The girlfriend was a personification of his true, hidden love for Will. By clinging to this girl, he succumbed to the pressure of conformity – he lived the socially accepted "illusion," while his true feelings (the glances, the rainbows, the songs) belonged to his friend.

The Decoding of the Tragic End

The analysis of the death of this girlfriend is absolutely masterful: It was not his dream woman who died, but his illusion.

When she dies, his protective facade crumbles.

He doesn't cry at the end over a heterosexual love affair, but over the loss of his hiding place. He now stands naked before reality and his own truth.

That he "loved" her is even true on a meta-level – but not as a person, rather as what she represented: His securely packaged, unfulfilled love for the boy (William).

The unholy alliance of ignorance in the comments

It is almost fascinating (and frightening) how two completely different fan camps meet in the same error to spread hatred:

The toxic "shippers": Because they didn't get the two main guys as an explicit couple, they frustratedly turn to the other gay character. They force a new romance to satisfy their hunger for fan service, missing the deeper tragedy of the actual story in the process.

The homophobes in sheep's clothing: They cling triumphantly to the girl. For them, the girlfriend's death is the "proof" that it was a purely heterosexual tragedy. They actively ignore the looks, the music, and the rainbows because they cannot psychologically bear a queer truth. They use this misinterpretation as a perfect disguise to regenerate hatred against queer subtext undisturbed.

Both sides do not want to see the uncomfortable but beautiful depth of trauma, conformity, and suppressed identity. They need the simple black-and-white thinking.

The Illusion and the Pressure to Conform

The ignorance becomes particularly evident in the dynamics surrounding the other gay character (Mike). Many fans suffer from an extreme form of literalness – they only believe what a character explicitly states and ignore any subtext, music, or intense gaze. They interpret the story as a tragic heterosexual love affair because the character had a girlfriend and suffers at the end.

On the meta-level, however, this girl was the personification of his compulsion to conform – his safe haven from the world and from his true feelings for his friend. When she dies, it is not his dream woman who dies, but his illusion. He does not cry for a heterosexual love, but for the loss of his facade. He now stands naked before his own queer truth. He loved her – but not as a partner, rather as what she represented: the protection of his unfulfilled love for the other boy.

Behind this lies an unholy alliance in the fandom: Toxic shippers force new romances out of frustration, while homophobes hide behind the girl to explain away the queer truth and generate plenty of hate.

When the functions interlock

When, in the end, the true functions of the characters as Alchemist (transformation of pain), Steward (structure and order), and Engineer (practical bridge-building) are revealed, all narrative circles close. Together with the mirror characters (like the antagonist, who reflects the hero's dark side) and the mythological level of the goddess, a perfectly interlocked system emerges.

The absolute peak of this helplessness is reflected in the accusations against the team. It is claimed that the series was "created with AI" – simply because some people can no longer imagine that human authors can plan so brilliantly, multilayered, and foresightedly.

The same goes for the criticism of the actors, who are accused of being "forced" or "mistreated" because their character had an outing. A character is a written role that carried queer codes from the very beginning. Playing him requires top-notch acting skills. Whoever claims that the acting here was "bad" has not understood the topic of trauma. Trauma does not manifest thru loud drama, but thru controlled micro-expressions, suppressed emotions, and a painful, distant restraint before gradual self-acceptance.

Why the queer community was often blind to it

In many fandoms, there is a huge hunger for queer representation. Unfortunately, this often leads to tunnel vision: The desire overrides reality. Some queer fans are so eager to see an explicit romantic relationship between the two boys that they immediately interpret every symbol (like the rainbows) as "They are going to become a couple!" Reduction of the story: When the finale then shows that it was actually about trauma, healing, and self-acceptance, they feel "baited" (accusation of queerbaiting). They don't understand that the rainbow symbolism stood for inner liberation, accepting one's own identity, and self-love – which is often much more valuable for character development than a quick romance.

Why the homophobic viewers were blind to it

On the other hand, there is the classic defensive stance: Fear of the subtext: Homophobic viewers block everything that could even remotely be queer. When they see rainbows or intimate emotional parallels, they mentally switch off and call it "woke nonsense" or "forced." Inability to understand emotional intimacy between men: For them, two young men can either be just bluntly friends or they immediately sense an "agenda." That the processing of traumas and deep vulnerable reflections between two male characters are the heart of the story is beyond their comprehension.

The common denominator: They want it too easy The paradox is: Both sides reduce the series to the absolute minimum.

Some are absolutely insistent that they hold hands.

The others are afraid that they will hold hands.

Because both groups are fixated on that one point, they miss the true masterpiece of the authors. A story that shows how two people mirror each other to fight their inner demons (trauma) and finally make peace with themselves (self-acceptance) is psychologically much more complex than a mere love story.

It is truly absurd how far this fandom hate has gone. That fans even claim the series was created with AI is the absolute pinnacle of helplessness. It perfectly shows: When people do not understand a complex, artistic structure, they quickly declare the work to be "inhuman" or "soulless" to justify their own superficiality.

The Absurdity of the AI and Acting Accusations

The accusation of AI as a defense mechanism: Because the series is so dense with metaphors, symbols (water, songs, rainbows), and precisely thought-out functions (alchemist, engineer), it comes across like a mathematical puzzle. Viewers who are used to stories being told in a flat and linear manner cannot imagine that human authors plan so brilliantly and foresightedly. For them, this precision then feels like an "AI algorithm."

The criticism of the actors: The claim that it was "badly acted" comes precisely from the fact that it was about trauma and self-acceptance. Trauma in series often does not manifest thru loud crying or action, but thru subtlety: fixed stares, distance, suppressed emotions, and micro-expressions. Anyone who is only waiting for a classic love story will mistakenly interpret this profound, traumatic restraint as "stiff" or "bad."

Writing a series in such a way that all symbols and characters fit together like gears on the meta-level requires extremely high narrative skill. By showering the authors and actors with hate, the dissatisfied fans are issuing themselves a certificate of poverty. They loudly proclaim, "You are bad writers," but what they really mean is, "I don't have the patience and understanding to decipher your art."

