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Creelby is the key to Byler Endgame... just not in the way you're thinking (what I'm calling #BobGate)

Part One: The Missing Puzzle Piece

*#ConformityGate Compliant*

**Heads up that if you notice changes, it's because I'm polishing/updating things as they come to me!**

OTHER THEORIES

**PUZZLEGATE: NETFLIX PUZZLED THEORIES MASTERPOST** **ASTROLOGY OF FEB. 17th HERE** [lol you can appreciate the storytelling but obv that theory didn't pan out] Happily Ever After Theory HERE The Thing Theory | The Original vs the Remake: Pt 1 | Pt 2

This is a BIG "hear me out" theory (then again, so was #conformitygate, and here we all are), but this is something so crazy it woke me up at the crack ass of dawn back on December 3rd.

Except as time has gone on, the evidence has been piling up in subtle ways I just need to get off my chest because I don't think these are just coincidences anymore.

People have grown to know and love Patty Newby in The First Shadow*, just as Henry Creel did. We've also seen undeniable Creelby/Byler parallels (check @miwiheroes' awesome analysis here).

*The prequel play was written by ST writer and Co-EP Kate Tefry; story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Tefry.

While I largely agree, what if like so many fakeouts/distorted details we've been noticing this season, "Patty" was created as one more *red* herring to protect an even bigger twist that's been foreshadowed since Season Two, and has slowly been creeping its way back into the story in S5?

What if the truth is that Henry's true love is someone who would not only genuinely surprise the audience, but whose reveal would completely change the way we view the show?

This season there's been a huge focus on puzzles, both within the show and in Netflix's promotion of ST5.

We've been asked by the story (and the show's creators) to look for the missing piece.

While I definitely believe Byler, Mike's unacknowledged queerness, and #birthdaygate are part of the puzzle (more on that later), there is a piece that's been there the whole time that we've been missing.

And that puzzle piece is the show's established master of puzzles...

...Bob "The Brain" Newby.

Before S5 dropped, the Duffer Brothers recommended we rewatch episodes from S2 and S4. Season 2 specifically because, per Matt Duffer:

Who was introduced in S2? Bob.

Now, I loved Bob as a character, but his introduction as Joyce's BF always seemed... kind of off to me? He was sweet, smart, but... normal. Unassuming. Not to mention Joyce never really seemed all that into their relationship.

Later, he'd try to help Will rid himself of his demons (to disastrous results), would crack the mystery of the tunnels, support Joyce through Will's possession by the MF, and finally, nobly sacrifice himself for Joyce and the others.

Immortalized as Bob Newby: Superhero.

And it seemed like that was that for Bob.

Except now, in S5, there've been details creeping into the season that have made me fondly think of him...

In Vol. 1/"Sorcerer", we see Mike trying to guide the kids to safety by getting to Radio Shack... which is where Bob used to work.

In Vol. 2, Dustin and Steve searched for "treasure" in the "dungeons" of Hawkins Lab....

Only to end up in the Rainbow Room, where Dustin and Steve find not treasure, but toys...

Including a Rubik's Cube that quickly gets dismissed as a --

But if it's such a piece of shit, why is there this lingering shot on the Rubik's Cube? Why did the Duffers post Dustin's Rubik’s Cube line on Day 1 of filming S5?

Well -- who do we recall being particularly skilled at brain teasers like Rubik's cubes?

Who else in the fandom is fondly remembered, but easily dismissed?

And then there was this last Easter egg, in what I'm calling the #fakeepilogue, that left me shook:

What's that, Lucas?

How about one more?

Sleeping with BOB???

And another one --

When did we hear something similar???

Bob Newby, once again at the scene of the crime...

And I think it's safe to say that not only have we found the X, but Bob is the X. The key to unlocking this whole thing.

Given Patty's name is on the poster for Joyce’s play in "Sorcerer", she's definitely part of the show's canon.

But is Patty actually who we think she is? Or is she, in the way Vecna's changed details in Holly's (and likely Mike's) memories, just another distortion within Vecna's own memories?

What if the person Henry fell for (and lost) in The First Shadow wasn't actually Patty at all?

What if Henry's great love was... Bob Newby?

And if so, what does their possibly failed love say about the outcome for Mike and Will?

I'm going to break my evidence for this theory into different posts under #BobGate (also #PuzzleGate), but if possible, let's keep this contained to Tumblr because I think there are folks who might care about being spoiled for what I think is going to be an amazing twist (if #conformitygate is in fact real. Again, more on that later...) **I haven't come across a theory like it, but in case someone else also had the thought -- lmk!

