How confusing of a character Mike Wheeler would be if he isn't queer.
Ok so I've been thinking about for a while because I've been having BADD Byler doubt, and I've been arguing with myself mainly about this topic.
Mike Wheeler would genuinely be the funniest and most confusing character if he isn't queer cause its like? WHY would they write him this way...
The first thing I'll cover is Mikes reaction to authority figures in S1 + S2 VS S3
So we all know in S1 the police tell the kids including Mike to not go looking for Will, to let them handle it. Obviously Mike doesn't listen and convinces the rest of the party to look for Will. Then in S2 we see him do this again with Joyce. He goes to Will's house when Will has not shown up to school. Joyce tells him to go, Mike does not listen again and ends up with Will.
Then later in S2 when El shows back up he gets mad at Hopper for hiding her (I believe he’s so emotionally wound up because of his guilt of El disappearing, rather than any romantic feelings he might have had for her. Like I'm sorry if you're already that "in love" with someone you only knew for like a week, that you react like that THATS not healthy)
Anyways we see he gets very mad at Hopper, and gets physical. So this establishes when Mike cares I don't think what any authority figure says to him matters. He's gonna follow what he thinks is right and also what his heart believes is right.
Which brings me to S3
We see many changes with Mike including him now suddenly listening to authority figures, and the authority figure in question is Hopper who he had no trouble fighting with in the season before? So he listens to Hopper now when this relationship (that we are kind of made to believe are very passionate about each other, very obsessed with each other in ways) is being threatened?
Now we have seen Mike disobey authority figures before, so it's very strange that now, in this perfect moment to show him disobeying Hoppers and going to El the next day anyways to show that he feels that strongly about her. They decide to not do that?
Instead we see him actually compromise one of his values that I don't think he has before this season, which is " Friends don't lie" and we obviously know how much of a value this is both to Mike and especially El. Mike lies to El anyways, and obviously it doesn't turn out well. I just think it's interesting how in a time where Mike should've stood up to an authority figure like he has before he decides not to?
People have said this before and I agree, I think Mike was just taking Hoppers threat as an excuse to kind of have a break from this relationship, I think he was very confused, he did not know how to behave in this relationship without help from Lucas. Which is strange considering that I am pretty sure Dustin and Lucas both have their first girlfriends in season 3 but you don't see them this confused with their relationships? Which kinda goes into my next point.
Mike does not navigate this relationship with emotion rather with logic.
Now this is pretty apparent considering he had a conversation with Lucas basically stating this. Now before you think Lucas does the same, HE DOES NOT. In season 2 he tells Max everything about what happened to the party in the last season, even though the logical thing would be NOT to tell her because he knows the party members might be mad about it. So even though he says this, it is obvious how he still acts on emotion with Max, whereas Mike.... I don't really see it.
We see him ask Lucas kind of a lot even though yes this is his first relationship, but same goes for Dustin and Lucas and its obvious that whenever Lumax fight Lucas still apologizes first because his EMOTIONS guide him to do that. Mike does not do that at all he only goes to try get a gift for an apology after Lucas tells him too. Like I'm sorry but in my experience in crushes and relationships there are some things you just do because of your emotions, but Mike does not seem to do any of that with El he has to be told. That does not seem very normal, especially when we are supposed to be seeing them as very obsessed teenagers in a sort of puppy love?
Those types of relationships are SO known for being more emotion based rather than logic??
You know what relationship he leads with emotions in.... (cough cough rain fight) Ok anyways my next point
Why make it so apparent from the beginning that El and Mikes relationship is not healthy if they are endgame?
So this one is kind of my main points in this whole thing, I want to start with talking about Mileven in S2. So the first thing I wanna talk about in S2 is the Snowball dance, now I think it was the Duffer brothers who said this but they do not consider the song that plays while El and Mike dance, a love song. In fact the lyrics parallel exactly what El was doing to Mike that season as-well.
So that's a very strange choice to me to add that song to a supposed romantic scene, which in turn makes it more creepy than romantic? Was that their intent? Then after S2 we obviously have whatever was going on with them in S3, we see this relationship actually bring out the worst in Mike. Then we are made to root for El to break up with him? HUH.
Now obviously they show us that they're "making up" in the store and hospital scene, which its very debatable since I feel like they barely actually say anything. Maybe in the store scene but they are interrupted right before a big step in their relationship was gonna happen.
Then in the supposed big step in their relationship scene, I feel like you're kinda left confused. Mike doesn't pull back El for a hug or anything which is strange considering your girlfriend that's moving states away just told you she loves you back. Like really that's how they wanted Mike to act, didn't even crack a smile or anything. Very strange...
Then obviously S4, at this point they are both equally bringing out the worst in each other. Mike isn't being true to himself and neither is El. So it's very apparent that the more this relationship goes on the more problems it has? None of them get resolved in the end of S4 either !!!
Which is very strange considering all the other couples seem to have previous problems resolved (exception might be Nancy and Jonathan but its very obvious they are going to talk about these things + its obvious there's still a ton of love between them) Every other couple had their heart to heart and it made them grow stronger except El and Mike, that's weird?
Plus we are almost made to root for El being on her own AGAIN, at least that's what I was thinking while watching S4 cause god they just do not see eye to eye while in a relationship.
In conclusion a lot of the writing is gonna be so strange is Mike ends up not being queer, heck if Mike ends up not being confirmed queer and he ends up being alone the writing is still gonna be weird !!! I'm sorry if this long I kind of just started ranting um anyways yeah... Let me know if you guys agree or if I make like absolutely no sense in this. I haven't really slept much and I just started writing this. Also I'm sorry if any of these points are ones that have been stated a million times I can't help myself :P













