i’m gonna cope by curing my own byler doubt:
why byler can TECHNICALLY still be canon after vol 2
1. the WHOLE show revolves around themes of freaks and losers accepting themselves and finding courage in their differences.
will has now accepted himself as gay, but has just completely given up on his feelings for mike? without ever actually saying anything to him directly? FUH no we’re gonna get a scene where they talk one-on-one and mike is either going to say he never knew will felt that way or that he knew all along and was also too scared.
2. el’s whole arc revolves around independence. first she was controlled by papa and now she’s being smothered by hopper, even though she’s powerful enough to protect herself. to complete this arc, she would need to break free of outside influence and make decisions on her own.
this would mean breaking free of mike, and making him realize that his fantasy of a happy ending is not possible. not only because she must be independent, but also because that happy ending was always just a way for mike to hide from himself and convince himself that he’s straight.
2.5. mike called el a “friend”, adding to mwtfdyd gate. he spends all of seasons 3 and 4 almost exclusively referring to her as his girlfriend, especially when he makes the differentiation to will, telling him “we’re FRIENDS.”
in volume 2, mike tells el: “friends don’t lie.”
this line easily could have been changed to “girlfriends and boyfriends don’t lie” or “friend’s don’t lie, and we’re supposed to be more than friends,” etc. but he instead says this line TWICE
3. mike is obviously NOT will’s tammy.
to robin, tammy was a fantasy mikes away from reality. someone she had never spoken to from a different social standing who she attached herself to.
to will, mike is more than just a fantasy. he’s his best friend who’s been there for him since the start, all of seasons 1 and 2 are just mike caring for will. they’ve been friends for years and years, and mike is IN will’s tape.
robin had to discover herself outside of tammy on her tape in order to be empowered, but will’s tape had mike on it too, showing that his relationship with mike actually empowers him rather than creating some sort of false attachment like we see for robin and tammy.
4. the duffers have had every opportunity to deny it.
the Wednesday writers denied wenclair. why would the duffers disappoint about half of their audience instead of just setting expectations ahead of time in order to soften the blow?
it sounds silly because of how secretive the duffer brothers are, but from a marketing standpoint, wouldn’t it be better to let bylers process sooner, so that they could enjoy vol 2 and the finale more?
i’ll admit chances are down but they’re not gone and i know i’m delusional but BYLER PERSISTS
turnnoffyourmind
dailybridgerton
gummygunk
romaincrisis