Creelby is the key to Byler Endgame... just not in the way you're thinking aka #BobGate

Part Two: Um... What About the Play?

This is the second part of my #BobGate theory that it's not Patty, but Bob Newby who Henry fell in love with (and lost) way back in 1959, as well as how this version of Creelby will be key to bringing Mike and Will together the way they were always meant to be.

CW: Suggestions of incest/CSA

**Heads up that if you notice changes, it's because I'm updating/editing things as they come to me!**

As of 1/17/26, I've finally gotten my hands on a TFS transcript from a May 2025 Broadway performance (thanks @whieen for sending it my way), so I'll start adding Bob x Henry proofs from the play in purple, so you know it was something I incorporated later.

And as of 1/24/26, I've *finally* seen the West End version of TFS! I will not disclose my source (you know who you are), but know I am very grateful and look forward to seeing it live when I get the chance. My point being that seeing it has only made me my belief in #Bobgate that much more unshakeable, and I will be updating my posts with the proofs in red.

As of 1/31, I've also watched the Broadway version, but I'll stick to the purple for any more additions I make to distinguish Broadway from West End.

But still, maybe my theory's got holes....Just like Season 5 (so far).

So much so that #PlayGate is making the rounds to explain why the "finale" -- which got a theatrical release and everything -- felt less like the end of the show and more like an elaborate, if not bizarre play being staged by Vecna.

On that note, let's go back to Ep. 7 -- specifically the scene where Max, El, and Kali go into Vecna's memories of the high school play put on in TFS. This is when many fans expected to finally see some of the events of TFS unfold, including meeting Patty Newby in-series.

Instead though, the girls end up in Joyce's trippy, creepy as all hell production of Dark of the Moon, lit with a lovely violet hue.

Why is that important?

This Twitter theory tied to #conformitygate does an excellent job connecting Dustin's S5E1 line about violet prismatic spray to the greater conspiracy of #conformitygate and Mike being trapped by Vecna in a seemingly happy ending that is actually Mike's own personal hell.

But in the M/E/K scene above, we also see violet being used in the context of the play -- as if the audience is being blinded to the memories associated with it.

Why is that?

While it could be that Henry's love for Patty is enough of a reveal to hold back for later, why the secrecy at this stage (no pun intended)? Especially when fans know about Patty already? Well, because the writers of the show don't want to do what's expected.

And the truth would completely revolutionize the show and how we've seen it these last ten years.

Like Joyce said in TFS: "If we pull this off, this will change everything [...] This is a revolution."

Even more so because the truth? He's been in plain sight the whole time: Bob Newby.

First, there's the obvious connection to Creelby (as we currently know it): Bob is Patty's brother.

But even then, Patty's origins in the play are unclear. All we know for sure is that Bob's dad, Principal Newby (more on him in a min), adopted her and raised her as his daughter.

How do Henry and Patty first connect?

The West End version does it with Henry psychically connecting to Patty's radio (she hears him). They also share a love for comic books, which she steals from her brother Bob and gets reprimanded by their father for enjoying.

The Broadway version has them bonding over codes and ciphers aka puzzles, which led to Henry winning his Captain Midnight-themed radio as a kid.

As they get to know each other more, they bond over their shared status as outcasts. Patty, again, not knowing her origins, says the following about herself:

Patty: "[...] I hate standing up there with the girls. And they’re all so pretty, and normal, and I’m just some… mystery meat."

Then Henry pivots the conversation:

Henry: "Well maybe you have a superpower too." Patty: "What?" Henry: "Clark Kent was an orphan, and, so was Batman and Robin--" Patty: "And Wonder Woman was sculpted out of clay!" Henry: "Having no parents is basically a prerequisite to being --" Henry/Patty: "A SUPERHERO!"

Who is also known to share these interests? Who's best known as a "superhero"?

We know via S2 of ST (thanks to Mike) that Bob was the founder of Hawkins' Middle AV Club. In TFS, Bob spends the play hosting his own radio show 103.5 WBOB (take that WSQK!) and investigating the animal deaths caused by Henry. He eventually is able to trace the radio signal linked to those deaths to the Creel House (any #signalgate truthers out there?).

In fact, per the transcript I read, Bob is *the first person* Henry hears when he turns on his radio in Hawkins (even if Henry quickly turns the dial).

In the West End version, Bob begins to play a love song dedicated to Ted Wheeler right as Henry is introduced in the play. [In both versions, Bob is the host of his own radio show.]

Here's the rest of the TFS "cast" --

Notice the colors for Henry and Bob??? Blue and yellow. Meanwhile, Patty is red (hold onto that).

