ConformityGateAnon

Mike is consistently been paired with closet imagery since the start of the show, but that scene is so insane, I don’t see how you don’t see it. He’s standing in front of an open closet visibly looking like he’s realizing some things after his girlfriend kisses him and he’s standing absolutely frozen still when it happens with his eyes open. He looks so uncomfortable, and it’s directly paralleled to Byler’s last convo before moving which comes across as flirtatious, and Mike looks really happy there. I could go on and on. The ending of S3 is just SO gay.

This is one of my favorite videos of all time that maybe can help some people here understand why people adore Will Byers so much

I think Mike comes across as so queer that it’s impossible for me to watch the show without seeing it. And I really don’t get how people genuinely just see him as straight

I agree with OP that you don’t need to turn every friendship romantic. Yeah, S4 made it romantic on Will’s end, but that doesn’t mean Mike has to feel the same. Unrequited love exists in stories and in real life. It’s wild when people act like one person having feelings means the other person has to get on board. That’s not how it works. And it concerns me that some people do feel that way.

What’s aggressive to you, I’m curious? Do you think someone’s going to deck someone in the face because they like a ship? Both sides argue it’s equal. If my friend said “I like Byler” I’d hear them out and tell them why I don’t agree. no one’s being aggressive just because we disagree with a ship. I’m not sure why people act like people who don’t agree with a ship are so “aggressive” about it. I feel like that’s a strong word. And I don’t call anyone stupid or invalid just because I don’t agree that the ship isn’t canon idk if anyone else is but that’s not what I’m doing.

It’s because they are projecting themselves on to the character. It happens a lot.

This was a comment but i wrote the post so ill touch on this. Obviously i wasn't saying his queerness is disposable??? Completely misunderstood me there. And while all of these are good points Will doesn't actually react to any of this. Past S2 they don't touch in his trauma they don't show him dealing with it through any sort of triggers or emotions or words. He's entirely stagnant on all things trauma related until S5. Everything regarding his traumas and excorsicm is only dealt with in S2 and completely dropped thereafter. Putting the main focus of his character on his relationship with Mike. He spends 3 seasons dealing with his crush on Mike rather than his traumas.

The audience can see his parallel to Jane but the show doesn't actually do anything with this. The script on her always being the one to save him doesn't flip until the last episode of S5. His "development" wtih Jane as a brother is not only nonexistent but completely lackluster. He never treats her like a a sister, he says they're siblings. Once again the show telling us who Will is rather than showing.

And no i wasn't saying him being funny would make his struggles nonexistent. Im saying it would make him a more well written character. He's written to be a damsel in distress with no flaws. And he accomplishes that role fine. But its also clear the duffers had no idea the weight of the trauma they gave him past s2. Even Max deals with the trauma of loosing her brother way more than Will. We see her grieving and pushing people away and learning to accept help again. Will never has this.

Like actually. He's such a boring character overall. Even when you acknowledge that his journey through being a queer teen is an important plotline to a lot of viewers. If you took that away from him what does he really have?

He's not some great understanding friend like Lucas, he doesn't have a fun partnership with an older teen like Dustin, he's not the one reasurring people that they matter like Mike, for the most part he doesn't contribute much to plans, he's not some grand investigator or say funny one liners, he's not self sacrificing or even someone who stands up to others.

He's nice and he draws. Like that's what we really know about him. And for the most part we only know he's nice cause we've been told he is. (Joyce explaining he gave a toy to a girl in 3rd grade, Mike telling how they became friends)

But we don't actually see him being nice. Like ever? I take it back one time in S4 he cries when El gets bullied and then says he'll help her fix it. But that took four seasons to get to.

I wouldn't really call anyone in St "one of a kind" least of all Will. I could find six more of him in multiple sources of media these days.

But sometimes the curtains are just blue 😐

It waa cute. I wouldn't take it as canon but it's really just a sweet harmless show about the kids being kids. Mike and El learning more about each other, Will gaining a new friend in Nikki who tries to help him break out of his shell. Max and Lucas also being the cutest ever. Tbh i don't remember what Dustin was doing.

Overall the show is pretty funny and entertaining enough. Definitely a kids show but i wouldn't mind watching S2. I think it got overly judged and has a lot of misinformation spread about it. But if you like the plot of the kids fighting monsters and saving the town you'll enjoy it just fine. If you're only there for ship dynamics just don't watch it.

Plussing this. Netflix recently announced that season 5 has had 133.8 million views. There is absolutely no chance that even half of those people were even casual Bylers, much less the hardcore believers.

yes, their plotline did become "romantic coded," but that doesn't automatically mean Mike wanted that relationship, it became an unrequited love story that didnt end up with them together (before you accuse me of anything, im a byler myself, one of the more 'casual ones' ig)

i love interacting with my community, mostly the ones who arent... weird, but that one anon just kinda gave an ick. it sucked that they didnt end up together, but if Mike said over and over again that he just wanted to be friends with Will, then im happy that Will respected that in a mature way, especially for a guy in high school.

Will Byers for 80% of the show: 🧍‍♂️