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lordystrange · 1 year

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10 best byler proofs by me

10. The cast, especially David (who knows the ending) and Finn (who might know something), are always so happy talking about Byler. They wouldn’t be if Will ended up dying alone as a sad gay. Also no one likes milkvan except maybe Millie unless she’s acting… Caleb even said ”Lucas and Max’s love is real unlike Milkvan’s”.

9. Mike has been queercoded throughout the whole series. Especially with queer colors, he spent s4 dressed as a gay pride flag. Also bi and pan colors are associated with him. Also Ted’s ”our son with a girl?” and everything Eddie said about forced conformity etc

8. Byler parallelling other romantic ships like Jancy, Jopper and Lumax. I’m not listing examples because there are SO MANY! (Also Milkvan parallelling all the platonic/dead ships)

7. Mileven being bones. We have nothing that shows their actual, deep love they’re ”supposed to have”. We don’t know what Mike loves about El and what El loves about Mike. We don’t know what makes them a compatible match romantically. We only know things that don’t make them compatible: El feeling the need to lie to Mike, Mike feeling embarrassed of his nerdy self with El, El feeling unloved by Mike, Mike feeling inferior to El…

6. The desert scenes. The triple take ofc, but also the car roof top convo with Will (jancy parallell). Will is talking about how it’s scary to say how you really feel because what if they don’t like the truth. And Mike NODS. If the truth was that he loved El exactly like El wanted, El would like that truth. So what is the truth Mike is worried that El doesn’t like…?

5. Mike’s monologue. He had to be pushed by Will to open his mouth. He lied about him loving her at first sight. He copied the t-shirt part from Eddie. He kept saying she’s his superhero which El doesn’t wanna be. He didn’t include anything personal about El and their relationship after the t-shirt thing… Also El didn’t seem to like what she heard and their love didn’t save the world. And they didn’t even talk after it. And while filming it they didn’t focus on just the couple (like they did with byler in s2 shed scene) and they let Finn improvise as if it wasn’t that important (as important as the van scene…)

4. Mike would be so poorly written if he wasn’t into Will and I don’t think the Duffers would just ignore his character. Also all the lip glances and heart eyes wouldn’t make sense.

3. Byler/Milkvan contrast. When Will was gone and they found his ”body”, Mike heard Will breathing in a radio channel and believed he was alive. He didn’t rest for a second, he did everything he could to find him. When he thought El was dead, he didn’t go looking for her, even tho a couple times he actually saw her. Also in s3 when Milkvan had a fight, Max said Mike will be crawling back to her begging for forgiveness in no time. Instead Mike laid on a sofa and ate and complained. When Byler had a fight… well we all know what Mike did then.

2. Mike and Will’s relationship has always been different from other friendships. They’ve said it themselves (”pls don’t tell the others, they wouldn’t understand”, ”Hawkins is not the same without you”, ”you make her me feel better for being different”). Also their scenes together have always been a big deal (van scene took an entire day to film, crazy together was written before s1 was even filmed) and they are shot in a really romantic way (music, lighting…)

1. In the beginning of s3, Will said to Joyce that he’s not gonna fall in love. That made his arc about romance. We know now that he already fell in love, but he doesn’t believe it’s requited. If s5 goes from ”i don’t think he loves me back” to ”he doesn’t love me back” we get literally nowhere and the entire storyline (since s1) would be useless and waste of time and money. They wouldn’t make Will suffer 4 seasons and then suffer some more. So believe me when I say it goes ”I don’t think he loves me back” to ”He does love me back!”

I wish you all a very merry byler endgame in s5! 💚

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willbyersabyss · 10 months

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This is a callback to shed scene. They were talking about how Owens treated Will so they're obviously talking about his possession and not his disappearance. When did Mike help save Will? The shed. Okay so why are we being reminded of the shed scene? They end this conversation saying that saving the world will be up to them again. This prediction doesn't really come true, though. Or does it?

The closest time Will and Mike are involved with the supernatural plot is during Mike's monologue. They were trying to save El from Vecna! So if the only time their "it's going to be up to us" agreement comes true is Mike's monologue, we can assume the callback to the shed scene is meant to connect to the monologue. These scenes are supposed to be compared.

The shed scene and the monologue have many similarities. Will and El are both tied up, they're stuck in their minds, the lighting is intense, there are three other people watching, and Mike recalls the first day he met both of them. There are key differences that make these scenes contrast, though.

