fatalfaith

pierce the veil enthusiast >~ wannabe scene queen fatalfaith on spacehey xP

[lalallalas-posts-deactivated202]

she grabs the lil will the wise hat when she's scared...

[frightfulfaith]

i dont normally see lots of edits on here butttt i wanted to post mine anywaysysysy

[kieusol]

what always baffles me about the gen audience for stranger things is how popular a character billy became, because he’s the exact antithesis to the themes this show embodies — being weird, being different, being strange — and he’s just absolutely, unwaveringly rancid for most of his screentime. he’s bigoted and abusive and not once does that aspect of his character change, excluding when he’s literally brainwashed by an eldritch hivemind and putting on the appearance of normalcy (a.k.a., altruism and genuine goodheartedness) for heather’s family

i’m not the world’s biggest fan of steve either admittedly (i don’t hate him, he’s just not my cup of tea) but at least steve got a decent redemption arc — he went from being coded as queerphobic to accepting robin’s queerness and continuing to befriend her, and he went from targeting jonathan for his oddities in his bullying escapades to associating with an entire group of odd societal outcasts as his closest friends

but billy didn’t get that treatment — he never showed an inkling of kindness towards max, he never relented in his blatant racism towards lucas, and he never improved himself for the better like steve managed to. billy is a character with a complicated history and i absolutely hurt for the younger version of him that endured a deluge of abuse at the hands of his stepfather, but those traumas do not excuse the person he turned out to be — and they don’t justify the gen audience adoring and glorifying him to the extent that they do, either

and, not to make everything about byler on this blog — but this is seriously another reason why i so badly want them to become canon. there’s been such an obvious rise in conservatism recently (both in real-world social politics and the scope of online fandom culture) and it absolutely pains me to see people devaluing the validity of a ship for no reason other than the fact that it’s a queer pairing, especially when those same people champion for such hateful characters like billy hargrove, and especially when those same people claim to enthuse a show whose sole aim is to uplift the abnormal and the oppressed

the canonisation of byler in a mainstream series like stranger things would be such a necessary, impactful fuck-you to the current state of the world — it’d make queer kids and adults alike feel seen, and it’d make the queerphobic elite remarkably uncomfortable, which are both so needed right now. because canonising byler isn’t just about affirming a longtime ship — it’s also about showing queer people that they don’t need to suppress their feelings to survive - that it’s okay to love who you love, that it’s okay to want reciprocation, and that it’s okay to be queer

in conclusion - gen audience stranger things fans adoring billy hargrove so deeply is reflective of rising conservatism in media and that’s precisely why we need more queer representation. maybe i’m being that one friend who’s too woke rn but i’m also really tired of seeing gay people in this fandom and in st shipping culture get death threats on the daily when that’s like entirely the opposite of what the show stands for

[frightfulfaith]

^^^^ !!!!! i’m so tired of seeing so-called “fans” diminish the worth of the show and its meaning to the fact that it has queer people in it, calling it fan-service for simply acknowledging that queer people exist and wanting them to have the same opportunity at happiness or reciprocation that practically every other straight character in the show gets

[miwi7-deactivated20260519]

so let me get this right,

Will Byers has never experienced someone being in love with him, clearly longs for it, ends up realising he doesn’t just have a silly crush but is fully in love with his best friend, is the only one without a potential love interest (that’s not Mike), sacrifices his own feelings so Mike and El can be happy all while going through the most awful things one can imagine for 5 seasons straight in a society that’s awful to him and that makes him feel like a mistake who is unworthy of love

and people want this to end in rejection/him dying or an ambiguous ending? Because they suddenly care about realism?

I would NOT enjoy watching something like that, AT all. What kind of message is that?

“Go watch something with actual gay people in it” I’m sorry, did we watch the same show? Is this not the show for freaks and outcasts? The show where every main character has had a relationship and at least *some* good things going on for themselves, including Robin, a lesbian?

[byerseason]

Some food for thought about the teaser & What I think is going on?

First of all, I'm gonna take you back to last year because we will need those information later.

I will revisit everything quickly before connecting the dots, in case you weren't here during the filming or just need a reminder.

- CHURCH SET

This set was a VERY important filming place during last year, in which they closed all the close roads and everything.

The set also had a crazily big crane, basically everything that screams it's an important place.

That set was built late May 2024 for the first time, shortly after it was taken down & the filming was delayed to August, due to an actor being unavailable.

It all happened around two weeks, so it was a situation with that actor that happened suddenly. People initially thought it's Millie, but she was being seen hanging out with her husband so it wasn't her.During that time, none of the actors were really unavailable. Except Noah, who had a really visible stye on his eye this exact time.

Which means he won't be able to use contacts, and it will just look bad in close up shots. So he was most likely the actor they delayed this filming for.

— FINN & NOAH'S REHEARSAL

During these weeks, we were informed about Finn and Noah flying to set on their off day just to rehearse an important scene, the two of them. And the church was newly being built, even the information we got was them rehearsing for the church. So it's safe to day that was true.

