♡

╰☆☆ ι lιтerαlly jυѕт poѕт lмαo ☆☆╮

[kingdemaury]

Something that bothers me about Will’s coming out scene is that the reason he even did that was because he was scared. He was scared that Vecna knew his secret and was going to expose it to everyone. My thing is, wouldn’t that same logic apply to everyone? Vecna can get into anyone’s mind. So why was Will the only one revealing his secret? Why?

El, for example. The fact that she might kill herself with Kali. Vecna could use that against Hopper and Mike. Or Hopper’s secret that he was going to kill himself, Vecna could use it against Joyce. Or Max saying she wanted to die last season, could be used against Lucas.

And furthermore, when has Vecna EVER revealed someone’s secret to someone else? Has that ever happened? I can’t remember. I’m sorry, I’m just very confused about Will coming out to everyone and why. It was a horrible scene.

[kingdemaury]

And don’t even get me started on the Mike being Will’s Tammy bs. That was an absolutely nonsensical idiotic line to add to the show.

Of all the ways to fumble, this was such an insulting way to do it. Good job Duffers.

[kingdemaury]

Damn. They really did use a gay character’s feelings to help a straight couple and reduced those feelings to a simple crush. A crush.

So the painting? A crush. The van scene with Will’s speech? A crush. The convo with Robin about signals? A crush. Mike being in Will’s tape? A crush.

And the cherry on top. They also had a gay character come out against his will, in front of people he isn’t even close with. Wow.

Even if Byler by some miracle does happen, which I sincerely doubt, it’ll be horrible writing.

[kingdemaury]

I haven’t posted on here in a fat minute but I do have something to say. The way the cast and the directors treat Will and how they view his character really shocks me at times. They don’t take Will seriously at all.

He was sidelined for most of the show, his love for Mike isn’t viewed or taken as serious, his feelings were used to uplift a straight couple, he’s the only character who hasn’t had any romance in the show yet he’s also the one who’s supposed to be okay with “unrequited love” cause not everyone gets what they want.

I don’t know, I’m not saying I don’t think Byler won’t happen. But given how little they care for Will, I feel like it either won’t happen or they will but it’ll be just plain fast and done.

[valkugo]

WILL BYERS in the teaser of Stranger Things Season 5 (07/16)

[alexshenry]

FIRSTPRINCE + parallels [insp]

[alexshenry]

alex letting henry fidget with his ring [original post]

[mostlylurkinbarelypostin]

The fact that when Mike was looking for a sub for Hellfire, he was looking for someone that…

He knows,

Who likes physical contact,

Who he has chemistry with,

Who is an artist,

And who likes playing games.

Mike was trying to find Will.

Will is everything Mike wants.

[dinitride-art]

Scary Red Light I Forgot About is Now Relevant Again - The Monologue (Theory? Analysis?)

OKAY SO-

I was scrolling through the monologue pictures I’ve got on hand (literally every shot of the monologue)- and I was looking at the infamous bby girl you’re the heart and- well- I need someone to tell me here that I’m not just seeing shit. Because to my knowledge light doesn’t reflect on you’re eyelashes like that. And oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuckkkkkkkkkk- uh.

I think I might have found something else actually. And I’m gonna share this thought with y’all now because I can’t keep this one in my head.

Let’s start off here. Mike just before the start of the monologue. Now what I’m about to say is going to sound really out there but like crazy together right? So season four and season two parallel each other a stupid amount. My favourite example of this is Steve’s sunglasses in the first ep of season two and how he’s wearing them inside, and then Mike in season four at the airport. There’s plenty more than that and enough that it’s just plain weird.

One thing that’s sticking out to me now, today after starting at mike during the monologue for a while- is that Will got possessed in season two. Like full on mind controlled and body stolen possessed. And sure Vecna trances are a thing now but it’s not the same as what happened with Will. Not really.

So that picture up there with Mike and Will is the start of something that makes so much sense and sounds so out there- but it makes sense. I’ll shut up about it being out there now and actually explain it.

Notice how different the lighting is when Mike turns to Will? It’s not actually that different, it’s just that Mike’s left eye (left eye like the one that’s used to signify Vecna- as well as his left hand, which is the one Mike’s holding El’s with) isn’t in shadow anymore. Still kinda looks a bit like he’s got a healing black eye though.

