I’m a few years older than the Duffer brothers. Of course Stranger Things feels like home to me. But I love the characters most.
Will and Mike were my favorites from the beginning. I relate to Will in a bunch of ways. Quiet. Creative. Nerdy. Honest. Supportive. When very young, called “sensitive”—a plea, sometimes an accusation. Read as gay. Survivor of bullying and abuse. Feeling unseen. Convinced there must be something wrong with me.
Mike’s love for Will, platonic or not, was sweet and wholesome. I loved how Mike was so tender and protective. They both flourished in that dynamic. I’ve been lucky to have that a couple times in my life and it was wonderful.
The writers did Will and Mike dirty. Don’t get me wrong, I mostly loved the concluding season, despite all the pointless, even malicious, loose ends. I’m not loud, but I shouted and cheered when Will broke those Demogorgons. But how could they end Will and Mike’s stories like that?
I’m supposed to accept that Will was repeatedly abused his entire childhood, convinced by Vickie and Vecna to get over his lifelong love within a mere couple days, coerced into coming out, and the best future we can imagine for him is meeting someone at a bar? His friend—no way… best friend!—doesn’t see him sharing his art with the world? There’s no chance Will might illustrate Mike’s stories?
Like it or not, it’s no coincidence such a large number of us read Mike as repressed: it’s the most charitable explanation for his actions. Now I’m supposed to accept that Mike was a piece of shit to his best friend and girlfriend for no reason? Because it’s not like he learned anything, ever, in the entire series. Even after Hopper counseled him to respect Jane’s autonomy and accept her decision, he didn’t. He couldn’t even imagine telling her he loved her!
I’m worried about the wider implications. Mike: It’s OK to never grow as a person, but to spend the rest of your life reminiscing until you turn into a sentimental version of your emotionally deadbeat parent. Will: If you’re queer, it’s OK if your friend treats you badly sometimes for no reason. The best you can hope for is moving to a new city and finding new friends. Don’t even daydream about reciprocated love.
To say nothing of the implication that sometimes the only way a teenager (Jane/El) can end the cycle of abuse is by suicide.
But, just… how they wrote Will and Mike makes me deeply sad. It reminds me of beautiful friendships I’ve lost and my deep fear that, because of who I am, I may never find something like them again, or anything that lasts.
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