Β Β Β Β abt me: i'm from canada and in my second year of college studying animation! i'm also a writer and singer/songwriter. this is a sideblog, follows come from my art blog, @inky-squid-art !! i also run a mike wheeler rp blog, @smalltownpaladin0322. iβm anti censorship, anti ai, anti jkr, anti label policing, anti cringe culture, anti conservatism. iβm pro being cool and woke.
Β Β Β Β fav film: C.R.A.Z.Y (2005)
Β Β Β Β fav book: american gods
Β Β Β Β interests: the front bottoms, shakespeare (fav is hamlet!), jeeves and wooster, stranger things, spider-man, narnia, alex rider, red rising, asoiaf, lotr, star wars, merlin, bmc, one piece, big bang theory, house md, neverwhere, sherlock holmes, lorien legacies, HP (fuck JKR), and more!
Β Β Β Β links: check out my linktree for cool fandom spaces and resources i've created/curated, as well as my other social medias. and here's the spider-man media post and all my main ST posts :] send me things on strawpage!! my original posts are all tagged #my words fly up (a hamlet reference, like my username). check my featured tags for more
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along similar but less dramatic lines as my previous post, i want a fic where everybody is trying to make mike realise heβs gay and in love with will and when he figures out what theyβre up to he gets really annoyed actually because heβs known that for years and do they think heβs stupid or something ??
but also he gets genuinely mad because heβs miserable and they donβt get that heβs been sitting in it for several years knowing will doesnβt feel the same. and that them saying βyouβre so obviousβ doesnβt fucking make him feel good, actually.
he doesnβt wanna hide the fact that he loves will from will, never wants him to feel unloved again, so heβs acting normal (well, normal for mike), but hates that what reads as normal βplatonicβ love to will is the product of mike being in love with him since they were kids. but he also doesnβt wanna hear that apparently his gayness is so obvious to literally Everyone (he knows, logically, it canβt be, since nobody has ever targeted him for it before, but he figured the party and associates were noticing things in s5 and has already toned it down).
just generally mike feeling demeaned and not understood by his friends after they take entirely the wrong approach, because he doesnβt need to be slammed in the head with it. he needs to be convinced that the things heβs told himself about being unwanted arenβt true.
does this make sense. no i do Not want to write it, i just want it delivered to my desk asap. thank you. if anyone has recs with this concept or something similar please lmk.
iβve had a silly little idea. somebody, ideally jonathan or someone in the party, figures out something is going on between mike and will, and they instantly are very protective of will and jump to the conclusion that a) theyβre just hooking up, b) mike is using will as a rebound and a convenient hole to fuck, and c) mike is either straight or painfully closeted
they donβt get the full picture from will, either because when they speak to him, he doesnβt want to reveal anything more and thus out mike, so they assume heβs just masking his pain or deluded, or because they donβt speak to him at all, as they donβt want to risk upsetting him when clearly mike is the one who needs a good telling off, or they assume heβd just defend mike and thus decide actually talking to the person theyβre soooo worried about would be worthless.
regardless, they come at mike with these accusations, saying they canβt believe he would do that knowing will had feelings for him, heβs supposed to be his best friend but lately all he can do is selfishly, obliviously use will (that hits hard, despite countless conversations with will on the topic), so how can he do this and just refuse to face what it means for them? he needs to get it together, and fast!
mike is genuinely hurt by all of this, snapping that just because theyβre not running around telling everyone doesnβt mean they havenβt discussed it, itβs nobodyβs business but their own how they feel, and they were taking it at their own pace, and it doesnβt mean mike has no inner life or awareness of his own queerness, and it especially doesnβt mean willβs just letting mike take advantage of him.
which, mind you, (mikeβs on a roll now), is so condescending to will β do they think heβs totally incapable of standing his ground? do they think mike always calls all the shots in their relationship and will just meekly follows? and, by the way, undeniably in the same vein because he can 100% tell how they see things and has literal verbal evidence of where their brainβs apparently been going: where do they get off assuming willβs even the one getting fucked? what kind of assumption is that, huh? whatβs that supposed to imply? jesus! (whether theyβre right or not is irrelevant β itβs the principle of the thing!)
essentially, mike manages to, in all his righteous indignation and fury, turn it around on them π he outwoked them ππ
byler somno, theyβre both kind of night owls (and Not morning people) but if one is already asleep when the other heads to bed, on god he WILL be getting touched.
mike always sleeps so splayed out itβs genuinely greedy, and in the beginning of their relationship heβd wear briefs and a tank top but over time he started casually sleeping naked too. will tiptoes into their room in the middle of the night and peels the blankets back.
he stares down at his boyfriend, lying on his belly, lanky limbs spread across most of the bed, and gently reaches down to trace his fingers along the curve of mikeβs spine, up and down his thigh, slipping between his legs to squeeze his balls and trail a finger along his taint, rubbing and pressing where it feels softer, causing mike to squirm in his sleep, hips gently shifting into his touch.
eventually will moves on, pressing a kiss to mikeβs ass cheek before carefully rolling him over. mike makes a grumbling noise but doesnβt wake up. will pushes mikeβs long legs apart and settles between them, laying little kisses and kitten licks along the tip of his dick, mouthing up and down the side. he pauses and spits on his fingers, tracing a circle around mikeβs rim as he returns to licking at his hardening cock.
he slips a finger in mikeβs hole, wiggling it before ducking his head to spit again and slide another in. he pushes them in a couple inches to gently press into the softer, rounded spot that makes mike whine in his sleep, legs twitching on either side of willβs head. he begins teasing it with a beckoning motion, all the while lapping at his cock contentedly. when mikeβs breathing hard, stiff and leaking precum, will pulls his fingers out, spits again, and reaches back to his own hole, other hand still lightly looped around mikeβs dick.
will fingers himself for a minute before grudgingly standing to grab lube from the nightstand. he returns to lay between mikeβs legs, kissing his cock and balls, sucking cute marks into his pale thighs as he opens himself up. when heβs ready, he crawls to straddle mike, lining his dripping cock up to his slick hole, and slowly sinks down. he hears mikeβs breath hitch. but heβs still clearly asleep, though his brows are knitted slightly and his mouth hangs open. will wiggles his hips, adjusting, and after a few seconds starts slowly sliding up and down, trying not to wake mike quite yet.
he wants to see how long he can restrain. how long he can go before mike finally realises whatβs happening. his boyfriend is a very deep sleeper. minutes pass of that torturously slow rhythm, willβs lips parted, allowing little gasps to escape. one hand splays over mikeβs chest and he plays distractedly with his nipple. as his bouncing become sharper, faster, mikeβs breathing races. heβs whining and whimpering, his chest rising and falling quickly, flushed and slick with sweat, and as willβs rhythm stutters mike finally blinks his bleary eyes open, staring up at will, confused and soft.
βwill? whatββ his words are choked off by a loud whine ripped from his throat as, upon seeing mike finally awake, will abandons all restraint and starts fucking himself mercilessly on mikeβs cock. mikeβs overwhelmed and gulping for air, choking out rambling praise in disbelief as will bounces above him, brows furrowed in concentration as his orgasm nears.
when will clenches around him, splattering them both with cum, mikeβs coming too, one hand vaguely reaching up at will, beckoning him to lay close despite their messy bellies and chests to kiss him. of course, will obliges, holding him as he whines and shakes and rides out his orgasm. he blushes, hiding his face in mikeβs neck, when mike recovers himself enough to begin extolling his virtues in an adoring and delighted tone, as if itβs the first time this has happened.
eventually they reluctantly agree mike has to pull out. he stands on wobbly legs to get a damp cloth to clean them up, and then they curl in each otherβs arms, pressing gentle kisses to each otherβs warm skin and soft hair, as they fall into a deep sleep.
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itβs the summer of β89, and the party are sitting by the lake around a campfire. it's still bright out, but the sun is getting low in the sky. theyβve got a cooler full of sodas and are scarfing down hot dogs like there's no tomorrow.
mikeβs is utterly heaped with condiments, and max says heβs disgusting, itβs gonna get all over his arms. mike grins, raising his eyebrows like, βwatch thisβ, and unhinges his jaw like a snake to take an enormous bite.
dustin whoops as mike grins, teeth bared and cheeks stuffed full, and lucas bursts out laughing at maxβs exaggerated retching noise, nudging her and saying, fondly, βman, he always used to show off like that when we were kids.β
itβs true β mike hasnβt particularly had an appetite like he did as a kid, period, for the last several years. now that they don't feel like the world might end any second, it's kind of weird how easy it is to actually want to eat, or sleep, or just goof off and relax again. lucas sounds nostalgic, and max rolls her eyes. βitβs not impressive, wheeler, just gross.β
dustin scoffs, and says, reasonably, βhe used to fit his whole hand in there, itβs pretty impressive.β he gestures at mikeβs long hands, holding about half a once-large hot dog now, insisting, βlook at those things!β
βbut, he shouldnβt,β max gasps sarcastically, an amused twinkle in her eye despite herself.
mike scratches the back of his neck as lucas chimes in, rapidly regretting his immature need to prove max wrong now that heβs become the centre of attention. he flushes at the increasingly detailed descriptions of exactly how much he can fit in his mouth. jesus.
keeping his eyes determinedly away from will, whose gaze is practically burning the side of his head, he licks some ketchup that dripped onto his wrist despite his efforts. βi mean, they didnβt call me frog face for nothing,β he jokes, cutting off lucasβ indulgently childish defence of his superior mouth-opening skills.
βholy shit,β max says. βthatβs the reason?β
mike shrugs, gesturing to his face. βwell, not exactly, just... yβknow, big mouth. looked like an amphibian.β
max tilts her head, making a face. βkind of lame,β she finally says. βthey werenβt too creative.β
mike laughs, grateful for neutral response. he risks a glance over at will, who has a complicated expression on his face β understanding, and also (his eyes follow mikeβs tongue as he licks mustard from the corner of his mouth) something else.
mike flushes even redder, jerking his head away from his boyfriend. 'c'mon, will,' he thinks, as if he can beam the message into his best friend's brain. 'don't be so obvious.' they've made it this long without anybody figuring them out. it would be stupid to get caught because of something like this.
the conversation drifts along, the sun slowly setting and a second round of hot dogs dripping into the fire from where theyβre speared. mikeΒ wanders over to grab another coke, but the frigid can slips from his grasp, hitting a rock. he curses, snatching it up as if he can undo the damage. "just grab another," lucas says.
mike waves him off. "it's fine, i can wait." he settles back in his chair, tilting the can curiously as a soft hissing reaches his ears. a thin trail of coke is fizzing from the top, trickling down the side. he blinks, then licks the top of it to catch the liquid before it drips into his lap.
the next several minutes of conversation flow by, mike flicking his tongue out every few seconds to lap at the dribbling can. eventually, he becomes conscious of how exactly that might look, and his eyes flicker to will, then determinedly away. the brief glimpse was enough to tell him will's been watching him for a while.
mike tilts his head, mischief sparking a plan to get back at will for, well... putting thoughts in his head during the hot dog debacle. he draws out his next go at the can, tongue sliding over the wet, cold metal, and hears will shift. he privately cheers. success!
he continues with the innocent kitten-licks, leaning forward as if invested in the conversation he tuned out of several minutes ago. humming, he presses his lips to the edge of the can, almost kissing it, and sucks the thin stream of coke dribbling out. his throat bobs as he slowly swallows, savouring it on his tongue. his gaze darts to will, and when he catches his eye, he thinks, 'oh, shit.'
will's eyes look dark, pupils huge and flickering in the light of the fire, and his hands are clasped tightly between his knees as he leans in to watch mike's antics. mike gives him a crooked grin, finally popping the can tab open and sitting back lazily. he takes a long swig of his soda, and will's lips twitch in a smile. holy shit, mike's gonna get it when will sleeps over later.
When Sam finds out Frodo isnβt actually dead, he says this
βYou fool, he isnβt dead, and your heart knew it. Donβt trust your head, Samwise, it is not the best part of you. The trouble with you is that you never really had any hope. Now what is to be done?β
Really interested in this line because what do you MEAN Sam never actually had any hope?? In Tolkienβs drafts (in Sauron Defeated) Sam is very hopeless, which I found interesting given how much of a contrast it is to the final version of the books, but I reread the tower scene today and apparently Sam never actually had any hope.
When Sam saw Frodo βdeadβ, he believed it, not only because he seemed pretty dead, but because of course something like this was going to happen. Sam always knew deep down it would! He never had any hope of the quest going well! When he realized Frodo was indeed alive he berated himself for not listening to his heart (which told him Frodo wasnβt dead) and instead listening to his head, and he did this because he never actually had any real hope, so it was more easy to believe he was dead because of course he was.