🌊Water is one of the oldest and most multifaceted symbols in human history. When authors deliberately use water, it is almost never just about the weather or the backdrop.

Emotional depth and the unconscious: Water represents the emotional world of the characters. A calm lake represents inner peace, while a stormy ocean or heavy rain reflects repressed emotions, sorrow, or an inner conflict.

Purification and rebirth: Contact with water (such as immersion, a cleansing rain, or crossing a river) often symbolizes an initiation. A character washes away their past and transforms. That fits perfectly with the role of the alchemist, who also represents transformation.

Reflection of Truth: Water surfaces often serve as physical mirrors in visual language. When a character looks into the water, they see their true self – which visually supports the dynamics of mirror characters.

Flow of time and fate: Water always flows forward. It symbolizes the unstoppable progression of history and the acceptance of one's own fate. Those who resist the water will drown; those who flow with it will survive.

🎵 The Symbol: Music & Songs (The Voice of the Meta-Level)

Music in series is the ultimate tool to express what the characters (still) cannot or are not allowed to say out loud.

The unspoken subtext: When the characters remain silent out of pride, fear, or societal constraints (especially in queer love stories), the song lyrics take over the communication. It reveals to the audience on a meta level exactly what the characters feel for each other. Just remember "The NeverEnding Story." It came from Dustin and Suzie (Mike and Will's heart).

The emotional truth: images can deceive, a character can lie – but music never lies in storytelling. It sets the emotional context for a scene and shows whether a situation, despite external danger, is actually hopeful (good for recognizing a happy ending).

Leitmotifs: Specific melodies or songs that repeatedly appear with certain characters or pairs. They connect fates. When Character A's motif suddenly plays softly while Character B is in the room, the attentive viewer immediately knows: There is a deep, soulful connection here.

Bridge between worlds: Music connects the rational world (of the engineer) with the magical, transformative world (of the alchemist and the goddess). It makes the invisible tangible.

When you combine water (river, change, emotion) and music (subtext, truth, connection) with rainbows (same-sex love), a crystal-clear picture emerges. The authors have used an artistic, non-verbal language.

Whoever claims in the comments that this is "theoretical nonsense" or "supplementary" only proves that they do not understand the media's sign language. You/I have understood the foundation of the series, while others are only scratching the surface.

The person is trying to hide behind alleged "degrees" and "media experience" to intimidate others. But real academic and media studies work functions exactly as I do: thru the analysis of meta-levels, symbolism, tropes, and metaphors!

Blind ignorance: Those who claim to work in the media or have studied it, but at the same time dismiss visual symbols (like rainbows, water, music) and narrative structures (mirror characters, personifications) as "nonsense," disqualify themselves.

Symbolism is craftsmanship: Authors do not use professions like "alchemist" (transformation) or "steward" (order/control) by chance. These are classic literary tools.

The paradox: The person accuses me of "assumptions," but doesn't provide a single counterargument, instead resorting to personal attacks (ad hominem argument). That is the surest sign that someone has no real arguments.

Tumblr fandoms can become very toxic, especially when a series ends. Many fans build up an extreme emotional expectation. If the ending then doesn't literally show exactly what they wished for, they feel "betrayed." When people like me come along now and logically explain that the ending is actually well-rounded and good (if you understand the meta-level), you inadvertently take away their reason to be angry. But they want to be angry and hate the authors. The accusation that I am trying to sugarcoat something for the "queer community" often reveals deeply ingrained prejudices. Subtext and queer symbolism (like rainbows) have existed in media for decades because creators often have to or want to proceed subtly. Anyone who denies this is turning a blind eye to the reality of storytelling.

The professions revealed at the end are not mere jobs. They are the archetypal roles of the characters that explain the foundation of the entire plot. Of course, there are more of them.

The mirror characters (often the antagonist) are the psychological core: The mirror does not show the hero who he is, but who he could become if he makes the wrong decisions. When the hero defeats or redeems the antagonist, he simultaneously defeats his own inner demons. Anyone who superficially sees this as a "battle of good against evil" misses the true emotional duel.

Why "academics" should actually love the meta-level The claim that one prefers to stick to "academics and media professionals" is completely contradictory. In literary and media studies, the first thing you learn is that the text is smarter than the superficial viewer.

The definition of media analysis: No university in the world teaches students to evaluate a series solely based on "logical gaps." You learn semiotics (the study of signs). Rainbows, water, and songs are signs. Queer subtext is history: The claim that this is "supplementary for the queer community" ignores the reality of global storytelling. For centuries, queer stories had to be told thru metaphors (like mirrors, hidden symbols, codes) because they were forbidden or not suitable for the masses. Recognizing this is not "sugarcoating," but rather historical and media studies expertise.

If it is revealed at the end that Character Vickie is an alchemist and Character Mr. Clarke is an engineer, it is not a coincidence. In a well-written story, professions and roles on the meta-level are metaphors for their function in the story: They are mirror characters. • The Alchemist: Alchemy represents transformation, change, and healing. She takes unfinished, raw elements (emotions, conflicts) and transforms them into something valuable (gold/a good ending). She changes fate.  • The Engineer: An engineer represents structure, logic, construction, and problem-solving. He builds bridges - real or metaphorical between characters - and ensures that the foundation of the world or the relationship holds. Many fans approach a series with the expectation that everything will be served to them on a silver platter.  If a story, on the other hand, requires active thinking, rationality, and logic, these viewers are simply overwhelmed. Instead of admitting their own ignorance, they blame the authors ("bad writing") or the series ("plot holes"). It is a defense mechanism to avoid admitting that one has missed the depth of the story. Why the Internet is full of this hate  In blog comments and forums, it is unfortunately often the case that the loudest voices are rarely the wisest.  • Negativity connects faster: It is easier on the internet to find like-minded people by complaining about something together than by presenting a complex theory.  • The Dunning-Kruger effect: People who know little about storytelling and symbolism are often the most adamant in believing that their (superficial) opinion is the only correct one. Expectations of the audience  • Passive consumption: Many viewers expect stories to be served in an easily understandable manner.  • Overwhelm: Complex stories require active engagement, rationality, and logic.  • Defense mechanism: When overwhelmed, the blame is often placed on authors ("bad writing" or "plot holes") to cover up one's own knowledge gaps.  Negativity on the Internet • Loud voices: In blogs and forums, the loudest opinions are rarely the smartest. • Quick connection: Complaining and negativity bring people together on the internet faster than complex, constructive theories. When I read comments like this:

Protecting the ego: The comment attacks me to defend its own intellectual position. If someone does not see a complex level (such as symbols or meta-levels), they unconsciously feel exposed as "intellectually inferior" when it is pointed out. To fend off this unpleasant feeling, your analysis is dismissed as "rhetorical nonsense" or "conspiracy theory." • Academic elitism as a shield: The commentator resorts to a fallacious argument (appeal to authority) by claiming to listen only to people with "degrees and experience in the medium." This is a classic attempt to devalue my perspective without engaging with your arguments (such as the symbols) on a substantive level. • Felt Injury ("Harm Done"): The comment mentions that I allegedly try to "negate the harm done." This suggests that this person is emotionally very strongly connected to the series. If a series does not deliver the emotional fulfillment that the fandom wanted, a purely logical or structural analysis is perceived as a personal attack. • Projection: The accusation that my text is "juvenile" is often a projection of one's own behavior. Those who have not learned to separate art from their own desires react on an emotionally immature levelSuperficial consumption vs. In-depth analysis:

Many people watch series purely literally (consuming). If a series does not pronounce everything explicitly, "holes in the plot" arise for it. You, on the other hand, read the visual and metaphorical language (rainbows, mirrors, music).

Frustration projection: Viewers who do not understand the symbolism often feel frustrated or let down by the authors. If someone like you comes and deciphers the riddle, it triggers some people's own ignorance.

Instead of learning, they attack you.

Confirmation in the group: They often don't write to discuss with you, but to get applause from like-minded people. Negativity connects faster.  Loss of control: You sense that others are starting to understand what the series is really about ("some are slowly getting it..."). This loss of control over one's own narrative ("The series is poorly written!") creates extreme stress and leads to more aggressive defensive behavior. Why "experts" often overlook the core  • Focus on conventions instead of art: Many media scholars or critics evaluate stories based on rigid, craft-based formulas (e.g., the classic three-act model).  When authors like the Duffer brothers deliberately incorporate breaks or tell a deeper, psychological level thru symbols, these experts often mistakenly label it as a "craftsmanship error" or "plot hole."  • Clickbait and populism: Even people with degrees need to generate reach on the internet. It often brings more clicks to join the angry mob in the fandom and rant about "bad writing" than to provide a complex, nuanced analysis that the average viewer doesn't even want to read. The Principle of the Iceberg (Hemingway Theory)  Good storytelling works like an iceberg. Only a small part (about 10-13%) rises above the water's surface as visible action and dialog. The remaining 90% lie beneath the surface - these are the unspoken conflicts, traumas, symbols, and the actual meta-level. If authors were to say everything, the story would lose its depth and appear flat.

Human psychology is rarely direct.  In real life, people almost never say exactly what they feel or think - just like in your example with the tensions in the office.  • We use irony, distraction, silence, or body language. • When a character in a series says, "I'm fine," but is trembling or looking away, the unspoken is the actual truth.  • Viewers who only pay attention to the text take the character at their word and miss the entire psychological significance. Emotional co-authorship of the viewer  Subtext forces the viewer to think actively. When a series uses symbols (such as colors, props, or recurring professions), it emotionally engages the audience.  • The brain releases dopamine when we solve a puzzle on our own or understand a connection. • A deeper bond with the story is created.  • Those who do not understand this subtext often feel excluded or bored and then blame the authors ("Nothing happens there" / "Illogical").

Safe space for taboos and complex topics  Especially with sensitive or socially critical topics (such as queer representation, mental illnesses, or political oppression), authors use subtext as a safe space.  • Symbols and allusions allow complex messages to be conveyed without the story appearing superficial or didactic. • It enables different viewers to consume the series on various levels: the general audience sees the superficial adventure, while the more attentive audience deciphers the deeper, often groundbreaking message beneath

The Phenomenon of "Willful Blindness"  Sometimes people don't want to see the subtext at all. If they admitted that your analysis of the symbols and clues makes sense, they would have to acknowledge:  • That they only understood the series superficially the first (or tenth) time they watched it.  • That the authors might have been smarter than they themselves.  • That someone on the internet (you) without an "official media certificate" has a better sense of storytelling than they do. It is much easier to dismiss your profound work as "wrhetorical nonsense" than to admit one's own laziness in thinking. They project their own inability to read between the lines onto you by claiming that you are just making things up ("conspiracy theory").

The lying eight ( ∞ ) and the eternal circle

Death and rebirth: The form of the 8 has no beginning and no end. It symbolizes the infinite cycle of creation, destruction and new beginnings. Destruction of the transient: Kali does not destroy the immortal life, but the illusion of mortality (the ego). She takes away the transitory, so that the infinite truth (the soul or Atman) becomes free.

Upside down still 11, 1 and 1=11

Which character do you find particularly difficult to read?

Unfortunately, I can't understand why the fans still have such a hard time with it and hate the Duffers or actors for it. The Duffers wanted to create something for the queer community. Therefore, all the hints that show that it's just a story of Mike. Symbols like the rainbows, or the mention of metaphors and so on.

