How the show hints that Mike's story isn't over yet...
The UD "imploded" along with El, right before Mike's eyes. This was clearly foreshadowing...
Robin, the bird, got grounded/landed. Unable to fly... People keep using the phrase "stuck the landing" for the ending. Which is deviously clever because it sounds good on the surface, but the show keeps reiterating how important being able to fly is. Also the show’s “grades” definitely “plummeted”… they predicted this…. Lmfao.
This was the ending we got but...
THIS WASN'T THE END TO ROBIN'S STORY! THERE WAS MORE!!!
She found a missing tape! The concept of a missing tape is so frequently alluded to within the show and outside of it. Click the link for some examples of this.
Clearly these scenes are connected. Both Mike and Robin have a little version of themselves whom they look up to. This little version of themselves is brave and fearless!
Their inner child that accepts themselves for who they are before society tells them they should feel shame for being different.
Not to mention how both Mike and Robin have alter egos: "Rockin' Robin" and "Mike the Brave".
After finding the tape, Robin learns to stop being scared of who she is. She embraces herself and learns to fly once again.
Now why connect Mike with this speech without him achieving the same outcome?
Operation Cycle-Break Part II: Final Boss Will - shame & birthdaygate
Mike: “I guess it’s up to us again.” Will: “It always is, isn’t it?”
Indeed, it will all come down to the resolution of Byler, that includes El, and here’s why.
Fittingly broken up into four gates parts:
I. What is the Upside Down and Vecna to Mike?
II. What is the Upside Down and Vecna to Will?
III. Why so Many Names?
IV. What is the Upside Down and Vecna to the Town of Hawkins?
CW: this post will allude to CSA and CA implied within ST. Please read with care <3
This is Part II of the Cycle-Break series. Part I here.
To start: oh, I can’t believe how blind I have been. birthdaygate has taken even me victim, just as Will would have wanted, to be honest.
For the better part of the last week, I’ve done a lot of reading of theories and analyses. I read through all of bobgate (@cara-ti-amo your mind is truly nothing short of brilliant!) and I read quite a few posts regarding Will’s trauma (here and here). Of course, as we know, Will is taken to this horror dimension and pursued by monsters, that is trauma enough for a twelve-year-old boy.
But just as I suggested in Part I, that the manifestation of the horror and supernatural plot coming from Mike, the same can be said for Will. What is the Upside Down and the monsters that come from it a manifestation of if not Will’s shame rooted in his childhood trauma? The thing about shame is, unlike fear, it’s rooted in the past (put a pin in that).
When Will and Mike share a look on that one fateful November 6, 1983 evening, I think they both had a certain revelation about their feelings for each other being different and that’s what sets off the events of the entire show. I already talked about Mike’s side, but Will plays an equal part in unraveling and resolving the plot and, better yet, the story of Stranger Things.
What is the Upside Down and Vecna to Mike?
In Part I, I talk about how there is something that goes unspoken between Mike and Will in their first scene together. They are given a close moment by themselves, aside from the rest of the party. While Lucas tells Will to lie to Mike about the roll because it’s just a game, and Dustin is preoccupied offering Nancy the last slice of pizza, Mike and Will’s first scene together stands out as a unique connection between these two boys specifically.
Will honours the cardinal rule of their friendship, friends don’t lie, and the two boys share a look, setting off the electricity in Mike’s garage. And as Steve would put it a season later, electricity is synonymous with romantic chemistry, attraction and/or a deep connection. I talk about how I’m certain this exchange suggests Mike realizing, in that moment that Will honours their cardinal rule even when it’s something as trivial as a roll of a D20 dice, that his relationship with Will is different. Hence, the electricity surging. I didn’t, however, consider that this was the exact moment Will realized the same thing.
In Mike’s case, he doesn’t understand the meaning of his feelings just yet, only that they are different and that fact alone scares him. Thus, an abstract supernatural phenomenon and a faceless monster manifest. And as Mike’s feelings for Will become more realized, the supernatural reveals more of its depth and lore, eventually putting a personified (and one day humanized?) face to it all – Vecna.
To avoid repetition, I do suggest reading Part I to understand how the supernatural unravels in tandem with Mike’s feelings, and therefore his fears, becoming more realized with every season.
Vecna and Mike
As much as Henry/Vecna is a mirror character for Will, I think he is nearly as much of a mirror character for Mike. Allow me to elaborate.
Henry’s last name itself, Creel, means “weaver” or “weaving”. As in, spiders and spiderwebs? I would imagine, yes. How about as in, story weaving? As in, we have a Story Weaver (Henry) and a Story Teller (Mike)? Okay, I’ll be so normal about this.
Story-weaving: “the art of intricately connecting multiple narrative threads, characters, and themes into a cohesive, rich, and layered tapestry”. Not much different from Story-telling: “the interactive age-old art of using narratives, comprising plot, characters, and emotion, to share experiences, entertain, and convey values”.
A weaver is also a small bird, known for constructing elaborate nests. A bird you say? @walkablepurse50, what’s that about queer subtext of flying? Put a pin in that. In Part V, we are flying, indeed.
@newgipestel also pointed out to me that a weaver, the wheeled device to spin textiles, spindle is what puts Sleeping Beauty into eternal slumber. And we have this imagery in Mike’s basement, the couch and garbage bin. I said oh, I’m sure!
And while we’re on the topic of name etymology, let’s talk about Mike Wheeler himself. A wheeler, as you can imagine, is a wheel-maker and repairer. No, Mike, we are trying to break the wheel, I repeat, we are trying to break the wheel. More on breaking the wheel in Part IV.
All that being said, I think the show has evidence to suggest that Henry/Vecna is not only a reflection of Will, but of Mike, too. In Part IV, I’ll talk more about what Vecna represents at his core. Mike ending up a conformed shell of his former self - a reflection of the depression that comes with repression - by the epilogue, is more or less him becoming another Vecna, less evilly depicted obviously but, in my opinion, just as unsettling.
What I can’t get past is Mr. Whatsit and Mike Wheeler having the same initials. Mike ending up with a nearly identical appearance to that of Mr. Whatsit; Mr. Whatsit and Mike having the same leg limp. And Mr. Whatsit sat at the head of the table like Ted who, up until this point, Mike is seemingly abhorrent and critical of all throughout the show.
I can’t shake this feeling that Mr. Whatsit is a split in Henry’s being that is meant to mostly reflect Mike. Besides the parallels mentioned above, Mr. Whatsit and Mike, whether it’s obvious or not, whether our characters like it or not, are controlling the narrative of s5. More on Mike the Storyteller in s5 here.
Holly says Mr. Whatsit was trying to protect her and the other kids from the monsters in Hawkins that go after kids like her. For that reason, I believe Mr. Whatsit is convinced he is operating with good intentions, just as Mike does, when they have both trapped their respective parties in the worlds that they have built on lies. Mr. Whatsit and Mike both believe that, by trapping their parties in their worlds built on lies, they are protecting and saving them from the scary truth. But they are both motivated, consumed even, by fear.
What is the Upside Down and Vecna to Will?
So, from Mike’s perspective and how he affects the supernatural plot, we talked a lot about fear. The thing about fear, is that it’s undetermined anxiety of what is unknown. Fear is rooted in future uncertainty, the anticipation of danger, whether real or imagined. Fear makes you want to not change, not grow, not take risks, and more than anything, it makes you want to run away. This sounds like our Mike.