Do you understand what this means? Sam being secretly hopeless all along but trying to stay positive for Frodo? Lying to both Frodo and himself and knowing heβs lying but trying to believe itβs true for both of their sakes?
The thing is that stranger things isnβt a lotr retelling, so there are many parallels to several characters. It isnβt βoh, this character parallels ONLY this lotr characterβ, no, many characters have several parallels with several lotr characters. Letβs get to it.
Mike, the insecure hero.
Mike βit was the best thing Iβve ever doneβ Wheeler and Sam βit was the bravest thing he ever didβ Gamgee. Many people also see Sam as a paladin (those with joy and whimsy and gayness in their hearts) (no but srs Iβve seen several people call him a paladin), even if heβs commonly known as a cleric. And guess whoβs character is a paladin. And guess who is a cleric?
(Letβs focus on mikeβs sheet rn).
From Worlds Turned Upside Down, official book. It has all the partyβs dnd sheets, not their dnd characterβs dnd sheets, but THEIR dnd sheet, as if they were dnd characters. This is not Mikeβs character, but Mike Wheeler (you can see it, played by Finn, is a DM, etc). And would you look at that, he is a cleric.
In the Hawkins Middle School Yearbook thereβs the boysβ charactersβ dnd sheets. Take them with a grain of salt since idk if theyβre canon, but it says that mikeβs race is a halfling. Yeah ok.
Sam is also not the most confident person out there, always selling himself short and calling himself names, even tho he makes very good poetry and he literally fought against shelob and won. Sure he used frodoβs (bilboβs) sword which is a cool, sharp sword, but like, shelob is a primordial being. Thatβs like Mike (with his 12 year old height) having a very cool sword and using it to fight all alone a grown size demogorgon (with absolutely no fighting experience, let alone sword wielding experience) who is inmortal and has existed since the beginning of time, and then winning.
Also the Frodo βdyingβ scene is kinda similar to s1? Like, Sam is trying to protect Frodo even tho Shelob already has poisoned him (Mike looking for Will even tho heβs already in the upside down) and when he was done with shelob he saw Frodo βdeadβ, and cried and decided to go and take the ring to mount doom, and then come back for Frodo (Mike seeing Willβs βbodyβ at the quarry, going away crying in his bike and stopping the search, also smth smth mike jumping into the quarry, same place wills βbodyβ was found, while Sam wanted to go back to Frodoβs body after destroying the ring and then not leave him, aka dying [This is an unpopular opinion, but I always thought that this scene: βIt would not be worth while to leave his master for that [vengeance]. It would not bring him back. Nothing would. They had better both be dead together. And that too would be a lonely journey. He looked on the bright point of the swordβ and βGood-bye, master, my dear!β he murmured. βForgive your Sam. Heβll come back to this spot when the jobβs done β if he manages it. And then heβll not leave you again.β obviously references Sam thinking about suicide (although he dismisses the idea quickly), since itβs not like we donβt see suicide in lotr (denethor), but not everyone seems to agree with this interpretation]), but then Sam overheard the orcs mention Frodo was alive, so he went back for him (El showing Mike that Will is still alive, and Mike beginning to look for him again).
Mike telling Will βI donβt know, maybe I feel like I lost you or somethingβ vs Sam telling Frodo βI thought Iβd lost youβ in the fellowship of the ring movie.
Remember that scene of Mike waking up next to Will's bed in s2? And that scene of Mike sleeping next to Will's hospital bed also in s2? Sam was described as never leaving frodo's bedside when he was in rivendell, after having been stabbed by a morgul blade (and morgul blades have parallels with the mf/vecna...)
You could also argue that Mike trying (and failing) to carry Will at the hospital during s2 is a Sam parallel (Sam carrying Frodo to mount doom)
Also, Mike the Brave??
Clear reference to Sam. Not a reference by Mikeβs part (in the books itβs Samwise the Stouthearted) but by the writers.
Regarding that scene, thereβs also βFrodo wouldn't have got far without Samβ vs βThat was you guys that saved meβ.
About byler and Sam and Frodo, thereβs also a class difference in both relationships (except itβs inverted, now Frodo (Will) is poor meanwhile Sam (Mike) is rich)
More Sam and Frodo parallels.
Dart parallels gollum (explained more below, where I talk about Dustin) and Mikeβs behavior and opinion regarding dart is so similar to Samβs over gollum.
I explain this a little bit more when I talk about Will, but Will is both Frodo and Rosie, meanwhile El is Frodo only sometimes (also explained in Elβs section). Sam is married to Rosie, yet heβs βtorn in twoβ between his love for Frodo and Rosie. He wants to marry Rosie yet he also wants to live with Frodo. Reminds me of Mike, torn in two between Will and El. Will and El canβt exists at the same time in Mikeβs life. In s1 his relationship with El was good (because Will wasnβt there). In s2, his relationship with Will was good (because El wasnβt there). His relationship with both Will and El went downhill in s3, when they both were present in his life. Mike canβt deal with his relationship with El and with Will at the same time, just like how Sam is torn in half. However, if Will is both Frodo and Rosie, then thereβs no problem, no need to be torn. And El is Frodo sometimes, because sheβs dating Mike, yet theyβre not endgame (if she was, she would always be Frodo, instead sheβs usually Gandalf, someone Mike/Sam respects and lowkey idealizes). The duffers parallel canon couples together samfrodo btw, youβll see more of this below.
Also Frodo? Mikeβs parallels with Max, who ALSO parallels Frodo. Shelob wrapped frodo on her web. Mike has web imagery (amazing find by @mikesbasementbeets) (as does max and other characters that are in danger, trapped, etc. Smth smth henry and spiders, smth smth Max and Mike web imagery, smth smth falling into Henry's web, getting trapped, getting vecnad. Shelob is female which also adds to all of mothergate, but whatever).
If we get a scene with mike getting vecnad choosing whether he should stay or he should go (s4 Dustin's voice: "get it?") and he's metaphorically dangling from the edge and the people outside vecnaβs vision (specially will) are calling his name panicked and he has to chose whether to die (remember mike's horrible mental health and him stepping off the cliff in s1) or live and go forward, I'll go insane. Cause I'll be an obvious parallel to frodo literally dangling off the edge of a cliff in the return of the king movie with, on top of the cliff, Sam, offering his hand and a escape, a life. On the other, the ring, and flames, death. And he chooses life.
Also the cliff scene in s1 mentioned before, also paralleled to scene with Frodo in Mount doom in the movie, with Dustin/Sam telling him to "don't do it" (aka, "don't you let go"). But he does. He's saved, but he does. I guess it puts el (who saves him) in Sam's position aswell (it is Sam who pulls frodo forward so he doesn't fall). Having a scene like the one described before in s5 could be an awesome parallel, in s1 mike chooses death (for Dustin, but he also has some other personal reasons). In s5, mike chooses life. In s1, mike was willing to die for his friends (and cause he wants to). In s5 mike is willing to live for his friends (and because he wants to).
[poetic cinema]
+ Mikeβs βahh, my arm! Look, Lucas, look at my arm!β during the s3 dnd game reminds us of Frodo having been stabbed on his shoulder (Mike is holding his shoulder while he says this)
Also Mike having his hero moment, probably with a sword since 1- his character is a paladin and 2- Sam hurts shelob with Frodoβs sword. @aemiron-main has lots of posts on this whole concept. Also smth smth Henry/Shelob parallels, and Sam hurts Shelobβ¦
Also his post on mike/arwen parallels
And Merry with a candlelight vs Mike with a candlestick
The ending parallels the lotr ending in a way, with Mike as Sam
Image credits to @eeriesilkworm
Anyway.
Will (with his own weight to carry).
Will is Frodo and the mind flayer is the one ring.
Image credits to @toseesoclearly
Frodo suffering the effects of the ring causing personality changes, thoughts that werenβt his own etc, and the same thing happening to Will while he was possessed. The movie scene where Frodo holds a sword against Samβs throat, and Will choking Joyce. βAs Will's connection with the Mind Flayer grew deeper, he started becoming more demoralized and scaredβ same with Frodo as the quest went on. Also if Frodo put on the ring, sauron would feel it, just like how Will was the spy. The mind flayer getting out of Willβs body thanks to heat, and the ring only being destroyed by casting it into the fires of Mordor. βI felt this evil like it was looking at meβ, the eye of Sauron. Frodo getting attacked by shelob (huge immortal spider) (Sam thought he was dead), and Will getting possessed by the mind flayer (spider-shaped) (he almost died). Also, Shelob stung Frodo on his neck, which hurts every year because of the anniversary effect vs Will feeling his spidey senses (which are ud-related) on his neck.
Frodo was willing to sacrifice himself (he didnβt think he would make it to mount doom alive, and that if he did, that he wouldnβt come back. He expected to die during the quest and yet he continued), Will was willing to sacrifice himself (Morse code tapping: close gate. Itβs not explained in canon, but I believe he knew it would kill him. Also, he was gonna sacrifice himself to close the gate, and the scene of El closing the gate in s2 is already paralleled to Frodo in mount doom (more below, where I talk about el), so Will (Frodo) was gonna sacrifice himself to close the gate (destroy the ring). Basically what happened in the books then). Also if the shed scene is a parallel to frodo at mount doom, well, frodo loses a finger there, a permanent injury, a constant reminder. When Nancy burns will with a hot iron rod (also, rod imagery) that definitely left a scar cmon now. Constant reminder of his possession. And we established that possession from the mind flayer = the ring and its effects, sooo
The one ring extending Frodoβs (and Bilboβs, and Gollumβs) lifespan and not letting its bearer die, and then Will somehow surviving the ud (this theory)
There also Vecna coming for Will vs the one ring coming to Frodo/Bilbo/Gollum/Isildur
Frodo being stabbed by an orc, which would have left a deadly injury, but instead being saved thanks to his mithril coat which Bilbo gave him, a symbol of love (Bilbo's love for Frodo by giving him the coat, Thorin's love for Bilbo by gifting him the coat) that stopped the spear and left him alive but bruised vs Will being stuck in the upside down with aggressive demogorgons, which (probably) would have killed him, but instead being saved thanks to having castle byers, a symbol of love (Jonathan's love for Will by making castle byers together) that became a haven to hide in and made him survive (although he still suffered the effects of the ud).
In The Tomb of Ybwen (a st comic), Lucas refers to Will as Frodo (βAll right. Not too bad, Frodoβ).
Will falling in s5 also reminds me of Frodo. And Mike and Will hugging in s5 ep5 as Sam and Frodo hugging at the end of the fellowship movie (Frodo/Will saves Sam/Mike (and Lucas and Robin) from dying, then they hug (with wet hair included)). Another Frodo/Will and Sam/Mike parallel.
Frodo is also an almost Christ-like figure (specially considering Tolkienβs Catholicism). Christ who died for our sins (Frodo sacrificing everything and himself to save middle earth), who carried the cross in which he would be hung (Frodo carrying the ring, a great weight, and that destroyed him), unmarried, Jesus and his disciples (Frodo and the fellowship), mercy and forgiveness, etc etc. Where am I going with this? Willβs Jesus-coding.
Frodo is also a very tragic character, however he has a hopeful ending.
We technically meet him as a teenager (the day before his 33th birthday, which for hobbits is basically their 18th birthday), and then he is thrust unwillingly into a dangerous quest and becomes irrevocably changed. There is a big contrast with the Frodo from before (happy, normal hobbit) and the Frodo from after (very traumatized, cannot go back). Kinda resembles someoneβs character storyβ¦ And frodo also knew tragedy before everything (the death of his parents) just like Will also knew tragedy before the upside down (his fathers abuse, bullying). Hell, they even share a birthday (on different months). Both were born on the 22th.
Frodo endured so much and sacrificed so many parts of himself to save everyone, and yet heβs called weak and boring (by the fandom) for not engaging in many physical combats, and crying. Will endured so much and sacrificed so many parts of himself to save everyone, and yet heβs called weak and boring (by the fandom) for not engaging in many physical combats (and having his fight or flight response be freeze), and crying. I find both Frodo and Will some of the most compelling and interest characters from both lotr and stranger things.