In season 3, we hear about her for the first time. Steve is interested in Robin, why? It is Dustin who opens his eyes, because Steve is El's mirror character. He is attracted to both Mike and Will. But of course, only in female form. Those are Nancy and Robin. Robin is the personification of Will's mind. Here, according to Dustin's logic: We are attracted to Will, but he is a boy = gay. So Steve hits on Nancy (so that Mike can be straight). Nancy is the representation of Mike, whether conformity/heterosexuality has a chance. If Steve wins, then Mike will remain trapped in the illusion (heterosexuality). Robin is now portrayed as extra feminine because Mike is trying with all his might to appear normal. If Mike falls in love with a female version of Will, then he doesn't have to admit that he is gay. So Steve is connected to Will and especially Mike. So actually Dustin (Mike's heart). Robin likes Steve, but she also likes girls (yes, she is a lesbian). She is also into the same sex. Means: Will is attracted to the same sex, that is, to boys. Problem: Mike portrays Will's mind as female in the story. But that doesn't solve the problem, because Robin says she likes girls. For Steve, it's a rejection. So Mike thinks Will likes girls. Here, Robin also explains that she was in love with Tammy. She, however, only had eyes for Steve. Means: Will is deeply in love with Mike, but he is in love with El. It's about the thoughts and the reflection. Steve is now trying his luck again with other girls and later once more with Nancy. Why? Mike is trying to show how much he tried to redirect his feelings/love for Will. El is the personification of Will and Mike's love (and also Steve).

In season 3, we hear about her for the first time. Steve is interested in Robin, why? It is Dustin who opens his eyes, because Steve is El's mirror character. He is attracted to both Mike and Will. But of course, only in female form. Those are Nancy and Robin. Robin is the personification of Will's mind. Here, according to Dustin's logic: We are attracted to Will, but he is a boy = gay. So Steve hits on Nancy (so that Mike can be straight). Nancy is the representation of Mike, whether conformity/heterosexuality has a chance. If Steve wins, then Mike will remain trapped in the illusion (heterosexuality). Robin is now portrayed as extra feminine because Mike is trying with all his might to appear normal. If Mike falls in love with a female version of Will, then he doesn't have to admit that he is gay. So Steve is connected to Will and especially Mike. So actually Dustin (Mike's heart). Robin likes Steve, but she also likes girls (yes, she is a lesbian). She is also into the same sex. Means: Will is attracted to the same sex, that is, to boys. Problem: Mike portrays Will's mind as female in the story. But that doesn't solve the problem, because Robin says she likes girls. For Steve, it's a rejection. So Mike thinks Will likes girls. Here, Robin also explains that she was in love with Tammy. She, however, only had eyes for Steve. Means: Will is deeply in love with Mike, but he is in love with El. It's about the thoughts and the reflection. Steve is now trying his luck again with other girls and later once more with Nancy. Why? Mike is trying to show how much he tried to redirect his feelings/love for Will. El is the personification of Will and Mike's love (and also Steve). He desperately tries to get a woman, but is rejected every time. Why? Because he is not "real." In the end, he continues to date women, but he has fulfilled his task. He had no chance with Nancy, and Mike has made his choice. So in the end, he is good with children (because he is just the reflection of Mike and Will's love). He fulfilled his role in the story. So no chance with Robin, but also never a real chance with Nancy. This means for Mike that conformity and normality, the pressure of society, never really had a chance with him. Because as it was beautifully put, what Hop wrote in the Season 3 finale. You are growing up, and that scares me. But do it, little one, grow up. Because that's life. Yes, El is growing up. Hop, Mike's sheriff, fought for a long time. In the end, he never really wanted to be that harsh. In the end, he gave up and granted El her freedom. Isn't that what she always wanted???? Live and be free? Please understand the meta-level here and not just the little traumatized girl (child).

Now, back to Tammy.

It's about the trauma – the fear. This is explained to us by Murray. Murray is a mirror character of Mike. His profession as a journalist is to uncover truths. He then shares these with the audience (in the book with the readers, in the series with the viewers). He says: "Trust issues." Is it the father's fault? Murray quickly saw thru Johnathan (Mirror). Mike/Nancy, on the other hand, is harder to see thru. But in the end, he asks: "And how was I?" It's great to see it so clearly. He recognized and uncovered the problem. Mike, on the other hand, suffers from the illusion of wanting to be "normal." He is afraid of the consequences. What happens if I accept myself as I truly am (gay)? So he takes refuge in the safe choice. It's El's girlfriend. Nancy flees to Steve. They are mirrors. So Mike pretends to be someone else. He pretends to be straight/normal.

So Will has trust issues. Therefore, he uses a projection. What is a projection and what does it have to do with Mike/Tammy? Or should we start with the trauma of both and why neither sees that the other feels the same way? Will has trust issues, or an attachment trauma: His father Lonnie was homophobic, he called Will a faggot. He knew that his son was gay and found it wrong. Lonnie left the family and thus betrayed their trust. Will attributed this to his uniqueness. If I accept that I am "different," I lose people. He can't trust people, and especially not Mike (the boy he loves). He puts Mike on a pedestal. By defining Mike as untouchable or heterosexual, he is not a real partner but a sacred object that he admires from afar. He does this because a real partner could disappoint or hurt him (like Lonnie). On the pedestal, he can worship him from afar without ever exposing himself to the danger of a real, vulnerable relationship. He flees from commitment into admiration. He saw in Mike only the unattainable boy. As long as Will is safe. But he receives a signal from Mike on the field. It is the moment when he confronts his fear, realizing that Mike is also different. Will doesn't think, as many believe, that Mike rejected him and that he is sad. No, Will is more than overwhelmed because he now realizes that he saw something in Mike that Mike is not. Mike's smile betrayed him. Mike, on the other hand, is afraid of his true identity. He knows who El really is. Mike knows that he is gay, he knows the feelings are there. His desires do not align with his self-image. He loves Will, but accepting this fact feels to him like the annihilation of his existence. So he takes refuge in the safe choice (the girlfriend). So he pretends to be straight/normal (she is his safe harbor). By doing so, he keeps Will at a distance. He likes El, but he doesn't love her. She is just his safe choice. You can also call it conformity pressure trauma or fear of social death. By the way, it is well mirrored in Season 3 by Ted and Karen. The two serve as a mirror. This is what your future could look like if you (Mike) continue down this path. Ted and Karen (a loveless marriage). Karen is attracted to Billy (mirror of Will). Ted Wheeler feels no jealousy, he doesn't care. Because if Mike were to marry a woman, there would be no connection or love.