Mike wasn’t prompted by anyone to talk to Will and his feelings were his alone. Mike had to be told to talk to El and based his speech on someone else’s feelings. In the shed, it seems like Mike is alone despite others being in the room. The complete opposite is done for the monologue, they even focused on other reactions throughout. Mike's monologue felt more like a performance than an intimate moment because of this. The vines around El's neck get tighter as Mike speaks, but Will's hand breaks further out of possession. This just proves that El unraveling the vines during Mike's monologue would show his love giving her power and that's exactly why they didn't do that! But they did do it with Will.

Mike believes meeting Will was the best thing he's ever done after of years of friendship. Mike says he loved El at first sight instead of after he got to know her. Wouldn't the best thing he's ever done be the day he met El if his life started that day? If he knew it was love at first sight like he says, he wouldn't have said that to Will one year after he met El. The gate closes after the shed scene, but the gates rip a hole through Hawkins after the monologue.

These differences tell a clear story. Mike said those things to Will because he wanted to, but he said that to El because he felt like he had to. Mike’s speech to Will was an intimate moment while his speech to El was a performance. Mike’s love helped Will break out of possession, but his love did not help El. Mike’s feelings for Will were created after getting to know Will, his feelings for El are based on their initial meeting. Mike’s love for Will saved the world, his love for El did not.

I know these scenes have been compared many times already, but I just wanted to explain how we aren’t comparing them out of nowhere. We’re supposed to compare them because the scene in Jonathan’s room set that up! They reminded us of the shed scene so we would later have something to compare it to, proving that Mike's heart goes towards Will. They're telling us the truth by foreshadowing parallels!

#byler #anti mileven #byler analysis #parallels

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thranduel · 2 years

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el deserves better + why people can’t take mike’s monologue seriously

*these are my own personal opinions and observations! if you liked this scene how it was, that's fine! no one's forcing you to look at this lol. i'm not trying to "ruin" this scene for anyone or invalidate people’s feelings. it’s a fictional show. the writers like when people analyse and look into it and that’s what i’m doing. these are just my own opinions about it as someone who has watched the show since the beginning, pays attention and truly cares about the characters, and i think they could've done this scene a lot better if they wanted it to seem genuine.

i also just want to make it clear that i would’ve had no problem with mike and el’s relationship if it was well-written, slowly developed properly instead of rushed, they actually understood each other and could be themselves with each other AND if will wasn’t involved in this love triangle and had his heart broken in the process because that’s probably one of the most cruel, horrible and unnecessary things i’ve ever seen in a show. there was absolutely no reason to involve an abused and traumatised gay child in this mess if he was just going to end up hurt again after everything he’s suffered and people have EVERY right to be uncomfortable and upset about that, but anyways!

“love at first sight”

the love at first sight trope coming out of nowhere seemed really out of character for mike since he's made it clear several times he doesn't believe in that and we also know he didn't fall in love with el the moment he met her when he was only 12 years old and struggling with the trauma of his best friend going missing. i'm not sure why they felt the need to include that when will was sitting right there listening and they could've done literally anything else to show he loved her. he shouldn't have to lie and make things up that don’t make sense (seriously, what happened to “friends don’t lie”)? and sure, the cast can say whatever they want about a 12 year old falling in love with a stranger the moment he looked at her even though he knew absolutely nothing about her and his best friend was suffering in an alternate dimension, but it still makes no sense from a writing standpoint and you can literally see that in mike’s words and actions after they take her to his house. the whole thing has always been weird lol. i don’t know why people romanticise the love at first sight trope with two children anyways and act like it makes their relationship better when it only made it worse because of how rushed it was.

using will

this needs to be mentioned considering will is the reason this monologue happened in the first place (so don’t even start with the “stop making everything about will” when THE WRITERS THEMSELVES literally put him in every mike and el scene except their fight scene!!!!!!!) but i absolutely hated how they used will's feelings for mike in order to make him say he loves his own girlfriend. like… what. using a gay character who has suffered since the very beginning as a plot device to force another ship back together while he continues to suffer and be heartbroken isn't cool at all. you can come up with any excuse, but NOTHING makes it okay that they included will in this mess and turned him into a couple’s therapist that fixes their problems when they can’t even do that themselves. if they wanted all this drama with mike and el and STILL have them stay together for some reason, fine. but will should’ve NEVER been involved. there’s no excuse. i don’t understand how anyone is okay with that. he literally had to push him into saying the monologue even when el was choking because mike wouldn’t have said it otherwise. he also took inspiration from what will said in the van about his OWN feelings for him and basically re-worded it. it’s just crazy.

