Mike And Will Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin. But Mike's Curse Is Invisibility

Mike and Will are two sides of the same coin. But Mike's curse is invisibility

I really love how @aemiron-main brought to light the idea that Will is a representation of LGBTQ people who are actively targeted because of their sexuality, and hated by their parents—parents who clearly perceive them and hate them for it (or at least one of them does, like in the case of Lonnie).

Meanwhile, Mike is a representation of LGBTQ people who slip through the cracks, the invisible ones, the ones their parents can’t see even though they desperately want to be seen and understood by them.

And I think it’s such a brilliant idea to have written them this way, to portray these different realities within the LGBTQ community—because yes, the 80s setting fits, but it’s not just about that. It breaks down stereotypes by showing us the overlooked representations, the so-called invisible community, the one Mike represents—so invisible that even the general audience of Stranger Things (aside from film students who know how to read cinematic language, and LGBTQ people who understand because we’re way less affected by the lens of heteronormativity) can miss it.

The fact that Mike and Will are both gay but in completely different situations is so fascinating. Whether it’s Lonnie or the bullies, or the people in town filled with judgment and prejudice, or even the ones who mean well—like his mom, his brother, and his friends—everyone sees Will.

Lonnie and the bullies take his sensitivity as an insult and attack him for it. Joyce and Jonathan cherish it and accept him for who he is. But either way, he’s seen.

And that’s the double-edged sword: being visible means he’s an easy target for hatred and violence. That’s why no one—not even Hopper or Ted Wheeler—was surprised at the idea that Will might be a victim of a hate crime.

But on the other hand, the people who love him and accept him can see him. They notice immediately when something’s wrong. They know when he’s not okay. They realize right away when he goes missing.

Who ever noticed that Mike was suffering? How long would it have taken for the Wheeler parents to realize Mike hadn’t come home if El hadn’t saved him from falling off that cliff?

Like the post said so perfectly—people don’t recognize Mike’s difference.

Sure, he’s spared from the bullying—kind of. He still gets bullied for his frog face, for being a nerd. But before Will disappeared, he didn’t seem to be targeted by the homophobic slurs that were directed at Will.

It’s not that they hate him. It’s that they don’t see him.

And that would explain his obsession with superheroes and people with powers, but also his desire to be normal. Deep down, Mike wants to be different. He wants to be seen. He wants to be himself—but he also knows how dangerous that is. He’s seen what happened to Will. And to El.

And one really important thing that aemiron-main said (which I think would explain the cliff scene so well, and which I really hope Season 5 will explore):

Will represents gay men who die from hate crimes. Mike represents gay men who die by suicide.

Will represents gay men who are too visible (through no fault of their own), whose families and the people around them sensed their queerness from a very young age. Mike represents gay men who are invisible—not hated, but never supported either.

Will represents gay men who are tormented, or taken away by force. Mike represents gay men who run away from home—or disappear by taking their own lives.

Will is a gay boy who gets picked on and called “queer” because of how he dresses. Mike is a gay boy whose clothes go unnoticed.

Will is good at hiding because he’s visible. He has to hide because people seem to see right through him.

Mike isn’t good at hiding. He’s not good at pretending to be “normal” because he never had to. He’s invisible. No one ever saw him before.

He never had to hide the way Will did.

Will had to learn how to hide and how to act “normal.” That’s exactly why he hates when people treat him differently, like he’s a “freak.” Will doesn’t want to be treated differently—because he’s always been treated differently.

Because he’s too visible. So he had to learn how to act “normal.”

Meanwhile, Mike wants to be treated differently—because he’s been invisible his entire life.

He never had to learn how to hide, or how to behave “normally,” not really. Even though now he tries, he doesn’t know how, because he never had to before.

Where Lonnie noticed every trace of queerness in Will, Ted just… ignored everything. Too busy being passive and watching TV.

Will was so visible that he couldn’t even breathe without Lonnie noticing and forcing him to play baseball, because “that’s what boys do.” Mike is so invisible he could’ve screamed “I have a girl with magical powers in my basement who’s wanted by the government” and Ted wouldn’t have noticed a thing.

Mike and Will are two sides of the same coin.

And now that I think about it… poor Mike is just lost. He doesn’t know where he fits.

Because he’s an invisible gay kid, he doesn’t feel normal—so he thinks he has to protect himself by hiding his difference and pretending to be normal. He performs heteronormativity for the whole world to see (aka the cis-het “normals”).

But at the same time, he’s not seen or accepted by the “different” ones either—because they don’t perceive his difference.

(Like when El says “no you don’t” after Mike tells her he knows what it’s like to be bullied—because she meant being different, and she didn’t see that in him.)

Mike doesn’t feel at home with the “normal” people, because deep down he knows he’s different. But he doesn’t feel different enough to be embraced by those who are different.

So he’s stuck. He’s floating in between. He doesn’t know where his place is.

Which also explains why it’s so hard for him to develop a sense of self-worth outside of being needed. Outside of being useful.