Also Frodo lost a finger (physical representation of how much the quest changed him and how he wonβt be going back to normal ever). This theory of Will losing a hand in s5 by @pinkeoniβ¦ Beren and Maedhros (characters from the silmarillion) also lost a hand. Beren is paralleled to Frodo (and Aragorn), whoβs paralleled to Will. LΓΊthien (Berenβs wife) is paralleled to both Arwen and Sam, who are paralleled to Mikeβ¦ Maedhros killed himself, Beren died but came backβ¦ This theory of Will dying but coming backβ¦ Also Frodo got stabbed by a morgul blade, and βthough the knife's blade dissolved soon afterwards, a fragment remained within Frodo's wound, working its way toward his heart and threatening to turn Frodo into a wraith. Elrond was able to remove the shard and heal the wound, but each year on the anniversary of receiving the wound Frodo became seriously illβ vs Will feeling whatever he feels on his neck ever since the possession. (Also each year on the anniversary Frodo becomes ill vs βThe anniversary of an event brings back traumatic memoriesβ vs the attention brought to birthdays in lotr (specifically Frodoβs) vs birthdaygateβ¦)
Will lost his memories as s2 went on, as the possession from the mind flayer went on. As the quest goes on, Frodo keeps on losing memories. He loses himself and his mind to the ring, and βas I lay in prison, Sam, I tried to remember the Brandywine, and Woody End, and The Water running through the mill at Hobbiton. But I can't see them nowβ / βDo you remember that bit of rabbit, Mr. Frodo?β he said, βAnd our place under the warm bank in Captain Faramir's country, the day I saw an oliphaunt?β βNo, I am afraid not, Sam,β said Frodo. βAt least, I know that such things happened, but I cannot see them. No taste of food, no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower, no image of moon or star are left to meβ. Also smth smth memorygate (x, x). It is memories that help against Vecna, not having them makes you more vulnerable, a perfect victim. One of the reasons Frodo was so depressed during the quest is because he was slowly losing the memories of his life before, only seeing the ring and Mordor and fire.
Morgul blades are also a little paralleled to the mind flayer/vecna because of its effects. The wound caused Frodo to be super cold. He likes it cold.
Thereβs also the scene at the hospital at the end of s1 (after being rescued from the ud) vs the scene at at the Field of Cormallen at the end of return of the king (after Frodo and Sam were rescued from Mordor).
(+ Merry and Pippin explaining what happened while Frodo was in Mordor vs Dustin, Lucas, and Mike explaining what happened while Will was in the ud)
Willβs coming out scene is not an exception. Everything is a parallel.
Frodo had to leave the shire because he was being hunted by the NazgΓ»l (Sauron's servants, which remind me of demogorgons since demogorgons aren't necessarily evil -see dart- and the NazgΓ»l were once normal men) and they could be dangerous to other people. And so Frodo ran away. Through the fellowship of the ring, until he arrives to Rivendell, he's being hunted. They follow him, they're searching for him, they even stab him in a way that resembles Will being attacked by the mindflayer (also controlled by Vecna, just like the demogorgons)
The NazgΓ»l were following Sauron's orders, he was the one searching for Frodo, because Frodo had the one ring (in this scenario, the one ring probably symbolizes powers, or even the power to open gates, specifically). They couldn't let Sauron get back the ring (use Will's powers) because then he would destroy the world.
(Frodo being chased by a NazgΓ»l. Moments later, he jumps pretty far into a boat to get away. Reminds you of another scene found in the teaser?) (Frodo makes the jump, tho, and Will falls)
Another thing I canβt believe I forgot. Will is in the ud, they found βWillβsβ body and so Mike (Sam) thinks heβs dead. How does he realize he isnβt? Because El makes him be able to hear Will singing through the walkie!!! Just like when Sam couldnβt find Frodo in cirith ungol and was about to give up on his search but it was Frodoβs weak singing than told him were he was and gave him hope again!!!
Will also definitely has a soteria on his neck. Soteria is paralleled to the one ring and if heβs Frodo he has got to have the one ring. Itβs just, so obvious he has one and this further proves it.
Also, talking about Frodo, you ever wondered what Frodoβs name means?
For a little linguistic context, Tolkien was even more crazy about languages than I am (if thatβs even possible), and we know that he simply translated lotr which was written by Frodo and Sam in AdΓ»ni (Westron). Frodoβs real name is Maura, which in Westron means βwiseβ. Tolkien translated this name into Frodo, a proto-Germanic name, which is a real name people used, and that also means βwiseβ. Will the Wise.
Also, all the gossip around Hawkins surrounding Willβs disappearance was related to murder. Steveβs friends said Jonathan killed Will, Troy said his father thought Will was murdered by another gay person. Reminds me of all the gossip surrounding the death of Frodoβs parents, and how many hobbits said they killed each other (despite no hobbit murdering another in many years, similar to how Hawkins was a peaceful smalltown where nothing happened, specially murders).
Will has powers and Frodo might have also used magic, even if unknowinglyβ¦
Willβs dnd character is a wizard or a cleric (likely a wizard), but Mike insists on calling him a sorcerer,ceben though he isnβt. Since his powers come from Vecna, using dnd lore, I would call him a Warlock, which, funnily, is what Frodo is thought as too (not in the books, but when assigning dnd roles, many think the role of Warlock is inspired by Frodo). A warlock = someone who gets powers from a patron, usually evil even though thereβs no reason it should be.
Talking about sorcerers, Gandalf (although described repeatedly as a wizard in lotr), by dnd standards, is a sorcerer. Same with Saruman and with Radagast (Will is paralleled to all three of them). Sorcerers are born with their magic, wizards learn it.
Clerics focus on healing although they also fight (and have magic powers), wizards and sorcerers have yknow magic powers. A magic-user is an umbrella term for anyone who uses magic, let it be a wizard, a cleric, a mage, a warlock (if weβre assigning classes to lotr characters, Frodo is commonly associated with warlocks. Warlocks are those who βstrike a deal (sometimes unwillingly) with greater powers known as 'patrons' who grant them magical abilitiesβ like Frodo getting the power of being invisible thanks to ring. Those patrons are usually evil. Depends on how you think will got his powers, if he had them since birth or got them thanks to the lab/the upside down, etc).
Will is either a wizard or sorcerer, or a light domain cleric, since he can use fireball. Will found a way to communicate with the lights in s1β¦ However the party are level 3 (in all the character sheets I found) and (light domain) clerics can only use fireball from level 5 and up? So it makes more sense for him to be a wizard (or a sorcerer), who can use fireball since level 3.
Gandalf is very into fire. He has the ring of fire, heβs always smoking, and he makes some killer fireworks (remember Will in s3 throwing fireworks to the fleshflyer?
I also find it funny that despite Willβs character being βWill the wiseβ he has the lowest wisdom points out of the whole party. Willβs armor class is also 7. It was a seven.
Will The Wise.
The duffers cannot keep getting away with this.
Who is labeled as The Wise in lotr? Saruman, and Will has saruman parallels (weβll get there) but hold your horses, cause thatβs not all of it. Gandalf is also called Gandalf the Wise, at least once (βFor nearly thirty years he laboured in the cause against Sauron; and he became a friend of Gandalf the Wise, from whom he gained much wisdomβ, the appendix about Aragorn and Arwenβs romance). And Gandalf died and came back, like Will, but he came back changed, no longer Gandalf the grey but Gandalf the white (having adapted the title of one of the spies of sauron). Kinda like how Will died but then came back changed (and kept having visions of the mind flayerβ¦). Coming back to this theory of Will sacrificing himself to save everyone in s5 but then coming back to lifeβ¦
Radagast, password to castle byers (so it has something to do with Will), and also one of the five maias sent to middle earth to defeat sauron. βRadagast lives at Rhosgobel on the western eaves of Mirkwoodβ. Mirkwood reference (weβll get there thereβs SO MUCH surrounding Mirkwood). Who lives near Mirkwood? (Mirkwood as in the road in st) Will, his house is like next to it.
βRadagast was unwittingly used by Saruman to lure Gandalf to his tower of Orthanc, where Gandalf was captured. Fortuitously, Radagast also helped rescue him by sending Gwaihir the eagle to Orthanc with news of the movements of Sauron's forces.β vs βHopper becomes trapped in the tunnels and passes out. [β¦] Will has a vision of Hopper, leading Joyce to recruit Bob's help to determine its meaning. Bob identifies Will's drawings as a map of Hawkins and the pumpkin field as the place Hopper was going. [β¦] Joyce, Bob, Will, and Mike rescue Hopper,β so the same thing then. Will/Radagast saving Hopper/Gandalf.
βRadagast is "the friend of all birds and beasts,β Will *couldnβt bring himself to shot at a literal monster* *kindness personified* Byers.
Later, he get possessed, becoming the spy.
The spy. Saruman.
Saruman became a spy of Sauron. He used a palantir, a sphere used for communication, to communicate with Sauron (although the palantir does not transmit sound, only images and thoughts). Not unlike Will being able to βcommunicateβ with the mind flayer, having vision of what it was doing and thoughts of what it was thinking.
βThe master stones of north and south were able to 'eavesdrop' on such external conversationsβ, unlike Saruman who was a willing spy, Will wasnβt, the mind flayer was just spying back. βEavesdroppingβ you could say, but it also saw what Will saw.
Saruman also called himself βSaruman of Many Coloursβ at one point. Saruman of Many Colours vs Willβs rainbow spaceship, in which he used all the colours he had.
All of these are wizards/sorcerers/whatever. We get it, duffers, Will has powers.
There also Castle Byers
Castle Byers
Castle Byers remind me of the shire, and how Frodo is in love with it before the quest, yet he's unable to find the same joy in it he found before after it.
(Funny how Frodo helps to save the shire, yet Will destroys castle byers)
Interesting how the shire stops being the same for Frodo after the quest. so he leaves, and Castle Byers stops being the same for Will after everything, so he destroys it.
We even have a shot of Frodo/Will slowly (dramatically) turning around after leaving/destroying it.
Frodo found peace in leaving. Will destroyed it in a moment of sadness.
+ Faramir was wounded by a poisonous arrow and Denethor (his dad) believed him to be dead, so he prepared a funeral pyre for him (to cremate him). Jonathan believing Will to be dead and preparing his funeral. Pippin fought Denethor over this, claiming Faramir wasnβt dead (he wasnβt). Joyce insisting than that body wasnβt Will, and Will wasnβt dead (he wasnβt). Gandalf believes Pippin, and saves Faramir from being burned alive. Hopper believes Joyce, and helps her save Will. Faramir was the youngest brother and also stupidly perfect. Heβs suuuuper kind, and suuuper nice and brave and he forgives his father for the way he treats him and he doesnβt like fighting and he inspires others by how perfect he is and heβs literally not tempted by the ring. Like lmao. Reminds me of Will.
+ By the way, what about Rosie? Samβs wife? Who is she? Well, certainly not El. Rosie is Samβs childhood friend, a string of normalcy after all his adventures. Rosie represents home, and safety, and comfort, and the life he left behind (remember that for Tolkien adventures werenβt something to strive for, after all he lived during wwi, Frodo is irrevocably changed by his adventures, βI do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defendβ). Rosie fell in love with him before knowing that he helped save middle-earth, aka, she fell in love with him when he was βnobodyβ, without knowing he was a hero. Reminds me of someone who doesnβt feel like a hero and is very insecure. Reminds me of their childhood best friend who is a string of normalcy, of the life they had before, who loved him before he was a hero and before he fought monsters, and fell in love with him, just him. I donβt know who, tho. Mike asking Will to be his friend was βthe best thing I ever didβ. Sam asking Rosie to be his wife was βthe bravest thing he ever didβ. Huh. Reminds me of βmike wants to be a hero like el / will wants to be a love interest like elβ.
Also, this really caught my eye. βand it is not a dissimilar notion to hold Rosie and Frodo up as the anima and animus aspects of the same characterβ. Iβve read a theory about el as an anima of Will so when I saw this I was like no way. Do I believe that theory? Tbh no, just like I donβt believe Tolkien wrote Rosie and Frodo as the same character, but the fact that both characters can be interpreted in the same way, in different fandoms, as a pure coincidence is so curious.
I already talked about Will being Frodo and Rosie vs El being Frodo sometimes + Sam/Mike being βtorn in halfβ above, yet I want to mention that Frodo acknowledges this, and tells Sam that βYou cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.β Basically telling him to marry Rosie and have a family with her and let him leave, to not βwasteβ his life caring for him because heβs destined for better things, for a better life. Doesnβt that remind you of Will, in the van scene and the βlove confessionβ scene, pushing Mike to tell El he loves her and erasing himself from the picture, because he believes thatβs whatβs best for Mike?
Except Will thinks El is Rosie, when he himself is.
But despite all the character he parallels, heβs Frodo. Heβs so Frodo it hurts. If I had to assign a single lotr character to each st character, Will would be Frodo.
El, the βmageβ.