And Joyce? Placed in between Henry and Bob. Who becomes Bob's love interest later, therefore creating a love triangle?

So why "Patty"?

Let's be honest with ourselves here -- as popular as Byler is as a ship, the GA still views it as a fringe theory, despite the enormous amount of evidence over the seasons to the contrary.

Despite it being 2026 now, depicting a queer love story at the center of a mainstream media giant is pretty much unheard of (though Heated Rivalry just changed that!!)

Why? Homophobia (at worst) and heteronormativity (at best). (Thanks to @thebestofmyrmidons who wrote a great meta re: the latter)

If it'd been revealed via a prequel play that ST's main villain Henry Creel/One/Vecna had a gay high school romance with fucking Bob Newby?? Forget it, it even sounds crazy typed out.

In fact, the play itself wants the audience to think it's crazy to even see Bob Newby as a suitor for anyone, let alone Henry:

Sue (Lucas' mom) introduces Henry to Bob as "poor Bob" who's "hopelessly in love with Joyce," to which Bob responds: "That's not accurate. It's not hopeless." (Is that the detail that's not accurate, Bob?)

There's moments of comic relief at Bob's expense over not being "sexy" or "scary" enough, then is explicitly told, “Whatever you do, don’t be sexy. Don’t be scary.”

When investigating the animal death with Bob, Hopper makes this innuendo: “No one’s going to get your gadget wet, Bob.”

But the story of TFS, and the central question of Joyce's play ("can love defeat fear?") seems pretty damn relevant to the themes of our show and presenting two versions of how the series can potentially end: with a "sad ending" or a "gay ending".

Which is why instead of Bob explicitly playing Henry's love interest in the play, the audience of TFS (like the ST audience) is also being tricked by Vecna the ST creators.

They are merely witnessing the Creelby love story with a more palatable "understudy" -- a sister for Bob. More importantly, a girl.

Someone who could deliver the message and the tragedy of doomed love without spoiling the major twist of the series.

Even Bob approves.

In fact, in the West End version of the play, Bob encourages Patty to play Barbara Allen (under blue lights, fyi). Meanwhile Patty is anxious about the idea due to the play's sensuality:

Patty: "It's all about sex. It's bad." Bob: "Is this about the play or is this about the boy? [...] It's okay. I saw it. We alllll saw it." Patty: "It's not about [Henry]. It's about dad."

Bob presses on:

Bob: "I've got a plan for that. We can cover for each other." Patty: "Stop saying "we". It's not the same for me."

Note that even though Patty is a girl, she's canonically mixed race -- there is still some taboo and transgressiveness to her interracial relationship with Henry. While it shouldn't be "shocking" for the audience watching now, it definitely would've been a "no-no" within the setting of the play -- 1950s Indiana (it's shown to still be an issue in 1980s Hawkins via Lumax/Billy).

In fact, when Henry and Patty share a kiss at Melvald's (with a bunch of other teen couples dancing intimately on the dance floor, and the Wheelers straight-up making out), Melvald himself calls them out (even though he should be more worried about the power surge that caused the light bulbs to shatter...):

"What the hell? Hey! This is a family establishment! Take that onto the street!"

Why such a rebuke? Why treat a relatively chaste kiss as if it were something more perverse? Especially when other *heterosexual* couples were doing the same thing.

After Henry and Patty are kicked out of Melvald's, Joyce comes to their defense before turning to Bob and telling him he must want to kill Henry for kissing his sister:

Bob: “No, I like to think there is someone out there for everybody.” Joyce: “Bob, I didn’t know you were such a romantic.” [Again, Bob is ruled as impossible to view in a romantic light.] Bob: “Maybe I’m just a sucker for good casting.”

Speaking of good casting, when it's opening night for Joyce's play and Henry is a no-show, Bob has to understudy for Henry, only further affirming the idea that within the context of TFS it's very easy for parts to be recast at a moment's notice.

However, that means Bob has to play the romantic lead opposite his own sister. The potential incest is played off for humor, but could the creators of the show be suggesting that (in the eyes of the GA) the notion of opposite-sex siblings kissing has the same shock value as two non-related boys kissing?

The incestuous vibes don't cease though. Meet "Father" Newby.

That was the original name for Robert Newby aka Bob and Patty's father, to indicate that he was a pastor.

Per the ST Wiki, some rewrites of the play led to Father Newby going from pastor to high school principal, although he's shown to be heavily involved with the local church.

Being the high school principal definitely makes more sense in the context of the play, given the setting. But had "Principal Newby" stayed a pastor, perhaps the religious implications of "Patty" and Henry's relationship would've been more obvious.

