Understanding Mike Wheeler's character progression
Mike wheeler's characterisation throughout the series feels inconsistent, but I think a lot of his behaviour can be explained by his excessive desire to be needed. And it makes perfect sense when you look at his parents' dynamic...
Even though Stranger Things is about fighting eldritch horrors and interdimensional monsters, it is also about the ugly underbelly of the 80's American suburban fantasy, which is represented by the Wheeler family. We already know Nancy's arc is largely about not repeating her mother's mistakes, i.e marrying a rich aloof older man (Steve) for stability/safety, and taking charge of her own life. But although it's less explicitly shown, I think that growing up in this construct shaped Mike's personality.
Ted is the blatantly useless/disengaged breadwinner of the family, worst of all he's boring. Meanwhile, Karen is the supermum caregiver who holds the family together, a.k.a the glue, a.k.a the heart. She's compassionate, comforting, and puts herself in harm's way if it means protecting her loved ones. Mike embodies all his mother's traits because, in his eyes, the alternative is being like his father. Just look at the way he looks at that man!!
Not to mention, Mike carries a lot of privilege compared to his friends, something he is perhaps acutely aware of. The juxtaposition of the Byers (working-class outcasts) and the Wheelers is definitely intentional, but more than that, Lucas is Black, Dustin is disabled, and Will is of course different in a way Mike doesn't have the vocabulary for. Maybe the combination of all these factors pushes him to be a rock for others, even to his own detriment. He needs to be there, and we see it all throughout the course of the show.
These traits shine through from the start. Here is this girl in the rain who's all alone and has clearly been through some sort of trauma; Dustin and Lucas are freaked out by her, but Mike sees someone in need of help. On top of that, she shows up just as he's feeling completely useless in the search for his missing friend. She's the perfect person to give everything he has to offer to. He also literally jumps off a cliff to save Dustin.
In S2, Mike feels lost and somewhat aimless without El, he had lost his friend/crush, but also his sense of purpose. I think the fact that El sacrificed herself to save him and not the other way around messed with him. He then latches onto Will and stays by his side as he deals with his own trauma. Again, Will's the perfect person to pour all his care into.
Some of his actions verge on Saviour Complex territory, but it wouldn't be accurate to imply his kindness is self-serving, or that he actively seeks out broken people. I think Mike is genuine, but while his loyal nature is his strength as a character, it is also a flaw. Mike defines himself by what he can give to others. Mike also has this dichotomy of embracing the excitement that comes with having a girlfriend with powers and also feeling insecure about deserving one. Going back to Ted, he may keep their lights on, but he is emotionally absent, vacant even. So what does Mike do? He overcompensates.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Mike forms a deep attachment and even becomes consumed by the people who need him, to the point of obsession. These cracks begin to show in S2, revealing a bit of a toxic side to his affection. I mean, he has such a visceral reaction to finding out Hopper has been hiding El (even though he did the exact same in S1), and that conflict carries into the next season.
Everyone is allowed to be annoying at 13-14 years old, but I remember watching S3 and questioning Mike's almost possessive attitude towards El. Mind you, she was pretty much only spending time with Mike and Hopper, who were playing tug of war with her. (I thought Max encouraging her to be her own person instead of letting these men run her life was a very needed storyline and then it was kind of just abandoned. But anyway...) The codependency is clear, especially when compared to Lucas and Max.
He also neglects his hobbies and friends; Dustin comes back from camp and he immediately disappears with El to go make out; he belittles Will for wanting to play D&D and lashes out at him for feeling ignored - after spending all of last season by his side.
It's very much giving:
Between the neurochemical drama of growing up and also the pressure of nearly losing his gf to the golorgolorb or whatever every year, we can kind of understand where Mike is coming from. However, S4 further affirms the issues that rear their heads in S3.
Now that El has a new home, no powers endangering her, a family looking after her, and alleged new friends, Mike emotionally distances himself (funnily enough, just like his dad). Will's also doing better and hasn't felt the MindFlayer since leaving Hawkins. Interestingly, he ignores Will almost entirely, questions his relationship with El, and retreats back to D&D.