I see El as Gandalf. Sure theyβre very different, but theyβre also very similar. Gandalf, while helping the fellowship (and thorinβs company in the hobbit) in everything, also has his own adventures, goes away for a while to do something and then comes back. Thatβs something El does constantly. El is also described as a βmageβ by Mike (who then describes Will as a cleric even tho his dnd character is a wizard but his class is magic user. But well). Gandalf is also the one who comes to get them out of trouble, for example, Gandalf kinda sacrifices himself (but then comes back) to defeat the Balrog, Gandalf is also who the hobbits and tbh everyone relies on to solve problems, Gandalf seems to always have the answer even if not always. Kinda like how El is the one doing the physical job (aka, closing the gate, fighting the monsters) and saving everyone, being a βsuperheroβ. You can specially see this in s1 and s2, where in s1 El appears in the woods to help them find Will, then she leaves, and then comes back just in time to rescue Mike (who jumped of a cliff) and break troyβs arm (also how El never uses her powers against anyone who doesnβt deserve it but is able to use them for harm, while Gandalf never uses his powers against anyone who doesnβt deserve it but does threaten people with turning them into animals), and where in s2 sheβs off doing her own thing, until she comes back just in time to close the gate. Same thing in s3 and s4, her off with max, and then her off in NINA.
Gandalf "died" while fighting the balrog to protect the fellowship. El also "died" while fighting the demogorgon to protect the party. They both came back, after everyone had already mourned them.
Gandalf is also of unsure origins. Very old, older that time itself, no one really knows where he came from, etc. I donβt know what you want me to say but Jane is NOT El those are two completely different girls (even Terry says so, βnoβ), so where exactly does El come from? There are many theories about that, but letβs leave it aside. Also, when Gandalf appears you know the characters are gonna get involved on an adventure (whether they want to or not), just like elβs appearance made the party get involved with the supernatural.
Gandalf ended up going to the grey havens after the destruction of sauron since he was only sent to middle earth to protect it from him. Many many theories regarding elβs potential endingβ¦ (some here, here, here and here)
Now to the Silmarillion:
Someone named Annatar arrived to a place called Eregion. In Eregion lives Celebrimbor, among other elves. Annatar seemed like an elf, and claimed to have been sent by the Valar (gods, basically) to share his wisdom and skill, specially on ringcraft and jewelry. Not suspicious at all. Celebrimbor says βcoolβ and him and the smiths of Eregion followed Annatarβs guidance and instructions, and they created the rings of powers (which were like, a massive deal). Turns out that, surprise, Annatar was Sauron in disguise, who then went home and created the one ring to control all of middle earth. Yay.
Kinda like Henry tricking El, not telling her he was 001, being evil, and all that.
βLater Sauron reassumed his role as the Dark Lord and placed the One Ring on his finger, claiming dominion over all the Rings of Power and their bearers. Before this, Celebrimbor believed Sauron to be what he had claimed to be, but realising the truth he and the Elves of Eregion defied Sauron by withholding the other rings from him.β
When El notices the Henry is, well, evil and murdering everyone, she vanishes him off to dimension x.
Celebrimbor died. He was killed by Sauron with many arrows. Ouch.
βfar from joining FΓ«anor's rebellion, she opposed him in nearly everything.β FΓ«anor is a rebel, Galadriel opposed him in nearly everything. FΓ«anor and Henry parallelsβ¦
βAnd that she wished to leave Valinor and go to the vast world of Middle-earth, to give free rein there to her talents. She went for a time to live with her mother's relatives in AlqualondΓ«.β El escaping the lab, going to visit her βmomβ and Kali in s2. (You could even say her living with Mike on s1. Lukeandleiagateβ¦)
Cool similarity Iβve seen, even if it wasnβt intentional. Γowyn, strong, badass, and complex female character, was supposed to die but Tolkien changed his mind. El, strong, badass, and complex female character, was supposed to die but the duffers changed their minds.
In the og script for ep1, El, instead of stealing fries from Bennyβs, she sees the fries frying in the oil, the oil sputters, she is a bit scared and leaves and finds a freezer. Opens it, itβs packed with fish (it wasnβt Bennyβs burgers originally, but Bennyβs fish βn fry). βShe snatches up a DEEPWATER COD. So big that she can hardly hold it in her tiny hands. She turns it over onto its side, studies it, smells it. Has she never seen fish before? She bites its fat glistening belly and freezes again. Listening.β She hears someone coming, so she grabs as many fish as she can and runs.
Reminds me of gollum, and his affinity for fishes (and how he eats fishes just like el, by biting directly)
Sheβs also NiΓ«nor!!!
NiΓ«nor stands face to face with a dragon (the sequence of events that lead her to this point is irrelevant). This dragon is named Glaurung, and heβs the βFather of Dragonsβ, and the first dragon UrulΓ³ki ever (the first dragon to breathe fire).
El fighting Henry at the lab as a child. Smth smth Henry being the first subject, and the βfatherβ of the other subjects.
With his gaze, Glaurung erases NiΓ«norβs memory. Sheβs paralyzed and unable to leave (he has a spell on her) until finally he lets her go and she runs. She doesnβt remember anything, not her name, not her past, not anything. She winds up on a forest, where everything is new to her because sheβs doesnβt ever remember seeing a plant or rock before. While she was running, her clothes tore and she ended up naked. She canβt speak.
El losing her memory after fighting Henry, El eventually escaping the lab and finding everything to be new. El wearing Bennyβs burgersβ shirt.
Turambar finds her in the forest, and brings her to his town (Ephel Brandir) and asks for her name. She canβt answer, first because she doesnβt remember it, and then because she canβt talk. He gives her a name, NΓniel.
Mike finding El in the woods, taking her home and naming her El. El not talking and not even knowing her name (Jane).
Turambar and NiΓ«nor fall in love / Mileven gets together.
HOWEVERRRR
NiΓ«nor ends up learning how to talk thanks to other peopleβs help and eventually Glaurung gives her her memories back, and guess back
It is revealed that Turambar is her BROTHER!!!! None of them knew this and they both kill themselves. (lukeandleiagate my beloved)
Regarding Frodo, you have Frodo getting stabbed by a morgul blade, and this leaving a shard of the blade inside his shoulder, which he needs to have removed. El being attacked by the flesh mind flayer in s3 and it leaving a piece of it inside her, which she needs to remove. El seeing hopper at the end of s4 is also a visual parallel to Frodo seeing Gandalf at the end of rotk.
Also, βIn order to provide a distraction so Eleven and Hopper could safely reach the Gate, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max, and Steve went into the tunnels to burn themβ (s2) reminds me of Aragorn and everyone distracting Sauron so that Frodo and Sam could destroy the ring.
(Also, mothergate here is mount doom (El and Hopper need to get there) but itβs also the one ring (El needs to close it, just like Frodo needs to destroy the ring). This means that if itβs the one ring, there must be another 19 gates.)
Thereβs also this scene from s2
Max (and life).
I can definitely see (s4) Max as Γowyn. Γowyn who was depressed and suicidal at the start of the story and takes part (willingly) in a war, wants to die in battle, killed the witch king, and then she collapsed for some time. Γomer finds her and thinks sheβs dead but after sheβs been brought to the houses of healing and is unconscious for some time, she wakes. She also chooses life, she becomes a healer rather than a warrior. βI will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren." Max wanting to die until sheβs face to face with death, and suddenly she doesnβt want to anymore, sheβs not ready. Max holding on to happy memories. Γowyn disguises herself as a man, Owens thinks that Max is a boy.
Γowyn was believed to be dead but then she wasnβt. Max died until El brought her back. Her brother Γomer has a scene in the movies hugging her body and crying and screaming cause he thinks sheβs dead. So does Lucas.
Also reminds me a bit of sam and frodo, since the pose is the same (seriously, look at the position of Lucasβs arms vs Samβs arms. Literally same pose). Talking about Sam and Frodo,
βDeathβ scene parallels. Except Frodo wasnβt dead, just completely paralyzed to the point that in the book it says Sam couldnβt even feel a heartbeat, but he was alive and woke up hours later. And then thereβs Max who died but El brought her back (made her have a heartbeat again). Lucas thought she was dead during this, Sam thought Frodo was dead during this. Frodo in return of the king eventually woke up and they have a lovely reunion. Max in s5β¦
Max also has web imagery, just like frodo got wrapped in a web (smth smth henry and spiders, the mind flayer being spider-shaped, shelob, etc). And, during the fellowship of the ring, when they are at Weathertop, Frodo gets stabbed by a Morgul blade, causing temporal blindness.
As I mentioned before with Mike, the scene of her getting vecnaβd (at the cemetery) and seeing a escape (a kind of metaphorical portal, her seeing her friends) and then having choose between death or life, and choosing life, feels so much like Frodo dangling from the cliff at mount doom in the movies, having to choose between let Sam pull him up (life) or follow the ring (death). It shows heβs not 100% corrupted by the ring, and that he still has people who care about him (that unlike gollum, heβs not too far gone), and that he cares about (just like Maxβs memories are about her love for others, not the love others have for her. Frodo offers Sam his hand not because Sam wants him to live, but because he wants to live, and he loves Sam more than he loves the ring).
Also during the Frodo βdeathβ scene, in the book, Sam is there and tries to save him but heβs too late, just like Lucas not saving Max in time because of Jason.
We also see that memories help against Vecna. Like Maxβs running up that hill montage, itβs her memories of her love for others and good times that saved her. Without these memories, she would have died. Similar thing happens to Sam, in Mordor, he remembered old memories. βand now as once more the night of Mordor closed over them, through all his thoughts there came the memory of water; and every brook or stream or fount that he had ever seen, under green willow-shades or twinkling in the sun, danced and rippled for his torment behind the blindness of his eyes. He felt the cool mud about his toes as he paddled in the Pool at Bywater with Jolly Cotton and Tom and Nibs, and their sister Rosieβ.
βOh but sheβs paralleled to Frodo, not Sam. And Frodo loses his memoriesβ yeah and so might max in s5β¦ However Frodo loses them because heβs so affected by the ring. The moment the ring is destroyed, he can see clearly again. I think same will happen to Max (and Will). If Vecna has their memories, when Vecna is defeated, where will they go? Back to their rightful owners.
She also has Arwen parallels, which is very interesting because Arwen could live forever but chooses to become mortal, and therefore die one day, just like Max is suicidal (even tho Arwenβs reason for choosing to be mortal is not related to depression, but rather to love. Her relationship with Aragorn, which extremely similar to Max and Lucasβ relationship (see below, where I talk about Lucas).
Also a bit of Thorin? I mention later the Bilbo/Lucas parallels, and this makes Max Thorin. Thorin dies (actually dies), unlike max who is not really dead, but thorin starts The Hobbit not really knowing Bilbo and not being particularly close with him (like max at the beginning of s2 with Lucas), but over time they become friends and get closer (s2/s3 lumax), until thorin gets upset about Bilbo giving up the arkenstone because he was dealing with gold sickness and this makes them drift apart (max breaking up with Lucas because of her own mental health and them drifting apart in between s3-s4 and beginnings of s4), except that before Thorin dies, they make up, but itβs too late (lumax making up and Max beginning to let Lucas in again, except that before they can make their movie date happen, Vecna gets her).
Lucas, (the ranger)
I see a bit of Bilbo in Lucas. Not really any explanation for this one just vibes. Like, a character living a life away from adventure and danger and freaking out when this life is disturbed (the dwarves arriving to bilboβs house, them finding El in the woods), who is also very realistic and has common sense (telling mike to tell his mom about el and rightfully freaking out), has good strategy, and is very sarcastic. Also maybe Lucasβ s5 personal arc? Like, Bilbo was all nice and respectable before the adventure and fit in with the other hobbits (s4 Lucas βconformityβ Sinclair), then during his adventure he saw horrors and someone he loved die (Thorin, whether you see it as romantic or platonic), and then when he came back he was just like who cares and was as a strange as he wanted to be, didnβt care about criticism and proudly called himself odd.
Lucasβ character is also a ranger. Rangers are inspired by Aragorn, who is literally referred to as βrangerβ in the books several times. Aragorn is a man who loves his friends and those he cares about and kisses them on the forehead and has been in love with the same woman all his life and isnβt like aggressive or feels the need to be the leader/hero (despite being the one leading the group once Gandalf is gone). This does not mean he doesnβt know how to get his hands dirty, he knows, but he knows when to do it and when not to. Plus itβs not like he relies on violence every time, violence is like the last option, but he can defend himself and those he cares about perfectly well. Lucas is pretty much exactly like this, and heβs also the most traditionally masculine out of the party.
Idc if itβs not on the books, Arwen fighting at helmβs deep in the movieβs deleted scene is real in my heart, so you also have Aragorn as this typically masculine guy, strong and capable, with a wife who will absolutely kick your ass and his ego does not feel threatened by this in the slightest.