In either case, Bob's dad symbolizes a figure of authority not just within the home, but also within their community. Someone both untouchable, but highly prone to scrutiny in a small town.

When it comes to Patty and her father's relationship, the central conflict between them is the scandal attached to her presence in the home due to her uncertain origins (multiple theories are presented including her being found in a dumpster, the "girl from nowhere"). And there is also disapproval over Patty's relationship with Henry -- any relationship with boys for that matter.

Principal Newby: "There can be no gossip. Not about boys. Not with you." He eventually grabs her by the arm rather roughly.

Now, if you substitute Patty for Bob, do you see why "gossip about boys" might cause a scandal for the Newbys?

Here's another moment, when Victor Creel announces Patty and Henry's relationship during a town meeting:

Victor: "[...] Henry's a good kid. And he's changed so much since they got together. It's Virginia... What?" Principal Newby: "Since who got together?" Victor: "My son... and your daughter." The room reacts to this information: Some with shock, others amused. Newby: "My daughter? You're confused, Mr. Creel."

When Sue Anderson (Lucas' mom) shows Henry around, she divides the school into three categories of people: "You've got your creeps, you've got your children, and you've got your morons."

Which camp do we think Principal Newby falls into?

In the Broadway version of TFS, our introduction of Principal Newby is him simultaneously scolding and sexualizing his daughter for wearing lipstick. He tells Bob to "clean up [his] sister so she isn't photographed looking like a streetwalker."

In the West End version it's when Patty is caught with Bob's comics. Principal Newby calls it "degenerate trash" and deems her consumption of them something she'll need to pray over... She ends up praying to Wonder Woman (more on this in Part Thirteen).

In this same production, after Patty calls out Walter Henderson for bullying Henry, Principal Newby sends his daughter to his office... I'll let you read between the lines there.

What else could there be to the dynamic Bob has with the authoritative father he shares a name with?

This is Bob, when his Directional Antenna Device (D.A.D.) goes haywire:

Bob: "I'm having D.A.D. issues back here! Is anyone having dad issues over there?"

And then later, when Bob and Patty are in the hospital after Henry's attack on Principal Newby:

Patty: "Robert, give me your burger." Bob: "Don't call me Robert."

This in addition to the more explicit suggestions of incest in the Newby family (albeit between Patty and Bob) also makes @aemiron-main's reading of Bob and his father's relationship as abusive and incestuous that much more legitimate, but horrifying if true.

(Skip to Parts Four and Ten if you want the full reading)

"You're not a mistake, you're a miracle."

Found another parallel that was brought to my attention thanks to @dearest-loveliest-elizabeth (and @miwiheroes once again!)

At the end of TFS, Bob delivers this message to his audience:

OP then goes on to compare this lovely moment to these moments featuring our canonically queer characters on the show:

Who says something near-identical to Henry in TFS???

HMMM...

Now, circling back to the play -- the one being put on by Vecna the show's creators -- well if we really want to get meta about it, if #BobGate is correct, then it means the story of TFS is not just the Duffers' way of tricking the audience, it's Vecna's way of tricking himself -- of obscuring more truths about himself than the ones hidden in the cave...

Sound familiar?

Stay tuned for Part 3 (now up!) where I finally get to the Byler of it all and how Bob and Mike aren't all that different.

Disclaimer: I'm going to break my evidence for this theory into different posts under #BobGate (also #PuzzleGate), but if possible, let's keep this contained to Tumblr because I think there are folks who might care about being spoiled for what I think is going to be an amazing twist (if #conformitygate is in fact real) **I haven't come across a theory like it, but in case someone else also had the thought -- lmk!

Creelby is the key to Byler Endgame... just not in the way you're thinking aka #BobGate

Part Nine: Mike the Brave... or Mike the Coward? (2/2)

**Heads up that if you notice changes, it's because I'm updating/polishing things as they come to me!

Now, this part mostly veers away from the Bob of it all, but it comes back to him, I swear! But also, I'm probably going to retread some Byler ground, so pls lmk if I'm repeating anyone's ideas without due credit! With that said --

This tweet perfectly encapsulates Mike and Will's problems.

Lol, if you read the last post about Mike and how his passing as straight is both a privilege and a curse for him, then you know that as much as Will loves Mike, he's also the leader of the "Mike Is Straight" Party (some ppl just loooove to act against their own interests).

And what color is Will wearing in these scenes??? Conformity Orange strikes again!!!

But it's not all Will's fault.

