run away, turn away

"I don't believe in coincidences. Not anymore."

[smalltowngrey]

Wheelchance Masterdoc (WIP)

Wheelchance = Mike Wheeler x Chance the Hawkins High basketball player (last name speculated to be Lawson)

Chance was initially noticed by eagle-eyed fans who noted oddities like suspicious framing for a supposed NPC and the frequent use of the word "chance" by other characters. Theorists speculated his role as a potential love interest for Will/rival for Mike. Others considered him nothing more than a walking Easter egg for Byler endgame.

However, right before season 5 aired and during its airing, there was speculation (especially on Twitter) that he would revealed to be romantically linked to Mike. This controversial theory has only gained more traction among conformitygate truthers - while most still dismiss the theory as asinine, more have begun entertaining the idea as one of the big reveals in speculated future content.

My Relevant Posts

Wheelchance Files Part 1: "Weird" Coincidences

Wheelchance Files Part 2 (In Progress)

Jedidiah = Beloved of...?

Potential antenna/signal imagery between rivals?

Chance's general disinterest in women

Interesting notes about season 5

Anon's reasoning for believing in Wheelchance

OG Twitter Threads

Vecna's Curse Metanarative Theory

General Metanarrative Theory

Threadreaderapp of both of the above for easier reading as both contain multiple parts and Twitter formatting is wonky in general

Link to Google Doc featuring Metanarrative Theory, Vecna's Curse Theory, and related s5 metanarrative theory

General things of note/potential evidence:

- Chance has weird framing for a supposed NPC. He is oddly in focus during the Tammy Thompson singing scene in season 4, even moreso than Lucas for some reason. He scoffs and then the scene immediately transitions into a Mike scene- an extremely weird choice if they didn’t want us to make some kind of connection between the two -In the finale’s graduation scene he is also shown sitting right next to Max (indicating that his last name may indeed be Lawson) and even gets an close-up shot…an indication, in my opinion, that they want to keep him in the back of the audience’s mind. - Lots of tiger imagery. There is even a tiger poster featured prominently in Mike’s basement in season 5. Since Chance is part of the Hawkins Tigers basketball team, this imagery is probably at least partially hinting at his importance - The frequent usage of the word “chance” - lines like “Chances are, he’s with your cheater boyfriend” (which I believe is subtext referring to Mike); “Is your brother with you, by chance?” (again linking Mike and Chance); “Are you looking for Mr. Whatsit by chance?” and “The truth is, I never stood a chance” (said by Will..) … to name just a few examples - Oddly, his nickname (Chance is theorized to be his nickname), is never said, despite characters saying the word “chance” a lot. Jason refers to him as “Jed”, as in short for Jedidah. Btw Jedidiah = “beloved of God”, Michael = “who is like God”?…odd coincidence  - Chance wears the number 22 on his jersey, Will’s birthday number… again, odd coincidence - Duffers posted a “Jock #2” locker photo, strongly suspected to belong to him (Andy would probably be Jock #1). What was the point of that instead of showing another character’s locker? -Chance has some hints that he is not interested in girls- he reacts very badly to Tammy Thompson’s singing (the show implies sometimes that finding Tammy’s singing good=being attracted to her). He also is disinterested when Andy mentions a girl's bust size - Hunter Romanillos mentioned in an interview that the jocks mirror the party, which is something most people would not even be aware of unless they are deep in Byler Tumblr/twt. Most assumed that Jason=Will, and Chance=Mike, but I believe it to be the opposite, aka Chance is a mirror image of Will. Kind of odd that they would cast a very attractive guy as Will’s “mirror”, and have it mean nothing for Mike in my opinion - They have hidden Mike’s POV for a lot of the show and I suspect this is part of the reason

[3mryss]

Realism in Stranger Things

I would like to say something and I will soo...walk with me.....