Elrond (Arwenβs dad) didnβt want his daughter to be with Aragorn because he was a mortal (not out of any prejudice against mortals, but because mortals, well, died, and elves didnβt, so Aragornβs death would cause Arwen a lot of pain, and Arwen might also make the choice to turn mortal to be with him, which she did, and Elrond didnβt want this cause it would mean he would lose his daughter someday), but Aragorn married Arwen anyway. Billy (Maxβs step-brother) didnβt want Max to date Lucas because he was black (out of racism). Aragorn and Arwenβs relationship was a bit complicated at first, cause of difference in species (?), and Lumaxβs relationship was a bit complicated at first, cause of racism.
The samfrodo parallels I talked about just now? Thereβs another one. Lucas telling Max βI thought we lost youβ in s4 is a parallel to Samβs βI thought Iβd lost youβ to Frodo in the fellowship of the ring movie. And Lucas thought max was about to die on the running up that hill sequence (where he said the βI thought we lost youβ line), to which max reassures him "I'm still here". Similar to Sam saving frodo from the tower of ungol, when minutes ago he thought frodo was dead, that he lost him. After saving him, frodo reassures him that he (Sam) found him now. And they took a moment to rest, in each other's arms, in "endless happiness". Same with lumax, they spend some seconds in each other's arms, resting.
Lucas is very Sam in the way that heβs not afraid to attack or throw a punch, despite being a non violent person, and heβs also distrustful of outsiders (like he was of El in s1, and Sam was of Aragorn at first), but very devoted to those he considers his own. He would do anything for his friends, and weβve seen just how perseverant he is over Max. Regardless of the fact that she shuts him out, he stays, he tries to help her. Despite being broken up, he still loves her, sheβs still his friend, he still cares and still will do anything to save her. Despite being in a coma for longer than a year, he still is by her side, everyday, still hopes, still stays. The man who canβt be moved. Reminds me of Sam, who is devotion itself, who stayed by Frodoβs bedside in Rivendell and didnβt leave unless made to (βSam was here until I sent him off to get some rest, about half an hour agoβ), reminds me of Sam, who literally carried Frodo up a mountain.
(Lucas moving Max to safety by carrying her)
(Funny how heβs moving her away from the gate, gate which is a crack, while for Sam itβs the opposite, heβs carrying Frodo towards the crack of doom)
Dustin, (never change)
I also see a bit of Bilbo in Dustin, a character whoβs actually very smart and gets everyone out of trouble / figures stuff out, seriously very good plans (idc what you say the thing with the arkenstone was genius he almost stopped a war), very good talker (talking to Smaug, talking to gollum) (remember Dustinβs character is a bard), knows niche stuff?? Like Dustin being really into science and maths, probably knowing obscure dnd rules by heart, and then Bilbo knowing several languages and elvish poetry and all these things.
Also Dustin is a thief (see character sheets above). Not his character (who is a bard), but him. Bilbo is the designated burglar of the group. Also Bilbo is very himself yknow. After coming back from his adventure heβs just as strange as he pleases and doesnβt care what the rest of the shire thinks. Similar to Dustin who doesnβt conform to the rest of the world and is unapologetically himself. Bilbo has been called βqueerβ (meaning strange), βcrackedβ, etc for being himself without hiding. Just like Dustin is bullied.
I mean, Dustin is the one specifying that Mirkwood appears in The Hobbit, not Lord of The Rings, in s1. And The Hobbit is Bilboβs story.
Also Eddieβs death scene is very similar to that of Thorinβs (where Bilbo/Dustin is present and witnessing their final moments)
I mean, even Murray says it in s5: Some sparkling new spark plugs for Bilbo Baggins.
Dustin acts as Sam every once in a while. With Mike on the cliff scene (mentioned before) and with his relationship with Eddie (mentioned below, where I talk about Eddie). But character-wise I donβt think he parallels Sam.
(Talking about Eddie, he also parallels Merry and Pippin when heβs with him)
Dustin also lacks a romance plot. βHeβs dating suzieβ correct, but their relationship is entirely off-screen. They got together off-screen, and the only moments with them are the never ending story scene and Dustin calling Suzie at the start of s4, both of these long-distance. They mention each other, but they hardly have scenes together. Dustinβs plots are unrelated to romance, unlike the rest of the partyβs. Mikeβs almost constant romance plot (either with el or with will), Willβs s3 and s4 romance plot, lucasβ s2, s3, and s4 romance plot. With romance plot I mean than itβs important and related to their characters. They have other things going on, of course, but the romance takes plot time, itβs there, you canβt exactly take it away. With Mike, if you take away ALL romance thereβs many scenes with him that disappear and lots of things about him we no longer know. Same with Will, and same with Lucas (but to a smaller degree). With Dustin, this doesnβt happen. Reminds me of Bilbo βconfirmed bachelorβ Baggins. And also Frodo (despite the fact that Frodo is gay asf). Good post about Dustin and romance here.
Bilbo and Frodo are extremely paralleled which makes Dustin have things in common with Frodo aswell (lack of a romance plot, takes pride in being odd, feeling pity for gollum).
Frodo barely has friends his own age. In the book, Sam is younger than him, and so are pippin and merry and fatty. Heβs also friends with Gandalf, much older. He doesnβt have any friends his own age. Dustin has the party, but heβs also friends with Erica (younger) or Steve and Eddie (older).
Frodo doesnβt have a father (or mother) since his parents died. Dustin is the son of a single mom. Bilbo and Gandalf fill the role of Frodoβs paternal figure. Dustin being friends with so many older guys + the relationship the party (where everyone has absent dads except Lucas) had with mr Clarke might show a lack of father figure, and searching for one.
But if this doesnβt prove the Dustin/Frodo parallels (makes sense, these are a bit of a stretch), I realized they might be there with dart.
Dart
Dart is gollum. Only difference, dart saves Dustin & co and gollum betrays Frodo and Sam. But thatβs because Dart had Dustin (took care of him) while gollum had Frodo (took care of him) + Sam (wanted to kill him). Iβm not blaming Sam, but thereβs a scene in the book where, after coming back from talking to shelob, gollum is super close to repenting and not betraying them, until Sam insults him after hurriedly waking up and unknowingly makes gollum go on with his plan. Smth smth kindness is rewarded. And we know stranger things is a show about friendship and kindness and nerds.
Letβs look at all the dart / lotr parallels.
Dustin grabbing dart while having no idea what dart is or where he came from. Bilbo grabbing a random ring he found while having no idea what it truly was. Dart being a demogorgon. That ring being the one ring. One difference though, Dart ends up saving them, and the one ring needs to be destroyed.
Dustin finds dart and decides to not kill him or throw him out, but take him in and take care of him, despite having no idea what he is. Bilbo finds gollum and, although he has the chance to kill him, decides to spare his life and run away. Will realizes dart looks like the slug he threw up but doesnβt tell anyone at first (βWhy didn't you tell us before?β βI wasn't sureβ). Frodo realizes gollum is following them but doesnβt tell anyone at first. When Mike finds out dart is from the upside down (which has hurt Will in the past, which has hurt them in the past) he wants to kill dart. When Sam finds out gollum is after the ring and wants to kill them, heβs 100% on board with killing him.
Frodo offers gollum his protection, and gollum begins trusting Frodo and being good and nice. Sam still doesnβt buy it and doesnβt understand the relationship Frodo has with gollum. Look at this exchange between Dustin and Mike in s2.
M: βMaybe he [dart] should be deadβ
D: βhow can you say that?β
M: βhow can you not? Heβs from the upside down!β
D: βMaybe, but even if he is, it doesnβt automatically mean that heβs badβ
M: βThatβs like saying just because someoneβs from the Death Star doesnβt make them badβ
D: βWe have a bondβ
M: βA bond? Just because he likes nougats?β
D: βNo, because he trusts me!β
L: βHe trusts you?β
D: βYes! I promised I would take care of himβ
Donβt tell me itβs not exactly what I explained above. Dustin is so extremely Frodo-coded in this scene. Also Dustin telling Mike to not hurt Dart, like the many times Frodo told Sam to be nice and not hurt Gollum. Mikeβs βwhere'd you go, you little bastard?β while looking for Dart is so Sam aswell.
When Will finds Dart in the bathroom, he is gentle and tries to reassure him (but it doesnβt work out). Frodo keeps on talking with gollum and protecting him.
The scene in the tunnels where Dustin goes to talk to Dart is also similar to the scene in the books where the men find gollum and Frodo convinces them to not kill him, and to let him go talk to him, since heβll listen to Frodo.
Dart allowes them to escape and basically saves their life. Gollum ends up being crucial to the destruction of the ring and basically saves Frodo. You see it. When they closed the gate, dart died. After the ring was destroyed, gollum died.
Nancy, who grew up too fast
(Look at this cute fanart of Nancy as Frodo and Robin as Sam)
Superficially, Nancy can be seen as Γowyn. Strong female characters who handles a weapon (sword / gun), and who are remembered by their scenes using said weapon, but who are actually much more complex that people give them credit for. Γowyn is depressed, and she feels stuck. She doesnβt want to be stuck in her life, doesnβt want to die without fighting, stuck in a castle, she wants to make her choice, and have autonomy. She doesnβt want to be like the women that came before her (which is not to say she doesnβt want to be a woman, she just wants to have the same freedom as a man). Nancy is also depressed, and she doesnβt want to be stuck in a loveless picket fence marriage, like her mother. Γowyn suffers from misogyny, so does Nancy. Γowyn ends up with mr nice guy Faramir. Nancy ends up with mr nice guy Jonathan.
Nancy is also similar to Frodo, but in a different way that will or max are. Theirs are more obvious parallels, while Nancyβs are a little more abstract. Frodo decided to take the ring to Mordor, was willing to face the challenge to do the right thing. Thatβs something Nancy would definitely do.
Nancy goes from normal carefree teenage girl to a traumatized woman with the burden of saving the world, a survivors guilt bigger than herself and the need to save everyone, no longer the same girl she was before. Same with Frodo!! He goes from a normal carefree hobbit to a traumatized hobbit with the burden of saving the world and guilt over claiming the ring at the last minute, no longer the hobbit he was before.
Nancy is also the leader, taking care of the kids, making the plans, shooting with her guns. Frodo is not the leader, but yknow what he is? Scared, normal, average, and also vital. Nancy is the same. Scared, normal, average, and very important. Nancy doesnβt have superpowers nor any kind of experience in battle or fights (like for example Hopper who is a war vet). And yet everyone turns to her. Just like how everyone counts on Frodo to destroy the ring so they can succeed in saving middle earth, everyone is always counting on Nancy, although neither Frodo nor Nancy have any kind of special ability or experience that makes them different to the others.
Also, can I say this?
Nancy is also paralleled to Sam, believe it or not, specially since mike is Frodo. βWhat are you talking about? Their relationship is nothing like Sam and Frodoβs, the wheeler siblings are famously dysfunctional!β 100% agree, the wheeler siblings have everything but a perfect relationship, however there do is one singular scene (one. Seriously just one) that sets this parallel.
Vecna showing Nancy the future. What does that remind you of? Because I know what it reminds me of, and that is Galadriel showing Sam and Frodo the future through her mirror. Vecna showed Nancy glimpses, not the full picture, not the full scene, just tiny moments without context. Same thing Galadriel did to Sam and Frodo.
βOh but why Sam? Nancy is already paralleled to Frodoβ true again, except what did Frodo see in the mirror? The sea. That was his future, no one elseβs, and it was a good future. He didnβt understand it yet, but Galadrielβs mirror showed him finding peace in the future (Frodo goes to Valinor at the end of rotk to find peace and healing).
What did the mirror show SAM, though? The scouring of the shire (Hawkins after Vecna won), his father being forced to leave the shire (whatever she saw happening to Karen and Holly), Frodo βdeadβ after being attacked by shelob (Mike β except Frodo wasnβt dead, and Sam didnβt interpret this vision correctly at first since he had no context. He thought Frodo was sleeping, and then when Frodo got attacked thought βthis is what the vision meant! Heβs dead not asleep!β but both times he was wrong. I think the same will happen to Nancy, she might have seen mike βdeadβ but it will be something else), and him running to save Frodo (didnβt understand this one at first aswell). All the visions become true though, although they were different to what the characters guessed. Interested on the βcreature with a gaping mouthβ, will it be another incorrectly guessed vision, or will it be truly a creature with a gaping mouth? The scouring of the shire is the only vision Sam more or less interpreted correctly, and we have seen how Hawkins ended up after Vecna βkilledβ Max. However all the other visions were not as grim as he thought, so maybe the wheelers might be safe?
Talking about Nancy/Sam
Sam is shown last in the scene of Frodo waking up, Sam who was ALSO in Mordor.
Nancy was shaken last in the scene of Will waking up, Nancy who was ALSO in the ud (although not as long).