“mike was just trying to save her”

i get that!!!!! he was panicking and under stress. it’s actually a realistic way to respond in that situation and anyone would make up whatever they think the person wants to hear to save them. he was trying his best to help her and i really do appreciate him for that because she really needed strength and motivation. BUT the point is, it still wasn’t entirely genuine and it’s so weird that people watch it and talk about it like it’s a proper romantic love confession and their relationship is oh so perfect when he always lies and contradicts himself which just feels hurtful and unnecessary. he could've told her he loved her WITHOUT making things up. in fact, he should’ve told her he loved her BEFORE she got her powers back, before he was pushed into it by will and before she was in danger and he was under pressure. that would’ve made it seem so much more genuine.

flashbacks

i’m just gonna link this incredible analysis post from @aurorabyler here about flashbacks because they explained it so perfectly. please check it out!!!!

anyways mike could’ve spoken about happy memories instead of making up lies she knows aren’t true. when he said “it’s not because i’m scared of you. i’ve never felt that way”, it just sounded ridiculous because she knows he’s been scared of her. it literally happened a few episodes ago at the roller rink. even in season 1, mike yelled at her and triggered traumatic memories that reminded her of brenner (the flashbacks happen right after to show the parallels) and it happened again in season 4. she also said “you think i’m a monster too” when they were arguing because she knows that mike has been scared of her. and at the roller rink when she was sitting at the table shaking and crying, he just stared at her along with the crowd and he didn’t sit with her or take her away from the triggering environment. he just stared and did nothing. in the car he was silent and then at the dinner table he made a sarcastic comment which made her feel worse and get up and leave. then he sips his drink which is a parallel to ted and karen. obviously mike has every right to be shocked and afraid sometimes, but el was also really struggling and he did nothing to help. even when she confronted him about everything, he just sat there, got defensive, denied everything and called her ridiculous. “he’s just a teenager” just doesn’t work as an excuse because we’ve seen that mike can be mature, apologise and take responsibility for what he’s done wrong with other people, so why didn’t he do that during their fight scene? why was he sitting there with no emotion on his face and making her feel worse as she was literally breaking down in front of him? why did he have to be pressured and motivated by his best friend to say he loves his own girlfriend? “he just needed some advice”, “he’s just insecure”, “his parents couldn’t say ily”. these are all ridiculous excuses that make no sense. it also doesn’t explain why will was involved in this mess in the first place. how is it okay for a gay child to just be shoved to the side and heartbroken and then force the boy he loves into telling his girlfriend he loves her? how are people seriously okay with that?

more lies and idolisation

during the monologue, mike also could’ve mentioned el's friends and family which mean the world to her instead of just making it about himself and why he needs “his superhero”. he could’ve mentioned who she is as a person instead of just her powers, but the truth is, he barely knows who she is as a person because they can’t be themselves around each other and they don’t even share any similar interests. that's why it confuses me when people actually take what he's saying seriously and think he's being genuine and "romantic" when he isn't. "oh, but mike said he fell in love the moment he met her, he’s so in love”. uh, of course he's going to say that when he's under pressure and she's in danger, but that doesn't mean it's true. we know that he was going through one of the most traumatic times in his life when will went missing and he wasn’t focusing on falling in love… he was literally only 12 years old and he knew el for 6 days before she disappeared. they were strangers. he also only let her stay when she said the bad guys were after her and when he found out she had powers and could help find will, not because he “fell in love”. he was literally planning to send her away so they could focus on finding will. so many people forget about this but it’s just crazy to think about. even when they reunite at the end of season 2, they had only spent less than a week with each other as children. mike called her every day with no response but that’s only because he wanted to know if she was out there because she was his friend and of course he cares about her. but they still barely knew each other and he didn’t get to know her more while he was making those calls because she couldn’t even respond. there was no proper build up, no honest communication and no getting to know each other properly before getting into a relationship.

rushed romance

people talk about how they fell in love immediately when they barely even knew each other and el just escaped a lab she was raised in and didn’t know what romance was. she couldn’t even communicate at the same level as mike and everything happened so quickly for her (and no, this is NOT saying that she's not capable of having a boyfriend now. of course she is. she's incredible and she's capable of so much. but when she got out of the lab, she was just a child and she wasn't taught anything about romance or relationships, so it would've been so confusing for her and she needed more time to discover herself and her own interests and then figure out who she likes, if she even wanted a relationship at all). in season 3, she asked max how she knows what she likes because no one has ever taught her or allowed her to figure things out on her own and decide what she likes for herself. max was the first person to do that and it was a really important moment for el. she was also the happiest she had ever been in that scene when they were shopping and i’ve never seen her smile and laugh so much. it was really beautiful to see.

