extras SIGN NDAS too so even though they might be privy to certain details, they CANNOT spoil major plot points they might become aware of.
like, yes, vecna's plotline was pieced together by people on reddit pre-s4, but did will's painting get leaked? did mike's speech to will in ep4? did max's vecna mindscape scene? did steve's confession to nancy? did joyce's encounter with hopper?
like shawn levy said, THIS is the heart of the show, and likely what they will protect with their LIVES when it comes to leaks.
something as HUGE as bychance would be protected af bc honestly if any somewhat reliable leaker as much as HINTED at bychance happening? that'd validate our theories preemptively and get a bunch of fans looking into this and connecting it to birthdaygate and god knows what else. It validates a lot of "delusional" takes that the creators are likely hoping only a very small portion of the fandom picks up on.
Yes, I understand this sounds like a full blown conspiracy theory but it is way too tied to the actual larger portions of the show. It's not about "will has a bf/love interest in S5!" it's what that dynamic is connected to.
just a joke -1
MAY 9 - "it's just a crack ship that bored bylers turned into a theory."
MAY 11 - "It's an inside joke"
MAY 22 - "It's ... still just a joke."
JUN 15 - "bychance annoys me!"
meta & screentime -1
MAY 11 - "Hunter doesn't follow any of the actors."
MAY 12 - "Not enough time for Bychance."
MAY 12 - "Bychance would replace byler"
JUN 14 - "All Minou does is lie."
JUN 23 - "Hunter doesn't have big roles."
JUN 26 - "On Mileven's makeout scene leaks."
age gap -1
MAY 11 - “would the Duffers retcon his age?”
ooc of Will -1
MAY 12 - "Will wouldn't randomly date a jock."
MAY 12 - "Chance and Will together makes no sense."
MAY 28 - "Doubt Will would date someone who did horrible things."
"bychance clues" could mean something else -1
MAY 20 - "Will, Chance and deer"
MAY 27 - "Deer could just mean Chance is a 'hunter' after Will and his friends."
JUN 26 - "Interview with the Vampire = Wiseone"
SEPT 11 - "Robin as the fake love interest + Wiseone being Bychance."
sounds like fanfic -1
MAY 12 - "Bychance = craziest plot twist"
MAY 13 - "Bychance = Creelarke"
MAY 13 - "Will killing Chance?"
MAY 21 - "Mike's reaction to Bychance ..."
MAY 22 - "Bychance & the shadow self"
MAY 28 - "more Bychance = Wiseone vibes"
JUN 6 - "Bychance as ... what?"
JUN 17 - "Chance will chicken out"
JUN 26 - "Condescending Chance."
AUG 8 - "Chance would be perfect."
SEP 16 - “Chance leaves a note in his locker.”
compatibility with the show’s cyclical nature & coming-of-age themes +1
APR 18 - "Bychance introduction"
APR 19 - "Will rejecting a girl could be foreshadowing."
MAY 2 - "Chance as an unredeemable bully."
MAY 12 - "Mike catching Bychance."
MAY 13 - "Mike catching Bychance & the meta."
MAY 13 - "Bychance + Will's growth."
MAY 13 - "Emotional support after the war."
JUN 4 - "Heroes starting in the RSU."
JUL 10 - "No, it wouldn't confuse the GA."
age gap unconfirmed +1
MAY 12 - "On people being mean."
MAY 22 - "Is it REALLY that big a deal?"
ooc of Will precisely why it might happen +1
MAR 25 - "Will's compound trauma."
JUN 7 - "Maybe ask yourself WHY."
it sounding like fanfic might kinda be the point ...? +1
SEP 17 - "dream-like fairytale logic"
fandom’s response +1
MAY 13 - "Please don't disrupt my OTP."
MAY 13 - "Baffled anon."
MAY 27 - "We're literally just engaging in fandom."
MAY 29 - "Sassy anon."
MAY 30 - "There's no evidence."
JUN 14 - "I'm sad about the mean bylers."
JUN 24 - "Bychance is bad writing bc I don't like it!"
JUL 5 - "On Noah's comment."
JUL 25 - "If Bychance happens, I'll be disappointed!"
JUL 25 - "Mike seems to have accepted his queerness more." <-- be so fr, anon.
JUN 5 - "Challenging the audience."
JUN 8 - "How isn't it common knowledge amongst Bylers that Byler's not supposed to be 'obvious' to the GA yet ...?"
AUG 4 - "We don't write the show?"
SEP 7 - "The newspaper Chance + 22." ⭐
potential clues +1
MAY 13 - "Deer picture."
MAY 24 - "No bc why is the locker a thing?"
JUN 5 - "Chance having secret antlers."
JUN 8 - "Locker = inner world." ⭐
JUN 26 - "The sketch drawn by Chance, not Will." ⭐
MAY 28 - "Tiger butterfly." ⭐
JUN 7 - "Jedediah, the gay cowboy." ⭐
JUN 7 - "The GA loves the hints."
JUL 1 - "Deer Park / Car picture." ⭐
JUL 7 - "I don't know ..."