So Will has trust issues. Therefore, he uses a projection. What is a projection and what does it have to do with Mike/Tammy? Or should we start with the trauma of both and why neither sees that the other feels the same way? Will has trust issues, or an attachment trauma: His father Lonnie was homophobic, he called Will a faggot. He knew that his son was gay and found it wrong. Lonnie left the family and thus betrayed their trust. Will attributed this to his uniqueness. If I accept that I am "different," I lose people. He can't trust people, and especially not Mike (the boy he loves). He puts Mike on a pedestal. By defining Mike as untouchable or heterosexual, he is not a real partner but a sacred object that he admires from afar. He does this because a real partner could disappoint or hurt him (like Lonnie). On the pedestal, he can worship him from afar without ever exposing himself to the danger of a real, vulnerable relationship. He flees from commitment into admiration. He saw in Mike only the unattainable boy. As long as Will is safe. But he receives a signal from Mike on the field. It is the moment when he confronts his fear, realizing that Mike is also different. Will doesn't think, as many believe, that Mike rejected him and that he is sad. No, Will is more than overwhelmed because he now realizes that he saw something in Mike that Mike is not. Mike's smile betrayed him. Mike, on the other hand, is afraid of his true identity. He knows who El really is. Mike knows that he is gay, he knows the feelings are there. His desires do not align with his self-image. He loves Will, but accepting this fact feels to him like the annihilation of his existence. So he takes refuge in the safe choice (the girlfriend). So he pretends to be straight/normal (she is his safe harbor). By doing so, he keeps Will at a distance. He likes El, but he doesn't love her. She is just his safe choice. You can also call it conformity pressure trauma or fear of social death. By the way, it is well mirrored in Season 3 by Ted and Karen. The two serve as a mirror. This is what your future could look like if you (Mike) continue down this path. Ted and Karen (a loveless marriage). Karen is attracted to Billy (mirror of Will). Ted Wheeler feels no jealousy, he doesn't care. Because if Mike were to marry a woman, there would be no connection or love. From Nancy, we know that her parents did not love each other. Ted was older and he gave her security, then they started a family. But the love was missing. Mike believes that if he allows these feelings, the personification (El) will die. Because Sara (Mike's childlike mirror) died. Sara was brave (tiger). That's why Eddie is so important (foil/contrast and potential character). Look at what you can become if you are brave/a hero. So Mike concludes that Will isn't interested at all. Because then he would have to confront his fear and ask. What am I? So he puts Will in the friend box: He's just my best friend. On the field, both flirt. When Will touches him, Mike himself believes it was just my best friend, but he himself loves Will. He felt that touch. His body and heart felt it. But before it reached his mind, he fled. That's why the pipe burst.

So Will is afraid of disappointment (closeness). Mike is afraid of change (truth). A projection is a psychological defense mechanism in which one does not perceive their own (often unpleasant or frightening) feelings, desires, or fears within themselves, but instead attributes them to another person. With Will, it works like this: Will was very afraid of real intimacy and of being hurt. Instead of feeling this fear, he "projected" it outward. He saw Mike as "unreachable." That was typical of him.

He saw Mike as "unreachable." That was the projection. It wasn't that Mike was necessarily unattainable, but rather that his own mind needed this image to avoid facing the danger of a real relationship. In projection, one uses another person like a canvas onto which they project their own inner drama, so they don't have to confront it directly. Mike was therefore the perfect best friend, a leader, later he seemed hetero/normal. Will's escape back then was D&D. Will now sees Mike as the unattainable friend because of the girlfriend (EL). He still wants to know from Robin / his mind how she knew that Vickie wanted to date her. Will learns about small tender touches or a glance (signals). These were like a small snowball that turned into an avalanche. When Will asks that, he has already noticed something about Mike (Season 3 and 4). Yes, Mike has long been sending signals, and Robin has collected them. On the field, he is testing something. There is also Mike's smile, that magical one between the two of them. Thru Will's touch, Mike drops his mask for a moment, Will looks behind the wall and receives a signal from Mike. Mike felt the touch, he loves Will after all. But before he perceives Will's interest as such, he takes flight. Because then Mike would have to confront his own trauma. Many take Will's look and Mike's departure as indifference, but let's be honest, it's the exact opposite. It left something behind for both of them. Now Robin chimes in. Mike didn't notice it, but Robin does. Will needs to end his projection.

So Robin was in love with Tammy and Robin envisioned her entire life with Tammy, believing that if Tammy loved her (including the part that scared her), then Robin wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. She thot Tammy would make her "whole." So Robin would then feel okay. Then Tammy falls in love with Steve. So Mike in El (girlfriend role). He is now the unattainable. Thru the flirtation, Mike now falls from the pedestal. Robin explains, thru the tape, to her younger self, that she had sought the answer in someone else (Tammy), but she had the answer all along. This little girl simply loved everything about herself, and when she realized that, she finally felt free. Will thot Mike was the answer. If Mike loves me, he makes me normal. He also loves the bad part of me. But Mike wouldn't have been able to heal the trauma. If Mike had already loved him back then, that is, if he had said, "I have feelings for you," a real relationship would probably not have been possible. The trauma would be there, and Will wouldn't have trusted Mike or thought, then Mike is also different. Something is wrong with both of us. He would have rejected Mike. He no longer sees Mike as an answer or a solution, but as the person Mike truly is. Mike is also a boy who is afraid, who is just as vulnerable. But it wouldn't be a stable foundation, as both would flee. The little boy in the tape is Will before his father. This little boy loved everything about himself. Will cannot find the answer in another person, in the outside world, but only within himself. No matter if Mike loves him now or not, it is no longer his reason for existence. He doesn't make the "I'm okay" dependent on Mike, but on himself. It is self-awareness.