anyways, i know she's not being forced to stay in her relationship with mike but i feel like both of them heavily depend on each other due to their emotional attachment since they found each other during a traumatic time and saved each other when they were vulnerable and needed help. mike was the first person to take care of el outside the lab and helped her hide from the bad guys so she wouldn’t have to go back, and el saved mike's life when he jumped off the cliff and then she broke his bully's arm. mike and el feel like they owe each other something and they're extremely dependent on each other because they saved each other, but i don't understand why they had to start dating because of that? it's like they feel like they can't be anything outside of a couple which isn't healthy considering the show has proven over and over again that they're not working as a couple. i don't know why people think this is a bad thing either or an "insult" to their relationship. it's not at all. no one is saying they don't love each other, because of course they do. they just don't work together romantically for many reasons, but they would still love each other even if they're just friends. in fact, i think their relationship would be even stronger if they were just friends.

they don’t feel like equals (and literally admitted this in the show)

one of the biggest issues with their relationship is that both mike and el can’t be themselves with each other and they always lie, so it doesn’t help that he lied during his monologue too. it’s really sad. you shouldn’t feel like you need to lie or change who you are when you’re in a relationship. and i just feel like there were so many other ways they could’ve done this. like, if they wanted mike and el together, that’s fine. but why couldn’t their relationship be more genuine and why couldn’t they be themselves around each other? el didn’t even need a boyfriend or first kiss in season 1, she just needed a friend to help her and be by her side. mike is the one that decided what their relationship would be because he had a little crush on her, but el didn’t get a say at all. i understand it was supposed to be "cute and wholesome" and mike didn’t have any bad intentions when he kissed her, but it’s just really strange when you actually think about how they barely knew each other and el didn’t know what a kiss was.

the characters deserve better

i also just feel like this scene hurts all 3 characters involved (el, mike and will, because yes, will was involved in a way considering he's been in love with mike since the beginning and he’s the reason mike said his monologue in the first place) and it feels insulting to them. the writers also placed will in EVERY mike and el scene except their fight, so people can’t get mad when people “make it all about will”. blame the writers then. people are obviously going to talk about the abused and traumatised gay child that’s suffering and getting his heart broken.

el: she deserves to be loved for who she is as a person, as jane, not just “superhero eleven”. her boyfriend should’ve shown her love in his letters and he should’ve comforted her and explained himself (or just simply said “i love you”) when she was crying in her room begging to hear the words. his excuse for not being able to say it was “i’m scared she won’t need me anymore”, but she clearly needed him in that moment. he knew what she wanted to hear. he also said he feels inferior because he’s just a nerd and she’s a superhero. but she didn’t even have powers in that scene where she was crying. she was just a regular person like him, so why couldn’t he say it? in the next episode, he also admits that if he just said “that thing”, she might’ve taken him with her (he couldn't even specify what it was when he was talking to will). so he knew exactly what she wanted but he still didn’t say it. this entire plot was just added for drama and it feels so unnecessary. he couldn’t even tell her he loved her when she was sobbing in his room but he only could after his best friend convinced him with his painting, monologue and pushed him to when el was in danger. how is that fair? how do people think it’s genuine after all that? “because mike is just insecure and needed a push”???? because that doesn’t change the fact that he has lied to her and made her feel horrible before. it doesn’t change the fact that she was SOBBING in front of him and he was more worried about himself than her feelings. 3 simple words could’ve comforted her and he just couldn’t do it… until his conversation with will? it’s crazy to think about. that’s why all the excuses are just ridiculous. el deserves so much better than this. she deserves to find someone that loves her for who she is, that shares the same interests as her, that she can fully be herself around, and that doesn't care about her powers.

will: his feelings for mike shouldn’t have been used as a plot device to force mike and el back together when they can’t even sort out their own relationship problems. using a gay character’s feelings when he has been abused, targeted, bullied, lonely and suffering since the very beginning of the show is absolutely cruel and unnecessary. he hasn’t even had a moment of happiness and he thinks he’ll never experience love because of his sexuality. it's even more heartbreaking knowing he has loved mike since the beginning but he thinks mike will never love him back and he has to watch him with someone else while he gets pushed to the side. speaking of being pushed to the side, the way mike treated will in season 3 and 4 (especially how he couldn't hug him at the airport) makes absolutely no sense unless he has repressed feelings for will and internalised homophobia because otherwise, mike is just an asshole and there was no need for any of that. his relationship with el never should've affected his relationship with will, especially because will has been his best friend since they were 4 years old and they have the closest relationship in the entire show. also, will's painting for mike was supposed to be a special moment between them only. his love confession was also the most beautiful and genuine thing and it made mike so happy, but he used el’s name to disguise it and it was so painful and heartbreaking to watch. will is also the only reason mike said his monologue to el because he was so inspired by the painting and car monologue and thought it was all from el when it wasn't. it was all from will. even when el was in danger, will still had to push mike to say it. and yet, will is still lonely and heartbroken after being so kind and selfless to everyone around him? he still doesn't get to be happy after everything he's been through? it’s just not fair. they can’t keep doing this to him.