And looking at Will it’s about the same sort of lighting as Mike, but less of a harsh contrast. While Will tells Mike that he’s “the heart” in order to push him to do the actual monologue, there’s a red stripe behind him and a blue light flashing. It’s like the snowball setting and the creel house being represented together. Will’s shirt is also much darker blue striped than it’s been prior to the monologue. Little things are just a bit off with Mike and Will.

Mike and Will put the water in the freezer. Mike was in front of the jaws poster during “best friends”. Will was in front of a picture of water during the shootout. Mike had a fucking seven up can in his hand when talking to Will on that car. Mike and Will have been in danger the whole time. Vecna, during the Hellfire game, took Mike out first. Dustin and Erica were the ones that made it through. We’ve joked a lot about Mike being that meddling kid in Vecna’s plans… but what if he actually did something about it before Mike left for California? Or maybe he just needed to open a gate first.

And then Will’s left eye gets darker after he encourages Mike to do the monologue.

And Mike turns back around and now he’s in front of the red and his left eye is back in shadow.

Then this shit starts to happen. Mikes face starts getting redder and so does Will’s, y’know, like they’re both getting closer to the Creel house? And there’s still red and blue behind them and the lighting behind Will honestly kinda looks like that scene in the byers shed. With Morse code and the lights. And there’s still more

Mike and Will look very different than Jonathan. Jonathan doesn’t have a red sheen to his face, and his left eye isn’t weirdly cast in dramatic, persistent shadow. Something really bad is happening with Mike and Will. Really fucking bad.

Mike was one of the people that was able to tell when Will wasn’t himself. And he was one of the people that was able to ground him long enough for Will to talk to them in Morse code. So what if Vecna just took them both? I’m still not done yet- there’s more. There is so much more

“That day we found you in the woods.” Mike’s fucking eye is still scaring me. This. Is. Not. Okay. Duffers. I. Am. In. Your. Walls.

So in El’s flashback of when she first met the party, we see baby Mike with the most pissed off expression on his face. El knows he’s lying during the monologue. That’s a given with how she reacts to him telling her that he loves her. But this is also another thing that’s just off. Like Mike and Will’s expressions, they both seem slightly confused. Both of them.

They look so weird during the monologue. And both their god damn left eyes are in the dark the whole time.

El is holding Mike’s hand like she’s trying to break it. It kind of just looks like she’s holding his thumb in her hand. 

Mike and Will are still making that weird expression and the red glow is on their face. 

And El seems to realize something. And then she’s able to pull away the vines.

When Mike turns his head away before saying I love you, the darkness covers both his eyes and his expression is distraught. And his eyebrows don’t look like they’re doing weird shit.

But then it’s right back, and Will’s still behind him in the same position. and expression. His face looks wrong. And so does Will’s. Something is very off here.

The left side of Mike’s face gets even darker and El just looks angry. But what if she’s not angry at Mike? What if the monologue isn’t the actual problem here? What if the problem is that Max is in front of her, and Vecna is killing her and that Mike and Will are both acting wrong.

The red light that’s only on Mike and Will’s faces, the fact that it’s only Mike and Will’s left eyes that are shaded, the fact that they’ve both been lying the whole time this season. 

What if he’s been using Mike and Will to spy on El.

Look at this, it’s terrifying. The shadows on Mike and Will’s faces are darkening and spreading in synch with each other. I hate it. I hate it here. But there’s still one last thing. I first noticed it a while ago and just thought it was weird. Because it’s not light because it’s not interacting with the papers on the surface. And so I though well maybe they wanted to include the destruction even if it doesn’t really make sense for it to be there.

These three? Normal.

This one? I want to not look at it because I find it genuinly terrifying. What The Actual Fuck Is That Shit Behind Argyle and Jonathan. 

Fucking eye of Sauron in the Surfer Boy Pizza. Fucking fuck fuck fuck

And still Mike and Will’s faces and left fucking eyes stay the same, and get even worse throughout the scene. 

I think Vecna’s in Mike and Will’s heads.

and i wouldn’t think that if I hadn’t seen that scary ass red thing like a month ago. Because it’s terrifying. And I hate it. And I hate this. And Vecna was using Mike to distract El so he could open the fourth gate. 

And thinking about Mike and Will lying in season four, to Suzie, to each other- and how it’s weird that Vecna didn’t mention Will or try and get to him at all during the season- and how they’ve been surounded with water, and Mike was wearing a shitty nock off of a brand that had some relation to water, and how that seven up can was there, and Will’s been acting weird but El just thought it was about a girl and we just thought it was about Mike, and how Mike obviously wasn’t doing well in Hawkins- and that’s just off the top of my head. 