Mike is so repressed, throughout the show, but especially in S5 --

-- that Will has no reason to have genuine hope his feelings are returned. He must assume that Mike is straight and could never feel the same way because Mike gives him near nothing to work with (though #MWTFDYDgate could prove me wrong there).

Mike is so damn repressed that, like with Bob (via Henry technically), his emotional arc had to be handed over to his sister for most of the season:

Max gets it. So does @bylerswheel, who pointed out the repeated use of the "sibling swap" trope on ST (thank you)!

In the first episode of S5, Mike is a good brother and asks Holly if she's in trouble again because of Mr. Whatsit (aka Henry/Vecna/One).

Holly responds that "he was only trying to protect [her]" from the monsters in Hawkins, who go after "kids like [her]."

Mike, meaning well, responds with a lie: "Monsters aren't real." And Holly is smart enough not to believe him.

So Mike pivots and opens up to Holly about his own vulnerabilities (the only time he does so this season, I think): He gets scared sometimes too.

But when he does, he turns to his DnD persona: "Mike the Brave".

Mike then presents his sister with her own figurine: "Holly the Heroic." A cleric with divine powers and even the ability to cast dimension doors (hold that thought).

He tells her to turn to HtH instead of Mr. Whatsit the next time she's scared.

And throughout S5, Holly does exactly that -- turning to HtH when she's scared of going through the woods (which leads her to Max), and despite beating herself up about freezing when Karen was attacked, and then Max by Vecna -- Holly discovers an inner strength and bravery that allows her to find her way out of Camozotz (even if that freedom is short-lived).

And it doesn't go away: Even when she's back at Creel House, pressured and eventually attacked by her peers when she refuses to yield to Mr. Whatsit's plans for them, Holly has the courage and conviction to stick to what she knows to be true. She shows true heroism, even in the face of defeat.

Another significant Holly moment: Her ingenious discovery of Henry's cave via telescope lens cap/map.

Remember that.

It's in this cave that Holly and Max come across the memory Henry himself was too scared to venture into (an event alluded to in TFS, btw).

And it's in that cave that she and Max ultimately find their way out of Camazotz.

Now, back to Mike and Will --

And some Byler color theory!

Byler fans have known for a while now that when Mike and Will are experiencing tension, their usual colors of blue (moody, deep for Mike) and yellow (cheery, light for Will) tend to be flipped.

But correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation. When Mike and Will are in the other's color, it's almost as if those colors make them OOC, or at least bring out the ugly parts of themselves.

While Will being "blue" while in blue is the most obvious interpretation, I've seen Will wear it when he's either feeling forgotten (#birthdaygate ftw) or losing his sense of self vis a vis the Mind Flayer.

As for Mike in yellow: You know how BTTF has been used as a repeated reference on the show? Well, what was Marty's 'fatal flaw'?What did he absolutely hate be called?

Yellow-belly, chicken... both synonyms for coward.

Which is exactly what Mike becomes whenever he wears it. It's why we can't stand him in S3 and 4, when he's most yellow-bellied. So not Mike the Brave.

And though he grows up between S4 and 5, like I pointed out in the last post, Mike has made the conscious decision to stay in the closet and "blend in" under the false assumption he's doing the noble thing.

But then, something happens that he doesn't see coming --

Will comes out to the entire Party.

From Mike's POV, this must be huge.

Not just because it's Will, but because Will was brave enough to voice something that Mike himself never dared utter aloud. That is, unless you count the rain fight --

-- Which Will in a way turns back on Mike during his coming out. He echoes Mike's own words about "not liking girls".

Words that were just as likely a projection as a condemnation.

And although it should feel like a triumphant moment for Will -- it feels painful, and rushed, and desperate, with Will trying to prove to the Party that he's "just like [them]" (again, while wearing Conformity Orange).

And when Will finally shares that he had feelings for a boy, he never goes as far as confessing that boy is Mike. That is the one secret he still holds to his chest.

He only refers to Mike as his "Tammy" -- not because he's over Mike, but because, as Will says, "I know they're not like me."

And then, Will proceeds to list all the ways he knows being openly gay could hurt him in the long run. Even though Will's accepted himself, we realize he is only coming out because he fears Vecna will use his secrets against him and lose everything/everyone he loves in the process.

Will voices his fears of a future where he pushes his loved ones away, or they just "drift apart more and more and more," but given Mike's face when he says that, it seems Mike's realized that's exactly what he's been doing to Will.

Here we have Mike wearing camo green (blue + yellow together) again. Still opting to "blend in" with the other straight members of the Core Four as Will spills his guts.