When it comes to Nancy, saying βoh sheβs similar to this characterβ is complicated, at least to me. Because Nancy is such a βherβ character, sheβs so herself, sheβs one of her best female characters Iβve seen in media, super complex and interesting, despite the fandoms obsession with reducing her to a boring love triangle. The duffers said that they got inspired by the breakfast club for the creation of Nancyβs, Jonathanβs, and Steveβs characters, so itβs not like her lotr parallels are huge. In fact, maybe the duffers werenβt thinking about any of this and Iβm overthinking. But anyway I just love Nancy.
Jonathan, protector
So, Jonathan. I havenβt really found many lotr parallels about him as a character, but he does appear in the parallels of others.
If Nancy is Γowyn then heβs Faramir. Faramir, nice, good, kind Faramir. Faramir who hates war but loves his kingdom and chooses to defend it, whose father very clearly has a preference for his Boromir (Joyceβs very clear preference for Will), although this doesnβt taint Faramirβs relationship with his brother. Faramir, who got closer with Boromir when they were children after their mother died and their father began to pull away (Joyce having to kill herself working after the divorce with Lonnie because money was tight and Jonathan and Will growing closer, since Jonathan took responsibility over him).
Faramir (Jonathan) and Gandalf (Hopper) are also friends (Hopperβs talk with Jonathan in s1).
Boromir died, and Faramir saw his body on a boat, floating down the Anduin river (Will βdyingβ and βhis bodyβ floating at the quarry)
Faramir meets Γowyn while she still has a bit of a crush on Aragorn vs Jonathan becoming closer with Nancy while sheβs still dating Steve. Faramir and Γowynβs relationship is also very interesting because of the role reversal when it comes to gendered expectations and roles. Faramir is a great warrior, but he does not wish to fight, heβs helpless and needs to be rescued, etc etc meanwhile Γowyn wishes to fight and sneaks to be able to, kills the witch king, falls in battle but is not helpless, etc. Thereβs a role reversal with Γowyn having a more βmasculineβ role vs Faramir having a more βfeminineβ one (Nancy being considered the more βmasculineβ one out of their relationship). Also Faramir hates to fight but is forced to in order to protect Gondor (Lonnie forcing him to learn to shoot) vs Γowyn wanting to protect her people and fight but not being allowed to, but doing it anyway (Jonathan teaching her how to shoot, and Nancy using a gun through the series meanwhile Jonathan doesnβt).
There are scenes where heβs Bilbo, specially regarding Will (Frodo). Bilbo is unabashedly weird and odd (and others call him Mad Baggins), and he has helped Frodo to embrace that part of him. Bilbo gifts Frodo his mithril coat which ends up saving his life (them building castle byers together which is where Will goes to hide in while in the ud, and ends up saving his life). Jonathan is also one of the biggest skeptics of s1, not believing Will was alive and thinking his mom was losing her head (reasonable). Just like how Bilbo is a very realistic and practical person, who is NOT into all that magic and adventures stuff, at least, at first.
I guess the mithril shirt also works for Nancy? Bilbo kept it at home, gathering dust (Jonathan keeping his fatherβs gun but not using it) until he gave it to Frodo who used it (Jonathan giving it to Nancy, who does use it). That shirt saving Frodoβs life (Nancy using the gun to defend herself).
At first I thought he could maybe be a little Frodo, but I realized that if he was on Frodoβs shoes he probably would have ended it all, so.
He works as Sam too. I donβt know any specific example, but he just has that vibe. Stubborn and devoted, caring, protective.
Robin, βI cracked the codeβ
Robin gives me so so so many merry vibes. They are both even misinterpreted in the same way! People think merry is just haha dumb comedic relief, same with robin, but they are both super interesting characters!
Merry is so smart, like, genuinely, he knew about the ring (which Bilbo kept a secret from everyone but Frodo and Gandalf for YEARS AND YEARS) before anyone else, just by observing him. Heβs the mastermind behind it all, he grabs pippin, Sam, and fatty and gets them to gather information about Frodo (who HE noticed was acting strange and might be about to leave the shire). He does all the planning to let them leave the shire as quickly and silently as they could. Merry focuses on the βspeak friend and enterβ part written above the doors of Moira. It is Gandalf who figures it out, but from the first second itβs merry who notices it above the rest of the text, and finds it weird. Itβs thanks to merry pointing it out, that Gandalf begins thinking about it. Merry is super observant!! Just like Robin being the one to figure out music helps against Vecna, or cracking the Russian code or almost always being right.
Rambling about the same topic for paragraphs. Itβs literally canon that all that could be discovered about pipe-weed in antiquity was put together by him. Same with robin rambling. Both into βweirdβ things (like, robin knows several languages and is very into old films and old books and merry is into maps and boats, which hobbits arenβt usually interested in). Also both can be seen as neurodivergent (by those with eyes to see it). (Same with Frodo and Bilbo)
They have funny scenes, of course, but they have much more to them!
Erica, child soldier
I think erica might be similar to pippin. βErica would absolutely destroy pippin wdymβ I mean yeah but think about it. This character who originally doesnβt really have much of a role and is just the family of one of our main characters (s2 Erica, pippin at the beginning of the fellowship) and who you could say is just there for laughs cause theyβre funny, but who slowly gets a bigger role and becomes a member of the team and an important member too, helping to save the world. Also pippin is the youngest out of the fellowship, heβs not even an adult yet. Erica can amuse the viewer like pippin does (but in completely different ways, pippin by being βdumbβ (again, heβs a literal teenager thrown into horrors he literally couldnβt imagine), erica by her amazing comebacks) but sheβs also an important member of the team, just like pippin.
Sheβs not aware of the real danger until s4. I mean, in s3 she basically risked her life and her only condition was βfree ice cream foreverβ. While stuck in the elevator, she says her mom will be mad at Steve and Robin for endangering her and making her miss her uncleβs birthday. Itβs steve who brings her to reality, telling her that if they are killed in a Russian elevator, her mom wouldnβt find them anyway. Erica is taken aback by this, and for the first time, sheβs beginning to see the actual danger.
She also has βdumbβ funny moments that sound like something pippin could perfectly well say (like when she said they should drink the weird green liquid they found. Like obviously not erica wtf. Reminds me of movie!Pippin eating three lembas breads without even knowing what they were before eating them). But we also see later in the season her calculating maths in her head super fast and well, and Dustin lovingly calls her a nerd. We see thatβs sheβs smart! Pippin is also smart, people just donβt acknowledge it. Good pippin post.
Eddie, the hero
(Cute fanart of Eddie and Dustin as lotr characters)
Now, Iβm not really into Eddieβs character, so if there are any more similarities that Iβve missed and a diehard fan noticed, please let me know. Eddieβs lotr parallels are so easy to see. Movie!Aragorn saying βfor Frodoβ and Eddie saying βthis is for you, Chrissyβ (which then puts Chrissy on Frodoβs position, Chrissy who got vecnaβd. Mike/Chrissy parallels here, here, and here. Also Will/Chrissy parallels here).
Also the fact that all the characters paralleled to Frodo in one way or another (Chrissy, Max, Nancy, El) got vecnaβd (about El, does mikeβs monologue scene count as getting vecnaβd? Even if not, she has scenes talking to him and such so I would add her aswell) makes me scared and excited for the other characters paralleled to Frodo (Will, Mike, and Dustin. Mike is so getting vecnaβd, Will might already be in a trance by the end of s4, and Dustin is so getting vecnaβd aswell).
Eddie saying βI say youβre asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if Iβm totally straight with you, I think is a really bad ideaβ¦ but the shire, the shire is burning. So Mordor it isβ vs Aragorn saying βI would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the endβ (or the movie version, βI would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordorβ).
Eddie is also Boromir. Boromir who died a hero, protecting pippin and merry (βthe little onesβ. While merry was an adult, pippin was a teenager, and they were technically more little (stature) than Boromir. Just like Dustin, max, Lucas etc being younger than Eddie, and him dying to save them [and all of Hawkins]). Also the scene with Dustin and Eddie playing/training in a field, parallel to the movie scenes with boromir playing/training with merry and pippin in a field. Which puts Dustin in their roles. I can see Dustin as merry, great plans, smart, scared, funny, definitely neurodivergent, etc.
Boromirβs death too. They took the little ones vs You're gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay?
And talking about death and Dustin, Eddieβs death is also incredibly similar to Thorinβs, from The Hobbit movies, see here.
Just noticed some Eddie/Frodo parallels??
I mean, Eddie is older that everyone else heβs friends with (Dustin, Mike, Lucas, the rest of hellfire) just like how Frodo is older than Sam, Merry, and Pippin.
Eddie is hiding, cause Jasonβs gang are looking for him since they think he killed Chrissy. Frodo is hiding cause the black riders are after the ring. Dustin, Lucas, Max, Robin, Erica, Steve, Nancy help him, just like the fellowship helped Frodo.
Eddie doesnβt start s4 being friends with Dustin. In fact, they had a huge power imbalance. Eddie was the dm, and a very controlling one, to the point Dustin and Mike were a bit scared to tell him about Lucas not going to the game, outright refusing to postpone (I get that maybe finding a day where everyone could play might have been complicated, but if he really wanted all of hellfire there he could have postponed. Lucasβ match couldnβt be postponed, cause there were more people playing, there was another team, they already had permission to play at the school, there would be a crowd, etc) and telling them to find a sub, to which mike and Dustin obey instantly. They have to do what Eddie does, or he gets mad. Heβs the leader, theyβre followers (thereβs also much to say about the hypocrisy of Eddie and hellfire but well). Eddie was someone Dustin (and Mike) thought was cool and interesting and who they respected.
Frodo and Sam started similarly. Frodo was Samβs employer, and someone Sam admired. He thought Frodo was wise and strong and he respected him. However unlike Dustin (and Mike), he was never scared of him, sure, he respected him and was scared of offending him and going over his social class, but not really of him. In fact, Frodo had always been very nice and kind to him.
As s4 goes on, and Eddie is hiding and discovering all the supernatural, dustin and him grow closer.
As lotr goes on, and Frodo is hiding and discovering the outside world and dealing with the ring, Sam and him grow closer.
Eddie and Dustin become best friends, leaving aside the power dynamics they started the season with, theyβre now equals.
Frodo and Sam become best friends, leaving aside the power dynamics they started the books with, theyβre now equals.
Eddieβs death scene also has some visual parallels with Frodoβs βdeathβ scene. See above.
I guess this fucks up my βall characters paralleled to Frodo get vecnaβdβ theory but like, he died, so more or lessβ¦
Also not necessarily into Henryβs character. I mean, the creels murders are super interesting (thereβs def more that meets the eye) and so are the things we learn about him through NINA (which Brenner definitely manipulated. You cannot tell me Brenner is not making Henry look extra bad there. Which is not to say I defend him, but like cβmon Brenner would obviously do that), but I donβt know much about him aside from the obvious.
(When he found the mind flayer) βI found the most extraordinary thing of all. Something that would change everything. I saw a means to realize my potential.β
Remember this line, itβs important. Like, seriously.
Henry is gollum but heβs also sauron. The mind flayer is the one ring but itβs also Melkor (Morgoth).
Henry/Sauron created the one ring but Henry/Gollum is also consumed by it. The mind flayer/melkor is stronger that Henry/sauron, and existed before Henry/sauron, but the mind flayer/one ring was also created by Henry/sauron.
Woah, what a headache. Letβs go slowly.
Henryβs sauron-coding
Sauronβs original name was Mairon. Vecnaβs original name was Henry.
βMairon saw in Melkor the will and power that would help him achieve his personal ends quicker than if he pursued them alone.β So Henry finding the mind flayer?
Melkor is an Ainur, basically a god, an βeternal spiritβ. Not the highest god (thatβs IlΓΊvatar) but one of his βchildrenβ (listen the silmarillion is complicated ok). He turns evil unlike his siblings, destroys what they create, etc. And he has other beings that work for him and support his evil deeds, one of them being Sauron/Mairon.
I donβt think it is Henry who works for the mind flayer, I think he controls the mind flayer. However in the last shadow (correct me if wrong, I havenβt seen the play, just read summaries) it says that Henry was possessed with the mind flayer as a kid and thatβs how he developed his powers (more on that later). So you could say Henry begins by βworkingβ for the mind flayer (who, for example, made him kill animals) but then after arriving at dimension x as an adult, decided he could use the mind flayer for his own gain.
Sauron began by working for Melkor, and then time later, created the one ring. Henry begins possessed by the mind flayer, but years laters decides to mold him into something useful for him, a mean to realize βhis potentialβ.
The mindflayer is the ring but also Melkor apparently. Duffers explain yourselves.
About sauron, he is also described as a sorcerer once (remember s5 ep4 βSorcererβ) in the fellowship, and the number one is repeatedly mentioned regarding him. He created the one ring, he has been called the βblack oneβ, the βone enemyβ, the βnameless oneβ. Also βthe shadowβ (the first shadow)
Sauron also used to be blonde.
