Eternal Sunshine and predictions for Volume 4
I just rewatched ESOTSM and like many smart people on here have already pointed out, it's quite clear that both Will and Mike's memories of one another are being erased as season 5 progresses (I won't dig into this too much here). Mike and Will's outfits also parallel those of Joel and Clementine quite obviously. As I was rewatching ESOTSM, I noticed just how many parallels there are between the film and the show, so I'm just making a quick rambly post for those interested, and my predictions for Volume 4.
The similarities between these two characters is actually insane. Joel is portrayed as being very in love with Clementine but he has a very avoidant attachment style and trouble expressing his love. He can't tell her or anyone else the depth of his emotions, but we see him breakdown in his car after their breakup, lamenting his lost love for Clementine. In contrast, Clementine wears her heart on her sleeve (like Will) and craves emotional intimacy, even begs Joel for it, which causes a rift in their relationship, and leads to their eventual breakup.
The memory erasure procedure starts at their most recent memories of one another and ends at the beginning (so in reverse order). I think this ties into some of the WSQK clues about playing the record in reverse. The final tape that they play at the end of the film to resurrect their memories of one another might also have some kind of relation to the 'For Will' mixtape merch that we've seen.
We see that Joel is avoidant and afraid of emotional intimacy, and this is slowly explored via flashbacks that showcase his traumatic childhood memories that led to his abandonment issues. Clementine features in his memories (even though she wasn't there at the time), and we can see her try to heal baby Joel's wounds.
I actually think that Joel's childhood memories are already very similar to that childhood flashback we saw in Sorcerer from Will's POV. I think we'll be exploring some of Mike's childhood trauma in Volume 4 as well, as we've seen some BTS shots of the Miwi actors that we haven't seen yet on the show. I think this would be a beautiful way to show the audience why exactly Mike is so repressed - so far, we've only gotten hints via the Reagan Bush sign in front of the Wheeler's house, Ted/Karen's dysfunctional relationship, Ted's emotional absence and Nancy's wish to not be like her parents, and other smaller clues, but nothing too too obvious for those who aren't paying close attention.
However, unlike Clementine, Will has been a part of Mike's childhood almost from the very start, so he will feature in many of Mike's earliest memories. I'm interested to see how they will spin this - maybe both of them will be trapped in their respective memories together, and the only way to escape would be via honesty and communication.
I also think we'll be getting both basementgate and MWTFDYDgate flashbacks as part of the memory montage (but I think they'll be one and the same - a flashback to a point where Mike is giving Will signals in the basement in the 18-month time skip). This would parallel the happy memories that Joel is reliving during the erasure procedure.
Note: I do not love the idea of cheating Byler, but Joel was also in a relationship with Naomi (about to get married apparently) when he met and became enamoured with Clementine. Do what you want with this information.
We know that blue and yellow famously represent Mike and Will, and how their colours flip when they're in conflict. Something very similar is portrayed with Clementine in Eternal Sunshine.
Before she meets Joel, her hair is green and she's wearing her orange hoodie/coat. She is still herself, but not fully whole. However, Clementine has orange hair in all her happiest memories with Joel - her colour palette is fully orange, signifying how complete she feels when Joel and Clementine are together. When they erase her memory of him, her hair turns blue, and her whole colour palette is blue - her room, her clothes, everything. Dr. Mierzwiak also wears a bright blue tie, signifying that he has also lost a love, Mary.
Once her and Joel reconnect again in Montauk, Clementine puts her orange coat back on, signifying that their love is slowly coming alive again.
I'm hopeful we may see something similar happen for Will and Mike in Volume 4, since they're now both out of their typical blue and yellow colour palettes! I won't speculate too much as to how this will play out, but I can't imagine they'll abandon the yellow/blue imagery all of a sudden, since it's been so prominent over the past few seasons.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I don't know if anyone else spotted this, but this phrased is used a LOT in Eternal Sunshine. I'm starting to think this film was used as inspiration from as early as S1, as Stranger Things was initially pitched as 'Montauk', Mike's character was supposed to be called Joel, and we all know which song tethers Will to the rightside up ... It all aligns a bit too perfectly.
I noticed that this particular phrase was used in three different moments in the film.
At the beginning, when Joel and Clementine meet after having their memories of one another erased, they have the following conversation:
Clementine: You should stay.
Note the order of the phrases - Joel is avoidant, and always wants to leave, to go. Clementine is his tether, and urges him to stay.
The next time this phrase comes up is between Patrick and Mary, who we know are not destined for one another, as Mary is already tethered to Dr. Mierzwiak (but doesn't remember her love for him).
Mary: I'm staying, I'm staying!
Patrick: I think you should go.
Note the reverse order of this phrase - it ends with Patrick telling Mary to go, which foreshadows the end of their relationship.
Now, the most famous use of this phrase is at the end, once we arrive at Joel's first ever memory of Clementine. It's said over and over again, but it boils down to Clementine asking Joel to stay over and over again, and Joel expressing regrets about the memory erasure procedure, wishing he'd stayed.
Again, I think it's this interaction that ultimately tethers Joel to Clementine, and why he gets an urge to go to Montauk all of a sudden after his memories had been erased. I think it also ties back to Mike saying that he wished he had no regrets - 'I wish I had stayed, I do'.
Based on this, I think we'll be hearing 'Should I stay or should I go?' feature prominently in Volume 4, but whether or not this will be sufficient to tether Will back to the rightside up is up for debate. Many people think it will be Mike's touch that brings him back (paralleling S2), but I think that we'll also hear Mike ask Will to STAY. I don't think we'll hear Mike say "I love you" to Will, because we know that that is a doomed phrase for every couple that utters it lmao.
I also note that he doesn't ask El to stay in the purple rain scene - Mike says "You have to get out of there! You have to get out of there!" (is this foreshadowing Mike getting OUT of Vecna's trance as well?). It's odd phrasing, because he's not asking El to stay with him, which is why I think it will be an interesting parallel to a similar scene with Will in Volume 4.
Anyway, this is not a super cohesive post, I just had some initial thoughts after rewatching the film.
Curious to see if others had spotted other parallels/thematics that also apply.