So I guess I'm a bit late to this but there is/was a theory going around called Chancegate so I read some posts and threads about it and I'm surprised more people haven't acknowledged this. I'm disappointed that I missed it. The evidence is really convincing. At my first read, I was skeptical until the scene I also found really weird was discussed. It was in S5E1 when Chance looked in Mike's direction for a considerable amount of time and Mike looked back and away. I wondered what was going on but couldn't explain it. Also, why did we see Chance in the epilogue and not Andy? The same subtle writing we are eager to figure out and dissect is being ignored and resented in this regard. Why? I assume it is because it gives you Byler doubt but aren't we supposed to support "crazy" theories especially when there is reasonable evidence to defend it? Isn't that what lovewinsgate is about? Nonconformity?

In Stranger Things, everyone is on a path of discovery either personally or romantically...

Joyce dated and married Lonnie, dated Bob before going back to Hopper.

Nancy dated Steve, dated Jonathan and will become independent or as many have theorised, be with Robin.

Jonathan and Steve dated Nancy and would end up together as many have theorised.

El dated Mike and would end up being independent as well. People also believe that Elmax is a possibility with proof.

People say they want complex characters. Is that performative because they always frown when they get what they have asked for. Walk with me for a second. Mike's experiences and feelings have been so intentionally blocked by the creators, it's mental! So basically, we believe Mike to be a repressed teenage homosexual in the 80's and in S4, it was after his girlfriend and his best friend we believe he has feelings for had left him for what they say is a year or some months. Is it far-fetched to think that he would get with another repressed homosexual? To be honest, it would be expected. Same for Will. They didn't confess their feelings to each other before they got separated so there is an emptiness there, one Mike would have hoped to fill having met Chance. It adds realism to the show. Saying Mike is "Willsexual" and vice versa, I believe is reductive to homosexuality. Mike is not gay for Will, Mike is gay AND loves Will. A puppy crush on Eddie was also very possible. We also find out Mike had been trying to call to no avail and that Will could have reached out more. People consider these teenagers infallible when they aren't. They are going to make mistakes. I wonder if Will would have an arc similar to this in Hawkins. Mike and Lucas seemed to be eager to comfort Will in S5 E1 when he felt dizzy. Also, in S1, it was Lucas who went alone to find Will by himself and he did also bike in the rain to apologise to Will and is the only one to actually apologise to him in S3 E7. Oh! There is also a theory that Lucas is bisexual here. Just saying, Lucas has been associated with Byler colours and is actively shipped with Will as Byclair so maybe there is something here. He may be the key to Byler endgame. It would also add to what I noticed in S5 E1 where I predict Mike and Lucas will have or have had an altercation in S5 here.

I know people engage in fanfiction but remember it is a form of fiction by fans, for fans. It is very different from canon. We need to face the reality that Stranger Things is a fictional show with unapologetic, realistic themes and I think Chancegate is realistic.

Concerning Will, how many times has Will expressed discomfort when people pamper him or dote on him? People act like it's one wrong move and he'll break but I don't believe that. He is stronger than you think. He loves Mike and Mike loves him but it's not that easy given the circumstances. Oh and did I mention it's the 80'S?!

I'm not shaken because I'm really confident that Byler will be endgame because it is undeniable that the whole show has been built around it. It is the core of the show. I think their victory depends on it but there are obstacles to overcome before that becomes reality.

Have you also considered that this is also what is keeping Mike trapped?! Did Vecna use it against him? He sees everything!!!! Is that part of the story he can never tell? The part that he regrets? So many possibilities!!!!!!

If Mike and Will were to get together out of the fact that they knew that the other was gay and were the only ones, it would be a bit underwhelming but if they CHOOSE to be together despite having other options available...now that's intentional and beautiful to me! It means they long not just for romantic satisfaction but each other's presence as well and everything that comes with it. Will needs to acknowledge the fact that he is loved by Mike and Mike needs to acknowledge that he can be/is loved by Will. That's how they win. It will be a bumpy ride but we will arrive at our destination.

We think there isn't a twist for us but wouldn't this be a twist for all? It's gutsy. It's real. It conveys the message of perseverance and conviction to act on what you believe in no matter the challenges you face to the LGBTQ+ community and the audience in general. It may be heartbreaking so you are advised to prepare your tissues. I know I have, lol (please laugh)

Reminder that Bobgate, Stonathan, Ronance and Byler endgame were all hear-me-outs. You never know who will have the last laugh.