mike: he’s just simply been reduced to el’s boyfriend. we barely even know him anymore and he doesn’t get his own moments. his entire arc this season revolved around not being able to tell el he loved her. like are you actually kidding me? he did nothing this season except be part of el's storyline. he also changes so much when he’s around her. it’s so ridiculous and unfair and his friends have been hurt because of it too. he shouldn’t have to pretend to be someone he’s not in order to impress el. i also feel like so many people forget how much trauma mike has been through and we don’t even get to see any of it. we don’t get to see his POV or feelings or understand what’s going on inside his head. his entire character just revolves around el and it’s not fair. he also deserves to be with someone he feels comfortable with and can actually be himself around. mike has to hide his own interests and he feels embarrassed about himself when he’s with el and he shouldn’t feel like that in his own relationship. sure, some people might use the excuse “they’re just kids” (as always), but it doesn’t change the fact that this has been going on since their relationship started and they’ve never truly felt like equals. they’ve always been different and they always will be. mike deserves to be with someone that loves him for exactly who he is and that brings out the best in him. someone who makes him feel safe and comfortable for being nerdy and passionate. someone who can give him the love he wants and needs. it’s just sad (and unhealthy) to see him in a relationship where he changes so much and obsesses over his girlfriend and treats his friends like garbage to the point where he becomes the most disliked character in the show and the general audience can’t stand him. like if that doesn’t say a lot about how this relationship isn’t good for this character, i don’t know what does.

#also this isn't specifically byler but i love the people in the byler tag and we have good discussions so hi lol #anyways #if they wanted mike and el together fine but why not make their relationship genuine at least #why not make them actually be able to be themselves with each other instead of constantly lying to each other #and also #the fact he only said all this because of will's confession feels like a slap in the face too #and will had to sit there and listen to it as well #he would've been panicking for el AND also getting his heart broken at the same time #it would've been one of the most overwhelming and hardest moments #el doesn't deserve to only be told she's loved when she's in danger and when her boyfriend gets pushed into it by his best friend #and will doesn't deserve to have his feelings for mike used as a plot device to force another ship back together #and then he just suffers all alone again like he does every season????? absolutely not #the entire thing is a mess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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viewmasterfeeling · 2 years

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okay, i’m just gonna say it:

we are allowed to be upset. that’s it. no “buts”. we should not need to cite several analyses, pieces of marketing, and cast interviews for our feelings to be valid. the people who call us delusional know full well that we have already made all the theories, pointed out every parallel, and used what was given to us to jump to reasonable conclusions. there is absolutely nothing wrong with being upset for how the duffers handled mike will, and el’s stories.

maybe it wasn’t queerbaiting! guess what: we’re STILL allowed to be upset. the way it was handled: hyping up will’s crush on mike, leaving mike’s pov ambiguous in volume 1, all for no satisfying payoff— it was plain cruel. for will and any queer people who see themselves in him.

and it’s not just a ship thing: mike’s monologue was poorly written. the reasoning for why he couldn’t say “i love you” was pulled out of their asses— and the love at first sight angle makes no sense if you’ve ever actually watched season 1. obviously, the writers can do what they want, and our theories are just theories, but narratively, byler would have made sense. we are not delusional for thinking that. we are not delusional for feeling cheated, or for feeling like the way they took this made came from out of nowhere.

i think we all would have been fine if byler was never entertained as an option. but here’s the thing: it was. it was hyped up for a payoff that never came. all we got was the same hearbreaking gay story that we are sick of. taking such a big loss after volume 1 (where our theories finally started to become canon and we got such good content for our ship) is shocking and it really, really hurts.

i’m sick and tired of the people in this fandom who act like not caring about ships makes them superior. like there’s something morally wrong with caring about or theorizing about a ship. guess what: It’s a TV show! and you care about the same story as us. there’s nothing wrong with caring about ships; ships are part of a story. you’re not better for not shipping byler, and implying byler shippers are less valid than other fans reeks of homophobia.

so, that’s it. we shouldn’t need to write paragraphs to defend our frustrations with volume 2 and how it handled will, mike, and byler. we can and should be hurt, and it’s absolutely not ‘our fault for caring’. we aren’t less valid than other fans for being invested in byler. even if it wasn’t technically “queerbaiting”, poor choices were made, and we are rightfully upset.

