Queer-nerd @kaypeace21 - Tumblr Blog

[Byler meta / ST theories & meta] posts

Posting this to save people time looking through my posts. Other (specifically short) character metas are at the very bottom of this post -past the byler links.last updated 9/30/2022

psych posts

- vecna, El, kali (mental health) allegory

- vecna’s curse/“running up that hill” mental health allegory

The kids/teens are repeating their parent’s problematic teachings/mistakes

The parentification of Jonathan byers

#byler #byeler

Agnes returns Becka's feelings (evidence compilation)

I believe the subtext of The Testaments foreshadows Agnes being in love with Becka too. And the 2 eventually escaping Gilead together.

#the testaments #beckagnes #agnes x becka #agnes mackenzie #becka grove #Youtube

Problematic writing choices of the Duffers:

This post will be focusing on problematic tropes (more so than the many plot holes).Prior to this, I thought some of these writing choices were intentional subtext and symbolism for a greater plot point (and that these tropes would later be subverted) . This wasn't the case. I'm mentioning these tropes now: for people to grasp why we shouldn't reward the Duffers in their future projects. And how normalizing these tropes (in main stream shows) will negatively impact future story telling for the worse.

Fridging trope: El embodies this as her death is used as a catalyst for various male character's development in the finale. The Duffers saying El was never going to be with the gang in the end , because she "represents the magic of childhood" for the boys is just sad. Because yes-characters can represent something but writers need to understand they're MORE than just a symbol of something (they're also a person/character in the narrative). The fact she also represents "the magic of childhood" of all things is awfully portrayed since Jane herself never even had a real childhood - and because of the writers , she's also deprived of an adulthood .

In s5, bringing back Kali (one of the only brown girls in the show) to essentially just make her suffer and die. They brought her back: k*lled her found family , had her tortured by the gov again, and then she's shot by the gov. God forbid, a brown girl shoots her white oppressors (the writers have to k*ll her the same way she offed her abusers). Kali targeting her ab*sers was portrayed as morally questionable/nuanced in the show. But white Jim & Nancy mowing down random soldiers with bullets, or El killing a bunch of American/soviet soldiers was just to make them look 'bad ass'. The audience never has to question their morality for doing so- only Kali's. If you believe mike's theory: that would mean they just used Kali to save and give the white heroine a happy ending (which is gross optics in and of itself).

If you believe that El died along with Kali (this is also problematic). They couldn't let El/Kali : the victims of government oppression and abuse get a "happy ending" . In fact both die due to the government .What an uplifting message during these fraught political times. Remember Hopper’s speech where the whole point was Kali/El shouldn’t have to off themselves since they deserve a happy ending (despite life being unfair to them constantly)? What was the point? Idk , if you don't die , off yourself if life has been cruel.Killing El / kali to stop the "cycle " isn’t empowering at all. It’s a harmful and dangerous message to ab*se survivors!!!

#el hopper #byler #will byers #erica sinclair #lucas sinclair #joyce byers #jonathan byers #karen wheeler #robin buckley #kali prasad #jim hopper #mike wheeler #max mayfield #stranger things #nancy wheeler #murray bauman #jane hopper

miwiheroes

the duffers calling bylers just "noise" that they have to tune out ----> bylers on twitter coming up with a theory based on the massive amounts of plot holes and conformity messaging in the finale that has become so large there are multiple news articles being written about its evidence and everybody's talking abt it online.

proud of us..????

kaypeace21

The Duffers purposefully weaponized our analytical skills against us in order to queer bait us (while the straight ga didn't even notice , and the Duffers gaslit us in their post finale interviews ).

So I'm very proud of bylers using their analytical skills to point out: the production flaws, plot holes, pointless easter eggs, and how the show ironically ended in conformity. All while the bylers craft a more cohesive story than the Duffers by using easter-eggs, dialogue, parallels, and d&d lore mentioned within the show .

