#messenger robin

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something people need to understand is that will loves selflessly.

the painting wasn’t a confession that demanded a response, it was an expression of love and admiration extended as an olive branch. will wasn’t trying to flirt with mike when he shoved him, that was just his flustered, affectionate response to mike whispering nerdy sweet nothings about magic and wizards.

will loves so completely and painfully and all he asks for in return is friendship. he expects nothing.

Couldn't have said it before myself 🙂‍↕️

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How do we know Byler isn’t just another queerbait like Johnlock?

Because unlike Johnlock, the writers and show are not being terribly mean spirited towards its own audience, or using queerness as the punchline of a joke.

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In a perfect world, how would you set up and execute canon byler?

Mike and El would have stayed broken up after season 3, the Byers wouldn't leave Hawkins, and we would have time to explore their mutual feelings and relationship to sexuality as an actual slow burn and not as a plot twist.

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Why do you think Vecna is touching/cradling Will's face with his normal hand? I've been going crazy over it ngl

I think Vecna sees Will as a precious object to him. It's like Gollum cradling the Ring in his hands. That would be the in-universe explanation anyways.

The more meta/thematic explanation is that Vecna is meant to be seen as predatory towards Will. If we are following along with stories like Dracula/Nosferatu/Phantom, then Vecna is meant to fill the role of the evil and toxic supernatural boyfriend.

TW: Mentions of SA below cut

Now obviously the show is not going literal with this. Even if Vecna represents these things, he isn't literally a pedophile and he isn't attracted to Will. Unlike the other stories that I mentioned above, he is interested in Will for his power, not for sex (although his power is definitely representative of his sexuality). Even if Vecna shoving a vine down Will's throat can be seen as SA, he doesn't do so out of sexual gratification but most likely as a means to gain connect him to the hivemind and gain his powers.

Even if Vecna isn't a literal sexual predator, I do think that viewing him through this metaphorical lens is important and intentional. Like I indicated earlier, Will's sexuality is metaphorically tied to his powers. Vecna acting as this predatory antagonist is meant to help Will embrace and gain autonomy over his sexuality/powers.

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Unpopular Mike Wheeler Opinions

Sabrina Carpenter voice: Oh boy.

I think I'm gonna do rapid fire for this one.

Mike is not suicidally depressed. Mike did not try to off himself in season one. Mike is not a feminine twink. Mike is not a submissive bottom. Mike will not be Vecna'd. Mike's coming out and exploration of sexuality is and should not be prioritized over Will's. Mike is at his best when he is supportive to other characters. Mike's connection to the supernatural is purely through his connection to other characters. Mike does not need saving by other characters (especially Will). Mike's family is not awful to him. Mike deeply cares about El and not just as a means to save Will. Mike does not have a conscious crush on other guys as he probably does not have a conscious knowledge of his sexuality yet. Mike Wheeler would not wear black nail polish.

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What episode do you think M11 will break up

tbh I'm not sure if there will be any clear and direct break up. I think Mike and El will have a chat about how Mike doesn't have to worry about El anymore and that she'll be okay on her own and then El fucks off with Kali before the epilogue

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“Within the canon of the show, Mike is straight. None of Mike's shitty behavior can be hand waved with the internalized homophobia excuse anymore. Why should Will spend all of his days continuing to pine over a straight man who treated him poorly? That sounds terrible for Will.”

I mean I don’t think that’s true. Did Mike say he was straight in the show? I think you can still explain Mike’s behavior with internalized homophobia even with Ep7 and 8. I don’t see Will as actually believing Mike is his “Tammy.” He’s just trying to convince himself of this, but I still think he’s in love with Mike. I think one could potentially read Mike as bi, but I think that Mike’s actual sexuality is still really ambiguous and that he’s not “canonically straight.” I don’t think Mike really treated Will all that poorly either. And Mike is still his best friend, while Chance is an actual bully, so Chance is objectively a worse person.

Ofc you can ship what you want, but you shouldn’t be surprised by Bylers who are very against the concept and always will be against the concept. I’m aware of the enemies to lovers trope but I’m not a big fan of it (friends to lovers all the way) and just don’t see Will going for a bully in any way. I also just can’t picture Will being in love with anyone other than Mike. The only ex-Bylers who can easily shift to something like Bychance are those who only liked Byler for Will and never cared about Mike at all

Personal interpretation and death-of-the-author readings of canon aside, you cannot possibly still think that the Duffers intended for Mike to be anything but straight. But like I said, feel free to do what you want with fanon.

You chastise byler fans who only like the ship for one character and not the other, and yet you prefer a version of the narrative where Will is never able to get over someone who doesn't like him back. Why is that? It sure sounds like to me that you prefer what byler can do for one character over another 🤔

It's also possible to hold different versions of canon and fanon in your head at the same time. I still like a version of byler that exists in my head where things went differently, and I also like a post-canon version of events where Will is with Chance. And I also like Will's epilogue bf.

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Please help a girl out... How was sorcerer hammering it in? It still feels very much unsure especially because of that Tammy bit. Like am I dense or something lol

My guy... they were flirting an episode after Robin was telling Will how to tell if someone liked you. Robin clocked them. The swingset flashback was included in the montage of memories that helped Will tap into his powers. Mike was looking at him with love and wonder. And we have four episodes left. The Tammy thing is a misdirect. It was important that Will accept himself first before they become a thing.