of all, I'm only like 5 years older than you

(Mike/Neal: it's at least 10)

Harvey/Peter: and secondly, I don't want to be your father. I don't even want to be your friend

Mike/Neal: we're best friends

Harvey/Peter: I'm having you arrested.

#suits usa #suits #white collar #and meanwhile harvey and peter are trying to deny it but they are the #'ive only had mike/neal for a day and a half but if anything happened to him' meme

[jesuistrestriste]

something something pegging art donaldson something something

#ARGHHHHH #look at him #i feel like he’s the type of guy to deny that he’ll like it #and then u do it #and he just goes all limp and shaky and begs for more #SORRY. SORRY! #mike faist #mike faist smut #art donaldson #challengers movie

[amarithecat]

Inspired by yesterday's mobile ad stream where Mike looked through a folder titled "Too Vile for Vinny."

#i only half watched due to eating dinner so i can't confirm nor deny #but it sounded pretty damn bad #jabroni mike #vinesauce #vinesauce vinny #vinny vinesauce #twitch streamers #twitch chat #meme #edit