And just how Jonathan’s looking at Mike here. He’s been keeping an eye on both of them. And the monologues always been a bit weird and out of place and made it really easy to hate Mike. And the fact that theres an oven behind Mike the whole time this is happening and the weird fire motif and the fact that Vecna was set on fire. 

And how the blue light only shines on Mike and Will’s side of the table when the red light appears. 

it’s just fucking weird guys.

And I really think it’s Vecna.

[madwheelerz]

Are you implying that Vecna gave the monologue or something to that effect? Because I think you should maybe note that Vecna doesn’t attack Max during the duration of the monologue like I always thought that was weird, but if he was doing something else? Also, all the implications that Mike appears cursed prior to the events of season.

[dinitride-art]

Yeah! And it’s really weird how he just let El listen to Mike, like if this was something that was supposed to help he would have shut it down. I think El made it out because she realized that Vecna was influencing Mike (and Will) and that’s why she hasn’t talked to either of them. Because she can’t say anything to them.

I think that Vecna was pushing Mike to do something and that he heavily influenced what was said. Because Mike’s face looks like he’s fighting something, and it’s just a really complicated expression. And it’s on Will’s face too which makes me think that Vecna got to both of them. The monologue wasn’t a good thing, it made El cry and I think it was meant to emotionally manipulate her in a way that Vecna could take her out when she was at her weakest. Or something like that.

And Will in season two, never recovered from the upside down. He was having episodes before the mind flayer even touched him. So it would still kinda make sense for Mike to be targeted and not know it until it was too late, like when Will told them that the mind flayer spied back. And then also thinking about all the people Henry killed in season three and how he took over their lives and bodies and went around Hawkins. He’s able to take over people’s minds and bodies. And with how Mike was even acting sometimes during the season, like at the dinner table when he said “she didn’t look fine” and when him and El started arguing- I think Vecna’s just been nudging him in the direction he wants him to go and letting Mike do the rest.

[cannibalismyuri]

@dinitride-art ive rambled a lot in the tags and i am a film student currently learning about lighting so if you want my take/opinion on this you can read the tags :))

also as a film student, i must say that you have worded this very coherently and thoughtfully and its a great analysis overall :))

[dinitride-art]

Oooh! That’s actually really interesting to think about this type of lighting representing internal conflict in a character. Because all the people Vecna targets have some sort of trauma or something that’s easy to pick at and cause distress. Even in season two with Will it was that he has being really harshly bullied. Even worse than it was before he disappeared. So, even thinking about this lighting as internal conflict could be in line with thinking that Vecna’s somehow involved in all this- so like it could be both internal conflict and stranger things like established things they’ve done with lighting already. That red thing really did remind me of the eye of Sauron and it could be an allusion to the lord of the rings and the concept that he can see them. But it also kinda looks just a bit like a demogorgon’s head. I don’t know what it is exactly either but I hate it

It is really interesting though that in season four, internal conflict is a really big focus. El and her memories of the massacre, Mike and Will and their feelings and their relationship, Max and her guilt over Billy’s death, everyone else who was Vecna’d, Jonathan and college, Nancy and her relationships, like everyone’s got some sort of internal turmoil were supposed to see. And we also see Vecna preying upon that.

[cannibalismyuri]

yes, internal conflict is a very big part of this season, as many seasons usually have themes (s3 was growing up/commercialism) and this type of lighting definitely symbolizes that and vecna does use the internal stress/anxiety to prey upon his victims so this season could be described as more of a psychological horror theme.

this means that many metaphorical instances are depicted physically. as is always the case in psychological horror, internal fear is depicted with an external output, thus the red lighting symbolism makes a lot of sense, and you were very smart for catching that!

i myself had noticed this as i said, but i chalked it up to camera mishaps or the danger motif, but this is a very valid theory, although like I said with the lighting its 50/50.

LOTR has been paralleled in ST quite a lot, so the Eye of Sauron concept that vecna is using them as spies is plausible but that’s more of a mindflayer thing so i cant be sure. to me, it does look more like a demogorgon’s head than the Eye of Sauron which could be foreshadowing or smth else really!

but you really are quite intelligent for spotting these different details, your analysis was very well thought out!