It's KARMA. It hits the Duffers in their egos: as the bylers tear their whole story a part and show to EVERYONE how poor and vapid of writers they truly are . GA: "The finale was so bad it caused mass psychosis -and the creation of a theory that still makes more sense than the finale." The Duffers were short-sighted since MOST theorists/analyzers in the fandom WERE bylers! A lot of us analyzed more than just byler (but the entire show)! We're not just noise they can tune out . Even if the bylers are more than likely wrong-the Duffers are the ones who look bad in the long run . And I think that's beautiful... and hilarious .

Right or wrong , we win either way. They tried to make us queer viewers the butt of the joke. Now they’re the ultimate joke in the end :

#I’d love to be pleasantly surprised …#but whether the theory is true or not (we got the last laugh)🤭

andrewthegaynerd

I love that conformitygate is either our most brilliant fan theory to date or an exhibition of how badly the Duffers fucked up their own show.

Because imagine ending a show in a way that is so the opposite of what the show is supposed to be about that fans decide it must be an elaborate scheme concocted by the show's villain.

That's so embarassing, I would drown myself.

kaypeace21

Pointing out all the inconsistencies is the best part . Because they told fans to “look deeper” and that there is “no coincidences “. But now they have to deal with fans pointing out all their errors, and seemingly crafting a better story that would have made more cohesive sense and be better foreshadowed via easterggs, dialogue, and d&d lore . 😅

So we win either way .

#always a possibility vecna winning is also “open to interpretation”

You know what : f*ck it , I’m turning this into a positive New Year’s resolution!

I have my qualms with some of Noah’s past political comments. But , he was right about one thing ...a lot of us theorists and fans “are better writers than the Duffers.”

Maybe, I should actually try to write some of my (fantasy/sci/fi) novel ideas down on paper . I’ve had like 3-4 stuck in my brain for years. I haven’t written anything in a very long time . And I’ve only written short stories for fun as a kid or for college assignments . So an actual book may be challenging . I definitely need to improve (in terms of grammar) . But, you have to start somewhere. :)

Some of you guys should try writing the stories you want to see in the world - even if at the current moment it’s just for fun. This fanbase has had many cool theories , which frankly show some of you are creative enough to craft a fulfilling story.

So , I guess, my resolution is to try and write the type of story I want to see in the world. Love ya’ll .

#stranger things

THEY FRIDGED MY GIRL, EL!

Duffers saying El was never going to be with the gang in the end , because she "represents the magic of childhood" is just sad. Because , yes, characters can represent something -but writers need to understand they're MORE than just a symbol . They’re also a person/character in the narrative. The fact she also represents the magic of childhood of all things is awfully portrayed since Jane herself never had a real childhood - and because of the writers she doesn’t get an adulthood either .

They also just ignored how they purposely wrote mileven problematically , and instead of letting them break up , or even having El fake her death to find happiness elsewhere (with her sister) . They instead just let mileven kiss (hand wave their issues with an empty speech/ montage) and then immediately kill El off (after they shot Kali ). Also, El says “I love you “ right before she dies … and mike still doesn’t say it back 🙄. She deserved better than that!

What was the point of Hopper’s speech where he says Kali/El shouldn’t have to off themselves, and that they deserve a happy ending (despite life being unfair to them) ? Guess it was pointless. Can’t let El/Kali : the victims of government oppression and abuse ever get a “happy ending”. In fact , both die due to the government . What an uplifting message during these fraught political times. 🙄 This is the opposite of an uplifting message for ab*se survivors: "break the cycle" by offing yourself??????!!!!

