Adora

It was a good time in Tumblr with y'all, I might be getting emotional a bit too early. Maybe precisely because I've been invested in this ship for a long time now. Long before I discovered Tumblr. At the time, I really used to think that this queer coded character, Mike, would end up with a girl and no one would know about his potential feelings. But then I saw all those analysis videos in YouTube. I was happy, really happy, knowing that so many people see it too. That I wasn't infact being delusional. I joined Tumblr, to have fun. And I did. It was nice engaging with you guys. Can't wait to cry with y'all when Byler finally happens.

...they showed Lumax:

Not Mileven i.e. the literal main couple of the show.

I love how when the Duffers talk about the heart of the story, the clip shows Will.

“There's something magical about childhood. We wanted to do what we could to capture that feeling. That ultimately is the heart of the story.”

Also this was my favourite part:

“Whether they're a popular dude or some band need, a parent, a teacher, a Russian Scientist, everybody sort of feels like they're kind of an outcast. And I think the show is about, like, bringing people like that together.”

Kudos to Joe Kerry, he touched on an often slept on subject of the show. He acknowledged that one being “not popular” or “nerdy” doesn't label them as an outcast. Not just nerds, but popular kids can be outcasts too. They can be nerds too.

There's no label, every character sort of feels like an outcast. The stereotype they are does not define what they feel.

Also platonic ElMike, you are loved.

Don't y'all dare get Byler doubt because of this.

Crumbs and Michael Queerler:

The cabin scene in S2 exemplifies Mike’s emotional transparency with Will. He speaks unprompted, slowly and steadily, describing his initiation to be friends with him, as “the best thing he’s ever done.” The sincerity of this moment lies in its spontaneity: Mike is not seeking validation or attempting to fulfill a role; he is simply expressing a deeply held truth. Although its end goal was to free Will of the possession, yet at the moment Mike expressed the genuine truth without thinking of anything else. His words flow naturally, grounded in mutual understanding and a shared emotional history. There is no confusion, no hesitation, just raw, unfiltered honesty.

This dichotomy extends beyond isolated scenes and reflects a broader pattern in Mike’s behavior. When tension arises with Will, Mike takes initiative. After their disagreement in S3, he seeks reconciliation immediately, walking to Will’s house in the rain, driven by accountability and care. Notably, he leads Lucas, showing confidence in his decisions and a sense of moral responsibility. With El, however, the dynamic shifts. Following their argument in the same season, Mike is lost. He relies on Lucas for advice, continues to lie, and avoids responsibility. His emotional responses appear scripted and uncertain, lacking the same intuitive grounding present in his interactions with Will.

Similarly, Mike's approach to expressing love to El is far more conflicted. Throughout S4, he engages in several conversations with Will about the topic, yet never articulates his feelings clearly. Instead of arriving at emotional honesty on his own, Mike requires repeated reassurance and guidance. His eventual declaration of love comes only when El’s life is at risk, and even then, it is catalyzed by Will’s emotional support and encouragement. The moment feels reactive, not instinctive, an act of desperation rather than emotional conviction.

“Jonathan is a better dad than Steve!"

“Steve is overhyped! I hope he dies instead of Jonathan!”

This is the same Mike who gave Eleven a home when no one else would, who risked his life for Dustin, and who, after realizing his mistake, apologized to Will in a quiet moment of emotional honesty. In Season 4, Mike only confesses his love to Eleven when it’s a matter of life and death, a moment orchestrated by Will. Fans often praise Will for sacrificing his own feelings to help Mike and El, and rightfully so, but they overlook how Mike, too, sacrifices his emotional truth, and his romantic feelings for Will, to keep El alive and grounded.

Much of the hate Mike receives comes from surface-level projection. Viewers self project into the "rude teen" version of Mike, not the deeper, emotionally conflicted boy underneath. It’s easier for the GA to accept Will’s queerness because it fits a tragic, sympathetic narrative. But Mike’s queerness complicates things, it challenges heteronormative expectations and threatens the fandom's romantic ideals. Thus they hate the Idea of Mike being queer.