#byler #st4 spoilers #lane talks

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ectonurites · 11 months

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mike and el for the ship thingy

hehe i assumed at least one person was gonna ask about this one.

so. i have so many thoughts about them. they FASCINATE me.

i know a lot of people who like byler subscribe to the 'this never should have happened and is an evil scourge on the world of stranger things' POV which is super not how I feel about it. like, don't get me wrong, i absolutely do not want them to be together by the end of the show, [to quote something i said to @faeriesfloss in a fb chat a few weeks ago: "miss Eleven Hopper is ending that show single or so help me god. like she did NOT re-hear max’s voice saying ‘theres more to life than stupid boys’ while tearfully reviving her for her to end up WITH the stupid boy"] BUT

i think their relationship playing out as this thing that wasn't based on actual romantic attraction but rather a messy combination of outside factors (societal pressures/'Mike's initial kindness towards El being misconstrued as romantic by multiple people bc heteronormativity', guilt over the circumstances around El's 'death' at the end of s1/the general fear of losing people you care about, El's longing for a normal life because of the situation she was forced to grow up in and projecting her limited movies-and-tv-based ideal of a relationship onto Mike, etc) is a really compelling and interesting storyline. But just... it's something destined to crash and burn as the characters get to the points in their respective arcs where they can recognize that they're incompatible romantically, and can recognize what was really going on.

And like, Mike in s4 trying to claim it was a 'love at first sight' situation during his monologue to her is a big part of what cements to me that it truly never was romantic from his POV, because we watched season one! We literally saw how things went when they found her in the rain, and that wasn't it (and the writers have said they don't believe in love at first sight, and the show outright parodies the concept with Argyle/Eden). If he had actually felt romantic attraction to her at some point, he would have been able to say the actual moment he started feeling it, instead of pulling something we know isn't true out of nowhere.

In general, it's sort of similar to what I was talking about irt Stancy—where I think that the relationship being this option/path that the characters are presented with that they get to realize doesn't actually fit for them and what they truly want/need out of life (so they get to choose something different for themselves) is like... an interesting part of creating conflict for them, for telling a meaningful story about self-discovery/breaking away from just what's expected.

So like, I absolutely don't ship it, I don't want them to end up together, but I DO consider it as a plot element that intrigues me.

[Send me a ship and I'll give you my (brutally) honest opinion on it]

#ask games

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urdearestmom · 2 years

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Bylers really believes Mike lied about his monologue because he would not believing in love at first sight on the grounds that he looked annoyed by Lucas and Argyle, who fell in love with Max and Eden instantly and i think Hello?? Maybe that's just because El wasn't around anymore and she was in danger in S4. Of course he's annoyed. His girlfriend is somewhere in the middle of nowhere and Argyle only has eyes for Eden. He wants to waste as little time as possible to save El. He has no time for it.

Sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one, anon. pretty sure Mike was annoyed at Max's existence for other reasons, not because Lucas and Dustin "fell in love at first sight". also fairly sure he looks annoyed at Argyle because he can't believe the guy is high again when they're on this mission to find El while her life is at stake ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ shit's serious, Mike wants it to be taken seriously, and he feels Argyle isn't doing that so he's rightfully irritated by it

What would really be the point in Mike lying to El about his feelings after all this? I don't know. imo THAT would definitely make him the asshole everyone's trying to make him out to be

I'd recommend blocking the hashtag so you can filter out the content you don't want to see. it's much easier for all of us if we can just stick to ourselves and ship our ships in peace

#anon #ask #answered #mileven #stranger things #urdearestmom

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medproish · 6 years

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The Academy of Country Music Awards usually kicks off with a boisterous opening number — this year, on Sunday night, the show started on a much quieter note. Five country stars (Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett) paid tribute to the victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in October.

Unlike many award shows these days, the country stars avoided talk of politics — though some in attendance wore pins with the numbers “851,” “58” and “1.” According to Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, they represented “the 851 injured, the 58 lost and the 1 life we can save in the future if we’re willing to start a conversation about things that need to be done for our children, our families and our fans.”