El says in reference to Mike’s plan of going somewhere with waterfalls , that : “this isn’t like one of your campaigns ; you don’t get to write the ending”.But then he does just that (he writes HER ending in HIS campaign )! And after 18 months … Will and Mike never get closure or even bring up the painting ? In the “friends don’t lie” show??? They ignore the lie/ cyarno trope all together? Mike even hangs the painting up in his room cause he’s still oblivious and thinks El commissioned it ? Mike falls for the fantasy of El (that Will created) . Just like Mike falls into the fantasy story he created : where El is the mage who is still alive and looking at a waterfall. Did Mike ever really see the real her (or was she just a fantasy to him )? Just like the fantasy characters in his childhood d&d games . Similar to how the duffers claimed El was just a symbol for the “magic of childhood “, ick. Mike is wearing those ugly glasses cause he’s channeling his final form as his oblivious father (who is blind to everything around him) . mike’s worst fears come true : he’s alone, full of regrets, the party drifted apart, and he seemingly never moves on. And it’s implied Will eventually gets a bf who doesn’t have a name , and is on screen for less than 0.5s. . The writers were cowards .

This is why we can’t trust straight dudes to write woman or queer relationships. Even if you believe el survived : then they brought Kali back to kill her friends, torture her , shoot her , and facilitate the white heroine’s happy ending (which is also super gross optics ) . They also chicken-ed out on byler . And said: let’s queerbait and kill the main heroine ( so we don’t have to follow through on breaking up mileven ). Since we’re afraid to follow through on the og plan: let’s just kill her instead (so no one is allowed to ever criticize the main ship ever again) ! I'll never forgot how they compared mileven to ted/karen in multiple seasons . And In s4 made countless parallels of mileven to El/Brenner . El claims Mike always “understood her the most” in s5 , but in s4 she straight up said he doesn’t “understand” her? You can't gaslight us , and claim they were some great love .

Also , they never explain how hopper is allowed to be the police chief again. They had a funeral? What was the cover story to allow him back in Hawkins PD?

Don’t even get me started on the other plot holes … so many plot holes.

I will be doing a more rational breakdown of the Duffers problematic writing choices later (when I’ve calmed down). I actually wrote a whole break down of those issues before the finale just in case so it’ll probably be out soon. And no it’s not just about byler (that’s only 1 bullet point of like a 25 bullet point list). The duffers didn't subvert tropes like we expected them to. They literally tried to bring back old problematic ones.

Glad , I was a pirate for the last season

#el hopper #kali prasad #byler #will byers #byeler #mike wheeler #st 5 spoilers #jane hopper

bylerswheel

what the fuck.

hawkinsschoolcounselor

Brenner, Henry, Mike, and Hopper. It's been a repeating pattern for El. Even when the people controlling her mean well, they're still controlling her. They're still using her as a tool. Mike even pulls the same "rest up and try again" thing this season as in season 1, and both times it was about her searching for Will.

An independent arc where she's able to have control over her own future is the only ending I want for her.

kaypeace21

Preach! This is what I’ve been saying for ages . I wouldn’t necessarily call it an independence arc though . She if anything needs strong female friendships & familial love - something that was taken away from her since she was born. Brenner took away her mother and even her ability to express her femininity. And her whole life has been controlled and dictated by men who think they know what’s best for her .

These aren’t even the only parallels between Mike /el (and her dynamic with brenner, hopper and Henry).

Everyone shut up & listen: my goat is getting a happy ending in the epilogue

#kali prasad #steve harrington #stali #the comments have informed me of the ship name 😅

Theories for the finale

Please read this post if you haven’t already (it was my theories post before part 2 aired). So the beginning of this post is just a very quick rundown of those theories that I went in a lot of depth in the prior post (linked above). And the rest of the theories in this post are additional possibilities I also think may occur (after I watched part 2).

Things I still think may happen (that are thoroughly explained in my og post):

I think Kali , El, and Will’s abilities (along with Max's knowledge of Henry's mind) will be pivotal in saving the day . But of course everyone else will play their part too. I still think Kali/ el may leave together and go to a different country in the epilogue. And during the battle Kali fakes their deaths with her powers so the gov won’t look for them. In one the st books Kali fakes a death of an experiment via an illusion (to help them flee the country). The illusion was so good the gov official could feel the fake dead body. Aka a tactile and visual hallucination (which she wasn't able to do in part 2) . But honestly they don't need a tactile illusion to fake their deaths .