For those who have watched Steven Universe, this reminds of the time people who theorised Rose was Pink diamond all along were mocked but they were right after all just like Joyce. Open your minds and you will see what's right in front of you.

"If you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see." Iroh, TLOK

If you're interested in knowing more about chancegate.... here by @smalltowngrey

Thanks for reading. Hope this makes sense :)

[smalltowngrey]

Wheelchance Files Part 1: "Weird" Coincidences

I want to start off by saying that this theory may be upsetting for a lot of people. However, I am just trying to make sense of my thoughts (of which I have a lot) and observations.

While I had originally thought that Chance was being set up as a love rival for Will's affections, upon reviewing the series (especially season 4) again, I am now under the impression that the show is going to take a much more shocking route overall. Simply put, I think there is a likelihood of the reveal that Mike and Chance have been romantically involved. This would mark the beginning of the unraveling of the audience's (even Bylers') perceptions of Mike as a character. I won't go into the supernatural aspect, although I believe it is intrinsically tied to this theory in some way.

This post was inspired by reading some amazing theories here and here (posted before season 5 aired) and my own reanalysis of the series. It will be mostly based on episode 1 of season 4, which I believe contains lots of Wheelchance foreshadowing.

Near the beginning of the episode, El's letter to Mike reads "I think there is someone he likes, because he has been acting...weird" (regarding Will's painting). Originally, like everyone else, I thought this was subtext about Mike acting weird around Will after he reunites with him in California. But now I am sure that this is also subtext about Mike and Chance. I'll come back to the whole "acting weird" part later.

Despite what the subtitles say Karen says that she knows that Mike has his D&D game, but she wants Mike "home no later than 9:00 tonight," which might insinuate that he has a habit of coming home late.

There's also this seemingly random scene where Dustin makes Suzie change his Latin grade by hacking into the Hawkins High Student Records database:

When his mother knocks on his door, he yells at her:

It almost seems as if they are associating the Hawkins Tigers and doing something you shouldn't be caught doing...

Then there is this conversation between Robin and Steve, involving them talking about their respective love lives, which I believe is subtext for Mike and Chance's relationship.

Steve, while talking about one of the girls he is seeing, questions whether he wants to start another relationship “that has no point other than sex”. This leads me to believe that Mike and Chance’s relationship is heavily based on physical attraction, or at least started out like that.

Robin also says something about not wanting to go to the pep rally because she “woke up looking like a total corpse." Steve calls her out on this, saying he knows it's about her feeling nervous around Vickie and she should just be herself around her.

Now, why am I completely sure that this convo is subtextually about Mike and Chance? Well, Robin mentions that Steve’s love life is “one of labyrinthine complexity.”

Interesting wording. Not to sound rude, but Steve’s love life doesn’t seem that complicated, besides the fact that he is dating a bunch of random girls. But Mike - dating a girl who he cares for but is using as a beard, who is the step-sister to the boy he actually loves, and is now possibly fooling around with a jock? That's what I would call complex. Oh, and more importantly…

Mike has a poster of MC Escher’s Relativity, right under the "One Way" sign pointed towards his closet. You know who else has this poster in their room? Sarah, the protagonist of Labyrinth. But... that wording was surely coincidence, right...? (Note, I am definitely not the first person to point out Labyrinth’s connection to ST as a coming of age story or the fact that Mike has that poster. Just maybe the choice of words in this scene in relation to Wheelchance.)

Also of note, Robin's marching band uniform - green, white, and orange - is in the background the entire conversation. Even more interesting is the song plays while the scene transitions to Hawkins High School:

"Object of My Desire" by Starpoint. Robin's "object of desire" also wears a green, white, and orange uniform like her. Coincidentally, the Hawkins Tigers basketball uniform is also green, white, and orange. Now, let's take a closer look at the lyrics:

Very... interesting. Even funnier are the interjections of "Jump!" throughout the song (almost... like a basketball player. Or is that a reach?)