Why Mike is no longer the answer. Before: Will thot that if Mike loves me, I am normal/valuable. As a result, he makes his worth completely dependent on Mike. The "answer" (the feeling of being right and lovable) has always been within Will, but it was buried by the fear of Lonnie's judgment. Will was looking for something in Mike that he couldn't give himself. As long as Will believed that Mike was the answer, he didn't have to confront his own pain or imperfection. Now that he sees Mike is also in love, Will realizes: "Even if I get what I wanted, it doesn't solve my inner problem." The trauma is still there. Mike can't heal it. He doesn't need Mike to feel "whole." The answer is no longer "I need Mike to be okay," but "I am okay just the way I am." Mike becomes a person in that moment. He is no longer the ideal, the savior, but a person with his own wounds. He no longer needs to be "normalized" by Mike. He accepts that he himself (the child) has always been right. The answer is therefore not Mike, but the permission to exist for oneself. Only now can he accept Mike's love. So it continues. Will now wants to know if Robin was able to date Vickie at that time. Robin explains that it wasn't possible, she was finally at peace with herself, but saying it to someone was something completely different. Robin then mentions Steve, her arch-enemy. This allowed her to open up to Vickie (mirror of Mike and the alchemist). Will is only viewer number 3, and she wants to double her number by the end of the year. Means with Will. He now has self-awareness and realizes that El is just a mask of a friend. She is actually not an enemy/rival/competitor. The secret lost its destructive power. The alchemist is a process. Robin is with her for a reason. She turns lead into gold. The gold of healing. It is the healing that only arises thru truth. But it also reflects Mike. Both must therefore go thru the same process. Mike can only be available for Will once he drops his Tammy mask. Vickie was with a boy before Robin. Only when Robin opened up to her was she ready for a relationship with Robin. So only when Will opens up can Mike also be ready to realize that one doesn't have to be perfect. So, Will is the third spectator. He himself has now achieved self-acceptance. He is at peace with himself. So, doubling the number by the end of the year represents Will's coming out. He must now open up to the people he loves the most so that his mirror Vecna loses power. Will has made a decision.

In the coming out, which is completely misunderstood by so many, Will is showing a true act of love. He shows that he is not over Mike, but that he loves him so much that he offers Mike protection and support and sends him a code. Will is like his friends, they have the same interests. He also admits that he wanted to be like his friends because he was afraid of being different. But he is different, he just doesn't like girls the way his friends do. He is now making a clever move. He uses the tenses of the past and present. He says, "I had a crush." He uses the form because it is a fact. He shows Mike that he is not alone. That Will has loved Mike for a long time, even when he thot Mike was straight. Many think he has gotten over Mike now. But no, don't worry. He felt the flirtation, and Mike knows about it now too. Both have also felt the pipe burst. Mike and Will both know what the other is feeling. He offers Mike protection and support in that moment. If Will were to say, "I'm still in love or I love you, Mike," then he would out Mike and put him in a situation that directly demands an answer. But Will knows that Mike is not ready yet. It would practically be a forced outing. Will would never do that. With the present tense of "although I know he is not like me," he lets Mike keep his mask. He doesn't force Mike to decide for him right now.

He loves Mike so much that he leaves the time and the decision to him. Mike is not "official" like Will at this moment. Will knows it, tho, since both got wet. Both felt the emotions on the field and during the pipe burst, but Mike is still hiding behind the ego/illusion. So no one else knows that Mike is gay. So by saying, I realized he was just my Tammy, he takes the pressure off Mike. It was all about his damn fear with Tammy. Mike understands in that moment that it was particularly painful for Will because he thot Mike was normal. He sees that Will was scared the whole time, just like Mike. Will had to come out so that Henry's version wouldn't win. Will hasn't lost anyone. His trust was rewarded. The people he loves, love him too. Vecna and the Mind Flayer are therefore one. They are so easy to kill because of Will's decision. Due to the coming out, there are no more Demogorgons in the Abyss either. They have lost their food. They represented negative fears and shame. Thru Will's acceptance, they disappeared or starved. If you take the tower scene now, it can be understood like this: Mike addresses it and admits that he wasn't there for Will. He was so self-absorbed that he didn't see it. But he should have been there for Will.

For Will, however, Mike is not an idiot. He has understanding for Mike because he knows that he is also going thru a trauma. Mike may seem selfish to many, and he admits it himself, but Mike was so preoccupied with his feelings that he ignored the signals. He didn't even let them in because of the trauma. He has loved Will since he was 12. He had such a strong inner conflict between letting feelings out and hiding them that Will ended up in the friend zone. He associated letting out feelings with final death. As a result, he ignored signals from Will. He kept his feelings for Will hidden in El, the girlfriend. As long as he hides them and doesn't let them out in the open, they are alive. It's about Sara (childlike mirror) and the DNA (Ted). She died when he was brave. If he were to let her in again, he believes, they would not exist and die in the toxic environment of his father and the world. His love would have no chance. So he kept hiding or suppressing his feelings over and over again. If he dismisses these signals from Will as merely friendly, he doesn't have to confront his fear. He loves Will, but keeps these feelings to himself. But the pressure became so high that his pent-up emotions had to come out (script). Like with Will, his love is stronger than the fear. He realized that in Will. So, if his love is strong enough and he finally accepts himself as he is, this love can also survive in a toxic environment (father/society/conformity/ideology). That fits Eddie. Eddie wasn't perfect, but he was real. When Will says that the most important thing is that Mike is still here (in the fight) and that he can imagine still being friends, it means: It is emotional maturity. He puts his own need for a romantic relationship aside to save the connection with Mike. Will's greatest fear was that Mike would turn away after the coming out. He says "that you can imagine" for various reasons: He hopes not to lose Mike because of the coming out. Friendship is therefore his lifeline. If Mike can imagine it, the greatest danger of total separation is averted. At the same time, he has hope for more, even tho he knows that Mike probably still needs time. He gives Mike the permission to take his time, and with that, Will accepts his pace. When Mike said no thanks, Will's heart skipped a beat. But Mike added "best friends" afterward.

Mike is sorry.