And what does Mike do when El confronts him? He says "I care for you...so much", and when El responds "Care...but you don't love me anymore?" he's caught off guard. It's like it hits him in that moment that these are not the same thing!! Being someone's support system isn't the same as loving them!! Notice how he goes on to emphasise how special she is (in relation to her powers). This isn't to say Mike never loved El, but I think Mike didn't know what it meant to love someone the first time he blurted it out in S3. The switch up in S4 is the result.
Mike feels so helpless when they struggle to locate El, because if he isn't doing anything to help her, then he's useless just like his dad. He then opens up to Will about his insecurities; he's worried that El doesn't need him anymore, that it could've been anyone else that found her in the woods that night - because that is where he traces the roots of their relationship - the day he saved her. The day he got to be her hero. But if he's just the guy who found her, he's ordinary and boring just like his dad. ("One day she's going to realise I'm some random nerd who got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep").
Will's pep talk restores Mike's security, notice how Will encouraged him by telling him how much El needs him, how she'll "never stop needing [him]". Will tells him "you're the heart", and this gives Mike reassurance that he is like Mum, not Dad. This is gives Mike the courage to tell El he loves her after they reunite. Literally all Mike had to hear was that she needs him and they made up (I'm not sure if that's for better or worse, but this post is more about Mike's incessant need to be useful.)
There's still a bit more to go, but S5 Mike seems to have come a long way. A whole 18 months passed so it's hard to tell whether he's fully reassessed his recklessness with El and Will, but he seems to understand that his love/care doesn't need to be all-consuming. I do feel like he's going to make some mistakes with Will since he got powers, but we'll just have to wait and see...
TLDR; mike wheeler is Like That because he doesn't want to be his dad.
i've been using your skinny boyfriend as a bookmark lately when you're gone and Um well I hate to tell you this but he fell out of my book at the library and I can't find him
let me salad discourse for a second bc it is very sad and annoying that salad is considered a deprivation when it is so yummy and good and you can put whatever you want in there. it's a bowl full of cold veggies and also whatever you want and you can eat a big bowl of it and it can one hundo percent be full of only the delicious things you like but if you're a woman and you eat a salad ppl will be like oh you on a diet yeah I'm on the I love grape tomatoes by the kilo diet mind your business andrew
i really was hoping the pregnancy scare was just a red herring and a test of character for johnny. guess not...i don't understand the point tbh. what's a baby going to contribute to the story? a clean slate? bitch we did that in season 1 wasn't that the point? he literay could've just proposed.
also isn't johnny canonically in his late 50's? 😭 plus i'm pretty sure miguel's dad said him and carmen were practically miguel's age when she got pregnant so his mum's gotta be like 20 years younger but that's a whole other can of worms...
if they wanted to show that johnny's a standup guy and he's a changed man or whatever they could've just shown him work things out with his son. instead they literally had him be like "i have another kid coming figure out your issues already and stop fighting" bro you went to MEXICO for another kid meanwhile you were never there for your own son. robby has every right to hold a grudge cause any proper healing and atonement for being a shit father happened off screen.
it's pretty clear the writers didn't know what to do with johnny this season and wanted to hone in on his fatherhood while daniel took the spotlight (which is totally fine). but again come on, he's got enough going on between miguel, robby and oh right the goddamn karate war which is the backdrop for this entire show! they easily could've made the photo that slips out of his pocket in the last episode a pic of the diaz-lawrence family.
idk maybe i'm soulless or something cause i thought they were going to make her lose it or something. i couldn't understand how the writers thought it was a good idea. it gives the impression that a baby is needed to legitimise a relationship (again...just propose) but maybe i'm reaching. if the point is to show that he can be a good father and show up then for me it erases everything that's been established about second chances and forgiveness.
TLDR; the man is pushing 60 let him focus on his son/s, drink his Coors beer, teach karate with his frenemy, eat ham slice and lie. i don't want him to be too serious. johnny is the most entertaining when he gives bojack horseman anyway.
stormborns
jbbartram-illu
baratheonpilled
vaporwave
areudirty
yousharknotpass
blakekathryn
