Look. After I watched volume 2 I experienced some major byler doubt. But after thinking about how everything went down (including Will’s coming out scene) I really think Will mentioning his “crush” just being “his Tammy,” it actually opened an opportunity for that to be addressed (hopefully by Mike). Because there are many things that are still unanswered!
I deeply resonate with Mike Wheeler. I too grew up into being a repressed and emotionless brick wall due to my traumatic experiences. The internal battle of wanting a normal life versus the external reality of CURRENT life experiences. While I wasn’t fighting multidimensional monsters at 16/17 years old, I was fighting internal struggles (which is also what he’s doing).
Imagine this, your best friend who has been through unimaginable horrors, sits you and like 20 other people down in a room and - through broken sobs - tells all of you that he is gay. Something that he was quite literally mentally tortured with. It’s clear he wants to be honest, but this is not on his own terms. He talked about his crush being unrequited, while looking directly at you, and you have to watch them sob through this, essentially apologizing to you about BEING IN LOVE WITH YOU.
(And according to an interview with the Duffers, Mike “clocks” that he’s Will’s crush)
Mike went through about 100 different emotions in about 5 seconds. He sat up straighter, he did his thing with the eyebrows, he looks like he’s about to start crying. Why, why does he do all of this? Is it him remembering the fight in the rain? Is it him recognizing, “oh, if Will can be brave, maybe I can too?” Is it him finally coming into his OWN and thinking “oh cool I’m also in love with you and now we might die tonight, when will I even start to tell you that you’re wrong about me? You never asked, and I didn’t know that i could tell you?”
I keep hearing that Mike used to be a complex character, and that now he’s been reduced to this lobotomized character that is specifically only used as a relationship plot device.
However, I DISAGREE. Something everyone already knows is that we have not had Mike Wheelers point of view in almost THREE (3) entire seasons. But we have 2 whole hours left, baby.
We have touched on most major plot points:
Will, his self acceptance, and coming out.
New information about the upside down, and the new horrors that come with it.
Resolution of Steve and Dustin’s relationship
Even rovickie had their fight and resolution (?)
Tbh, the entire jancy moment.
Kali coming back and being a whole situation in and of itself
What Holly had to endure on her unsuccessful trip out of Henry’s mind prison/the Abyss.
You know what we haven’t seen? Mike. Where the hell is Mike? Where is his head? Why does he keep pushing this “run away with El” agenda? When everyone KNOWS that is a highly unlikely option and frankly the most naive and childlike response to this. What/who is he running from? This can’t just be for El, there has to be something he wants to run away from, too.
Things we have NOT touched on, are conveniently and intrinsically tied to Mike and Will. Hello, byler!
The fucking painting!!!!!!
The SNOWBALLS AND THE AVALANCHE????
Literally what the fuck did vecna show will? To make him to a COMPLETE 180 from thinking he has a chance, to fully believing he has zero (0) chance with Mike.
My self inserted opinion of Mike having the opportunity to ask “who the hell is Tammy?”
The rainbow symbolism????
The brushes of the knees? The touches of the elbows? The shared looks????
Michael Wheeler, what is going on in your noggin? Who are you right now, and most importantly, where are you? I know he’s in there, and if he hasn’t already gotten a push to DO something, literally anything, that has to do with his emotion. That push is going to come soon. Whether he wants it to or not.