— FILMING IN CHURCH

In August 2024, the set was built back. They filmed multiple scenes there with older teens and some other characters, but Noah or Finn wasn't seen during those filmings even if they were supposedly filming that week, probably in somewhere else.

However, to our surprise the production went back to the church set in October 2024, two months later, with Noah (confirmed) Nell and Finn (at some point, according to locals). This filming took 4 days in total.

— EPISODE INFORMATION

Every information we had points out to this scenes taking place in episode 6 - 7. The best guess is the scene with Noah taking place in episode 7 The Bridge, and some other scenes being in episode 6.

Speaking of episode 6, we have absolutely no information about Will in this episode. We were able to learn such kind of information for all the filming era, but for episode 6 Will is nowhere to be found.

The only thing I have is that Noah was filming something separately from the rest for a while. Jamie was also on set the same exact week. Not being 100% sure about this, that was from episode 6 because I remember thinking how that's all we got from that episode about Will.

What I think is going on?

At the end of episode 5 / beginning of episode 6, Will disappears.

Him filming with Nell in the church pretty much confirms she was trapped there. And when you put everything together, it very much seems like Will is there for her. Knowing him, sacrificing for an innocent kid who is about to have the same fate as him and is Mike's sister on top of that, is something that he definitely would do. He even might be tormented by Vecna, being shown visions of her, just to pull him in there willingly. And of course Will would do that, this might be how he finds her.

The scene of El going into the deprivation tank might be to find them. El seems to be comforting Mike in this scene, reassuring him about both her safety & finding them. Mike seems to be down and needs reassurance, which makes sense knowing how it would hit him to not be able to save his little sister, then losing Will, then putting El in danger.

And thanks to Shawn Levy posting a bts of this scene before, we know it happens in his episode, aka the episode we don't hear from Will, episode 6.

You could also argue that it's about Max, but i think Escape from the Camazots is already the episode she finally manages to wake up. But still, could be. I can't add more about this Max possibility because of our lack of information about her, so I'm gonna stick with the other possibility. The theory could still work without this exact scene not being about this.

After the gang finds out where they are, they go to the church, which are the multiple outdoor scenes that were filmed in there.

And the second filming that happened with Noah, and possibly with Nell and Finn, is when Mike comes in to save the day, to try, at least.

In his post, Ross confirmed only episode 7 was not included in the teaser, which is the episode this takes place in, probably along with some Max stuff.

Holly having a cleric figurine and Mike telling her "it will keep her safe" made me almost sure it was gonna be Will who ends up saving her, and all of this just adds to it.

General Opinions:

About this Elmike scene i'm honestly one of those who didn't experience doubt (as usual for me but wait, listen).

First of all the aim of a teaser is to remind the audience where they left while also giving them a general opinion on the new season. It is not meant to you give you any spoilers, nor let you know about the outcomes of the unresolved arcs. Especially when you're watching Stranger Things, after Ross had to make it clear while posting the teaser, Imao.

You did not imagine byler when it's not there. Will's love for Mike took them three seasons to build up. Two seasons of Will's character arc has been solely about his sexuality and love for Mike. Mike's behavior with El and Will has been put in an unexplainable way. And most importantly, the plot was left unresolved to the final season.

So no, The Duffers aren't trying to give the message to delusional byler fans, they, in fact know where they put this story and how would the fans react to it.

And no, they're not letting you know about the outcome of this plot that took them seasons to build up through a teaser which they sweared up and down isn't spoilery.

We also need to stop freaking out every time we see El and Mike together. If we want this to work, there has to be actual heart-to-heart moments between them that will contradict their dynamic during the relationship.

Also, we already know Mike and Will share 85% of this season together, and if you didn't see them in the teaser, congrats, there is something to hide there.

Other than that I'm pretty caught up with the scene where Vecna himself comes for an unconscious Will and only Mike & Joyce being there to save him. I can't even imagine watching this sequence & the aftermath of it with Byler.

There has never been a scene like this where Mike saves Will like this when he's not fully unconscious, especially not from something like this. We're so getting s2 byler on steroids it's crazy to think about.

Anyway, i think that's all i have in mind now, reblog with opinions if you have something to add! I could discuss those stuff for hours. <333

gif from @mikesbasementbeets

[cloudycleric]

okay—more comprehensive post on my analysis of the ‘mileven’ scene in the teaser.

to me, these shots don’t seem romantic. maybe i’m crazy, but they just don’t. maybe because there are NO other shots in the trailer that scream romantic, so this would be very out of place even if it did read like that. i pointed this out in my original post, but if this shot was focusing on mike AND EL’S relationship, why is el so dark in the close up with mike?

we’ve also seen mike be ‘romantic’—to me, he just doesn’t have that look in his eyes. he looks more sad than anything, & dare i say, heartbroken.

now i think this is a scene where mike is confessing something & let me explain why.

el is obscured in the shot focusing on mike. we can’t see her facial expression, even from the side, very well—we’re supposed to be focused 100% on mike & what he has to say. el’s hand on his cheek seems to be one of comfort, not a romantic gesture, & so does the hand hold you can see in the other shot.

