#we're cooked

[hawaiiglossyhair]

All roads lead to the US Department of Metaphysical Sciences

[l0ganberry]

fuuuuuuck

If Caine says "In case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!", that would be insane of a reference

[boardohmind]

Why we never got this dream team again

[bylerfan4ever]

WE'RE COOKED. OH. MY. GOSH.

I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SEE THIS CUZ I WAS DOOMSCROLLING ON TIKTOK BUT WHAT THE HELL

WHAT THE FUCKKKKK

also... is that queenie...

...

and ribbit flashback?

or stuff about ribbit at least.

CAINE WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGGGGGGG

[h4ganah]

I want to joke about this, but........35 thousand likes....

[williambyersslays]

ITS OVER GUYS THIS IS NOT A DRILL ITS OVER

[strangelysilver]

I think we need to bring back the "if Will was a girl" exercise for all my bylers in doubt and haters out there.

Because if Will was a girl, literally nobody would be questioning Byler right now. I mean, wouldn't it just be so romantic if Mike's childhood best friend saw him in danger and unlocked her hidden powers to save him? And she draws her strength from a flashback of them as children? Then when the dust settles, the camera pans to Mike's awed face?

The setup is here. Milkvans are going to cry "reach" until they straight up kiss on screen, and maybe even then. Genuinely, this is just in your face at this point.

There are three main anti-Byler takes that I've seen, now that most people have watched Vol 1.

The Tammy speech means Byler is one-sided.

I think Bylers have made some pretty good counterarguments to this point already. In my opinion, this take is a little too straightforward for Stranger Things. I really think it's a red herring. It feels underwhelming for Will's feelings to be built up over 1.5 seasons and then just cut down by a self-acceptance arc midway through S5.

2. Byler flirting was awkward/Mike didn't push back or reciprocate Will's teasing

This one is just weird to me. I honestly wasn't aware that this was a take people had until I went online after watching. Mike doesn't push Will back, sure, but the look he gives him isn't ambiguous at all. The way it was filmed clearly did not insinuate unrequited love. I mean, sunset lighting, Mike's soft voice, them giving each other shy looks? I genuinely can't come up with an explanation as to why people think this scene was awkward other than "they wanted it to be".

3. Mike's look at the end of Ep4 is just his excitement at realizing that his best friend has powers

Like, sure? If this was real life, maybe. In a TV show where they have to deliberately shoot and choose Mike's reaction? Again, if Will was a girl I don't think there would be half as much doubt over this shot. His best friend just saved his life by thinking about them and he has stars in his eyes. I swear people forget that cinema is intentional. Honestly, the fact that Will specifically sees Mike about to die through the demogorgon and that's what sparks his powers? If Will was a girl, people would be crying "reach" if you said it wasn't romantic.

Actually, even better. If it were El in Ep4 instead of Will? Zero doubt. Mlvns would be jumping for joy. They'd be clowning on anyone who didn't see this scene as extremely romantic.

Hopefully this cleared someone's Byler doubt because I'm genuinely sick of seeing "that look was obviously platonic" when it's actually the most cliche character-gets-motivated-by-seeing-his-love-interest-in-danger sequence ever.

[soulpager]

Somehow, my attempts to learn to draw Shinji via manga panels turned into this.

I will not be explaining further, as it's unnecessary.