He suppresses and denies his own trauma because he thinks it doesn’t “count.” Because he didn’t go through what Will went through. Or what El went through. So he tells himself it’s nothing.

His curse is invisibility.

Even we, the audience, don’t get access to his point of view. He’s ignored, overlooked, minimized—and especially misunderstood.

And all of this gives him that aching feeling of belonging nowhere. Not normal enough, not different enough. Not this, not that.

Mike Wheeler is Vecna’s playground, honestly. If he isn’t one of his targets in Season 5, then what was the point of writing such a painfully complex character?

Mike And Will Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin. But Mike's Curse Is Invisibility

Here is the post who inspired me this post.

More Posts from Trd12345 and Others

trd12345

1 month ago

Fic idea

Dean goes to crash Sam's wedding because he found something shitty about Sam's fiance and is trying to save his baby brother

But he crashes the wrong wedding

"Don't do it! She's not who you want!" Dean yells the second he kicks open the Chappelle doors

Castiel doesn't wanna marry so and so, has been trying to get out of this arraigned bullshit for years

Sees a crazy dude crash his wedding and literally jumps at the opportunity. Doesn't think, just looks at his dad all "He's right father. She's not. I'm gay for that man!" Really awkwardly then runs to Dean, puts all his faith into this and jumps into his arms

Dean has no fucking idea what he just did, but the guards are behind him and now the groom in his arms is going "Run! Run! Run!"

And now Dean is running to his Impala, stuffing Castiel in it, and speeding away with him because fuck his life

And now Castiel is stuck in a road trip to save this random guy's brother from a sham marriage

3K notes View Post

trd12345

4 years ago

Here's day 4 of Xichengclipse: Enemies

it's a three kingdom AU:)

333 notes View Post

trd12345

4 years ago

Reasons Cale Henituse is the funniest motherfucker:

*People cheering for him in the streets* Hm. Don’t like that.

His self-proclaimed speciality is just disassociating on command

Someone: *helps him* Cale: *sighs* I guess I have to solve every problem you’ve ever had

When learning a language, memorised all the swear words before anything else

“I don’t like cats,” says Cale, holding two kittens tenderly, plotting a rebellion to instate a third cat as the new emperor

Single father of *checks notes* uh… 3 to 14 children,

All he wants is to retire to the country; can’t stop getting into international incidents

His relationship with the crown prince is basically: *points at each other* Bastard

Keeps telling people not to trust him while saving their asses from certain destruction

This loser thinks he’s ‘quiet’ and ‘good at keeping still’

Cale: *smiles gently* Everyone: oh god stop What the Fuck

‘Accidental Baby Acquisition’ trope but it’s ‘Accidental Family Acquisition’ and they’re all agents of chaos

“I heard you got hurt,” says a concerned child. “Yes, I coughed up blood.” Cale comforts, comfortingly.

[Girl hits on him] No thanks [Guy hits on him] No thanks

Everyone: you’re a good person Cale: incomprehensible, have a terrible day

Named his adopted son, a dragon, ‘Dragon’

Tells people to drink tea before pulling out something that will make them spray it everywhere like a cartoon

*to a 13 year old* No you can’t train to become a knight you’re too young *to a 5 year old* Alright tonight we’re gonna blow up an island and participate in the slaughter of half a race make sure to protect me well

His entire fucking backstory, like what? What???

Raon: I’ve only had this human for an hour and a half but if anything happened to him I would kill everyone on this continent and then myself Cale: That’s terrifying please stop talking

Never thinks, at any point, to tell anyone that he has a healing power

He’s THE most extra bitch. Orchestrates his b&e’s like he’s conducting an opera, always plans for maximum Dramatic Effect

*The crown prince doesn’t help in a terror incident* That’s fine because he’s weak. *Finds out he’s strong actually* Bastard??????

Gives his kids an extravagant allowance. Doesn’t let them spend it and buys everything for them instead

‘I should have just got beaten up’, Cale thinks, war waging around him. ‘That would be far less annoying.’

4K notes View Post

trd12345

4 years ago

Anti anxiety.

386K notes View Post

trd12345

3 years ago

Let's we all give Han Sooyoung standing applause for this masterpiece, everyone!! 👏

803 notes View Post

trd12345

3 years ago

do you ever experience a moment of beauty and connection—like a call from a friend or the way soup your brother made you smells or the way you glimpsed the face of god when you heard a good song 20 times in a row one dark early morning or the way you see traces of dead loved ones in yourself the older you get—and think, “hey. maybe I can survive on moments like this forever. maybe i don’t need to express myself publically just because that’s the norm; maybe private moments of beauty are still enough, more enough than sharing everything or being understood or the idea of being accepted... maybe the loneliness of being has always been meant to be felt in conjunction with experiencing beauty... maybe nothing in between birth and death is real except revelatory experiences like this.” and then you have a sense of clarity, just for a bit, before it fades as normal habits take over... well, I think anything that you think or instinctively know during moments like that is the closest thing to clarity / understanding we all get to have. keep these moments close and don’t forget.

