The avalanche metaphor has been bothering me a lot since the release of Volume 2. On the surface, it seems that the lack of “signals” I expected from Mike in Episodes 5, 6, and 7 is meant to indicate to both the audience and Will that Mike does not reciprocate Will’s feelings.
However, I’ve come to realize that the narrative stopped focusing on Mike’s small gestures because Will specifically stopped looking for them.
Will has been stuck in limbo with Mike’s hot-and-cold behavior for years. I initially refused to believe that he was thinking about Mike’s actions when he asked, “How obvious?” I thought it was more about how much he let slip. Now, I’m willing to consider that Will was still paying attention to Mike’s inconsistent behavior, sensing that something was there but being too scared to acknowledge it as something more. He is a sensitive kid!!!
In the field, Will is clearly not trying to seduce Mike, as some fans have suggested. He playfully pushes him without overthinking because he feels flustered by Mike’s nerdy compliments. However, after his conversation with Robin about signals, Will feels frustrated - not because Mike doesn’t reciprocate, but because he’s still trying to interpret what it all means. He is tired!
Robin’s story about Tammy doesn’t help him “get over Mike in one day,” as some fans claim. Instead, it makes him stop scanning Mike for meaning and give up trying to interpret Mike’s inconsistent behavior, especially since he’s still with El. Will ultimately realizes that, regardless of Mike’s intentions, he can’t continue putting himself through this. His self-worth should not depend on whether Mike loves him back.
So yes, I believe we stopped seeing Mike’s small gestures because Will stopped looking for them.
Now, it’s Mike’s turn to act if he is willing to face the truth. He looks sad in the coming-out scene because he recognizes that he messed up - he allowed his best friend to go through this painful experience alone while being so sure he knew Will better than anyone (“I didn’t say it” - “You didn’t have to”).
For Byler to work in the epilogue, Mike should, under the threat of death and with the fear that he might never have another chance, finally confront why his relationship with El never truly worked and why he keeps envisioning a future that includes the whole group instead of just the two of them. He must acknowledge that his relationship with Will has always been different, and why Hawkins is not the same without him.
Subconsciously, Mike already knows the truth; he just hasn’t allowed himself to consider Will as a romantic partner. He needs to finally admit that he has been scared to name his feelings for Will, fearing it would destabilize his sense of self, his loyalty to El, and the group dynamics. It would force him to make a choice rather than simply dream of a faraway land with three waterfalls where the entire group, including Will and El, can live together.
Therefore, in the final battle, if Byler happens, I do not expect a grand confession from Mike or a dramatic kiss. Instead, I hope to see him finally confront the truth and be vulnerable with Will. The world is ending, and there is no promise of a future, but we, as the audience, will anticipate a hopeful outcome. The epilogue should portray them as a couple.
If, for any reason, the avalanche metaphor serves to simply show the lack of an avalanche, I will be frustrated but not surprised. Let’s hope for a more logical conclusion rather than a message to “not look too much into things.”
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