Unlike shame; which upon reading so many analyses on Will recently, makes all the difference in Will’s perspective, interpretation, and manifestation of the supernatural plot. You see, shame is rooted in past trauma, that has made someone feel disgraced, guilty and unworthy. Shame makes you want to withdraw, to hide, to disappear, to forget and to be forgotten. This sounds like our Will. :(
So, when Will also has a revelation about Mike and his relationship on November 6, 1983, it’s not an unknown fear of the uncertain like the one that starts brooding in Mike, that then manifests itself in the supernatural. Rather, in Will’s case, it’s a reminder of his shame.
When Will first suspects his feelings for Mike are different, it triggers this feeling that Will is a mistake, broken, and wrong, as his abuser Lonnie would have him believe. When Will realizes something is different, becoming aware of his queerness, he associates that feeling with Lonnie’s abuse. It’s a complicated, delicate and vicious realization for Will. He associates his queerness with his trauma, and because of that he equates his queerness as wrongness. With this realization of his feelings and therefore a reminder of his trauma, Will’s shame starts to manifest. And what did we say about shame? It makes you want to disappear.
As much can be analyzed about the implications of Mike’s jumping off the quarry cliff being a reflection of his mental after realizing his feelings for Will and then losing him, among other things, a lot can be said about Will’s mental in a similar context. But remember, Mike’s is rooted in fear of the future, and Will’s is rooted in shame from the past.
For Mike, I’ll reiterate, it’s a reflection of his fears; the crippling uncertainty of what it means to have such feelings for his best friend (and no doubt being bullied his whole life plays a part in it) and the anticipation of the worst-case scenario - losing said best friend, the one person who seems to best understand and see Mike truly for who he is. But otherwise, Mike is the most privileged, seemingly the most “normal” and from the most conservative family of his friends which makes his repression all the more reasonable. We often see Mike depicting the responses to fear. Fight – fighting with Lucas in s1, challenging the bullies, his crash-out to Hopper in 2x09 all come to mind. Flight – run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away, need I say more? And Fawn – eventually yielding and conforming by s5.
Whereas, Will, we know is prone to the responses of shame: shrinking and downplaying himself, hiding and withdrawing. And in s1, it’s less literal than Mike’s jumping off of a cliff. But if I’m correct in that Will realizing his feelings for Mike in their first scene together reminds him of his shame, then that realization makes him want to disappear. You can hopefully see where I’m getting at here. The song that plays when Will is “brought back to life” is a song centered in isolation and depression, wanting to escape the world and finding peace in doing so. It’s lyrics “I don’t want to swim forever” playing as the conclusion of s1 hangs in the air, Will may or may not come back. He does come back, as we know, thanks mostly to his mother, and I’ll say it again, I think Joyce makes all the difference here (and, yes, surely Mike and El play a part).
I believe Will’s shame will be revealed in more detail in new content and it does pertain to Lonnie, who we know had a history of abuse, making Will feel inadequate, unworthy, guilty, a mistake, wrong, broken. In Will's case, Vecna is a reflection of Lonnie's abuse.
Lonnie’s actor was featured in a table read video for s4, and I’ve heard (although I’ve not seen it myself) that Noah said Lonnie will have a big influence on Will’s storyline in s5 during press (if anyone has a reference to that, please share so I can link!)
With that being said, Henry, who at twelve when we meet him for the first time, becomes corrupted by the Shadow, the same shadow that first visited him on/around his 8th birthday. Surely, you may know where I’m getting at here. As in, I think we will get some revelations of both Henry and Will’s backstories, specifically revisiting birthdays. I think something really traumatic happened to both of them on their respective 8th birthdays (the real first shadow).
“It wasn’t you. You were just a kid, a kid like me, and it used you.” Will to Henry in 5x08.
I believe Will has these particular memories blocked out, just as Henry can’t face the truth of his own cave memory, just as there is a wall up in the Upside Down, and hence the Nina Project plotline about repressed trauma. Just as Mike is not fully aware of what his feelings mean, Will doesn’t know why exactly he associates his feelings with shame. Thus, both of the boys’ respective interpretations of the supernatural plot is very abstract and faceless in the beginning, but unravels more with the series’ progression.
I fear this is the real birthdaygate, and why Will would rather forget his birthday, and sadly, to some extent, his existence altogether. The supernatural unravelment, and that includes birthdaygate, manifests from Will’s shame too. That’s why he is so evidently side-lined in the finale, when Will is one of the biggest players in “defeating” Vecna and the supernatural. Why Will is replaced by Max in the DnD finale shot, why he disappears from scenes in the credits. I believe it’s Will that is actively erasing himself because he has become consumed by shame, the feeling that makes you want to disappear, forget and be forgotten.
That’s Too Many Names
I think part of the reason Henry – 001 – Vecna – Mr. Whatsit has so many names to begin with is each one is a different split of the same being. And each split a reflection of a different character(s) and how they perceive him. (As well as the HIV initials).
With Mr. Whatsit, we have Mike for all the points mentioned in section I. A leader who has been weakened by fear so he depends on lies to delegate, hoping no one will see through his façade. Thinking that by concealing the truth, he is protecting, even saving, his group from the “evil” supernatural. Mr. Whatsit and, in the end, Mike are consumed by fear.
With Henry, we have Will for all the points mentioned in section II. Henry, who was just a kid like Will and was used and abused. Henry, who had something really traumatic happen to him as a child that ruined his innocence. Just a boy, who at twelve years old, is revisited / reminded of the shadow, and therefore comes to the brink of his humanity. Will and Henry, two boys consumed by shame.
With 001, we have El. Another test subject abused by Papa. An authority figure to El, not unlike Papa, who builds trust with her, only to reveal it was all a manipulation tactic. Another example of a male figure using El as a means to their end. But someone that trusted her enough to disclose his own backstory and motivations with her. Someone that empathizes with her because they are both different. A conflicting dynamic and power struggle. A reflection and a constant reminder to El the delicate balancing act between monster and superhero. If I suspect a pattern here, I would reckon 001 and, by the end, El are consumed by alienation.
I will have a whole post about El the "alien" coming out at some point. I think it will be Part III or IV of this series.
So, we have Mike the Storyteller, the unreliable leader as Mr. Whatsit, overcome by fear; Will, the visionary, the artist, the Builder as Henry, overcome by shame; and El, the monster and the superhero as 001, the one who opens the door, overcome by alienation.
And finally, with Vecna, we have the Town of Hawkins.
The Town of Hawkins – On the Outside Looking In
The Town of Hawkins at large does not and refuses to understand Vecna’s presence and the supernatural as a whole. It is a town consumed by ignorance, and in some cases, consumed by hate. Surely, there are a select few who try to understand it (the party) because it is more or less affecting them. But otherwise, Hawkins is careless, disregarding, ignorant, and hateful of it all.
I do suggest reading this post to understand how the general public and people in power’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic unravels similarly to the supernatural plot of Stranger Things. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest we should interpret it as such; the plot suspiciously follows that of the exponential progression of HIV/AIDS crisis from 1983-1986 (s1-s4) and how the Town of Hawkins' response to Henry – 001 – Vecna is reflective of that.
It’s not until s4, when there is a face to the supernatural, a story-weaver of its lore, that the Town has no choice but to face it and then vilify it immediately, which fair enough, it is killing teenagers.
But here’s the thing about the teenagers that are cursed by Vecna: they are all similar to Mike in that they are all running away from their “problems” and in some cases, are dealing with the complexities of Survivor’s guilt, which is a recurring feeling for Mike. And they are all (but Fred?) similar to Will, in that they all feel deep shame that’s rooted in child abuse. They are all traumatized characters that are pretending not to be, and Vecna is the monster that holds up a mirror to them.
Again, I think that Vecna thinks he is saving them, although in a very horrific and disturbing way, by holding up a mirror to them. And better yet, with his plans in s4, Vecna is bringing the horror of the Upside Down to the surface, making the Town see, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the awful, ugly truth that is the reflection of their misunderstanding, ignorance, and hate.