14K notes View Post

trd12345

3 years ago

Our boy, Jiggy, is straight-up not having a good time. LATE AFTER DISMISSAL, AT THE LOBBY: LXC: *vibrating on the spot, close to blacking out since he is within a meter of away of his crush, JC. Literally sparkles in the setting sun* JC: *turns away, blushing furiously and trying to not combust since he is ALSO within a meter away of his crush, LXC. JGY: *not vibing. AT ALL. He is this close to committing homicide.*

(I used haik*y*uu for references) Ok, I stopped being lazy and drew more of my highschool AU wherein JC is a junior and a member of the volleyball varsity, and LXC is a senior and the Student Council President. Just click my tumblr’s highschool au tag hehehe

417 notes View Post

trd12345

4 years ago

i apologize for being nosy, and please don't answer this if you don't want to, but i remember a few years ago you had identified as asexual and i was wondering if you still do? i did for a long time but i'm with a new partner now and i'm starting to wonder if maybe the connection just wasn't right with anyone before and that's why i wasn't into having sex? is that normal? i mean, i identified that way for YEARS so i'm just. very confused at myself.

I mean listen, I’m in my 30s. These labels don’t mean a lot to me anymore. Like, literally everything is normal. Everything is fine so long as nobody’s feelings are being hurt. Don’t worry about some label that used to be useful maybe not being useful anymore. Thank it for its service and let it retire. Maybe one day it will be useful again. That doesn’t change anything about you, because you are, and always have been, a complex, multifaceted, constantly changing kaleidoscope of emotional and sexual needs, and “asexual” is just a word that helped you make sense of it for a while.

Like, y’all, give yourselves a break. Sex is complicated. Some people are straight their whole lives, and then they meet one person who changes everything. Some people are one thing for a while, then they’re another thing, then they go back to being the first thing. Some people stay one thing forever. Some people are really into something in their 20s that grosses them out to even think about for the rest of their lives. All if it’s normal.

The words you put on your orientation are not elementally a part of you. They are tools, and as tools they should serve a function. That function can be to help you understand and categorize your own experiences and desires. It can be to help you find a community. It can be to help you get laid. It can just be to set social expectations. These words can be a revelation when you first apply them to yourself: they can be life-saving. But you are not beholden to them.

“Idk, I thought of myself as ace for a long time, but I’m into my current partner, so like, enh? I’m having a good time and my partner and I are both happy, so I guess labels aren’t really useful to me right now” can be all you have to say on the subject.

32K notes View Post

trd12345

4 months ago

I know we've all analyzed and waxed tragic-gay about the Byler Rain FightTM to death, but I've never heard anyone acknowledge how devastating it is that Will is still honest to Mike even after his (internalized) homophobic "it's not my fault you don't like girls!" comment.

Like I saw this post about how Will's honesty sets him apart from the other kids in Season 3, but it still absolutely floors me how, in the face of Mike's anger and hurtful words, Will doesn't deny being gay, even though it would be completely understandable for him to automatically protest or get defensive (like a certain cringefail boykisser we know...). Because even then, while experiencing the shock and complete betrayal of Mike's words, Will couldn't lie to Mike. Like that's so sad, actually just end me rn ;-;

Instead, it's his pure, overwhelming love for Mike and his desire to see Mike happy that ultimately pushes him to lie to Mike for the first time, not his betrayal.

This is why I don't buy that Mike knew he was lying during the van confession scene. Mike has always trusted Will implicitly, even more so in that moment because his assumption that Will had been concealing things from him since moving to California (and if he's hiding things from him then who knows what else he's been doing, surely he must be lying to Mike now too!) was dispelled by the painting reveal. If anything, this act of love only affirms that trust even more.

I'm so ready for the "What painting?" moment in S5. I need it magically teleported to my screen right now please!

162 notes View Post

trd12345

4 months ago

My name is Mohammed Ayyad from Gaza. My wife, children and I were displaced quickly since the first days of the war on Gaza, leaving behind all our wealth and dreams. We are forced to leave our home and live in the south of Gaza, Rafah.

A few days after we left the house and went to the south (Rafah) we announce our tactics to our home with ease our beautiful next and destroyed everything we owned. Everything we had went with the wind, we are now working in hell (the tent) suffering one from collecting wood to cook food which is clearly difficult to produce from the water that was spread and is polluted by the cursed war and our work we lose our source of livelihood.

I became a desperate refugee and dug into a very small tent, without water and food life became horrible and sad with the disappearance of the need to survive. It is a struggle for survival.

Because of the continuous bombing and the difficulty of living with the high expectations our life is security our life is peace, we ask generous people to donate to service our planes. Our lives are threatened at any time, and everyone is exposed and death is not. We have never been safely moved to a place until war, and we have never lost our lives at any moment. Every little contribution counts, and your donation, small and big, makes an impact and helps improve safety and compatibility.