Still hoping that when everyone goes into the upside down we still have Vecna manipulate members of each group by making them see nightmares of their worst fears/traumas. As a way to try and break apart the teams and sabotage each group’s mission . Hopefully Mike gets vecnaed to re-contextualize past scenes and so we can see his inner pov- if byler is canon. And somehow Mike or Will help each other snap the other out of their hallucinations . I want to see Vecna get into various character's heads and make them see their worst fears come to life- not just hear about it verbally in s5 . Let's see it like we did in s4!

Still think Will may get re-possessed and go to the dark side/ be the traitor . But the love of his family, friends, and Mike snap him out of it and save him from that . It’s been a core theme in the show : love overcoming evil so giving Will a tragic end would betray that motif . Mike’s “heart” will probably be important in saving Will I believe.

Still hoping my crack theory of Will subconsciously creating the monsters based on his trauma with his dad, is true . And I already explained how and why I think it's possible: and how it would explain the time travel refs, birthday gate , etc in the og post. To be fair the evidence I mentioned could just be part of an "allegory".

I still wonder if one of the characters (max/el/kali/ Will or even Holly) will see more about Henry’s past with patty or his connection to the mindflayer -even if it's super brief . Aka metaphorical time travel (by going into Henry's memory). Also, in the play description they compare patty/henry to Mike/Will. Patty and Henry saying they loved eachother actually helped Henry fight off his mindflayer possession (but fear sabotaged it in the end). Both pairings would have been considered controversial at the time . One being an interracial relationship the other a gay relationship.

Still wonder if we get a fake out death for El and a resurrection ref for Will (as a callback to s1).

a bit meta /corny I know ...but I still think someone may write a book about their real adventures within the show and call it “stranger things.” Or instead someone says something like “stranger things have happened.”

New possible theories after watching part 2:

Jonathan and Nancy being truthful about their feelings symbolically saved their lives . So maybe something like that occurs with Will and Mike (finally talking their feelings out and being truthful saves them too) ?

I really hope we get at the very least a convo between Mike/Will about Will's feelings and the painting (regardless of Mike's answer) . Don't do the cyarno trope with no follow through.

I do wonder if Mike & El ever talk about their issues even if it's in the epilogue . Maybe it'll be very touching like the jancy break up was? mike/el have been odd this season even more so than prior ones . Are they going through a "slow motion breakup" the same way Jancy was described? Did they break up before s5? Why was Will curious if Mike wanted to date if he was still with EL? Hard to say.

#byler #byeler #will byers #el hopper #jonathan byers #mike wheeler #max mayfield #nancy wheeler #joyce byers #robin buckley #steve harrington #jim hopper #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #kali prasad #holly wheeler

kaypeace21

Jonathan saying in s4 he hates his dad. And says he’s afraid j*ncy will be just like his parents’ relationship. And that he’s afraid he’ll become like his dad. Saying it’s a “cycle”(cough of ab*se). Argyle then responds : “nightmare cycle”.

My boy jonathan is going to have to deal with vecna and his dad issues . Also s1-3 foreshadowed and paralleled j*ncy to his parents’ dynamic. I told ya’ll. This was set up.

Then in s4 jonathan said he’s lying to nancy and wants to do a slow breakup to prevent it from becoming like lonnie/joyce. Bro, you’re parents in s1 had a yelling match saying “ stop lying to me!” (about your dreams of going to college/nyu ). Then you lie to Nancy about wanting to go to her college (or her coming to yours). lying is doing the opposite of what you think. Cough j*ncy’s first kiss was even to the song “the first lie.”

Jonathan about j*ncy: “Before you know it, we’re just like mom and dad”.

COUGH he’s actually turning into his mother (more than his father)…

“ j: THE CYCLE NEVER ENDS! “ " to chase a dream that’s not mine“ A: You’re nightmare cycle”.

Poor jonathan… hopefully whatever happens between the 2. We get honesty / “truth” + growth in a positive direction . Every season brings up his “dad issues” so hopefully it’ll be adressed.

kaypeace21

Crummy pictures aside. I'm reblogging this old post to show that jancy breaking up in s5 was for the best cause they would have ended up like Jonathan's parents if they stayed together. Just like stancy (who was paralleled to Ted/Karen) would have had a similar fate if endgame.