[macbeth-s]

1899 + immediate connection/recognition

[bitesizedbyler-deactivated20221]

Mike pulls Will out of his trances four times in season 2 and that is so insane to me

I’d bet money that this is coming back full circle in S5

(Yeah I know in the last one Will is still fully possessed after but fuck it Mike tried his best so I’m counting it)

Stranger Things (2016–)

[queerest-friend-deactivated2022]

Top 5 moments that convinced this casual viewer (me) that Byler is absolutely happening

(or, alternatively: “Top 5 Gay Mike Wheeler Moments in Season 4″)

So as a new addition to the Stranger Things fandom and former casual viewer until very recently, I thought it might be helpful to share my top 5 moments in season four that convinced me that Mike and Will are absolutely going to become a thing.

Because the idea of Byler had honestly never crossed my mind before this season. This wasn’t something I expected or even wanted to see. But then season four happened, and, well…

I know most of these moments have been picked apart already, but sometimes I think it’s worth getting back to basics and reminding ourselves that no, we’re not crazy for picking up on what the creators are putting down. All of these things are absolutely intentional.

And yeah, I’ve put these in order starting with the most damning evidence at the top (though they’re all pretty damning, let’s be real lol). 

1. Will being perfectly framed in the shot when Mike says “I love you” to El for the first time. This one honestly kills me. I have a film studies degree, so let me tell you that there is absolutely no reason for Will to be in this shot (and this whole sequence!) unless it’s to create ambiguity around Mike’s true feelings. Noah Schnapp did not just wander onto set and park himself behind Finn Wolfhard. This was deliberately set up. And if we’re meant to take Mike’s confession completely literally, Will would not have been in this shot. It would’ve been an intimate close-up of Mike, full stop. Think about literally any other love confession scene you’ve watched and then tell me this doesn’t look weird by comparison. 

2. The flirting in “Dear Billy”. Okay, okay, there was a time I would’ve hesitated to call these moments “flirting”, but now I honestly can’t watch these scenes without laughing a little because it’s just so f***ing obvious. Look at the way they’re framed (an intimate two-shot with maybe two inches between them). Look at the way they’re smiling at each other. Look at where they chose to shoot these scenes (in the most intimate of rooms, the bedroom). In the scene where Mike apologizes, look at the way the camera slowly inches closer to both Mike and Will as they become more open and vulnerable with each other (and subsequently with the audience, too). There is clearly something building between them in these scenes. I felt like I needed to walk away from my TV to give them some privacy.

None of this is accidental. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but there was definitely a way to shoot these scenes platonically and they absolutely did not do that (put more space between the actors, choose a different location, use different music for God’s sake). And my girl @naturallybrielle is absolutely correct when she says this is the flirtiest we have ever seen Mike Wheeler. As a casual fan, I was shocked.

3.  “We’re friends! We’re friends.” Dear God. When I say my soul left my body when I heard this line… okay, where to start? Shall I start with the fact that “We’re friends!” is a common phrase in fiction used by characters that are in denial of their true romantic feelings for the friend in question? There is quite literally a page dedicated to this on the TV Tropes website (see here). If Mike had calmly said, “We’re friends” once, that would’ve been an entirely different vibe, but as it stands, this scene was giving me jealous ex-boyfriends the instant I saw it and I haven’t been the same since. If Will were a girl, people would’ve seen through Mike instantly. At this point it’s romantic cliché.

4. The triple-take in the desert. Much like “We’re friends”, this moment in the desert really stuck out to me when I first saw it. I’ve practically written a whole other essay about this (read here) so let me paraphrase: if this were an unrequited love story, we’d expect a lot of shots of Will looking longingly at Mike, who doesn’t reciprocate or even notice his gaze (and we do get shots like these at the roller rink and at the breakfast table, for example). 

So literally, what is this moment? Why have Mike look back at Will here not once, but three times? Why not have Mike not notice him if he’s supposedly wrapped up in thoughts of his girlfriend? Why does he look so startled? Why does he desperately avoid Will’s gaze after? Would someone with purely platonic feelings ever do this? Also, see this hilarious post that deservedly dubs this moment the “gayest shit in the show”. I tend to agree.

5. The four times Mike and Will got conveniently interrupted during intimate conversations. Yet again, I invoke the name of our holy text of plot conventions, TV Tropes, and draw your attention to the romance trope dubbed the “Moment Killer”: “It’s really going to happen this time. They are about to share their feelings with each other after years of keeping them hidden. They come closer together and look into each other’s eyes; there has never been a moment so perfect… Then her brother walks into the room, asking if she wants pepperoni or ham on her pizza.” 