Vecna is a reflection of what this Town hates, a dark revelation. As his monikers’ initials would suggest, Vecna is the monstrosity of HIV (the demonization of gay men), which causes mass hysteria and what reinforces the ostracization of gay people in the eighties. El is the monster of “being different” (queerness), locked away from Hawkins for almost the whole show, but what is saving the town repeatedly, in every season, from behind the curtain. Mike and Will are two boys navigating what it is that makes them “different”, one responding from fear and running away, and one responding from shame, wanting to disappear.
Take Nancy, ever the investigator, as the representative of the Town of Hawkins here:
“I see you’ve been looking for me, Nancy. You were so close, so close to the truth.”
And what is the truth, and therefore the resolution? It will take more than El and more than Will to “defeat” Vecna; they are not the ones who originally vilified him so. Again, I think it comes down to Mike returning to Hawkins, re-assuming his role as leader and heart of the party, a real leader. Mike will become the representative of the Town, like Nancy the season prior.
More importantly, Mike facing his fears to see the truth, and that the truth is not what Hawkins has made it out to be: a truth that is still scary to face if you’re Mike, yes, but not monstrous. (Will and El have their own truths to face too, which will complete the puzzle.)
It’s only then that all three: El, Will, and Mike can “defeat” Vecna.
It will take a lot to humanize him, because not only do we have to overcome alienation, shame, fear, but we have to have understanding to overcome hate and break the cycle. And to have understanding, we have to find a missing piece of the puzzle, a big one. And, only then will we have the truth. But more on that in the next part.
The phrase, "Be kind, rewind", has been repeated in promo, merch, and the show itself (ST4)...
...and it is almost CERTAINLY a reference to a movie by the same name, directed by Michel Gondry – because he's the same guy who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – which was not only on the Stranger Things inspiration board, but strongly recommended by the Duffers as something to watch before Season 5.
In the movie, "two bumbling store clerks inadvertently erase the footage from all of the tapes in their video rental store. In order to keep the business running, they re-shoot every film in the store with their own camera, with a budget of zero dollars."
Yet ANOTHER reference to things being repeated or re-done in Stranger Things.
El: I can beat the time. Reset it.
Hopper: To maybe... stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were.
Paraphrased from the One Last Adventure documentary
"There’s this sense that things aren’t gonna come together, so you go back to the 'amorphous ball of clay' and start brainstorming again... [...] go back to the drawing board."
Kali: You ask why I'm still here? I'm here to make sure this never happens again.
Hopper (to Joyce): You and me? We could start again.
This is after his daughter chose to get sucked up into an interdimensional wormhole and was never seen again, btw.
Characters repeating phrases;
"I believe", "I believe," "I believe."
"Back to the light... back to the light... back to the light."
"And me," "And me," "And me."
A sign from one of the final scenes
LEAVING HAWKINS. COME AGAIN SOON.
Another example of this theme is the song "Fernando", which plays during Holly's kidnapping. The song was re-recorded and re-released with different lyrics. It went from a song about lost love to a song about a war. The re-recorded version is what was played in ST5.
All I'm saying is, this is another piece of evidence to add to the pile. This isn't even the tip of the iceberg.
WTH the Duffers over here getting me back to school researching Quantum Entanglement to prove Byler endgame this is some insane shit but I am losing my freaking mind wth wtf
it doesn’t matter how far apart will and mike are they’re always going to have a connection. their love is going to save hawkins. i’m actually shaking this is INSANE
so another thing ive noticed about the epilogue - the third door choice disappeared once again
During their graduation in 5x8, Dustin was saying there are two types of chaos classes of characters (in dnd), the good and the bad,.
where's the neutral?
we know it exist - it's in the literal credits of the show!
so why wouldn't Dustin mention it? Was the neutral (the center) erased? Was that the point ( as in, Vecna's plan)?
what are these alignments?
The original version of D&D (1974) allowed players to choose among three alignments when creating a character: lawful, implying honor and respect for society's rules; chaotic, implying rebelliousness and individualism; and neutral, seeking a balance between the extremes
(...) introduced a second axis of good, implying altruism and respect for life, versus evil, implying selfishness and no respect for life (...) As with the law-versus-chaos axis, a neutral position exists between the extremes.
Characters and creatures could be lawful and evil at the same time (such as a tyrant), or chaotic but good (such as Robin Hood).
so the neutral between these two extremes have been introduced in the dnd from the beginning. although the good and evil axis hasn't been in every version since, the neutral part still remained, or in later editions has been adapted as 'unaligned' and in 5th edition back to this structure.
law vs chaos
Originally the law/chaos axis was defined as the distinction between "the belief that everything should follow an order, and that obeying rules is the natural way of life", as opposed to "the belief that life is random, and that chance and luck rule the world"
good vs evil
According to Greg Littmann, the predetermined assignment of an alignment to monsters means that they are good or evil by nature. Nevertheless, the rules do allow for individual variances, permitting "a red dragon looking to defect to the side of good"—even though Littmann acknowledges the rarity of such situations.
(red dragon you say?)
and this is why i think it's interesting that in the 5x8 credits we see the alightnment only for Vecna - lawful evil
and also for Will - neutral good!
It really puts these two against each other, even more so with the connection and importance of how Henry and Will are depicted similar (and same birthday!), yet very different, opposing each other even.
We haven't seen any of the other's alignment classes, but i want to guess Mike would have been lawful good, while El would have been chaotic good. Which is two other mirrors/ reflections against Vecna's lawful evil:
Especially with Mike it's so subtle, yet as I've started putting this together, its louder and louder how they're a little similar, yet very different on the other axis of good and bad. They kind of follow the same code of honor and rules, while still acting against the forces that's been restricting them.
Joyce and Will's talking about Vecna in 5x7: Vecna doesn't lie.
While Mike's motto has been the same since s1: Friends don't lie.
(and something about paladins having a spell called 'protection from evil and good' where the target on a successful roll cannot be charmed, frightened or possessed...)
Mike as the leader, following his code of honesty:
Law implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability. On the downside, lawfulness can include closed-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability. Those who consciously promote lawfulness say that only lawful behavior creates a society in which people can depend on each other and make the right decisions in full confidence that others will act as they should.
A lawful good character typically acts with compassion and always with honor and a sense of duty. However, lawful good characters will often regret taking any action they fear would violate their code, even if they recognize such action as being good.
El as the chaos, the reckless type that still needs to figure out herself
Chaos implies freedom, adaptability, and flexibility. On the downside, chaos can include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility. Those who promote chaotic behavior say that only unfettered personal freedom allows people to express themselves fully and lets society benefit from the potential that its individuals have within them.
A chaotic good character does whatever is necessary to bring about change for the better, disdains bureaucratic organizations that get in the way of social improvement, and places a high value on personal freedom, not only for oneself but for others as well. Chaotic good characters usually intend to do the right thing, but their methods are generally disorganized and often out of sync with the rest of society.
and Will, as neutral, something in between.. the one who keeps it all in fragile balance
Someone who is neutral with respect to law and chaos has a normal respect for authority and feels neither a compulsion to follow rules nor a compulsion to rebel. They are honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others if it suits them.
A neutral good character typically acts altruistically, without regard for or against lawful precepts such as rules or tradition. A neutral good character has no problems with cooperating with lawful officials, but does not feel beholden to them. In the event that doing the right thing requires the bending or breaking of rules, they do not suffer the same inner conflict that a lawful good character would.
(all small text from wikipedia about Alignments)
So what happens when the Neutral path disappears?
You're left with three two choices
"The way I see it, you got two roads ahead of you."
because there's nothing else between it, right? not anymore, not if Vecna won.