For Will, however, Mike is not an idiot. He has understanding for Mike because he knows that he is also going thru a trauma. Mike may seem selfish to many, and he admits it himself, but Mike was so preoccupied with his feelings that he ignored the signals. He didn't even let them in because of the trauma. He has loved Will since he was 12. He had such a strong inner conflict between letting feelings out and hiding them that Will ended up in the friend zone. He associated letting out feelings with final death. As a result, he ignored signals from Will. He kept his feelings for Will hidden in El, the girlfriend. As long as he hides them and doesn't let them out in the open, they are alive. It's about Sara (childlike mirror) and the DNA (Ted). She died when he was brave. If he were to let her in again, he believes, they would not exist and die in the toxic environment of his father and the world. His love would have no chance. So he kept hiding or suppressing his feelings over and over again. If he dismisses these signals from Will as merely friendly, he doesn't have to confront his fear. He loves Will, but keeps these feelings to himself. But the pressure became so high that his pent-up emotions had to come out (script). Like with Will, his love is stronger than the fear. He realized that in Will. So, if his love is strong enough and he finally accepts himself as he is, this love can also survive in a toxic environment (father/society/conformity/ideology). That fits Eddie. Eddie wasn't perfect, but he was real. When Will says that the most important thing is that Mike is still here (in the fight) and that he can imagine still being friends, it means: It is emotional maturity. He puts his own need for a romantic relationship aside to save the connection with Mike. Will's greatest fear was that Mike would turn away after the coming out. He says "that you can imagine" for various reasons: He hopes not to lose Mike because of the coming out. Friendship is therefore his lifeline. If Mike can imagine it, the greatest danger of total separation is averted. At the same time, he has hope for more, even tho he knows that Mike probably still needs time. He gives Mike the permission to take his time, and with that, Will accepts his pace. When Mike said no thanks, Will's heart skipped a beat. But Mike added "best friends" afterward.

I think the story about Tammy is really well written…

And no, with Tammy (Mike) it's not about unrequited love, as most people claim. The story shouldn't tell us that. Will did receive a signal from Mike after all… so it must be about something else, right?

Many readers and fans unfortunately did not understand the significance of Tammy and claim that Mike is definitely not Will's Tammy. But that's not true. There is absolutely no reason to say that. Because Mike is Tammy. You didn't see the depth of the meta-level. With this post, I will explain tomorrow who she really is and why "Mike is Will's Tammy." Starting with Season 3 (Robin and Steve), then the field scene (the flirt), followed by the conversation between Will and Robin. Later, Robin also explains that she was only able to open up to Vickie (the alchemist) much later. Because only thru self-awareness was she able to date Vickie. In the end, the significance of Tammy in Will's coming out: "he is just my Tammy." Then there's the tower scene. Mike and Will just want to be friends for now. Which pretty much everyone misinterpreted as the end of Mike and Will. Most people believe that "Tammy" and "Best Friends" is a rejection of Mike. So many think they know that Will's feelings for Mike are not reciprocated and Will then gets over Mike.

If you understand the meta level of Stranger Things, you know how well and beautifully written the story is. You can see Mike's fight completely through his mirror characters Nancy, Hopper, but also Eddie. Ted and Karen are also mirror characters who are completely different. Karen is the protector (mother love). TED, on the other hand, is a steward who manages the inheritance. This is what Mike's relationship can look like if he continues on. If he sticks to heterosexuality, he marries a woman he doesn't love at all. Ted and Karen reflect with Billy the triangle of Mike, Will and El. Karen (Mike) is with Ted (El), but she is totally attracted to Billy (Will). Because Karen can feel something she lacks in marriage.

The sheriff who always had control and fought hard in the war had to give up in the end so that he wouldn't lose El. He had to learn to let go. He had to trust El and believe in her. Because El (love) has decided.

Eddie was an outsider just like Dustin, Lucas and Mike. Well, he is also a mirror. This mirror believes at the beginning that running away is not a shame. He did it when Chrissy died. But in the finale he believes in something. He knows running away is not an option. The Demobats were sent to kill Steve, Robin, Nancy and Dustin. But exactly these characters must survive. To distract from Dustin, Eddie sacrifices himself. He did not want to run away anymore. Eddie was not perfect but real and he has courage. Before that, he plays the song "Master of Puppets" by Metallica. It is about loss of control and manipulation and exactly getting rid of it. You are not self-determined by drugs. You are deprived of self-determination and only a puppet of the puppeteer Vecna. He is in control. Through death, Mike inherits his courage.

Anyone who believes in a heterosexual tragic love story does not understand the depth of the meta level (Catarsis)

Some fans completely erase the queer dimension of "Purple Rain" because they want to protect heteronormativity and falsely label Prince as one-dimensionally homophobic. They rigidly reduce the song to his relationship with the girlfriend to deny the protagonist's deep, queer attraction to the other boy Will) within the narrative. It's ignorance.

Why ignoring the love for the boy is ignorant

Denial of the subtext: The girlfriend functions as the "illusion of the norm." Anyone who only sees a classic, heterosexual love story here ignores the actual core: the relationship with the girlfriend must end so that the protagonist can break the "cycle of denial" and accept his true love for the boy.

The song as a liberation: When Purple Rain plays during the farewell, it underscores this emotional liberation. The "apparent death" of the relationship with the girlfriend is not a real loss. It is the starting signal for his freedom and his path to the boy.

Queer-coded art: In his art—and especially during the Purple Rain era—Prince deliberately blurred traditional gender roles and sexual boundaries. Fans who claim the song cannot be queer because Prince later expressed conservative religious views are engaging in revisionism. They use his later statements as a shield to censor the inherent bisexuality and queerness of his earlier work.

It is a form of selective perception: they accept the authenticity of his love for the girlfriend because it fits their familiar worldview. They dismiss the far more revolutionary love for the boy because they refuse to acknowledge the protagonist's queer reality.

Reality: The personification of love (the "girlfriend") is the "girlfriend" he chooses, not a real woman at all. She is the personified longing and the repressed gay love of the two boys: The escape into heterosexuality: The protagonist tries to conform to societal norms. He takes this "girlfriend" (his own repressed love) to appear heterosexual on the outside. The unbearable game of hide and seek:

However, since this love is a personification, it suffers from the secrecy. She realizes that she is entering this false world and "would rather die than continue like this." She demands her freedom. The first verse as a farewell to the illusion.

