This is where the operatic section comes in

Didn't mean for this to be my first post of pride but uhhh... happy pride to these bozos ig :P

I'm really struggling to find a silver lining, because I think that the show ended up causing a lot of harm. They promoted homophobia, misogyny, and racism. They queerbaited to a degree that had never been seen before - which means media creators will know they can push it that much further now, and take advantage of that many more people.

They promoted redpill ideology.

They promoted fat shaming and bullying people because of their body types.

They promoted second screen viewing.

The quality of every aspect of the show - from the writing to the CGI - was subpar in every single way. And given how popular the show was, that means the bar will fall to some degree.

I just really don't see anything positive that has come out of it. It seems like a loss across the board.

As pissed off as I will always be about how this all turned out, I will say that the Duffers did one thing right.

Dustin easily had the most well-handled story out of all the characters. His relationships were realistic and genuine, his grief manifested in a painfully accurate manner, and, up until his behavior at graduation, at least, he was very consistent with his values and beliefs.

He also wasn't reduced to a single aspect like his fellow party members. Mike became El's boyfriend who was bad with feelings, with most of his dynamic and intelligent traits coming in flashes here or there. Lucas became Max's boyfriend (though much better at feelings), seemingly having given up sports rather than having learned that a nerdy jock can be a thing. Will's interest in art was barely present in season 5 and didn't factor at all into his ending, leaving him to just be "the gay one."

Yet Mike and Will having a relationship building from a lifetime of friendship had nothing even hinting at it and was never in the cards.

I guess it exists, but only for straight people. But, then again, romantic love is only for straight people to begin with. Gay people just have crushes and lust. At least according to the Duffers.

Simply put, it's either a retcon or just plain bad storytelling.

There was no established "love at first sight" or anything of the sort. Mike was disappointed initially when he found El because he was trying to find Will. He had no initial interest in her until he thought she could help them find him. He wanted to keep her safe, yes, especially after learning the "bad men" were looking for her. But none of that changes the fact that his original plan was for her to be "sent back where she came from."

This isn't some knock on their relationship. It's simply a statement of fact. Everything that could be even remotely described as love developed after the fact. So, yes, "I knew right then and there that I loved you" is a load of bullshit. Either Mike was lying to try to make up for his previous inability to say it, or the Duffers are just disingenuous hacks who don't know their own story and characters well enough to build a story with continuity.

I know where I'd put my money.

Little wonder that so many people, myself included, thought this all to mean that Mike was just telling El what he thought she wanted to hear. The fact that he was intended to truly be in love with her from the beginning is some really screwed up storytelling, especially considering he met her while searching for Will and he said this right in front of him.

Nevermind all his weird behavior from the end of season 3 to the finale. It was only because he was insecure and thought he wasn't good enough for her, so, naturally, she would leave him someday.

Nevermind that all of their interactions when they're not in a dangerous, stressful situation are forced and awkward.

Nevermind that Mike treated Will like he should have treated El all along, while Will was also written to be in love with Mike.

This is part of the larger problem within Stranger Things. In the later seasons, every character's actions are dictated not by what the character would reasonably do or what has been built up, but what best supports plot convenience. The Duffers wanted the people who were rooting for Mike and Will to end up together (which was a considerable portion of their audience) to continue watching the show. So Will was being encouraged to keep pursuing a potential relationship with Mike - whose feelings and relationship status with El were left intentionally ambiguous.

Then when the eleventh hour struck and the Duffers could no longer straddle the "will they /won't they" line, Will suddenly decided he'd only had a crush on Mike that he was now completely over.

It'd be laughable if it weren't so sad.

The Duffers supposedly let Finn ad lib that entire monologue. I don't know just how true that is, but it would at least explain how nonsensical it is. It really only works when taken as a desperate act by Mike to save El by telling her what she wants to hear. That it was meant to be taken as truth is not only not true, but it's also cruel.

Will is standing right there next to Mike as Mike talks about his life starting when he met El. Not only is Will in love with him, and not only did he sacrifice his own feelings to encourage Mike to make things right with El, but he is now listening to Mike say that the best day of his life was when he lost Will.

Will already felt like he was being replaced by El in Mike's life, and now here is Mike pretty much confirming it. Knowing now that nothing out of the ordinary happened between seasons 4 and 5, it makes the situation even more ridiculous that Will ends up feeling like he suddenly has a shot with Mike.

Then you have Mike and El, who present as awkward and out of touch, at best, in season 5. There's no romance, and they really come off acting like friends at the beginning. They show little concern for each other during dangerous situations. El is focused on her mission and Kali after she finds her. Mike is focused on Will and finding Holly. Hell, the Duffers had to go and separate Mike and El for half the season to try to hide the fact that their dynamic just doesn't work, only for us to get that horrendous void scene out of nowhere and cram a relationship that never worked down everyone's throat.

Oh, God, I forgot about that.

You know you did or said something that was truly ridiculous when The Onion does a piece on it.

redraw from "cyrano de bergerac" play