---
If the Will -> exotic matter connection is gone, the thing that was keeping UD stabilized is gone, then only chaos or law remains. Something that Henry/Vecna kept telling us about in s4 mostly, how restricted he felt by the order of the world, the hours, days, repetition, all for nothing.
Would this mean the world was in chaos now, and only the good or the bad side of it existed? Or is that a new lawful world Vecna created in the way he always planned? Making them the lesser versions of themselves, taking away the other choice to choose the third option, to find that door to escape?
Bad chaos brings anarchy.. (saying Dustin in orange robe on a graduation day that doesn't seem real)
If they wrote Will (neutral good) out of the narrative and/or forgotten, and El (chaotic good) sacrificing herself, it means only the chaotic evil stays - no change, but stagnancy. Conformity.
people are still calling conformitygate theories a mass psychosis:
guys nobody is planning to kill themselves over this theory, nobody is dying or getting hurt over this, this is for fun jfc what’s not to get?
i dont think anybody using that term is understanding what actual psychosis is. the commodification of mental health terms to pursue the assertion of your opinions as truth is so rife online.
if you think its crazy, go home, do something else, i promise you we don’t care
Going back to s1, Mike has always worn his watch on his right arm, while Will has always worn his on his left.
However, this changes in s5, with Will now wearing his watch on his right arm, while Mike wears his on his left.
Now could this just be a plot inconsistency, among the many in s5? Absolutely! And when it comes to coincidences, I'm not one to say that every single thing is intentional, because personally, I do think coincidences do exist.
However, this specific instance would be a pretty odd one considering none of the other characters followed suit in this wardrobe change. Sure, some of them have changed the type of watch they wear over the seasons, but they've never changed which arm they wear it on. Even in the case the Duffers or the crew forgot, Finn and Noah themselves would have remembered which arm they've been wearing their watch on for the last 10 years.
In fact, if you’ll recall the leak for the biking sequence with Mike, Holly and Will in s5, we see on video someone in the crew tasked with collecting their watches one by one the moment that the shoot ended, meaning it wasn't some prop the cast just threw on in their dressing room, it was something the production was making an effort to keep tabs on throughout shooting. Hell, s5 opened with a flashback of Will in s1, where we see him wearing it on his left arm like he always has, only to switch up when we jump forward to the current timeline.
So there has been a consistency across all characters when it comes to watches, up until s5 and with these two characters only.
Trademark registrations don't lie - we're getting an interactive online dramatic television series
Not a game. An interactive online dramatic television series.
Netflix had initially filed the TM application for "an online television series" - the office thought this was too broad and suggested they change this to "providing interactive online action, adventure, and comedic television series".
Netflix rejected these suggestions, and limited the claim to an interactive online dramatic television series. Not action! Not adventure! Not comedy! A dramatic series!
(Note: they're gonna file for products they intend to cover commercially, so they already knew approximately what type of content was coming when this was filed). The TM was filed in 2019, which aligns with the DBs saying they had figured out the ending around 5 or 6 years ago.
YAY! We're getting the interactive TV series! (note: not a video game! a tv series!)
WHOOOP - the US is also pretty strict on TM filings (you can't file for all goods & services under the sun) - you need to prove that you are either using it or have evidence that you intend to use that trademark for those goods & services in the future. This TM was filed in 2019, and is still upheld currently!
FYI - looks like Tales from '85 will actually be an animated show/episode/whatever they release (again, TM filings don't lie), so don't get your hopes up too high for that date. You can't fool me Netflix!
Hint: Vecna used Holly as "bait", and... let's just say it's not looking good for Karen Wheeler...
[A timeline from November 3rd to November 6th, 1986.]
Theory Overview
What happened, exactly? (a summary from Nov 3rd to Nov 6th)
November 3rd, 1986 – The Wheeler attack
Karen's tragic fate
Mike, injured but alive... just what Vecna wanted.
Holly, the "bait"
Mike's hospital stay, survivor's guilt, and becoming Mike the Brave
November 6th, 1986 – Mike's sacrifice and kidnapping
^ I'll provide evidence for all of this!
First, as usual, here's a brief overview of my main theory:
MIKE IN THE RIGHTSIDE UP
Mike is stuck in his own version of Camazotz: the Rightside Up.
In the 8 months after Season 4, the gang prepared for a big battle with Vecna. Mike was taken during that battle, on the anniversary of Will's disappearance: November 6th, 1986.
Every important plot point from Ep 1-8 was an edited version of what really happened in those 8 months. Vecna just changed the order, characters or context to suit his own narrative, keeping Mike trapped in the Rightside Up – a story with a happy ending that he wishes was true. That's why Mike's real memories will be crucial to his escape in the upcoming episodes: a reversal of the current episode descriptions.
Evidence!
ORDER OF EVENTS: Part 1 (Reality = reversed), Part 3 (12 Episodes), Part 4 (MWTFDYD), Part 9 (Wheeler attack -> Mike's kidnapping)
SCENE ANALYSIS: Part 2 (Will/Robin), Part 5 (Rainbows), Part 6 (The roof talk), Part 7 ("Where's Dustin right now?"), Part 8 (El is missing), Part 10 (Byler's missed date)
So what happened, exactly?
This is a summary of events spanning from November 3rd to November 6th – I'll provide evidence later.
Nancy's vision came true. On November 3rd, (Lucas tells us this date) 1986, there was an attack on the Wheeler house, and Karen, Holly and Mike were put in grave danger.
Karen was fatally injured (died)
Mike was injured (survived)
Holly was kidnapped (taken into the Upside Down)
Mike was rushed to hospital for his injuries (like Karen), and forcibly sidelined from the upcoming search for his sister, Holly.
The guilt and grief from this traumatic event, along with feelings of uselessness, ate away at Mike – until he was inspired by one of his friends, who assured him that he wasn't useless; he is Mike the Brave, and he has been this whole time.
All of this led Mike to do something very brave on November 6th, 1986. When Vecna sent Demos into the hospital, Mike pulled out his IV, got out of his hospital bed, and set off an explosion to protect his friends (what Karen does in Episode 6). They were grateful Mike saved them – but they said he needed to stay in hospital to recover.
With most of the gang looking for Holly in the Upside Down, the others completing their plan to connect Will to the hivemind, and Mike left alone and severely injured... Vecna had the perfect opportunity to kidnap Mike.
And now, he's stuck in the Rightside Up – kept there by his feelings of guilt, and his desire to believe in a fantasy story with a happy ending, instead of a much more unfortunate truth.
Where does this fit into my theory?
To reiterate: everything we've seen so far from Episodes 1-8 has already happened. Vecna kept as much the same as possible, to make it more believable for Mike – And, as I outlined in my 12 Episodes theory, the remaining plot for Season 5 will be a reversal of the current episode descriptions.
Now, Mike being a part of the Wheeler attack just so happens to match up with the reversed episode descriptions. What a crazy coincidence.
Episode 12 (from my post)
Mike confronts the cost of secrecy after a vicious attack at the Wheeler home [Mike's real memory of the attack]
After navigating through the Rightside Up with Max's help, Mike will have to confront his most traumatic memories... and he'll have to revisit the day that the Wheelers were viciously attacked in their own home: November 3rd, 1986.
Now, let's get into the evidence.
The day of the Wheeler attack: November 3rd, 1986
As mentioned prior, my theory so far has been that Mike was taken on November 6th, 1986.
Well, this might seem obvious, but I literally just realised that it makes total sense for the Wheeler attack to have taken place three days prior; on November 3rd, the date Lucas directly tells us it happened.
Lucas: You know what date it is, right? November 3rd. Will was taken on the 6th.