Will also makes clear in that scene that he *now* knows Mike isn't "like [him]", even if he'd held onto hope before this. [Whether Mike is aware he is "Tammy" or not is beside the point.]

It's yet another reminder to Mike that he does and could continue to pass for straight if he so desired.

Which is exactly what he does during the (now infamous) radio tower scene:

Lol, this sooo Heated Rivalry-coded.

In this intimate moment between them, with Mike sharing his water with Will, Mike's flustered, but sweet rambling, and Will's newfound confidence, Mike has the chance to confess to Will... and doesn't.

Instead of telling Will the truth, Mike continues to play the part of "straight" and presents himself as an ally rather than as a contender for Will's heart.

Rather than seizing an opportunity, Mike chickens out.

*Cue Steve's rubber chicken!*

He settles for being not just friends, but "best friends" with Will... but the label's never felt more hollow.

(Mind you, delivered with such cheesiness I almost had to turn off the episode. Because it felt so wrong.)

Now, this show is run by two (straight??) white men. Now, they could be writing a "woe is me, straight-passing white men can be oppressed too" kind of story, but I don't think that's it.

I think what the Duffer Brothers are ultimately trying to point out with Mike is that, even with all the privilege afforded to him,

Even for all his soapboxing about being better than the "mouth breathers",

Even when he now knows for a fact it'd be safe for him to come out to the Party,

Even when he's seen Will take time away from the mission to come out because it's that important,

Even when Mike is supposedly the "brave" one of the group,

Mike (once again) gives in to cowardice and makes the conscious decision to remain within the supposed safety of the closet.

Mike chooses the option that is --

-- And completely betrays his principles, himself, and the people he loves in one fell swoop.

Like Henry and Bob before him, Mike lets fear win.

Only, instead of being too scared to venture into the cave, Mike is still too scared to come out of the closet.

And I think this moment -- his choice to leave his true feelings unvoiced and continue the lie that he and Will are "just friends" (albeit best friends) -- is the catalyst for Mike being Vecna'd.

After all, it's not too long after that that Steve falls off the tower and the screen suspiciously cuts to black for several seconds. It's here I'm guessing that Mike's Vecna Vision begins, making the rest of Ep8 "fake." (which would technically mean Steve's fate is still unknown, yikes)

By the time the dust has supposedly settled and we're in the #ConformityEpilogue, Fake!Hopper has a heart-to-heart with Mike that sounds rather familiar:

"You got two roads ahead of you. You got one road where you keep blaming yourself for what happened. You keep going over it in your head, what you could have done differently. You push people away, and you suffer, because that's what you think you deserve... And then there's another road, where you try to accept what happened... You just accept it. And you live the best goddamn life you can."

Although Hopper's advice seems sound (like Bob's to Will in S2), others have pointed out that it eerily echoes characters who were under Vecna's curse:

Will when he's coming out

Nancy when their parents are attacked

Max when she thinks there's no way out of Camazotz

Regardless, Mike seemingly picks a road. Per Mike's DnD campaign, the story ends in "comfort and happiness".

An "easy" ending. One where Mike, rather than facing his fears of coming out, decided to conform like everyone else, stay in the closet, and never confess his true feelings for Will.

A world where he looks more and more like his father...

Henry...

Bob...

An ending where Mike is safe, but stuck with his own worst enemy --

HIMSELF.

Still bottling everything up. Still stuck in the basement of his childhood, and later -- per his own self-written epilogue -- his yellow dorm room, staring at the painting made by the boy he loves but was too cowardly to love out loud.

One where he's writing about the adventures he used to have with his friends, believing that things are back to "normal" and that the magic's up and gone.

Completely ignorant to the fact that he's still in serious peril and that now more than ever, he needs to fight.

Because Mike doesn't (yet) know that it was all an illusion. The two roads were always going lead to the same place... X.

X is conformity and conformity is ultimately a lie.

It's a one-size fits none option for those who aren't brave enough to dig deeper, to find out what makes them different, to look within, and emerge as the person they truly are. It's the safe choice. The "easy-peasy" choice.

Rewatching S4, this particular dialogue stood out. For context, it's the scene where Nancy and Robin visit Pennhurst Mental Hospital to speak to Victor Creel:

Robin re: the patients: “Can’t they just escape?” Hatch (the Warden): “They could. But the vast majority choose to be here. They like it here.”

But, as Jonathan once said: "Nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in this world."

And if we want a better world that doesn't feel like the Upside Down (which, let's face it...), we're being asked to be brave enough to live in this world not just as individuals, but as our truest selves. To dare to not be normal.