Going back to the whole "acting weird" thing, something about Mike during the pep rally scene always seemed "off" to me, even upon first watch. His demeanor always struck me as odd (especially as the scene progressed) and it just never made sense to me. Like, sure, perhaps he is in a bad mood because of El’s letter - the one where El mistakes Will's painting for Mike as one for a girl. That, and the fact that morning pep rallies just really suck. Dustin and Mike have a short exchange about their girlfriends:

Kind of a weird conversation, but whatever. What was the point of bringing up each other's girlfriends?

Things get stranger when Mike and Dustin find out that the championship basketball game is at the same time as the Hellfire Club session that night.

Mike’s glare and almost-pout as he looks at the basketball team always greatly confused me. Is he upset? Jealous? Disappointed? Like, what is he looking at? Who is he looking at?

...Hmm.

After the pep rally, in retaliation to Lucas asking why they can't just get Eddie to move the game, he says "Why don't you just talk to your coach and get him to move the game?" and “You’ve been on the bench all year.” His responses almost seem to me like his mind is elsewhere... Later, it is apparent that Chance has also been on the bench all year. Another coincidence?

Now. Onto the whole "finding a sub" for the Hellfire Club sequence. I think this is highly symbolic in many ways. Why? Let me remind you of what happens near the end of season 3.

While Will assures Mike that he would not join another D&D party, Mike did not do the same - he subsequently joins the Hellfire Club. And I think the writers did this intentionally. After all, D&D is speculated to be Will and Mike’s love language. To me, this whole sequence where Mike and Dustin look for a replacement for Hellfire signifies that Mike is the one always searching for a replacement; unable to stand being away from Will.

Remember what happened the first time Will disappeared from Mike’s life? Someone else took his place. Eleven appeared in season 1; the cool superhero girl that protected him from bullies, and allowed him to live out his wish of living a “normal”, heteronormative life. Someone he could project his feelings for Will onto.

…So are we really sure the same thing didn’t happen again when Will left for California? Additionally, season 3 took place while Mike was going through puberty, and Mike is now a boy in his mid teens in season 4. Given the fact that the first scene of his opens with him in his underwear, the posters in his room, the fact that he straight up ogles guys (including some athletes!) in some of his POV shots in episode 1, and the way he acts around Will during certain scenes... I am under the impression that this boy is extremely horny.

(Just realized this dude is is wearing a shirt that says "Tigers".)

I've said before that I'm sure that Chance, as a love interest, is supposed to embody a repressed teenage boy’s hot jock fantasy. I am now confident that repressed teenage boy is Mike. Chance is an outlet for him to project his sexual feelings for Will... and just his sexual feelings in general.

I now suspect that any suspicious Mike/Chance transitions and mirror scenes were not linking them as rivals, but rather, as love interests.

I now also suspect that, instead of Upside Down Mike, Chance is supposed to be Upside Down Will. But perhaps I'll get into that in another post...

[sidoniemoon]

Coming out (no pun intended) unabashedly as a Chancegate truther. Do not get me wrong; I'm a Byler through and through, and I don't need to be any more convinced than I already am that it will be the endgame (after all, it is the foundational pillar of Conformitygate; everything falls apart without Byler) should new content come to fruition, but- putting Vecna, the MF, Camazotz, and every other supernatural element aside- I'm now also convinced we won't just get it handed to us on some silver platter.

Let's be real here- and I acknowledge that I may be biased as I'm more of a Mike fan than a Will fan- we've been so fucking deprived of Mike's POV post-S3 that I'm desperate atp for anything (well, anything that makes sense for his characterization) that will 'bring' his story 'back to life'. Also, in general, I just love me a morally complex, narratively rich character. Sexually repressed, hormonal teenage boy cheats on his girlfriend to satisfy his gay desires?? Go right ahead! GIVE 👏 ME 👏 THE 👏 DRAMA!! 👏 GIVE ME MESSY BITCH MIKE AGAIN!!! 😤😤😤

One complaint I'm often seeing against Wheelchance is how it means Will would just have to suffer more than he already has been literally his entire arc. Do I like seeing that? Of course not!! Like, that's my boy right there and he deserves happiness! But he's also clearly not the only gay male character (canon or not), and it would be great to see a different sort of "self-acceptance journey" play out. More importantly, consider the outcomes of this potential plot point: not only would it be a legendary plot twist for all corners of this fandom- Bylers, Milevens, the GA, whatever- it would be a massive slap in the face to the homophobes in this fandom that have long ridiculed us for ever believing that Mike Wheeler was a closeted queer. For Bylers, it would be our long-awaited confirmation of that; for Milevens, it would be their ship's final nail in the coffin! Frankly, if something like Wheelchance were to happen... I would feel so vindicated.