Remember, Vecna would have changed as little as possible about what happened, to ensure that Mike believed his new story.
Just as the evidence suggests that Jane really did go into hiding on June 13th, 1986, the evidence suggests that the Wheeler house really was attacked on November 3rd, 1986 – except Mike was there for it.
This explains:
Why Holly, Mike's stand-in, feels so guilty about not saving her mother
Why Will goes through the exact same thing as Holly, except he is able to save his mother
Why Mike parallels Karen so heavily in ST5 (limping in a hospital gown, setting off explosives, talking to Holly about Mr Whatsit etc.)
Why Karen suddenly becomes an action hero, while Mike is sidelined (they swapped roles)
Why Holly remembers her mother falling in two different positions during the Wheeler attack
And more!
^ We'll explore all of this soon!
Karen the Hero (written by Mike Wheeler)
Throughout Season 5, in a surprising turn, Karen Wheeler becomes kind of a badass.
Protecting Holly with nothing but a broken wine bottle
Miraculously surviving two Demogorgon attacks against all odds
Providing the information that leads to Henry's defeat
Pulling the IV out of her arm and limping through the hospital
Setting off an explosion in a laundry machine, single-handedly saving four of Mike's friends
And by the end of the show, she gets a happy ending. One in which she tearfully tells her son she loves him, hugs him, watches him graduate, and calls him up for her homemade lasagna. Yes – Karen's happy ending is VERY centred around Mike, and there's a reason for that.
Out of everyone, why would Mike turn Karen into a brave hero who can survive anything? Well, heads up, it’s about to get real sad in here!
Karen: I'm fine, Michael. I'm fine.
Vickie: With all due respect, Mrs. Wheeler, you're not. You could get an infection, haemorrhage – God forbid, stop breathing.
...What if she did stop breathing?
Have you ever wondered why Holly remembers Karen lying on the kitchen floor in two totally different positions? [Episode 2 vs Episode 6]
This is why.
When Nancy found Mike and Karen, they were together in the kitchen. Mike was lying on his back near the phone with an injured throat. Meanwhile, Karen was lying on her stomach – dead from a chest wound, and not breathing. Sorry, Nancy.
(Alternatively – based on the red phone's location, Mike may have even been thrown into his own bedroom, through his own closet. Nancy even tells Robin to "call my house, tell everyone to get out of there". Maybe she did, but was too late.)
When the Wheeler house was attacked, Mike ran to Karen. Then, in the kitchen, he stood there while Karen defended him, and when she was slashed in the chest – right in front of him, like a scary movie he couldn't turn off. Karen probably never even found out the truth about the Upside Down, not until it was too late.
Mike: You saved us. [...] There's so much that I need to tell you about the Upside Down, but...
But he can't.
Mike loved his mother. He didn't want her to die. He wants to live in a world where she could've survived; where he could've told her the truth, and she could've seen him graduate, hugged him, told him she loved him, and called him upstairs from the basement one more time.
Just as Kiara said here!
And so, when Vecna kidnaps Mike later on and scrambles his memories, Mike subconsciously separates the true story of the Wheeler attack into three different characters.
Karen, Holly and Will.
He gave his injuries to Karen, and her injuries to Ted, giving his mother another chance at survival. And after that, Mike gave his own bravest moments to her too (more on this later).
Mike also gave his fears and insecurities to Holly.
Holly: When my mom was attacked, I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t even save myself. I just stood there. [...] There's nothing heroic about that.
He couldn't save his mother, only watch – and he blames himself. But as I've explored previously, Mike views his fears and struggles as childish, so he gave them to his little sister.
And then, Mike gave his deepest desires to Will. Everything he wished he could've done instead. Through him, Mike wills it all to be true.
Will: I was afraid. I was afraid for my mom.
Mike: You wanted to protect her.
Will: Yeah, but I just... couldn't. It was like this scary movie you just can't turn off.
In the edited version of Mike's story, now it's Will who couldn't save his own mother – except Mike makes it so he actually did.
All the way back in Season 1, It was Will who "put himself in danger to help the Party" in their D&D game, inspiring Mike – so, from Mike's perspective, Will the Wise is the obvious choice for a hero.
Mike: Are you positive you didn't? Turn off the scary movie, protect your mom, not the other way around?
See what Mike is doing here? He is controlling the narrative subconsciously, telling a story that he wishes was true through Will and Karen, and telling a story closer to his own reality through Holly.
Mike gave all of his "childish" fears to Holly, he gave all of his bravest moments to Karen, and he gave Will everything he ever wanted.
This way, Holly gets to be scared and comforted like any child would be. Karen survives "by some miracle"; she saves him, his friends, and herself. Will gets to accept himself for who he truly is, beat his tormentor, and be the powerful, confident hero of his own story.
And Mike, stuck in the Rightside Up, gets nothing... thereby keeping himself even more trapped, which is exactly what Vecna wants.
And, speaking of what Vecna wants...
Holly the "bait" (A.K.A. Mike Lite)
Lucas: It makes no sense that Vecna took Holly; Holly, who has nothing to do with any of this.
Or does it?
When I was first putting things together in late Jan/early Feb, I was under the impression that Holly was never actually kidnapped, and her story fully replaced Mike.
However, after re-examining the evidence? Holly was kidnapped. But she was just the bait.
^ These are my old notes btw – no need to read unless you're curious
By taking her on November 3rd, Vecna baited the gang into the Upside Down for a long and dangerous Crawl. This way, their best resources and strength would be expended during the fight for Holly, all of them would be injured, and some might even die.
Come *CRAWLING* faster, obey your master,
Your life burns faster,
Obey your master, master...
Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
All that effort to get Holly back... only for Vecna to swap her for the one he really wanted the whole time: Mike.
I'd make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places.
Not only that, but Will probably saw the whole thing. More on that later.
Let's explore how exactly Vecna was able to kidnap Mike on November 6th – starting with Mike's hospital stay, and ending with the brave sacrifice he made for his friends.
Survivor's Guilt! at the Hospital (feat. Lucas)
Now, before the November 3rd attack, Mike had already been feeling a truckload of guilt. We saw only the tip of the iceberg in Season 4, with how Mike considered himself both useless, and totally inferior to El...
Mike: One day she's going to realise that I'm just some random nerd that got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep.
Mike: I'm scared that one day you'll realise you don't need me anymore.
Mike feels like he's always there, standing by his loved ones, but that no-one actually needs him around. Sure, he figures things out, but he feels like it will never be enough to repay his loved ones for everything they've done for him.
El, who sacrifices herself over and over again for her friends, because if she doesn't, who will?
Will, who goes through trauma after trauma and still remains gentle, brave and kind.
Eddie, who Mike idolised as exactly the kind of rebellious, authentic person he wants to be; he fights with Dustin about whether Eddie's sacrifice was brave or stupid, before ultimately settling on brave.
And finally, the nail in the coffin for Mike's self-image – his mother, Karen, who has always assured him that he can tell her the truth, and who he can always go to for a hug, even when he doesn't say a word. Karen, who died to protect him, never knowing the truth.
That's why Mike imagines Mike the Brave is "by his side". Not that he himself is Mike the Brave, but that he's just standing there.
He's always just standing there.
And after the November 3rd attack? All of Mike's worst fears about himself have been totally confirmed, in his mind. He is useless, he isn't brave, he isn't honest, and he survived while his mother sacrificed her life for his protection.
[Mike]: I just stood there. Why didn't I fight? Why didn't I help her?
Max: That was old [Mike]. You would now.