JUL 1 - "If there's one thing Will Byers is going to do is 👨❤️💋👨
AUG 17 - "The lenora eagles." ⭐
AUG 24 - "Phallic imagery & Bychance." ⭐
SEP 12 - “ep2 & ep3 parallel + wordplay.” ⭐
OCT 13 - "Chance LAWSON!?" ⭐
marketing vibes/4th wall break? +1
MAY 25 - MC + JOCK = NOT ENDGAME
SEP 23 - the wednesday connection
JUN 17 - "Vecna is the DM and Chance is his OC"
current poll:
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 0 · Chat, do we think Will wished for/wanted Mike's love confession to be for him?
pls reblog with your thoughts, I'd love to
Remember how we were discussing that the bychance fanfics felt suspicious and uncanny? @cypherheartnokey @loverb0yloser
I just remembered this old post of mine and it hit me. I think the "generic" and "uncanniness" of these fanfics is due to the show's derivative nature and the tropes Bychance was designed around.
I haven't read the fanfics yet, so I'd love your thoughts on this question:
is the characterization of Chance and Will as characters similar/uncanny across all fanfics? Or are some of the backstory elements similar, but Will and Chance's personalities are different/differ across fanfics, from what you remember?
Because I may have Some Thoughts I'm trying to organize
( also, anyone else who has read or even written bychance fanfic is welcomed to share their thoughts here PLEASE I need them for ✨ science ✨!! )
Vennya / INFP / adult
in the ST fandom since: 2022
favorite characters: Will MY SON MY CHILD. I love El too but Will is definitely my reason for analyzing the show and theorizing about it!
other fandoms: literally only Naruto when I was 13 HELP 💀 started drawing and creating my own OCs in that world and then moved to create my own worlds.
current favorite genres: DETECTIVE MYSTERIES, fairytale and HORRORRR GIVE IT TO MEEEEEE, true crime, anything queer or strange!
hobbies: drawing ( self taught ), roleplaying, DMing, music, ( rock & roll baby ) psychology, psychospirituality ( Carl Jung ), theorizing, working out, spa days, goofing off on the internet
languages: 3 ( Spanish, English, German. I also adore learning about other cultures so i know words and phrases from other languages like French, Russian, Italian and Japanese )
current favorite plot twist: [ 🤡 ] <- I just know it in my heart that the Duffers love this one too
least DnD campaign I've run: The Traveler's Castle ( my baby, my child, I miss it )
current vibes: [ 😏 ]
studies: international affairs ( + marketing & psychology courses ), film, VFX ( visual effects ), graphic design & digital art.
current hyperfixation: keeping up with the #Bychance Phenomenon🕵️
✨ my ST squad
✦ diornies ✦ offsidetracked ✦ cypherheartnokey
You are all creative beasts, please don’t stop creating ❤️
Credits to @kaypeace21 for discovering this theory and first proposing it! ❤️ Also wish to thank @/lesbianmindflayer for her contributions to the theory and making some really compelling discoveries as well!
Other blogs I also really like:
@therainscene @willthewise7 @thewisewill80sbyers
byler posts
The theory that Mike reciprocates Will's feelings, and they're the real endgame, unlike Mileven which is a red herring. There are many versions of this theory.
Byler was either:
planned all along ( which is what I believe )
a result of a change of heart the Duffers had, once they realized that Byler fits their show's themes more.
Mike is either:
bi/unlabelled/queer ( which is what I believe )
gay
Here is my list of findings that I would claim as "byler evidence" if byler turns out to be endgame in the end:
2022
sep
26. Getting to Mike is the Key
27. Not Mike #borrowing from Eddie's Speech
oct
12. Why didn't we see Mike's reaction?
2023
mar
29. Karen #Knows ... she always has
apr
17. Mike's arc in #Images ( my favorite Mike post )
may
30. Is Mike deliberately queer-coded?
jun
5. Byler & Quantum Entanglement?
24. Surf that Tasty Pie!?!?!?!?
dec
18. Prediction: Will won't believe Mike loves him
2024
jul
23. Mileven & ET Love Confession Parallel / The ET parallel
aug
23. #Birthdaygate
29. Mike was trying to #Act Casual @ the airport
31. The Mystery of Byler's Phone Calls ( Did Karen spy on them? )
sep
6. Mike/Will & El/Brenner parallel
11. Jopper/Byler parallel
oct
19. All 'I Love You's in Stranger Things
24. Van Scene Analysis
28. Jonathan Also #Knows
nov
8. Will had hope, then Lost it ( #me-coded fr )
dec
23. I was really in the #Trenches
2025
jan
30. The #Moment Mike realized he Wasn't Normal
feb
11. Please tell me this subtext is going to Bychance I can't
21. Concerns about how they'll handle Mike's Sexuality
24. El, my girl please Dump His Ass
24. Will isn't obsessed with DnD
25. Real Mike vs Void!Mike
25. Mike's Dream
mar
1. Will / Vecna ( this was as far as I dipped my toes into that storyline #No Thanks )
6. Rink-o-mania analysis
6. GA not buying into Byler ... and I think they're valid
6. Will is the Heart of Hearts
7. Mutual Pining
9. #Fairytalegate
11. Can't look pookie in the eye
12. Mike was playing a Risky Game ( the way I wrote this before Bychance was even in my radar I'm screaming )
13. I started writing FANFIC for the first time in my life and Some Things clicked
15. Mike's Airport #Cringe Moment
27. lesbianmindflayer
apr
14. Is Mike FULLY aware he likes Will?
may
4. bychance + mike
jun
11. Romione parallel
20. I feel like I was onto something with this one, ngl
jul
15. A new era
sep
17. how Byler might happen
21. top reasons for believing in byler