[smalltowngrey]

Hi! Can I ask if there’s any way you could screenshot and post the pre-season 5 Chance theory posts from twitter/x that you mentioned in your wheelchance masterpost? I don’t have twitter and I can’t view them - thanks!

Hi, sorry for replying so late. Someone kindly compiled both the Metanarrative theory and Vecna's curse theory into one Google doc- I have included the link in the masterpost. (Some of it is posted in the doc and the rest is posted on Threadreadapp links but it should be fairly straightforward to follow).

If you are still having trouble viewing the theory for whatever reason, please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

[smalltowngrey]

Hii sending in an ask to test if your asks still work!

<3

[smalltowngrey]

Can someone let me know if they are able to submit posts on my page

[smalltowngrey]

The Duffers saying Byler was "never in the cards" seems like a standard ragebait answer to me... idk like were yall expecting confirmation that it was planned because there's no way in hell

[beaulesbian]

I guess I was just so self-absorbed that I couldn't see it.

[smalltowngrey]

I want to write about what they're hinting about Chance's personality (yes, there is more subtext for this than one would think). Firstly, I'm quite sure it's nothing like fans of a certain pairing are imagining it. Secondly, it is more than just "bully jock" (actually, the graveyard scene was hinting at another unsavoury trait imo).

Again, this dude is definitely being subtly differentiated from the rest of the jocks for a reason.

[thewisewill80sbyers]

The pair of two "clones" between them during this conversation where it almost seems Mike is talking to himself akshskajak I can't

[verdant-star]

Reblog this post if you're okay with being notification spammed and want people to interact with you

I know I sure do! @ me in things, bug me to reply to stuff, flood my askbox. The whole nine yards.

[smalltowngrey]

If anyone mentions romantic St*bin on my Wheelchance-related posts, I am blocking on sight

Do not compare my posts theorizing a potential relationship between two closeted teens to a gross lesbian conversion fantasy

[smalltowngrey]

Vance asking Mindy to go on drive-in dates with him... hm...

Is it not a bit odd that they'd write those two to have some kind of romantic connection that listeners picked up on, if they're only supposed to represent Vecna and the Mind Flayer?

Unrelated I'm sure, but there's a drawing of a car in an unnamed basketball player's locker from ST 5 BTS pics:

[smalltowngrey]

Chance is to Bylers what Will is to Milevens

like if he isn't a threat at all and totally unimportant... why do you want him dead

[smalltowngrey]

Hi! Could you elaborate on how the rumored plants are debunking your theories ? Are they doing it on tumblr? On twitter? Is it like... those accounts who leak new content? Theorists that are rumored to be plants? Im confused

I was referring to the group of infamous trolls that have been camped in CG/LWG-related tags on here since January. If they are plants after all, then it makes sense that they would be putting down every single post, including mine.

However... I'm assuming that these plants are actually somewhat familiar with the theories they are attempting to discourage. In the case of Chance's importance+involvement with Mike... well I assume these people know how heavily hated/mocked this theory is. (A lot of ridicule and indirect rebuttals seem to pop up right after I post about it- which is fine, people can respond however they like!)

It is just making me side-eye these users, like, why are you bringing attention to this theory by interacting with my posts (even after I delete their comments, they still end up coming back lol). Especially when the fandom at large has already made it clear how ridiculous they think it is, why is it necessary for these people to attempt to debunk it? Am I thinking too hard about this? Probably...

[smalltowngrey]

are yall happy now

[rikyberryohyea]

Happy happy birthday day my boi !!! tqm mi cum-pleañero 💙💛