Mike wants nothing more than to get out there and fight... but he can't. See, Mike was badly injured during the attack. In the end, these were his injuries:
An injured leg – resulting in a limp [Karen in Ep6] [Vecna in Ep5/6] [Mike in Ep2]
An injured arm – [Karen slips on water and slams against the counter in Ep2] [Mike slips on water and slams against the wall in Ep4]
An injured throat – hurts to talk (but he talks anyway) [Karen in Ep2] [El in ST3]
Mike's throat getting injured has actually been foreshadowed for a while.
SEASON 3
Max: Does it still hurt?
El: Only when I talk.
Max: Well, it’s a good thing you’re not Mike, then. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," and you'd be in constant pain!
Stuck in his hospital bed, Mike feels useless, cowardly, and most of all, he feels very, very guilty.
Lucky for Mike, the battle is about to take place, so his friends are coming over for one last visit.
That's when Lucas gives his speech to Mike.
Firstly, if you're curious... out of everyone at the hospital (Robin, Lucas, Joyce and Will – I'll explain later), why Lucas?
This is based off of Max's speech to Holly in Episode 6. In that scene, they each mention one character: Holly mentions Mike, and Max repeatedly mentions Lucas. In fact, "Lucas" is the first word Max says in the scene! Holly is clearly a stand-in for Mike, so... Max is probably a stand-in for Lucas.
A speech like this would fit Lucas' character arc more than the others
Lucas is in several hospital scenes with Mike already
"Lucas and Mike are an underrated duo"... Um, where exactly?
So what happens?
As stated in my 12 Episodes post, the gang cooked up two plans for the final battle:
A larger group will go into the Upside Down to find Holly
A smaller group (Robin, Lucas, Joyce, Will) will stay in Hawkins to connect Will to the hivemind.
During their preparations, the Party did everything they could to prevent themselves from being put under Vecna's curse. They realised:
Max: Music isn't the only way back. Something that connects you to the real world, to home. Something powerful. Meaningful.
Since they'll be remaining in Hawkins for the Hivemind plan, Lucas and the others visit Mike to A) say goodbye before the battle, and B) tell him this information.
This is how Lucas and Mike's conversation goes:
Lucas: [We realised that if any of us get stuck in a vision...]
Lucas: Music isn’t the only way back. [...] You just need something that’s special to you. Something that makes you feel safe, something that brings you strength, that brings you hope.
Mike: ...Mike the Brave.
Lucas: Just try and remember what he means to you.
Mike: He doesn’t mean anything important. He’s just a toy. [...] I guess I thought if I ever got scared, I could just become him. But I keep trying and it never works. No matter what I do, I’m still me. [...] When my mom was attacked, I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t even save myself. I just stood there. [...] There’s nothing brave about that.
This continues Mike's long-lasting negative self-image; as someone useless and unimportant – and his devaluing of what he views as "childish", which started all the way back in Season 2 with Mike donating all his favourite toys.
But Lucas pushes back against Mike's self-loathing.
Lucas: There was nothing that you could do in those moments, Mike. I mean, you’re a Wheeler. You’re smart. You honestly think you could’ve stopped that monster with a shovel? And, I think you're leaving a few important things out. [...]
Lucas: So you see, Mike the Brave isn’t just a toy. He’s you, Mike. He’s you.
By challenging Mike's assumptions, Lucas is able to break through his friend's self-loathing and allow him to see the truth – that this whole time, he has already been brave. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stand there, even though you're scared.
Thanks to Lucas, Mike is no longer limited by the belief that he is a useless coward – and as an unexpected bonus, he has all the fuel he needs to do something very, very brave.
And just in time, too.
The day of Mike's kidnapping: November 6th, 1986
I've listed everything that happens in dot points, and next to them [in brackets like this], the scenes they're based on.
The gang split in two. [based on: Lucas and Erica's two plans in Shock Jock]
Most of the gang went out to find Holly in the Upside Down. [based on: the beanstalk plan from the finale, El and Hopper searching for Holly]
The other group, comprised of Joyce, Robin, Will and Lucas, planned to connect Will to the hive mind. But first, they went to the hospital to give Mike and Max one last visit. [based on: Will's hivemind plan from Shock Jock featuring Robin + Joyce + Lucas + Will, the hospital scenes with Robin + Lucas].
While the rest of the gang was putting their resources and effort into saving Holly, Vecna sent Demos into the hospital – and they came straight for Max, Robin, Lucas, Will and Joyce. [based on: Vecna sending Demos to these four characters in the MAC-Z, the tunnels, the barn, the truck, AND the hospital... and somehow they survived every time lol]
Mike heard this over the intercom. Instead of sitting there and staying safe, Mike decided to be brave. [based on: Karen hearing the hospital intercom warning + getting out of bed]
Fueled by his newfound sense of bravery and self-worth, Mike got out of bed and pulled out his IV, limping and grunting in pain. [based on: Karen limping in her hospital gown to save Robin, Lucas etc.]
Mike set off an explosion in the hospital, saving his loved ones from the Demos. He finally got to be Mike the Brave. [based on: Karen's hospital explosion, Mike exploding his "Mike the Brave" figurine in the Upside Down]
Mike had to stay behind and rest while the others completed their plan. [based on: Karen staying behind to rest while the others completed their plan]
Will: Mike, this group saved me when no-one else could. You did that. And we're about to do the same thing with Holly. We're gonna bring her back to you, Mike, I promise. Okay? Yeah?
[based on: Mike reassuring Karen]
Now that his friends are gone, and Mike is even worse for wear than before – Vecna himself appears in the hospital. [based on: Vecna appearing to Mike at the MAC-Z, Vecna appearing to Max and Holly in her memory, Will being Vecna's "spy"]
The thing is, though... Will was connected to the hivemind by this point.
Ep 5 - Shock Jock
[Joyce]: What about Holly? Do you see Holly?
Will: No. [...] [Mike.]
Lucas: Wait, what about [Mike]?
Will: [...] Vecna... Vecna's hunting him.
He could see everything Vecna was seeing, and he tried to save Mike. [based on: Will trying to save Max and Holly from Vecna in her memory]
Will: MIKE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, YOU NEED TO RUN! RUN!
But MIKE CAN'T RUN! ...His leg.
He tried anyway, limping down the hallway as fast as he could. [based on: Mike limping down the hallway and looking behind him, Karen limping down the hallway, Max and Holly running from a limping Vecna]
Vecna (to Will): Get out. GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!
Will was knocked into a trance. [based on: Will being knocked into a trance in Shock Jock]
Mike was totally and utterly screwed.
Vecna reached Mike easily. He fell to the floor, possibly even falling down a flight of hospital stairs, and slammed his head. [based on: Mike falling to the ground and slamming his head, Holly falling down the stairs and slamming her head, Robin's fake granny in hospital who fell down a flight of stairs]
Mike was knocked out. [based on: Mike getting knocked out by Vecna's explosion at the MAC-Z, Holly knocked out from falling down the stairs, Max almost knocked out by Vecna as he choked her while the scene cuts to her hospital bed]
VECNA KIDNAPPED MIKE. [based on: Vecna kidnapping Holly after she fell down the stairs, Vecna kidnapping the kids in front of Mike]
In a cruel twist of fate, it was Mike's final act of bravery that led directly to his kidnapping.
Vecna now has Will: his builder and Mike: his storyteller – exactly what he needs to complete his plan and create "something beautiful".
Well, shit, right?
What happens next?
Episode 12
Mike confronts the cost of secrecy after the vicious attack at the Wheeler home [his real memory of the attack]
Mike will have to accept the unfortunate reality that he's been trying to run from – that his mother will never learn the truth; not about the Upside Down, nor Mike's love for Will, nor any other secrets he may have kept from her.
But he'll be freed from the Rightside Up – and with this freedom, he'll let go of the idea that he needs to hide, to live in fantasy, or to be someone other than Mike, in order to be loved.