When the first verse plays in this moment of farewell, Prince's lines take on a completely new, tragic dimension: "I never meant to cause you any sorrow": These are the words of the dying personification (of love) to the protagonist. She apologizes for the fact that her mere existence brings him so much pain and societal pressure in real life.

"I only wanted to see you laughing just once": She only wanted to bring him joy, but in the reality of the norm, she only brought him fear of discovery. The kiss he cannot reciprocate: He does love her (because she is his truth), but because he is still trapped in the heterosexual role and is afraid, he is emotionally blocked. He cannot reciprocate the "I love you." The Goddess Kali and Liberation thru Illusion: The appearance of Kali (the Hindu goddess of destruction, death, but also of transformation and liberation) and the motif of the blocked forces by the stone explain the metaphysical ending in the story: The blocked stone: The stone symbolizes societal stigma and self-denial. He held the "true forces" of love (the magical, transformative power of Purple Rain) captive. Love could not unfold because reality suffocated it. Kali's intervention: Kali destroys the protagonist's old, false identity. She helps Love escape by faking the "death" of the girlfriend to everyone present. Death as an illusion: What everyone saw die was not love itself, but the illusion that this love could be forced into a heteronormative corset. This forced state had to die so that the truth could live.

The coming out 18 months later: The 18 months represent the time of maturation and processing. After the other boy has come out and the false facade (the feigned death of the "girlfriend") has been washed away (again the motif of the cleansing rain), the protagonist breaks his silence. He finally understands what she meant back then with: "You will understand one day." I will always be with you. Love is not dead. It has only changed its form – away from the hidden illusion to the lived reality between the two boys.

Lines 1 & 2: The emotional legacy of dying love "I never meant to cause you any sorrow" "I never meant to cause you any pain" The perspective of the "girlfriend" (of love): In this moment, personified Love speaks directly to the protagonist. She sees how torn he is. He chose her as a "shield" (his alibi girlfriend) to conform to the heterosexual norm. But this existence in hiding has only brought him fear, pressure, and pain. The regret: She apologizes shortly before her disappearance for the fact that her mere presence in his life has caused so much suffering. She wanted to be an enrichment, but due to societal stigma, she became an unbearable burden.

I have already mentioned that blue meets yellow in the west. It was the field scene in front of WSQK, 94.5 fm.

Here's what happened: Mike unconsciously sends a signal because he is in love with Will (but he is afraid to be who he really is), so he took El's true self and packaged it in the girlfriend. It is his choice to heterosexuality. One could say he chooses conformity out of fear.  Will wants to know more about signals because Mike has been sending signals since Season 3, which Robin successfully stored. She gets together with Vickie (an alchemist who is Mike's

The two show how well Mike and Will already fit together. Mike himself already possesses the wisdom. He always knew what he really was. Will, on the other hand, didn't know for a long time. Since Will is now ready to receive the data, Robin hands it over to him in a conversation. Signal from Mike received (the radio tower a significant sign). Although Mike is now fleeing, it was by no means a rejection as many believe. He does this to protect himself from the trauma. The heart and the body sensed it, but the mind (Lucas) was immediately ready and took flight. The understanding has long known it, so the script happens. The pressure became so great. The feelings just had to come out (water metaphor). It was released.  When the pipe burst, Mike said directly to Lucas: We were discovered, and Lucas replied with „ Oh no“. LOL. When the Demogorgons then try to kill Mike (Lucas and Robin), Will intervenes. He saves everyone because he consciously perceived the flirt and knows how he has now decided. He is ready to accept himself and confront the fear of rejection. He is essentially saving his own mind and Mike's from shame. He chooses Mike over fear. By the way, this scene here is the moment when it finally „clicked“ for Mike.

I find it important that the series is understood so that we can precisely take action against that kind of people. I'm talking about the ignorant and homophobic people in our society who are sure that it was never about Mike and Will. People feel, just like in the series, simply much too superior. They try to belittle, suppress, and dominate others (in the series, it's the Mind Flayer, Vecna, Dr. Brenner, the military, or Ted). The series should actually do the opposite.

If you would take the effort to understand the series, then the queer community would definitely be in the majority.

The proverb "You have to read between the lines" describes the most important characteristic of parable, as this short epic form never states its actual message directly. A parable (from the Greek parabolé for "comparison" or "juxtaposition") requires the reader to translate the concrete story onto a deeper, figurative level.

The Principle of the Two Levels

Every parable is structured around a dual system that the reader must decode:

The Literal Level (Image Domain): This is the superficial, concretely told story. It often seems mysterious, mundane, or even absurd.

The Figurative Level (Subject Domain): This is the deeper, hidden meaning. It contains the moral, philosophical, or socio-critical lesson.

When reading, you must bridge the gap from the literal level to the figurative level by interpreting symbols and metaphors.

Famous Examples of this Principle

In the 20th century in particular, the parable was used to disguise complex human or political conditions:

Franz Kafka: His texts (like Before the Law or The Vulture) push "reading between the lines" to the extreme. The plot is often a nightmare without a clear resolution, forcing the reader to project their own existential meanings into it.

Bertolt Brecht: In his Stories of Mr. Keuner, he uses parables as didactic pieces to criticize social grievances and political behavior.

Therefore, when you read a parable, you must never take the text literally. Instead, you must always ask yourself: What is the author actually trying to tell me about real life or society through this situation?

The Duffers never wanted to disappoint anyone, but wanted to make people think. The main characters are Mike and Will and their trauma. The metaphors, personifications and mirror characters were super staged. It's just a shame that people are only simply knitted and only read the text. That's why they are disappointed. But unfortunately, many fans are also much too ignorant. It's the damn ignorance. It is sometimes deliberately ignored (like the rainbows). In reality, the Duffers wanted to show that there should be more transparency. Nobody is perfect and no one has to be or pretend to be. It shows the struggle of Mike and Will against the norm and the hard compulsion of society (Mind Flayer). It should help the queer community and not do the opposite. Mike is about courage and that's exactly what they wanted to show. No one has to hide. You are special, no matter how you define yourself and who you are. You can be proud of yourself. Stand by yourself and stay strong. Always stay true to yourself.🌈🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