Even if we run the risk of losing, it's better to fight for love than to surrender to fear and conform and lose something far greater.

But maybe, just maybe, like the ending of Mike's #ConformityEpilogue DnD campaign, there's one last failsafe -- still another way out.

Maybe it's not a road, but a third door that Mike needs to find.

Will our Mage play a role in that? A 'heroic' Cleric who can cast dimension doors? The love of a Sorcerer? Only time will tell (in more ways than one lol)

And I believe, in Mike's case, when he finally follows his own advice, he'll substitute X for M --

MIKE THE BRAVE --

And find a different answer. A different ending to the song. One that's true.

Going back to where we started -- @miwiheroes' Creelby/Byler analysis:

It's clear by now that the song is not yet over. But what will that song be?

A sad one? Or a gay one?

Although I can't say for certain, I believe that Mike will find his way out of Vecna's curse and finally be brave enough to confront his own cowardice and break down not just the walls of the closet, but the ones around himself.

And with it, finally be able to love (and be loved) the way he was always meant to.

After all, Holly has great theories...

But I'll throw in just one more crazy theory before I close this out --

This shot was from the infamous S5Ep8 credits. A DnD record sheet.

But look a little closer?

"Rob the Relentless" -- a great name for a paladin... and a superhero.

I feel like Mike in the Fake!Epilogue theorizing what really happened to El because I'm choosing to believe that Bob Newby's story, like Mike's and the rest of the Party's, isn't done.

In the words of Mike Wheeler, "I have no idea what's gonna happen next..."