Because in the end, truth and love will triumph over fear.
Vecna can try to convince Mike that there are only two doors, but as long as Max is still running around in his mind, there's a third one.
Escape :)
...
Whew.
This was a BIG ONE, omg. It literally took me around four days to put this thing together – excluding the work I had already been doing to try and piece together Mike's explosion moment. It was worth it though. I love theorising and puzzles, so this is actually, miraculously, fun for me. Hope it was a good read for you!
Thanks for making it to the end!
Also: I found some crazy shit when I was analysing Karen's hospital scene, way too much to fit in here lol. Let's just say "I was him, I was Vecna" makes a lot more sense now – just not in *that* way.
the dial haunts many of you, I’m sure. as it haunts me. and I know everyone knows about it, but I believe it’s MUCH more important than we realize.
out of all the pieces of confirmitygate evidence, this one is the most obvious, in my opinion. they want us to notice it. it’s HUGE on the frame. it’s moving; it’s the focus of the shot. the new color is BRIGHT red. and, they point it out to us in various ways:
if it’s just an error… why the hell would they be reminding us of it? telling us in the show to keep an eye on colors that are wrong?
the dial been on my mind for so long. its clearly important here, but the question on my mind is… why? why the dial?
well… first of all,
don’t these shapes look… similar?
the moving, pointy hand at the center? the 12 sections of markings around the perimeter? yeahhh….
so it resembles a clock. cool. awesome. …maybe it’s just a coincidence!
and that’s not even the crazy part.
but before I get into the dial more, I need to explain another theory I have that ties into all of this.
QUANTUM DECOHERENCE AND PARALLEL TIMELINES
I believe that vecna, or the mindflayer, is a being which goes against our character’s quantum reality—and that their mere existence is causing their reality to fall apart because of it.
let’s remember how the brothers emphasized that this is a science fiction show, and they clearly love playing with the quantum world. it’s been included as a plot point since at least season 3! (remember how the key to closing the gates in s3 was planck’s constant?)
(PSA: I’m not an expert, just someone who autistically researches and fixates when something applies to my special interest—so forgive any information that may be wrong. but I tried my best to ensure I explain it as accurately as possible.)
in quantum physics, it’s supposed that there are infinite realities—infinite timelines, alternate universes, etc. you get the idea. this is something that stranger things already explores!
check out this excerpt from a page in will byers secret files:
crazy stuff! (I’m being mean and blacking out the right side because it contains a smoking gun… but I wanna reveal that later)
in quantum physics, in order for parallel realities to exist, our reality needs to go through a process called quantum decoherence.
essentially, it’s a process that prevents us from seeing or interacting with parallel timelines and realities. this process keeps our universe—our reality—in check. it keeps time moving steadily, it keeps everything normal.
so what would happen if this process were to fail?
well…
Clocks would act weird
Colors / status of objects would be wrong
Timelines would be weird
People’s memory would be inconsistent
Age and time weirdness
Overall inconsistency
Everything just being… off. Weird.
HMMMMMM….
it’s almost too convenient how well it explains away all the inconsistencies. but… this is a real element of quantum physics that's inherently tied into the quantum-physics lore they have in the show!
I believe that in s5, and more noticeably from vol 2 -> onwards: parallel, wrong realities started to seep into our characters world. this might be due to the cracks, the upside down seeping into their world more and more, or due to the mind flayer gaining more control as the season goes on.
I wonder if the mind flayer, or vecna, is able to control which parallel realities are at play here? or if this process is what “vecna visions” actually are—our characters viewing alternate realities? just some food for thought.
with all that out of the way, let’s take a look back at that page from earlier:
TURN THE DIAL. AND VISIT PARALLEL REALITIES. OKAY.
THE DIAL IS WHAT CONTROLS THE SPECIFIC REALITY OUR CHARACTERS ARE IN.
(or, with a less literal reading, the changed dial is a direct indicator that the timeline is different)
but I kind of like the literal interpretation—after all, things got especially weird after they turned the dial in shock jock, right?
let’s remember what the dial does for one second:
it controls the voltage of electricity coming off of the WSQK tower. robin turned it up.
vecna and the mind flayer (through "vance" and "mindy") even WARNED US to "don't touch that dial!" constantly throughout the WSQK broadcasts.
(tumblr won't let me attach more than one video but you can find those recordings on my twitter here)
what else did we see happen to the tower in that episode?
no need to go searching I for an in-show screenshot, they conveniently reminds us of it in the poster for the episode!
that's right, the mind flayer particles went up into the tower. the tower that broadcasts electrical signals over the entire town.
they're literally broadcasting the MIND FLAYER PARTICLES all over town. and they turned UP the power.
this is also the episode where nancy shoots the exotic matter.
after both of these things happened, things started to get really weird.
they wanted us to notice the dial, because the dial was the turning point. it's a big part of why everything is weird. different timelines, different, wrong realities started to merge—decoherence started to fail.
(and for the bandersnatchgate truthers out there... maybe an interactive element in new content could literally be us turning the dial to get different timelines/endings?)
anyway, the dial is the key. I rest my case.
(and, as if there weren't enough gates already, I propose this specific subsect/theory be called dialgate) :]
Ever wondered why Will suddenly had hope for a relationship with Mike during Volume 1, then gave up again?
Vecna told their story in reverse.
MIKE'S CAMAZOTZ (and the mandela effect)
Mike is stuck in his own version of Camazotz: the Rightside Up.
In the 8 months after Season 4, the gang prepared for a big battle with Vecna. Mike was taken during that battle, on the anniversary of Will's disappearance: November 6th, 1986.
Every important plot point from Ep 1-8 was an edited version of Mike’s memories from that timeframe. Vecna just changed the order, characters or context to suit his own narrative and keep Mike trapped in the Rightside Up, believing he'd won. Because of this, Mike is kind of experiencing the Mandela Effect – remembering things differently than how they really happened.
My evidence for this theory is here!
ORDER OF EVENTS: Part 1 (Mike the storyteller), Part 3 (12 Episodes), Part 4 (MWTFDYD), Part 9 (Wheeler attack -> Mike's kidnapping)
SCENE ANALYSIS: Part 2 (Will/Robin), Part 5 (Rainbows), Part 6 (The roof talk), Part 7 ("Where's Dustin right now?"), Part 8 (El is missing)
We will flash back to what really happened in Episode 9, when Mike realises he's stuck in a fake world. The resulting plot will be a reverse of the current episodes; a reordered, recontextualised version of the same story – where Mike's real memories are crucial to his escape from the Rightside Up.
THE REAL STORY
Vecna told the truth in reverse. Upside-down.
After Season 4, this is what really happened: Will started with no hope -> befriended Robin -> Will came out, repairing his friendship with Mike -> Mike got closer with him -> and they both GAINED hope for a relationship.
But after that came November 6th, 1986: the battle with "world-altering implications". Vecna trapped Mike in a fake world and altered his memories of what brought him there, turning them into a tragic story of lost hope.
Remember, he doesn't lie. He tells the truth differently. Edits parts out, exaggerates others, and scrambles it to fit his vision.
In Vecna’s retelling, this is what happened: Will started with high hopes -> befriended Robin -> Mike suddenly got less close with him -> Will came out, not changing his friendship with Mike -> and they both LOST hope.
That's what we saw in Episodes 1-8. Now, I dunno about you, but to me, Mike and Will's story makes a LOT more sense in reverse.
BUT WHY? To remove Mike's hope for escape, of course! :)
Vecna needed Mike to believe that everyone had won, to BELIEVE that he got the happiest ending he could, and most importantly: to believe that ending up with Will would never be an option for him. Mike doesn't know Will loves him. Will wants to be "friends."