βSauron's physical manifestation was destroyed in the ruin of NΓΊmenor. As a Maia, his spirit returned to Middle-earth, though he was no longer able to take the fair form he had once had.β
I also heard people say sauron was queercoded, and so is Henry. Thereβs a sort of βgay on gay crimeβ going on then (frodo and sauron, will and henry).
Henryβs gollum-coding
βOne of Brenner's fellow scientists defected and stole key technology and transported it to a Nevadan cave. At this time, a very young Henry and the Creels lived nearby, in Rachel, Nevada. While exploring the Nevadan caves and playing with a spyglass, Henry stumbled across the stolen technology when it unexpectedly activated, transporting him and the defecting scientist to Dimension X.β
βIn Dimension X, Henry was exposed to the influence of the shadowy entity. Though Henry returned home after 12 hours, he now possessed a unique blood type and had a changed personality. Brenner was later able to track Henry down thanks to Henry dropping his spyglass in the caves.β
Henry got possessed in a cave. Gollum lived on a cave, and Bilbo finds the ring (and steals it from gollum) on a cave. Technically bilbo-coding, for a tiny second.
βI found the most extraordinary thing of all. Something that would change everything. I saw a means to realize my potentialβ is SO like if he just found the one ring. The ring tempts you, tells you that if you use it you will be powerful and will accomplish your desires, no matter if they are to save the world or destroy it. It says that itβll give you the power to manage it, corrupts you, but itβs all a lie.
Henry has been fully corrupted, even his physical body changing (I mean, because of the burns but like, still a similarity) and cannot be saved. Heβs gollum but heβs the ring (since the mind flayer is the ring, and he controls the mind flayer) at the same time, makes me a bit crazy.
Also Henry speaks in plural referring to himself in tfs, just like Gollum: βYou canβt tell us what to doβ. He also says (in the show) that the mf and him βare oneβ.
The ring gave gollum, Bilbo, and Frodo the power to turn invisible. The mind flayerβs possession made Henry have powers, all the Will has powers theoriesβ¦
Henry being 001 and the ring being the one ring is just so (x)
Also, if the mf is the one ring (and he control the demogorgons) or if Vecna is the one ring (and he controls the demogorgons) then, what does that mean? It means there are 19 demogorgons. 20 rings were made, one of them being the one ring, which was the most evil and important ring, and it controlled all the other rings.
Also the many parallels between Will and Henry, how theyβre so similar. Because Frodo and Gollum are extremely paralleled and similar!! Except Frodo fears becoming Gollum just like how Will fears becoming the abuser, the predator. But also Frodo having sympathy for Gollum cause he understands, + my theory of Will having a tiny bit of sympathy for Vecna in s5, cause he can literally feel what he feels, and heβll probably get a Vecna vision like βoh Will weβre alike you and I join me blah blah blah make them pay and letβs get our vengeance blah blah blahβ. Will wonβt listen to him obviously thatβs the difference between Gollum (who had no one) falling fully corrupted to the ring vs Frodo (who had Sam) only falling corrupted at the very end. Smth smth Will has a support system and doesnβt choose violence and all that.
Also
βFΓ«anor was possessed of exceptional oratory skill, and could persuade virtually anyone through speechcraft. He also was known to have been restless, exploring as much of Aman as he could and constantly crafting new works. One of these works was believed to have been the palantΓri.β
βFΓ«anor quickly became the most prominent of the rebellious Γoldorβ (a group of elves)
βDespite Melkor having been the true root of the Γoldor's unrest, FΓ«anor's crime had been of his own making, and for this the Valar exiled him for twelve years time from Tirion.β
Reminds me a bit of everything going on with Henryβ¦
βMelkor stole away to Avathar in the south of Aman. There he discovered the evil spider-like creature Ungoliant and secured her as an ally, promising to sate her unrelenting hunger in return for her aid.β
Some things happened and they fought, and Ungoliant tried to strangle him. She didnβt get to, and after Balrogs came, had to run away. Some say she died from starvation. Maybe the mind flayer turning against Vecna in s5?
Thorin? I mean, Thorin sets to destroy Smaug, but ends up turning just like him because heβs affected by gold-sickness. Kinda like how Henry is super mad at Brenner and everyone and plans to βreshapeβ the world so that the βmindless playβ stops (I think? I never really got his intentions), so like, technically in his head he probably thinks heβs doing good (??) but like, obviously he isnβt, heβs murdering teenagers and kids for no reason. Substitutes one villain for another.
Victor is also paralleled to Thrain, Thorinβs father.
Henry/Aragorn?? But we can see the contrast between both characters. I mean, Aragorn was on some kind of self-imposed exile, Henry was exiled from earth (El vanished him into dimension x), Aragorn became king (ruler) of Gondor, Henry became some kind of ruler of the upside down. Aragorn is good and noble and rightful heir, Henry is, well, evil.
I feel like Henry stans are gonna come yell at me Iβm terrified
Hopper, who died and came back
Hopper is also a lot like Gandalf. Adult (male) who while technically is not a parent to any of the characters but he do is a paternal figure (him adopting el, him dating Joyce so becoming a kind of paternal figure to Jonathan and Will). I wouldnβt necessarily call Gandalf a paternal figure, but he do is this older βmanβ that the characters go to for help and who always helps the characters, and who has known Bilbo and Frodo since they were young (very basic description of Gandalf, I know). Also yknow Gandalf died but then came back, turns out he didnβt actually die. Hopper did the same. Gandalf βdiedβ while saving the fellowship. Hopper βdiedβ while saving everyone.
The scene of him meeting with el again in s4 is similar to Gandalf meeting with Frodo again in return of the king.
(Talking about the scene of the reunion between Hopper and El at the end of s4, check this out)
Literally same thing. Itβs so fun because Hopper is the one Sam-coded (see below) while El is the one Frodo-coded.
Hopper is also Sam-coded in two occasions. First when heβs there with el while she closes the gate (since she parallels Frodo in that scene, and Sam was with him), and second when he told Joyce βI thought you were dead. Thought I lost youβ in s4. Parallel to Samβs βI thought Iβd lost youβ in the fellowship of the ring movie. You could also argue that hopper carrying Will in the hospital during s2 is a Sam parallel (Sam carrying Frodo).
Bob Newby, superhero
Bob is played by Sean Astin, who played Sam in the lotr movies.
Bob Newby, superhero vs Samwise the stouthearted (or Samwise the brave in the movies)
I see him as Radagast tbh
βRadagast has a strong affinity forβand relationship withβwild animals.β You know what my first thought was? Lonnie (βhe made me kill a rabbitβ). Whoβs basically Lonnieβs opposite? Bob. (Sure, Joyce could also be, having been the parent who stuck around and who loves her kids deeply and actually cares and isnβt abusive, but when talking about dads, itβs Bob. Could also be hopper, but I think radagast is Bob). Iβll explain.
βHis role in Tolkien's writings is so slight that it has been described as a plot device.β Bob, I mean, he appears in just one season to kinda further the plot and then dies. He was also supposed to die in the third episode of s2, originally.
βRadagast was unwittingly used by Saruman to lure Gandalf to his tower of Orthanc, where Gandalf was capturedβ. Bob telling Will to fight the mind flayer and that causing Will to get possessed. βFortuitously, Radagast also helped rescue him by sending Gwaihir the eagle to Orthanc with news of the movements of Sauron's forces.β Bob eventually saving Will and everyone.
βRadagast is "the friend of all birds and beasts,β Bob basically being the perfect stepdad, being super nice and caring. βHe innocently helps Saruman to assemble "a great host of spiesβ, again, unknowingly and unwillingly causing Will to get possessed, which made Will the spy.
Mirkwood, (where Cornwallis and Kerley meet)
Oh boy talk to me about Mirkwood in stranger things.
Mirkwood is a real road, named by the party as βMirkwoodβ. Mirkwood is a forest that appears in the hobbit, and from where Legolas (member of the fellowship of the ring in lotr) comes from (heβs the prince of Mirkwood). Whatβs interesting about Mirkwood regarding stranger things, you might ask. I ask a better question. What is not interesting about Mirkwood regarding stranger things.
That road is the road where Will was on when he was going home in s1, where he saw whatever it is that took him. βIt is in close proximity to both the Byers house and the Harrington house, with only the forest separating themβ, oh ok, not suspicious at all. Will got taken at his house (which is close to Mirkwood) and Barb got taken at Steveβs house (which is close to Mirkwood). Nothing to see here, just a normal ass road. Mirkwood is also where they found El, where Nancy found her tree gate (I think, not super sure on this one), where the police found Willβs bike, and also, oh right, itβs next to the lab. I think you can see it in ep1, right? Like when will is on his bike and passes a sign that says smth about the lab.
Next to Mirkwood are the woods, where castle byers is, and where lots of things happened over the series in general. The woods are pretty connected to the upside down, the gates are either in the woods or on places next to the woods, lots of characters spend time in the woods since they live next to them, for some reason, etc.
Before beginning to talk about Mirkwood (lotr), what do we know about the upside down (st)?
Well, we know it wasnβt always supposed to look like that, rather itβs original design was very green and even with light. Eventually the duffers decided for the upside down we know now. We also know that before it was the upside down, it was dimension x, a place WIDLY different to the upside down we know now. We know the upside down isnβt necessarily evil (as seen by dart, a creature from it who shows the difference between nature and nurture), that itβs just a neutral dimension, simply controlled by an evil man (but it hasnβt been like this always). Ok, now that thatβs clear, what about Mirkwood (lotr)?
βThe area had been called Greenwood the Great until around the year TA 1050, when the shadow of the Dark Lord Sauron fell upon it, and Men began to call it Mirkwood, or Taur-nu-Fuin and Taur-e. Ndaedelos in the Sindarin tongue. From then on, The southern part of Mirkwood became a haunted place inhabited by many dark and savage things. Sauron, or the 'Necromancer' as he disguised himself. established himself at the hill-fortress of Dol Guldur, an old Elven fortress in the forest's southern region, and drove Thranduil and his people ever northward.β
Oh okay, so the upside down is Mirkwood fr. Alright. Thereβs also the fact that Mirkwood is the home of the children of Ungoliant (aka, huge spiders that tried to eat thorinβs company) and we know everything going on with spiders and Vecna and the mind flayer etc.
Also this s5 theory, probably my favorite theory ever.
Suspicious Minds, (Terry and Andrew)
Suspicious Minds is a half-canon book (some say itβs canon, others that it isnβt), focusing on Terry (Janeβs mom) and her time at the lab. Andrew Rich is her boyfriend at the time, and father of Jane.
I really need to reread Suspicious Minds if Iβm gonna talk about it cause I read it back in 2019 during summer holidays and barely remember anything. However you know what I found out? The many lotr references in the book. It was like a wonderful lake appeared in front of my while I was at the desert. Couldnβt believe my eyes. Oh duffers why me.
Andrew was a big lotr fan and, like any nerd, forced Terry into reading the books. Letβs get to it. Some of the lotr references in the book:
βAndrew had fallen in love with The Lord of the Rings on the van ride to New York and back, and then presented her with his battered copy of the first book when he returned. The cover featured a wizard in flowing yellow robes with a long white beard on a mountaintopβ. A wizard with yellow robes. William Byers what are you doing here??
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"It would've been a lot easier for the hobbits to stay in the Shire," she told him when he opened the door. "But they don't, do they? Frodo ends up with the ring and they leave with it."
"I knew you'd like it," he said, beaming at her and dropping a kiss on her cheek. "Let me know when you're ready for the next one. Where are you?"
"Still early. The hobbits may be the ones without magic, but I can feel how it's going.β
"You can skip the Tom Bombadil/Goldberry section if you want. It's a little much.β
"Now there's no way I'm skipping it." She paused. "But did you just admit this book isn't perfect in every way?"
And whatβs funnier and insane is that they are Sam and Frodo shippers. They constantly compare themselves to Sam and Frodo. They are dating. They are a heterosexual couple who saw 2 gay hobbits and went: βtheyβre just like us frβ. Honestly, stan.
βTerry had bare feet with brown fur glued on, and wore rolled-up trousers and an old shirt. Her hair was arranged in tight curls, pulled aside to reveal pointy wax ears.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Alice asked, puzzled.
Andrew slid up to Terry's side, good looks muted only slightly by his own ridiculous curls and similar costume. He had fur glued to the top of his hand.
"She's Frodo, and I'm Samwise Gamgee. From my favorite books. I let Terry pick, and she made me the sidekick. But I don't mind being her sidekick.β
Terry shrugged. "I like Sam."
"And I like Frodo. Let me get you a drink."