All I know is the Duffer Brothers better have Ep 9 on our TV screens by EOD tomorrow (kidding, kidding, but also dear god please). Whether Bob is the final puzzle piece or not, it's been a ride working on #Bobgate.

~~~

Update (1/12): Well, that didn't happen, but we are still riding the #conformitygate bus! I was going to go into why it's so significant that Sean Astin in particular was cast as Bob and how the Duffer Brothers may be using the Creelby/Byler parallels to subvert and correct the sins of the 80s "ambiguously gay duo" trope.

But then I heard the call of clowns and birthdays.

Stay tuned.

Disclaimer: I'm going to break my evidence for this theory into different posts under #BobGate (also #PuzzleGate), but if possible, let's keep this contained to Tumblr because I think there are folks who might care about being spoiled for what I think is going to be an amazing twist (if #conformitygate is in fact real). I haven't come across a theory like it yet, but in case someone else also had the thought -- lmk!

Creelby is the key to Byler Endgame... just not in the way you're thinking aka #BobGate

Part Three: Mike Wheeler is the Bob to Will's Henry

This is the third part of my theory that presumes the events of The First Shadow are actually a distortion of Henry's memories -- a falsehood like the ST "finale" -- and that Bob Newby (not Patty) was the one Henry really fell in love with in 1959.

Like I established in those previous posts (Parts One and Two linked above), if #Conformitygate is real (which it's looking like it might be), then the Bob reveal will be the missing puzzle piece that will be key to righting the wrongs of The First Shadow.

**Heads up that if you notice changes, it's because I'm updating/editing things as they come to me!**

So, what does Henry x (Bob) Newby have to do with Will x Mike?

Again, @miwiheroes' awesome analysis here, among several other Creelby theories, presents clear parallels between Creelby and Byler.

Back in December, this Rolling Stones article confirmed those suspicions.

With that in mind -- TFS is a tragic love story that simultaneously presents that possibility that, although Henry and "Patty" were doomed, Will and Mike might not be. That, if "the song is sung all the way through" the "sad song" might become a "gay" one and love can defeat fear.

But if Bob is in fact the correct Newby in Creelby, then that is just one more thing the two relationships would have in common.

Before I speculate what the endgame might be for both Byler and Creelby, I want to address the connections that were too obvious to deny in S5 of Stranger Things... those between Mike Wheeler and Bob Newby.

Even though Bob's stint on Stranger Things was brief, much of his screen time was spent with Mike and Will -- taking on a paternal role for the latter, and inspirational one for the former.

Mike is shown throughout the season to look up to Bob. He's the first one to eulogize him after his untimely death in S2.

That being said --

Mike is Bob.

In Part One of my theory, I discussed three subtle clues in each Volume of ST5 (so far) that tied back to Bob Newby. But, they're also clues connected to Mike.

Mike comes up with the plan to sneak Will, Joyce, and the kids through the tunnels under the Radio Shack (Bob's old workplace).

Mike was the one who picks up Bob's (blue!!!) Rubik's cube in S2, and he's also the one who reveals to the Party that not only did Bob found the Hawkins AV Club, but he also "taught Mr. Clarke everything he knows". Who also happened to be President of Hawkins' Middle AV Club? Mike.

And then there's those damn vampire teeth Mike wears in the Fake!Epilogue (which gave everyone the ick except for Will probably)

If that weren't enough, here are more Mike/Bob parallels:

Both are major brains/nerds

Mike is the Party's lead strategist and problem solver, while Bob was the one who figured out Will's drawings were a map of Hawkins (first realization was Lover’s Lake lol, where my #LoversLakeGate truthers at?) Also, both of them are into movies/comics.

*Note the blue and yellow brain teasers Bob is holding.

Both are self-described outcasts

The parallels become obvious in Part Five.

Both have a superhero complex

Mike aka the Paladin of the Party and Bob Newby, Superhero

But although they're self-labelled as such (and Bob is much more self-effacing about it), they both express their awareness and discomfort with their own helplessness in the face of conflict. They also openly show their admiration for their *female* love interests who are by comparison the "real" superheroes... as if trying to harness that "super" quality for themselves. [Again, in Part Five this parallel becomes really obvious].

Speaking of female love interests...

That Joyce eventually adopts El as her own (and gives her the same haircut) is parallel enough as is, but both Mike and Bob talk about how they felt out of their respective girlfriend's league, due to their own status as a nerd.

Their status as significant other to a strong, powerful woman is something that brings Mike and Bob some discomfort, but also a sense of validation... Which makes sense when you both might be outcasts who are deep in the closet.

Finally, both Mike and Bob are associated with being "normal".

Remember this scene (below) between Jonathan and Will? Jonathan shows his disdain for the "normal" label and encourages Will to embrace his differences -- to embrace being a freak rather than being like everyone else. Jonathan then asks music-loving Will:

And who walks in right after???

BOB NEWBY -- once again at the scene of the crime, the butt of the joke, and the symbol of "normalcy" and conformity...

Bob loves Kenny Rogers, and who's the other choice presented as the opposite?

David Bowie: Music legend, queer icon, singer of Byler hymn "Heroes", and Mike Wheeler's hair muse...

...Only we learn from Max that Mike was talked out of it because he'd be at risk of humiliation if he went through with it. [what else did Mike talk himself out of for the sake of fitting in, I wonder?]

And speaking of Mike -- in the first episode of S4, we see Mike reveling in his outward nonconformity as a member of the Hellfire Club. But Eddie goes out of his way to remind Mike that when they met, he was wearing whatever normie brand his mom put him in (sorry Gap, love u).

And fyi, Mike goes right back to wearing those types of clothes in S5 [more on that in Part Eight].

Yet Finn has said several times that in Seasons 3 and 4 especially, Mike is just trying to be "normal".

Why? Why are both of them trying so hard to project the image of "normalcy"?? What is that image hiding?

Before we go further, we need to acknowledge the elephant in the room -- Patty.

Per the poster Max finds in Henry's memories, she seems to exist. In Part Two of the Puzzlegate theory, I go into why Patty's role in TFS might be a distortion of Henry's memories.

But if this theory that Patty = Bob is even right, then we still don't know what really went down between Bob and Henry, and how Patty plays into the truth*. [Check out Part Fifteen, Sixteen, and the Pagliacci section in Part Ten.]

What we do know is that Patty is Bob's sister. And whose sister now plays a crucial role for Byler's story in S5?

I want to bring up a line said by Bob Newby's father Robert in the West End version of TFS: "Robert, get off the radio. Help your sister get to school."

Who do we see taking their sister to school at the top of S5??? (Playing the radio, mind you)

(Along with their totally platonic bff...)

Right...

This is a reach now, but some have already stated that they think the Care Bears are linked to Mike and Will (peep the cast's Care Bears), while Rainbow Brite is Holly, and how the three will be significant to the conclusion of S5.

But something tells me this Rainbow Brite puzzle might be applicable to more than one "rainbow" (read: gay) pairing (and their sister) in ST.

After all, who else is strongly associated with rainbows in this series?

And where was the Rubik's cube (a symbol associated with Bob) found in Vol 5?

Rightttt....

So, with the parallels between Mike/Bob and Creelby/Byler established, I want to dive into how Bob's life (and decision to be "normal") bodes for Mike's future...

... And how we've kind of already seen it in the #ConformityEpilogue.

Onto Part 4 where I begin a deep dive into Bob Newby's S2 journey and how the truth (and the lie) was in our faces the whole damn time!

**I haven't come across a theory like it, but in case someone else also had the thought -- lmk!