Max escaped with help from memories of Lucas and El. Will fought his possession with help from memories of Mike, Joyce and Jon. El saved Max with their shared memories, reversing her death. Love and memories are the key. If Mike was to remember his love for Will, he'd be able to escape – but that would ruin Vecna's plans for a "better world".
...Which is exactly why conformitygate and MWTFDYDgate are intrinsically linked. The only way Mike can escape Vecna's curse is to REMEMBER what really happened in the months before the battle.
So, what did happen?
MWTFDYD: An Overview
Well, we've already seen parts of it, scattered throughout Episodes 1-8. Just with changes to the order, characters or context.
MARCH-MAY
Season 4 ending. March 29th, 1986.
Remember how El wasn’t talking to Mike at all at the end of Season 4? And how for most of Season 5, they weren't together? Mike and El break up. {Vecna later uses this memory to tell the story of Jonathan and Nancy's breakup.}
Eleven: "I hate [Eggos]"; "You are always exactly six minutes late." "You wanted honesty." Friends don't lie.
Mike: "That spring break, when you were in Lenora..." "[physics mention]"; "I just felt like I was doing something wrong. Like I was going against the natural order of things."
Mike: "It made me feel safe, but also... I dunno." Eleven: "It was suffocating." Mike: "Yeah."
Will + Robin start hanging out. {This probably happened the same way – after he saw Rovickie kiss.}
The Byers are staying with the Wheelers. Mike and Will share the basement, which explains why they forgot to set an alarm in The Crawl. Mike is ALWAYS late!!! Every season except 5!!!
Will: "It's always [Mike's] fault!"
JUNE-JULY
Robin and Will have their coming-out talk from Shock Jock! They're quickly becoming friends, supporting each other. They both agree to come out to someone new. Will decides to start small, and Robin wants to go big.
Will: "You wouldn't happen to have any more of that truth serum left, would you?"
Will quietly comes out to Mike, Jon and Joyce – his own choice. This explains why the Duffers said they originally wrote the scene this way, but changed it. Right after Will's coming-out, in a private moment, Mike gives his apology from the tower in The Rightside Up.
Mike: "Hey, um… I’m sorry. I mean, not sorry about what you said. That came out wrong. I mean, not ‘came out’ wrong! Jesus Christ!" LMFAOOOO
Because of that coming-out heart-to-heart, Mike and Will become much closer again.
Robin comes out to everyone, so she can “double her audience”. That's why there was so much rambling in that scene, and why Tammy was mentioned! Robin says she likes girls, talks about her "Tammy", and maybe even mentions finding her "Vickie".
Mike has an epiphany. Perhaps he had his Vickie all along.
AUGUST-OCTOBER
Will talks to Robin. He asks how she knew that Vickie wanted to date – their talk from the hospital. He immediately starts flashing back to all their little snowballs... "a brush of the knee, a bump of the elbow, a shared look."
Mike talks to Robin. Maya Hawke said her character would "mentor" TWO others this season. What if Mike's the second? He's amazed after her coming-out, and asks her for a bit of advice. Probably also about Vickie, haha.
Mike gets Jonathan's help to make something special: a mixtape for Will. Jonathan makes it, and gives it to Mike. {Later, Vecna uses this memory to create the scene where Murray gives Jonathan the mixtape for Nancy.} Also – Charlie Heaton said Jonathan would help his brother "get something he wants" in Season 5. This concludes Jonathan's arc of noticing what's going on with Will and Mike, but never intervening.
In the Wheelers' basement, Mike gives Will the mixtape. This is the avalanche; the thing that made it obvious.
Mike: "One last confession. A big one." He pulls out the mixtape. "I figure I've screwed up enough with you. It'd be nice to get something right for once in the end. Here." {Later, Vecna uses this scene for Jonathan and Nancy's breakup, where he takes the ring out and throws it away, in a confusing un-proposal}
This could explain the cutgate claims that Mike and Will were apparently supposed to have a basement scene together, and that music was supposed to play a fundamental role in scenes – e.g. "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure.
Possibly birthdaygate too; a late present?
I'm just speculating here, but... I think they'll use this to recontextualise the Purple Rain scene. Purple Rain plays from the mixtape as Will says Eleven's words from Episode 8. Quiet and intimate, not life-or-death.
Will: You understand me better than anyone. You always have. From the day we met, you've seen me. The real me. {Later, Vecna uses these words to evoke Mike's guilt – about Eleven's fake death, and his unreciprocated romantic feelings. This is to keep him trapped in the Rightside Up, AHHHH–}
After this scene, Mike and Will are either together, or plan to be together. This does multiple things narratively. It gives Vecna something he can use to manipulate them, it will also be one of the memories that helps Mike escape the illusion, and if Mike and Will were together throughout Episodes 1-8 but just didn't remember, those episodes are totally recontextualised!!!
ALSO!!!! This explains why the Duffers said that Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind was a big inspiration for Season 5. Two lovers' memories of each other are erased, but they find each other in the end, with the help of a CASSETTE TAPE!!!!!!!!
Apologies for the avalanche of exclamation marks.
NOVEMBER 3RD, 1986 (Edited: 24/02/26)
As @mixu suggested, Mike and Will may have planned to go on a date on November 3rd. This is supported by:
The video clip of Mike saying "You know I had dinner plans, right?" Dustin replying, "With who?" and Mike avoiding the answer. [Unless Mike and El have broken up, it should be obvious who...]
Rovickie having a date planned for November 3rd, but Robin having to cancel for reasons Vickie "just can't understand" – and Robin saying that she doesn't "want to be the reason Wheeler's plan fails".
November 3rd is the day of THE WHEELER ATTACK. And like Nancy's vision, Karen was fatally wounded, Holly was kidnapped, and Mike? He was severely injured by the Demogorgon, and rushed to hospital. He had to miss his dinner plans with Will.
So... just like Jopper, Boyce, Lumax and Rovickie's date plans, Byler missed theirs because of Upside Down shit too.
Not just that, but remember how Robin promises Vickie that they can go on ANOTHER date, only for them miss that one too?
Well...
NOVEMBER 6TH, 1986 (Edited 24/02/26)
Will: "...Today is the day. The day Vecna's gonna act. I thought I had him, but the truth... the truth is I never stood a chance." Will isn't ready to fight Vecna, but he won't have a choice.
Meanwhile, Mike is still in hospital, recovering from his injuries. This is when Vecna sends the Demos to the hospital – and soon after, Vecna himself arrives to take Mike.
Now able to see through Vecna's eyes, Will attempts to save Mike. But like in Shock Jock, Will fails. {Vecna later uses this scene to give Will a winning moment where he's rescued, to sell the narrative that they were able to beat him easily later on}
Will: "Mike, if you can hear me, you need to run! RUN!"
Will is knocked into a trance [Shock Jock] and Mike – with his broken leg from the Demo attack – is unable to run. Vecna knocks Mike out and takes him to the Upside Down, swapping him with Holly.
This explains why both Mike and Holly have the same head wound, and why Mike heard the clock chime and had multiple reaction shots to seeing Vecna – but nothing came out of it.
Mike is now trapped in the Rightside Up. And like the Stranger Things recap video, he's now being forced to miss his dinner plans again... all so he can rewatch edited clips of the show... i.e. his own memories.
Meanwhile, Will is stuck in a trance, building Mike's illusion in his sleep.
...
It's not over, though!
After that are Mike's altered memories, everything from Episode 1-8. Season 5 begins.
And after that... the final episodes!
(And hopefully, a somewhat happy ending :D)
Robin: It's a mandala! [...] Is it a mandala? Mandahla? Or a man-dala? Or a mendela? Or...
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