-
"Don't do that," Andrew said, sitting up against the headboard. "Sometimes even Frodo and Sam have to have tough conversations.β
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βI want you to live your life while I'm goneβthink of me sometimes. I'll be dreaming of you and settling down in the Shire. No Grey Havens for us.β
UGHHH
Specially the last paragraph. Itβs from a postcard Andrew sent Terry.
I cannot tell you ANYTHING about their relationship, again, desperately need to reread.
However Sam and Frodo are depicted as a romantic relationship. They are compared to a canon romantic relationship. Literally. Not by parallels like lumax, no, genuinely, literally, explicitly compared.
While there are characters who are compared to Sam and Frodo during some moments (Dustin and mike over dart, Nancy seeing the future vision of mike) and whoβs relationship is definitely not romantic, itβs interesting to see how two canon couples have been compared to them. And then we have byler, who while not canon yet parallel both their relationship and the characters separately more than any other characters doβ¦
That last paragraph? The postcard? When I read it I didnβt understand if he was saying βIβll be dreaming of you while I settle down in the shireβ or βIβll be dreaming of you and of settling down in the shire (with you)β so I went to my copy, which is the spanish translation, and itβs the second one. Sam and Frodo settling down in the shire togetherβ¦ no mention of Rosieβ¦ No grey havens for usβ¦ All that combined with the duffers love for trope subversion and making things not be how they seem and so on, they are basically saying that Sam and Frodo have a happy ending together in the shire in stranger things (which basically tells us lumax endgame and byler endgame).
+ (some extra stuff)
I always loved the story of the Awakening of the Elves, in The Silmarillion. It talks about the elves waking up in middle earth for the first time, and the start of the elven civilization. When the elves began living, it was dark. There was no sun nor moon (since they hadnβt been created yet), they lived in permanent darkness. And Melkor was sending evil spirits towards the elves and capturing them. The elves entered a state of panic and confusion, they had just been born, they were learning the world for the first time.
I think this is similar to s1 Will. Will, entering a new world for the first time, a world without light, with no previous knowledge of anything and no idea of what was going on, and on top of that, having to hide from monsters lurking in the shadows (demogorgons sent by Vecna).
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βThe transformation of the Shire from rural idyll to industrial wasteland heavily parallels Tolkien's own views of the destruction of the English countryside by the steady creep of industrialisationβ + Smaug (the dragon they are set to kill in the hobbit) has lots and lots of money for the sake of having money. Doesnβt spend it, just hoards it because heβs greedy + Thorin dealing with gold-sickness, aka, wanting hoard as all the gold he took from Smaug, and not spend it or share it (just like Smaug did, so he sets to destroy Smaug just to turn just like him) (Smth smth, the mind flayer as capitalism)
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Quoting Eddie, the shire is burning. The upside down arrived at Hawkins. At first, the upside down and the supernatural was located in the lab and in the upside down. It didnβt touch Hawkins. Except now it did, and things get dirty, the scourning of the shire, the shire is burning. So Mordor it is. Also, birthdaygate. March 22, Willβs birthday. Yknow what else is March 22? The day Sam and Frodo left the road and headed towards mount doom.
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By the way, look at the gates.
Donβt they remind you of spiderwebs? Cause they sure look like spiderwebs to me. (The gates vs Shelobβs lair). Smth smth shelob smth mind flayer smth prey smth vecna smth. Oh, also Will being taken to the ud (supposedly going through a gate) forcefully, just like Frodo got captured by Shelob in one of her webs.
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Frodoβs birthday (and Bilboβs) is also the 22th. 22th of September, not March, but the 22th. Also thereβs 7 months between March and September (March - April - May - June - July - August - September) and (September- October- November - December- January - February- March). It was a seven.
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In The Tomb of Ybwen (st comic), not only is Will referred to as Frodo by Lucas (which I already mentioned above), but they find a cabin, and Dustin calls it βThe Mines of Moriaβ and βKhazad DΓ»mβ (which is just Moria, but in KhuzdΓ»l, the language of dwarves)
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Patty and the balrog parallels, on the first shadow
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Soteria is paralleled to the one ring, which is strange because soteria inhibits powers, while the ring gives you powers (hobbits turns invisible, extended lifespan, etc). Henry also said that soteria tracks your movements, and if he was right about that, itβs a similarity with the one ring, which when put on, allowed sauron to know someone had it.
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Demobats vs fellbeasts
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In s5, Mr Clarke says Mellon when opening a door, which is what Gandalf has to say to enter amorΓo (speak friend and enter)
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One Russian guy tried to torn off Steveβs fingernail in order to get information out of him. This might just be a coincidence, but like, itβs the same finger from the same hand that Frodo had cut off.
And thereβs also Steve being pulled into the water by a tentacle on s4, which could be a reference to Frodo being pulled into the water by a tentacle
And talking about fingers, Hopper almost cuts Larryβs finger off in s3, right after remarking on his ring
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Holly saying in s3 "the trees are moving" is likely a reference to the Ents, trees that literally moved and made war against Saruman and Isengard.
And the scene in s5 with Holly in Henryβs mindscape, first meeting Max, is also a visual parallel to the scene with the hobbits and the ringwraiths. The duffers sure love that scene.
Cool parallel with Derek as Sam, Holly as Frodo, and Max as Gandalf, when both Derek and Sam are eavesdropping.
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The one ring was a physical object, you could put it on, touch it, destroy it. The mind flayer is not a physical object, and Vecna is a person (?). Not so easy to destroy. You could destroy the one ring by throwing it into the fire of Mordor, and you could take the mind flayer out of Will with heat (he likes it cold). So, can you kill the mind flayer by burning it? Following this thought pattern, yes.
At the end of s4 Nancy and robin burned Vecna and it probably hurt but heβs not dead. So either it doesnβt work or they need a much bigger fire. Well, not all fire worked with the one ring, it had to be the fire of Mordor. Now the question is, what is Mordor in stranger things? Because the upside down is Mirkwood. Maybe vecnaβs weird red dimension (like where max was during the running up that hill sequence). Itβs different to the ud, since itβs mental. The upside down is somewhere you can physically enter and leave, vecnaβs red dimension is harder to access (since itβs mental). Maybe Vecna/the mind flayer whatever can only be burned there. Or maybe the upside down is both Mirkwood and Mordor.
Idk itβs all so confusing. All I know is that a certain someone who has already cast fireball twice on dnd might be βthe cureββ¦
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Conclusion:
The duffers are Sam/Frodo shippers. Theyβre also insane and I desperately need to hear them infodump
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my problem is if i enjoy something enough i will be nitpicking. i Will have things to say about where and how it failed. out of nothing but love straight from my heart. unfortunately this often makes me indistinguishable from a hater who has never experienced joy or kindness. such is the amateur critic's burden.
updated details: the follow-up sale will be happening this saturday and sunday, june 20th and 21st, from 10:30 am to 4 pm each day.
the sale is at 32 york street, georgina, ontario, L0E 1R0, and will be cash only. to avoid disappointment, please be prepared to bring ample cash !!!!! i cannot emphasize this enough. people were somewhat shocked at the last sale by the sheer quantity of yarn, including artisanal yarn from all over the world, many hand dyed. the pricing of items, though it will be reasonable and fair, will reflect the underlying value of the product.
i am open to any questions in comments, asks, or DMs!!
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It might not mean anything, but has anyone been able to figure out what Will's necklace is supposed to be. It's definitely not the padlock everyone thought it would be.
If you zoom in, it almost looks like it's two things, with the half on our left positioned on top of the half on our right.
The problem is you can't see any details if you zoom in.
ok im a vintage jewelry enthusiast and these appear to be 2 pendants. probably silver and in a sort of wax stamp fashion. the smaller one appears to have some scrolled heart motif on it.
I also thought it was two seperate pendants, almost like those metal tag ones, and I went to google around for something that kinda looked similar, but couldn't find anything authentic.
One thing was this rustic textured tag pendant though:
I found it on google image search, it's from here (I don't know this brand, but wow that seems expensive to me)
Otherwise I can find a lot of the ones prev mentioned, silver pendants with some stamp design, though I can't make out what kind of design it might be.
when robin starts working at WSQK, she collects everybodyβs favourite songs so theyβll be on hand if somebody gets vecnaed. mike feels insanely vulnerable as he tells her βsmalltown boyβ, hiding his nerves and praying she wonβt listen to or already know it and somehow See Him.
robin doesnβt think much of it at first, but as the week passes she starts curiously making her way through everybodyβs songs, just to feel closer and understand them better. so when she gets around to giving βsmalltown boyβ a listen, sheβs really paying attention to the lyrics.
and itβs so familiar to her, the feeling in the song, that she wonders, less a question and more amazement, if it could really be what she thinks. eager for a second opinion, she asks steve, without mentioning mike, βhey, what does this songβ¦ make you think of?β and replays it.
steve wanders over to listen, and as the song trails off heβs already asking, βis this one somebody gave you?β
βwhy?β she asks, suddenly thinking maybe she shouldnβt have shared. she trusts steve, duh, but if mike likes the song for That reason, itβs not her secret to tell.
he squints for a few seconds before softening in understanding, nudging her reassuringly, and quietly asking, βmike or will?β
βwhat? how?β she demands.
steve wrinkles his brow, confused. βwhat? itβs not like itβs gonna be anybody else. like, we all see it, right?β
robin makes a face, then spells it out. βno?β
steve raises his eyebrows, frowning. βokay,β he says dubiously.
quietly, robin checks theyβre on the same page. βso you thinkβ¦?β
βgay? yeah. a hundred percent.β he pauses, then asks, βitβs mike, right?β
βwhat the hell, dude.β she stares as if she suspects he has some strange superpower.
he shrugs. βi dated nancy. spent a lot of time at the wheeler house. iβve been seeing those two dance around each other for like four years now.β he hesitates, then adds, βeverybody kinda knows about will, but mike dating el sort of threw me off for a bit. not that i was, likeβ¦ theorizing about it. just noticed. but then i was right about vickie, so i was like, oh, okay, cool, mike is gay. or something.β
robin nods slowly. βholy shit, dude. if it was ethical you could totally make money off this.β
βi think youβre just really bad at it,β he says. but he looks pleased.
robin squawks indignantly, spinning in her seat. βi noticed the song!β she protests.
steve levels his gaze at her. βrob. what other meaning could it possibly have?β
robin shrugs half-heartedly and mutters something about mr. hauserβs english class and the many symbolic layers of art.
steve groans. βsure. or the dudeβs just gay.β
βof course youβd say that, mr βi hate essaysβ.β she knocks her head against his shoulder like a friendly cat.
βhey! whatβs that supposed to mean?β steve nudges her head and they dissolve into laughter.
βdβyou think i should, yβknowβ¦β she hesitates and nods toward the song.
βtalk to him?β steve asks.
βyeah.β he shrugs.
βmaybe. probably. but he might freak out. wheeler can be a bit antagonistic.β
robin nods, frowning. βand i think he already doesnβt like me much.β she pauses and quirks her brow. βare you trying to use essay words now?β
βwhatβs the matter with you? thatβs a normal word. i know that word. itβs not even a big word.β
βiβm messing with you!β she tilts her head. βi dunno. maybe if i go about it real subtle.β at steveβs dubiously scrunched face, she insists, βi can do subtle! i can totally be subtle.β
he raises his hands. βi didnβt say anything!β softer, he says, βyouβre a good person. you make people feel okay to be themselves. i think whatever you do will work out.β
robin blinks rapidly, then gives him a watery smile. βreally going for the heartstrings there, huh?β
steve chuckles, a crooked smile on his face. βyouβre just getting soft.β
after a pause, she says, βi think he feels really alone.β
he nods. βprobably, yeah. i mean, lonely face, crying to your soul, nobody understands. itβs a rough song.β his eyes tighten looking down at her.
βyeah,β she finally agrees. it comes out heavy. βiβll talk to him.β
steve smiles, squeezing her shoulder. she looks up and grins bravely, sniffling and wiping her eyes. βalright! letβs get a move on. we donβt get paid the big bucks to slack off.β
one day, robin plays βsmalltown boyβ for the town. before it starts, she says, βthis oneβs for a friend of mine who i think feels pretty alone. if youβre out there listening, you should know thereβs people who do understandβ¦ even here at home.β
as the opening notes play, steve smirks and nudges her. βsubtle.β
βshut up,β she says, grinning as her heart thumps nervously. βi thought it might help if he knows iβm cool first.β
βyeah, you are,β steve agrees, even though thatβs not what she meant.
across town, mike wheeler is listening to rockinβ robinβs broadcast and feeling incredibly, vulnerably seen. but as the falsetto vocals fade out and his startled heart slows down, itβs a lot less scary than he thought it would be.