And Steve's relationship would have paralleled his parents too. He would have been like his own mother who was always paranoid about her cheating husband (repeating his past infidelity).

M*leven has been paralleled to Ted/Karen (and stancy) on multiple occasions. So the big question is: will the show runners finally pull the trigger and break up m*leven (like they did with Jancy & stancy)? Or will they end up like Mike's parents ?

Or will they back-track and pretend they didn't compare m*leven to Ted/karen? So many people were angry when I criticized pretty much all the ships in the series in various posts (all the way back when I joined the fandom after s2) . I was screaming from the rooftop that: most of these couples were never meant to be endgame. It's been foreshadowed since the very beginning (people just didn't want to see the truth).

They can all have love for each other (but that doesn't mean they'd be a good couple in the long run). They'd eventually repeat the "cycle" and end up in their "nightmare" : being trapped in a miserable marriage "just like their parents" .

https://www.tumblr.com/verstopia/804211697929863169/this-subfandom-thinks-of-itself-as-oh-so-important?source=share

I for the most part agree. I never commented on 'cut-gate' simply because nothing at that time was officially verified and I didn't want to spread any info that was possibly incorrect.

As for part 2, I have my criticisms (especially with ep 7), but I also believe that episode 7 on imdb is being review bombed. And sadly a lot (not all) of those reviews are fueled by homophobia . Why only ep 7 is reviewed poorly , unlike ep 5-6 (like op mentioned).

I don't have an imdb and I haven't been involved with the various sub-fandoms who have been review bombing the episode . Like I said in previous posts : I'm reserving judgements for the show until we see the ending on new years. Frankly, I feel like the finale may greatly impact how I view EVERY prior episode in the series (for better or worse).

But , yes, I saw the Elon comment and some thinly veiled homophobic remarks about episode 7 on other social media platforms too . There's a huge difference between queer people making comments or even light hearted jokes about how the 'coming out' could have been executed better. Verses the straight audience mocking Will for coming out or saying it shouldn't have happened at all (as a lesbian that has rubbed me the wrong way).

#stranger things

stfandomconfessions

Not to be incredibly woke, but if you hate Kali right now I lowkey think that’s on you 😭 I don’t think the Duffers intention was to make you hate her, I think you just do. I definitely understand where her character is coming from, even if it’s pessimistic. I don’t think we’re being primed for a betrayal or a traitor reveal, I think there is implicit bias on your end.

kaypeace21

I'm framing this.

If the Duffers make her a traitor or villain - I'll be severely disappointed in that writing choice. She's a nuanced (morally gray) character with a lot of trauma. Who weirdly got more hate in s2 than Billy? I wonder (and wouldn't be surprised) if she were white and or a man...people would perceive them VERY differently.

She's named after a Hindu goddess who is also complex : "Kali is one of the most prominent and complex goddesses in Hinduism, revered as a powerful embodiment of the divine feminine. She is primarily associated with time, death, destruction, and transformation, yet also symbolizes creation, protection, and spiritual liberation and is worshipped as the Divine Mother (Kali Mata) who nurtures, protects, and liberates her devotees . "

She has some parallels to Henry (just like Will and El do). But there's also key differences between the 2:

Kali defender till the end!

#kali prasad

I hate how all of this symbolism probably means nothing narratively and has no payoff in the finale ...

A part of me still believes they might pull a korrasami -but I’d rather keep my expectations low in case they disappoint us again . Rather be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.

#byler #byeler #will byers #mike wheeler

Well, I have mixed feelings about part 2:

I actually really liked the Nancy/ Jonathan breakup, cause it showed how they still had love for one another but that they just wouldn’t be compatible in the long run (similar to Nancy/ Steve). The 2 were finally honest with one another which was portrayed beautifully .The un -proposal was really sweet. And them being truthful and loving eachother symbolically saved them .