[ACM Awards ‘contemplated’ moving from Las Vegas after the shooting, but here’s why the show stayed]

Aldean, who was performing at the festival when the gunman started shooting, spoke first. “Tonight, we wanted to open the show with something that sums up what it’s like for our country music family to be back in Las Vegas for the first time since Oct. 1,” he said. “We thought about starting with a song, but it’s a lot bigger than a single song. It’s everything you’ll hear tonight. The songs that bring us to our feet, make you want to bring someone close, or just live in the moment.”

Luke Bryan, from left, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett at the beginning of the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

“Music does so much more than provide an escape from the pain,” Morris said. “It inspires us, it soothes us and it makes us stronger.”

Afterward, the show returned to its mission of being country music’s “party of the year,” with two dozen performances. Lambert continued her unstoppable award show reign and broke the record for the most ACM wins in history, picking up two more for a total of 31. She won female vocalist of the year for the ninth consecutive time, along with song of the year for “Tin Man,” an aching acoustic ballad she co-wrote with Jon Randall and Jack Ingram.

Miranda Lambert accepts the award for Female Vocalist of the Year. (Reuters)

“Thank you guys so much for sharing my broken heart with me,” Lambert said as she accepted the trophy. “Tin Man” is from her critically-acclaimed album “The Weight of These Wings,” which she released in 2016 after her divorce from fellow country star Blake Shelton. (Shelton was in the audience with girlfriend, Gwen Stefani, and the camera avoided any awkward reaction shots from the exes.)

A full list of winners and nominees is below — here are some of the best and worst moments of the ACMs.

BEST

* Carrie Underwood’s much-hyped performance.

How many just tuned in to the show just to see Carrie Underwood’s face? The country superstar has stayed out of sight since November, when she took a nasty fall and suffered a broken wrist and facial injuries. Underwood revealed in January that the “gruesome” accident could leave her looking “a bit different” — and she has been leaving a trail of cryptic Instagram photos ever since, piquing people’s curiosity.

But viewers couldn’t spot any differences during the telecast when Underwood made her heavily-promoted debut to perform her new single, “Cry Pretty.” While the mystery of Underwood’s face did not live up to the hype, she did show off her typically flawless vocal skills, and got emotional as the crowd gave her a huge standing ovation at the end. A moment later, she returned to the stage when she won vocal event of the year with Keith Urban for their duet “The Fighter.”

“I’m still kind of, like, shaky right now,” Underwood said, tears in her eyes.

Carrie Underwood performs “Cry Pretty” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

[Carrie Underwood’s face: A complete guide to an enduring mystery]

* The throwbacks to ’90s country.

The ACMs decided to celebrate the year 1993. Sure, why not? Nothing gets a crowd on its feet faster than jamming to ’90s country. Alan Jackson performed “Chattahoochee” with Jon Pardi; Toby Keith sang “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” with Shelton; and Reba McEntire delivered “Does He Love You” with her daughter-in-law, pop star Kelly Clarkson. All the duets were wildly entertaining, and the shots of the famous faces in the crowd singing along were the best part. McEntire, also the host of the show, also wore her low-cut, strategically sparkly red dress that caused quite the scandal in 1993.

Kelly Clarkson, left, and Reba McEntire perform “Does He Love You” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina and “What Ifs.”

Brown, 24, got a somewhat controversial start in Nashville because he became famous singing cover songs on Facebook; and the town doesn’t always trust the whims of social media. Alaina, 23, was the runner-up on “American Idol” in 2011; and it took her five failed singles before she got her first hit last year. The singers — who coincidentally went to the same middle school in Georgia — also both have songs about their painful pasts and difficult family situations. So it was gratifying to see the two celebrate success together (the duet, “What Ifs,” went No. 1) on an award show stage.

Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina perform “What Ifs” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* Blake Shelton’s low-key performance.

Shelton took a break from “The Voice” to prove he hasn’t gone totally Hollywood with “I Lived It,” a quiet song about a very country upbringing: “Daddy drove the wheels off a flatbed Ford, flies found a hole in the old screen door … Mama poured grease in a Crisco can, put a hundred thousand miles on a Sears box fan.” After his past songs about being a “red-red-red-red-red-red-red-red-redneck,” it’s nice to see Shelton bring it down on a notch.

Blake Shelton performs “I Lived It” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* More meaningful songs from Nashville’s most popular male artists.

The top-selling male artists in Nashville — Shelton, Aldean, Bryan, Rhett — currently all have slowed down singles that go deeper than typical party songs. They led to more solid musical moments than unusual on Sunday’s show, from Aldean’s “You Make It Easy”; Bryan’s “Most People Are Good”; and Rhett’s “Marry Me.”

Thomas Rhett performs “Marry Me” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* Maren Morris’s “Rich.”