I mean… do I even need to say anything else? And the fact that this happens at least four times with Mike and Will this season? I just… 

Honourable mentions: 

The airport “hug” (my villain origin story)

The fact that El and Mike have barely spoken after his love confession, and this is addressed in the actual script. I really need more people to wake up and realize that this is super not normal for a TV show’s main couple! Okay!

The ending shot of the couples on the hill, and El on her own (again, this is deliberately staged, so don’t listen to anyone dismissing its significance)

This shot below lol because AGAIN, Noah Schnapp did not just wander onto set and park himself between the show’s main couple–I’d argue your focus and your emotional investment is meant to be with Will here (which is ironic since he’s “out of focus” but you can’t deny he draws your eye)

[frogsdontcry]

Perfect!

[frogsdontcry]

I am not attending byler week and i was very sad, so i wanted to make up for it with this one which celebrates stranger things day a bit and confirms the importance of will's painting! What could be better than admiring the painting embraced in a cuddly way on the bed in your own room with the artist?

<3 <3

[rylandsgrace]

“I just don’t belong here. We might find a place in this world someday. I gotta go my own way. I’ve got to move on and be who I am.”

High School Musical 2 (2007)/Stranger Things 4.01 (insp)

[theonebyler-deactivated20230223]

The Willel reunion is something that can be so personal to me. Idc what anyone says, it was 10000% more emotional and impactful than the Milkdud reunion.

The way they both looked so relieved when they saw each other.

The way El just ditched Mike without hesitation to go hug Will. Didn't even spare Mike a second glance. She was only thinking about her brother in that moment and how happy she is to see him.

The way they squeezed the shit out of each other when they hugged. They were desperately grabbing onto each other, like they were scared to let go. Also, Will burying his face in her shoulder and crying 🥲

The way El ran her hand over the back of Will's head, comforting him.

The way Will was the only person to ask El if she was okay after everything she had just gone through. Literally the ONLY one who asked about her wellbeing.

The way El smiled so lovingly at him and reassured him that she was okay. And the way Will kept looking down at the collar around her neck and touching it :(

Willel are literally so freaking special to me you guys don't understand. I love them and their dynamic so much. I'm so happy Will is a part of El's found family. They clearly mean so much to one another and have a beautiful bond. They love and care for each other so much and have a deep connection to one another.

I'm so happy they found each other and they have the amazing sibling relationship that they do have. I need more of them next season where they are kicking ass together.

[connect-dots7]

S5 Prediction: Mike & Will's 7 Confession + Garage Light Kiss Theory(Long Version)

Byler Nation, I have big news. Im pretty sure I figured out how Mike and Will's confession and first kiss is going to down in S5. Like, i'm unironically convinced that I figured out when, where and what will happen during the scene. Not to be overly confident, but here's you're spoiler warning.

To start off, I think that Mike and Will are going to end up in the upside-down together in S5. The upside-down and Will are connected narratively, seeing as it's literally frozen on the night he went missing.

Obviously there is going to be a reason for that. To bring his story full-circle, it's pretty much inevitable that in the final season Will is going to end up back in the upside-down. Just like it's inevitable that this time Mike will be there with him. Which is why at the end of season 4, they both sit on an upside down couch together.

The next part of this theory has to do with Will having powers. It’s why Will is paralleled to Vecna, Eleven, and Bastian from NeverEnding Story, and could open a portal in s1. It also fits with his overall character arc (becoming a hero after being a victim). I won't make this post a mile long by going through all the evidence (i'll add some proof here, here , here and here), but for now, trust me when I say it's probably going to be revealed that Will can manipulate electricity/time in S5. (Remember, El was originally supposed to die after season one, which makes the notion of Will having powers extremely likely)

Okay? Okay. So here's the theory:

Mike and Will are in the upside-down, which is still stuck on the day he went missing in 1983. In the upside-down, Mike and Will end up at the Wheeler House.

Time is frozen on Nov 6, which is the first episode of season 1. I think that somehow, Mike and Will are going to be able to affect the other-side in season 1 (specifically Nov 6), through the upside-down in season 5.

How though? We know that (as of now) time still flows normally on the other-side, unlike the upside-down. However, it's safe to say that s5 will most likely include some wacky time shenanigans, which will explain how this is possible. For example, what if time were to start moving again in the upside-down? (I'll link s5 time travel proof here, here here, and here). But even just on the surface level, why the hell else would the show's villain thematically be obsessed with the progression of time, be accompanied by the sound of a clock chime, and create visions of grandfather clock? Why else would Hopper's s3 letter talk about "turning back the clock"? Why else would there be so many Back to The Future references?

what if certain moments, like when Ted fiddles with the TV in the background of s1, were actually electrical shortages caused by Will in season 5? anyways, moving on.