My fav dynamic in part 2 was Kali and El. I actually believe more than ever that they do a “compromise - 1/2 way happy.” I don’t think the 2 will go with kali’s plan . But I do think the 2 will flee together (without the rest of the party) somewhere beautiful with at least 1 waterfall. And they maybe use kali’s illusion abilities to fake their deaths infront of the government .In the st book Kali used her ability to fake an experiment’s death for the sole purpose of helping them flee the country. Her illusion was so good they could physically feel the illusion. Kali has also lost people on the outside twice - so she’s speaking from pain and experience when she says fleeing with mike or the others would just end up with them getting killed . So fleeing with just the 2 of them would make the most sense (El even suggested the 2 runaway together ). I really hope / doubt they go with k*lling both of them route . I’d be angry if they killed El . And I’d be pissed if they also brought Kali back just to make her suffer - and k*ll her off.

I’m happy Max finally woke up. Lucas is the best bf in the show .

Will said Vecna made him see his worst fears/ insecurities come to life . So I do hope we see vecna do so to the gang in the finale . Instead of just hearing about it verbally …

I also have mixed feelings about Will’s arc . The fact he came out to everyone cause of Vecna scaring him and using it against him … was a choice . I didn’t like how Will compared Mike to Tammy: since it’s not very similar . Robin barely knew Tammy , and Will’s known Mike for over a decade. They hopefully address it further (the duffers claimed the painting would get resolution , but we haven’t seen the painting brought up yet). It would be odd if Mike doesn’t address it more thoroughly in the finale- especially since Will just came out . They even had that very pointed scene of Mike walking in on Will about to tell his mom he’s gay. Then the camera focuses on Mike when Will said “you should hear this too". There’s always a possibility they surprise us in the finale: with byler/ Mike’s pov if he’s vecnaed. But , I’m keeping my expectations low . Regardless of the outcome of byler , Will & Mike should at least talk it out. Cause this wasn’t a proper resolution at all.

Part 2 just wasn’t as strong as part 1 or prior seasons . There was quite a bit of corny and cliche writing for most of it . The sci-fi explanation for the u.d was also kind of —boring/ predictable . A nothing burger essentially . And it doesn’t actually answer everything. Tbf they said they were “‘missing a piece of the puzzle”(so a twist is still possible in the finale). But we’ll see how it wraps up on new years . It’s hard to imagine they stick the landing with just 2 hours left. But I’m hoping to be wrong .

I’m just reserving final judgment until the finale

#stranger things spoilers #byler #will byers #el hopper #kali prasad #max mayfield #lucas sinclair #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #steve harrington #byeler

Theories for s5 part2 of Stranger things:

We see Henry’s backstory in the play appears to be canon (or semi-canon) in the show . Aka he’s been possessed by the mindflayer since he was a kid . Max and the children will probably be used as a way to establish Henry’s backstory (from the play) within the show. As they’re literally stuck in Henry’s nightmarish memories . It’ll be metaphorical time travel. If Henry is indeed possessed; he may be trapped in his own mind similar to Terry who was stuck in what was described as a “dream” that was essentially a time loop of her worst traumas and memories.

The demos may attack the hospital because Vecna (or the m.f .) are worried about Max waking up and having access to the truth of Henry's possession. Maybe Max being in Henry's mind/memories starts interfering with the mindflayer's hold of him? Or Vecna may just not want her to have access to a certain personal memory -so attacks her body that's in the hospital. But , of course, Max will eventually wake up and be ok in the end.

El and Kali working together will be pivotal in saving the day and their friends- as El can go into people’s minds and Kali can cause illusions (like Vecna can do on his own) . Kali has various parallels to Henry but also key differences as a way to allude to her importance in saving the day as well. I know a lot of people think Kali will be a 'traitor' in s5 , but I hope the writers aren't that predictable . Kali is morally gray, but I feel like she won't be an outright villain-she's named after a Hindu goddess who protects kids after all . Aka Kali helping the 12 kids who were kidnapped in the show.