Sometimes you really need to match your performance to the aesthetics — and this couldn’t be more Vegas if Morris tried.

Maren Morris performs “Rich” at the ACMs. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

WORST

* Chris Janson closing the show with “Redneck Life.”

At past ACMs, maybe this would have worked as a high-energy conclusion — but this wasn’t like other years. Right before Janson launched into his buoyant tune, Aldean won entertainer of the year, the most prestigious prize, and got choked up as he talked about the last six months. “It’s been a rough year … to my Route 91 people, you guys are in our hearts, always. Love you guys,” Aldean said tearfully. While the scheduling isn’t Janson’s fault, it wasn’t really the best segue after Aldean’s emotional speech.

Chris Janson performs “Redneck Life.” (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* The odd absence of Brothers Osborne.

The sibling duo tied with Lambert and Chris Stapleton for the most trophies, with two each; they won video of the year for “It Ain’t My Fault” and vocal duo of the year. The latter is a major category, yet it wasn’t given as a televised award. The duo is also known for stellar guitar skills and routinely dominate performances at award shows. But they weren’t given a performance slot, even though their sophomore album will be released on Friday. When one fan tweeted they missed seeing the bros on stage during the show, the duo responded, “Would have loved to have been a part of it.” Very mysterious indeed.

John Osborne, left, and T.J. Osborne, of musical group Brothers Osborne, with their early awards. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

* The no-shows.

One way to make sure a show ends on time? Have multiple absences for some of the biggest awards! Stapleton’s wife, Morgane, had just given birth to twin boys, so he had a pretty good excuse — someone will have to ship him the trophies for album of the year (“From A Room, Vol. 1”) and male vocalist. And where was Sam Hunt? Country music’s most elusive star was nowhere to be found, even though his monster hit “Body Like a Back Road” won single of the year.

Reba McEntire accepts the award for album of the year on behalf of Chris Stapleton. Looking on are presenters Kristian Bush, left, and Jennifer Nettles, right, of Sugarland. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

* The lame monologue jokes.

The ACMs has yet to figure out a winning formula for a funny monologue, no matter the host. While McEntire had some good zingers (such as making fun of Keith Urban for his frosted tips), the monologue was, well…like this:

“As you all know, Carrie is married to Nashville hockey player Mike Fisher. That explains why she body checked me going into makeup!”

“Jason Aldean not only has a new baby, he’s got a new bar in Nashville. Either way, every night he’s going through a lot of bottles!”

However, we will give her credit for this line, when she gave a shout-out to previous ACM hosting duos of Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, and Bryan with Dierks Bentley: “I guess they finally figured out that it only takes one woman to do the job of two men.”

Reba, the host. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Winners and nominees:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Jason Aldean – winner Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Chris Stapleton Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert – winner Reba McEntire Maren Morris Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jason Aldean Thomas Rhett Chris Stapleton – winner Keith Urban Chris Young

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR Brothers Osborne – winner Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line LOCASH Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Lady Antebellum LANCO Little Big Town Midland Old Dominion – winner

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Lauren Alaina – winner Danielle Bradbery Carly Pearce RaeLynn

NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Kane Brown Luke Combs Devin Dawson Russell Dickerson Brett Young – winner

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR High Valley LANCO LOCASH Midland – winner Runaway June

ALBUM OF THE YEAR “The Breaker” Little Big Town “California Sunrise” Jon Pardi “From A Room Vol. 1” Chris Stapleton – winner “Happy Endings” Old Dominion “Life Changes” Thomas Rhett

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR “Better Man” Little Big Town “Body Like a Back Road” Sam Hunt – winner “Broken Halos” Chris Stapleton “Drinkin’ Problem” Midland “I’ll Name The Dogs” Blake Shelton

SONG OF THE YEAR “Body Like a Back Road” Sam Hunt (written by Sam Hunt, Zach Crowell, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne) “Female” Keith Urban (written by Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally) “Tin Man” Miranda Lambert (written by Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, Jon Randall) – winner “Whiskey and You” Chris Stapleton (written by Chris Stapleton, Lee Thomas Miller)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR “Black” Dierks Bentley “It Ain’t My Fault” Brothers Osborne – winner “Legends” Kelsea Ballerini “Marry Me” Thomas Rhett “We Should Be Friends” Miranda Lambert

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR “Craving You” Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris “Dear Hate” Maren Morris feat. Vince Gill “The Fighter” Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood – winner “What Ifs” Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina “Funny (How Time Slips Away)” Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Rhett Akins – winner Ashley Gorley Hillary Lindsey Shane McAnally Josh Osborne

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