This next part of my theory could go two ways: literal voices, or just the parallel/callback.

In the show, people in the upside down can still hear the voices of people on the other side.

Before Will was taken, the upside down looked like a hellscape. If Will is the reason the upside-down resembles Hawkins, than that means his subconscious mind is woven into it's very fabric (it is, proof here). Therefore, Will's memories of that specific day could manifest inside the upside-down (remember this for later).

"Joyce says Time is funny like that. Emotions can make it speed up or slow down."- El

...speed up, slowdown, or stop.

Will's intense emotions in this moment caused time to stop. His powers and his subconscious mind changed the upside-down to look like Hawkins (as opposed to the hellscape).

Okay, back to the kiss scene. Mike and Will seek refuge in Mike’s Basement while they are in the upside-down together. Since time is frozen on November 6, and Will's memories can manifest within the upside-down, then that means they might somehow be able to hear the sound of their childhood voices. They might be able to hear the party playing D&D on November 6.

Mike and Will are nostalgic over this and reminisce together. This is important because Mike's s1-s3 arc involves trying to "grow up" by getting a girlfriend/acting cool (proof here). In the basement, Mike finally admits that he was most happy when he was a kid playing D&D with Will and the Party. Mike doesn't want to "grow up" anymore. However, now it’s too late. The situation seems dire, and they are prepared to take their final stand together becoming “Heroes, just for one day”.

They follow the voices outside to the garage, where they can faintly hear the party saying goodbye.

I'm still on the fence about if they’ll hear their own voices, or what the logistics behind time travel and the upside-down will end up being in s5. Either way, I’m extremely confident this next part will happen. It’s Parallel time b**tches.

In the upside-down, Mike and Will are going to stand in the same spot at the same time as their younger selves on the other side.

The concept of Lies is a HUGE recurring theme in stranger things. One of the very first bits of characterization we learn about Will, is that he doesn't lie to Mike. Even though it was just a white lie. Even though he could have got away with it. Even though it meant he lost. Friends don't LIE. Will waited until the rest of the boys left before letting Mike know the Truth.

From the very start, we are shown that Mike and Will have an honest and different bond than rest of the party. Which is why in season 5, Will remembers his silent vow to Mike and isn’t able to lie to him anymore. (“I, I can remember (I remember) Standing, by the wall (by the wall”)- Bowie

Will is going to parallel his younger self and admit the TRUTH to Mike at the same time his past self does.

and then Mike will kiss him. (“we can be us, just for one day”-Bowie) They don’t think they’ll survive.

Between them, metaphorical electricity FLARES (plus Will’s literal powers), as his brain short-circuits. He’s shocked. As they kiss “Heroes” by David Bowie plays, and the lyrics “the guns, shot above our heads, (over our heads)” narrate as electricity shoots above their heads. The camera then pans up to the garage light over their heads, which flickers.

the audience can feel the electricity between Mike and Will. Just like how Dustin could feel the electricity between Lucas and Max.

As they kiss, “Heroes” by David Bowie continues,

in season one, Mike is still ashamed of his love for Will. Which is why the scene cuts off with the line "shame".

This time when the song plays, it will be different though. This time, the full verse will play as they kiss.

“and we kiss as though nothing could fall and the shame… was on the OTHER SIDE.”

Mike and Will are alone together in the upside-down, and the rest of society is on the other side. Because of this, they are able to finally kiss as if nothing could fall, and forget about how they would be shamed for it on the other side.

Or alternatively

Mike and Will are in the upside-down, while their ashamed younger selves are literally on the other side. When they finally kiss as if nothing could fall, they leave their shame on the other side (in the the past).

Here: for the video of my theory!

[strxnger-things]

I don't know... is there something weird going on with the specific memories that were mentioned to the mindflayer/Vecna during Will's possession... ?

Like... Vecna's done something to those memories, those dates... like he's stolen them, or hidden them from the minds of Will and the others who were present at the time. Because they had power over him last time.

March 22nd. Will's birthday. It's just... gone.

Drawing the rainbow spaceship? Building Castle Byers? Maybe they're gone too.

And what about "Do you remember the first day we met?"

Mike saying "I feel like my life started the day we found you in the woods" to El because the memory of meeting Will on the swingset, asking him to be his friend... it's gone.