in the wide shot, too, you can see that they are sitting on something with a door—to me, it kind of look like it could be a bath type thing with a door on the top. now, i don’t know what exactly it is, but to me, sitting in front of an open door could symbolize being more open with each other. & who is doing the talking & being open…? mike. he could be telling el about how he’s scared of losing her, how he loves her, etc. but to me, if my best friend was in the same place, i’d tell them that, too. & it just doesn’t feel romantic, like i said.

also, i feel like people may think this is ‘romantic’ purely because this is showing a girl & a boy. if it was karen instead of el, we’d think it’s a mother comforting her son, or even if it was will instead of mike, we’d think is el comforting her brother.

now, this scene also looks very similar to one that noah schnapp posted on his instagram:

sure, they aren’t touching, but i think what’s important here is that will, illuminated by the light, is talking to el, who seems to be listening, & is on the right side of the screen.

the lighting is also very similar. this could be because this is all from the same season, & seasons need a cohesive look, but the dark room with a light on the ceiling is very similar.

will is obviously this focus of this shot, being the only one illuminated. this goes for both shots—but the duffers love to use lighting to show the focus of a scene—remember the cabin scene from the stranger things 4 finale? the light was shining on will, & will was the one confessing how he still felt vecna’s presence.

not to mention how both will & mike are lit by the same warm, almost orange, light in both scenes. visually, they are very similar to me, & i would not be surprised if they took place during the same episode.

food for thought.

[owenwillsons]

byler survey 2025!

hello everyone!! i made a survey for you fun people to fill out because i'm a data nerd and i'm interested to get some info from all your minds!! none of the questions are compulsory, so fill out what you're comfortable with. rb to share and tysm!!

[hazure-cyan]

Paladin's Oath

[cloudycleric]

first OFFICIAL byler piece of 2025

~ 2hr 19m

[i-like-to-read-books44323-deact]

"byler isnt gonna happen" did anyone tell finn wolfhard this. SERIOUSLY IS HE AWARE

[miwiheroes]

the sign saying repent is crazy like- we are getting a religious trauma narrative in s5

[miwiheroes]

the rink o mania scene is the gayest scene in cinema idc

its so camp like having spin me right round aka google's top 5 gay songs from the 80s? i love contact sports? brother

[teambyler]

El: "What is... gay?" (Byler talk)

This show establishes that El grew up in a lab and doesn't know basic things:

Pretty much all she knows about romance is what she's been exposed to on TV:

She naturally assumes that, if Will likes someone, it's a girl:

The fact that Will and Mike might be gay isn't even on El's radar.

Remember that this is the 1980s. Robin hasn't come out to the party; Robin had to explain to Nancy that she and Steve weren't dating, and even then she DIDN'T come out to Nancy.

I saw a poll here recently asking, if Byler is real, does El know? Can she sense the tension between them? Or is she completely oblivious?

I think El already KIND OF knows, in the same way she knew something was off in how Mike couldn't say he loved her. But she understandably thinks both Will is straight (it's established above) and Mike is straight (because they're canonically dating... hell many of us thought that, too!). Also, for too long she has always found the problem in her relationship with Mike to be herself.

If Byler happens, I think El putting the pieces together would be (1) completely in character and (2) the most effective way to lessen backlash against Byler.

Once she becomes aware that loving people of your own sex and gender is a thing, the mental floodgates will open. El, as someone who knows Mike and Will well, will probably (together with Jonathan and Robin) be the first to put two and two together.

It might even be a RELIEF for El -- and be part of her own process of self-growth -- when she realizes that Mike doesn't love her romantically, not because there's something wrong with her, but because he's gay and/or has an incomparable love for his childhood friend Will. She will learn that she can trust her instincts. And she will KNOW that she was RIGHT that something was MISSING between her and Mike, and there's something RIGHT about Mike pairing with Will.

She'll learn about the PAINTING LIE. She'll see that Will sacrificed his own happiness for Mike and El. She would have ZERO resentment toward Will and want to do whatever she could IN RETURN. She's finding friendship, family, and love in all her relationships. The anti-Bylers who think Will would "steal" Mike from El and that she'd hate him, not only think too little of Will, but also underestimate EL.

El, as someone who ALWAYS has been goodhearted and had a strong moral compass, and who from her own experience supports the marginalized and abused, could be the #1 Byler among the characters in the show.

-teambyler

[onstoryladders]

it's just so special to me when like a character is a massive loser and yet they get someone who falls head over heels for them. like yeah boy pull some bitches with your weak-ass game and cringefail demeanor

[somesaintiam]

has anyone done this yet

[outromoonyy]

Fanfiction is free therapy, except the therapist is making you suffer on purpose and you're thanking them in the comments.

[faramirsonofgondor]

Any queer man in fiction can’t have a healthy relationship. All they know is pining, divorce, cause the apocalypse, wear silly costume, fight they homo boyfriend, trauma, be disastrous, eat hot chip & lie.