🙏 Teaser On March 22nd. Teaser On March 22nd. Teaser On March 22nd. Teaser On March 22nd. Teaser On

I'm sitting down

I feel you need to read hawkins-batman pinned post here on tumblr because you do not seem to be fully up to date with the Noah situation. That or you're are trying to frame yourself as "in the middle" to avoid conflict and criticism.

Hi! I have read that post (its actually what made me aware of this controversy in the first place). I understand that he is a human being that doesn't deserve death threats and harassment. I also understand that A LOT of people have taken their hate campaign too far. BUT I will NEVER defend someone who supports Zionism on that opinion. What I will defend are random people online who don't asked to be insulted just because they support and are excited about a ship in fandom.

I will also try to be real with people that this behavior? It isn't helping anyone, it makes Israel defenders double down, and those who are anti-palestine have reasons to defame those trying to actually make a difference. NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T CALL PEOPLE OUT, BUT HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS INSTEAD! INSULTING PEOPLE ISN'T HELPING?!

byler, reblog if you agree

The Strange Postponement of Mike and Will's relationship

If Mike and Will had remained as close as they were in Season 2 in the subsequent seasons, the "are they gay?" rumors absolutely would have spread among the General Audience, as they entered their official teen/dating/sexual awakening years.

There have been peculiar writing choices that seem to have no other explanation but to postpone romantic rumors about these two.

The show does it's damnedest to keep these best-friends-since-kindergarten apart once they enter puberty. The only interaction that possibly hints at romance in Season 3 is their virtual double date with Lumax where Mike is concerned for Will's well-being one time. This was necessary to reestablish their "good friendness" at the start of the season to set-up their breakup during the Rain Fight.

Then, of course, the Rain Fight happens. Mike says "It's not my fault you don't like girls." They effectively "break up."

But then there is the strange, interesting choice that there is no resolution ever about the Rain Fight. The apology for ignoring Will's D&D game comes from Lucas instead of Mike:

Will had his blow-up with MIKE, not Lucas! And we know that Mike absolutely was DRIVEN to apologize to Will, but we don't see it. Maybe he actually did, but it was offscreen. But why not have it ON screen? Why not clear the air on whether Mike thought Will was gay and was being homophobic to Will? Why not clarify THEN that Mike is a straight ally who supports his gay best friend, setting things up for Will to have a coming-out arc where he finds a love interest who is not Mike?

Instead, the writers made sure they had NO conversations for nearly all the rest of the season. They made sure Mike was focused on trying to repair things with El and blurting out "I love her." These two things together kept the Gay Rumors(TM) in check.

Season 4 then dramatizes how they'd GROWN APART -- specifically, how they don't seem to have stayed in contact and Mike seems to ignore Will.

What a strange thing for the writers to do! Mike and Will had been on good terms. That's because it was the start-of-season set-up for an ARC where they become close again.

Alright, so they soon repair things. But for what?

The Will Counseling Hour:

They literally have no conversations with each other where Will isn't comforting Mike and/or talking about El. To the extent that the GA was annoyed that Mike was "useless" and the California plotline was a "waste of time."

(Either the Duffers were bad writers or had a reason to spend so much time on the California plot. Hmm...)

The show was putting Byler in a holding pattern. The show established that Mike and Will were friends again, but with a "beard" on Mike: his relationship with El. Will's attempt to talk about anything ELSE -- like playing Nintendo and D&D -- was ignored as Mike worried about El.

The Will Counseling Hour ends only with their very LAST conversation of season 4, when Will shares that he can still feel Vecna. Mike becomes the Counselor: he resolves that they will beat Vecna. The bringing of these two together, along with signs that Mike and El are drifting apart, lay the trajectory for Season 5.

Season 5 will be the first season with Unfiltered Byler(TM) since Season 2.

EVERYTHING that kept the GA from thinking about the possibility of Byler, (1) how young they were in Season 2, (2) their being kept artificially apart and (3) Mike's focus on his relationship with El, will have fallen away.

For the first time since Season 2, the A Plot and Mike and Will being close ("a team") will mesh.

Meanwhile, we'll get Season 2 Mike because Will will also be the center of the story and IN DANGER. It's impossible to imagine Mike being his aloof start-of-Season-4 self. Add to all this Season 4 hormones: we're likely to see the heart-eyes romantic, Will-Voice-speaking boy in love we Bylers see in the 2nd half of Season 4.

And there's the Painting Lie, which the Duffers have told Finn Wolfhard will "pay off in the end." Mike WILL KNOW Will loves him, and loved him so much as to sacrifice himself for him.

Even if one doesn't accept Byler, one can't deny that there has to be a DIRECT RECKONING over whether Mike returns Will's feelings.

The entire structure of how the show has presented their relationship is building up toward this. The Strange Postponement of Byler had a purpose.

-teambyler

EDIT: You might enjoy my s5 speculations in "How the Duffers likely will make the general audience AWARE of Byler and CHEER for Byler" =D

Seven.

his ass did not listen to a word will said 😭 an eyebrow scrunch followed by a lip stare followed by a little smile this boy is crazy

how it feels lowk to be a stranger things fan/byler shipper that doesn’t worship the ground the actors walk on

his ass did not listen to a word will said 😭 an eyebrow scrunch followed by a lip stare followed by a little smile this boy is crazy

The only correct response to confrontation is to fucking book it the other way

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

So I’ve seen a lot of people talking about evidence of possessiongate…but has anyone talked about THE TRUE PAIN OF IT?

It’s almost like it’s churcgate reversed. Imagine Mike quickly catching on to Vecna being in his head in s5, and telling the others, then proceeding to completely isolate himself from everyone. Locking himself in his bedroom. Going out by himself at night. Being generously reckless because he needs Vecna out.

And the others are so so worried. Especially Will. Because he knows what it’s like. And he wants to help Mike, but every time he tries, Mike snaps at him. Just like he does with everyone else. But sometimes, if he’s lucky, Will can see a piece of the real Mike breaking through. A small smile. A hand gripping his arm gently. A soft “Will…”. But he can’t ever say what he really means.

Anyways, eventually, Mike loses it. He’s terrified he’s going to hurt someone. El…Holly…Will. He would never forgive himself. So, one night, when everyone’s asleep, he slips out and goes to the Quarry. You know, the same one where he nearly committed suicide? And he just stands there. For a long time, feet less than an inch away from the edge. The only thing that’s stopping him is vecnas influence.

Back at the house where everyone is, Will is the first to wake up and notice Mike’s absence. He panics and immediately wakes up Jonathan, who wakes up Nancy, and they go out and search for him. It takes them a long time. Will is on the verge of giving up and breaking down. But then they see a figure standing at the edge of the Quarry. It’s Mike.

Will cries out. Mike doesn’t move. Nancy calls his name. Nothing. Mike just stands there. “I can’t do it,” he says. “Mike…get away from the edge,” Nancy says quietly. “I can’t do it, he won’t let me,” Mike sobs.

Anways should I make a fic on this???