Emms

Maddie is being distant and disapproving, keeping herself and Jee away from Theo, stressing at every opportunity that it’s only temporary, etc.

Meanwhile Eddie is being over-invested and defensive, putting himself right in the middle of it all and barking like a guard dog any time anyone tries to get near Buck or Theo, or to question anything Buck does, or to even suggest he might need their help.

Ultimately it’s because Maddie is terrified that Buck will be broken hearted if Theo’s grandma or whatever turns up and takes him away, so she’s trying to protect him by being cautious and careful with how far she connects with Theo, trying to model a safe route through a rough situation.

And Eddie is working through his own issues about both the way his parents made (make) him feel inadequate when he was (is) trying to care for Chris, and also his massive guilt about not being the supportive partner Shannon needed for those first few years, by making Buck feel like his decisions are good ones no matter what anyone says (including Buck when he questions himself or wants to ask for help from other people), and showing him that Eddie has his back.

So they’re both coming from a place of love and support, but they’re approaching it so differently that it creates tension and conflict between them, which makes everything worse.

I feel like the Duffer brothers and Netflix only want queer people to exist with their consent. Vickie was made to be queer, Robin was made to be queer, Will was made to be queer. But when a character takes on a life of its own and begins to be queer, they're no longer allowed to do so. Gays are fine in small doses, but when beloved characters begin to exhibit queer traits that's when it becomes a problem. And dare I say, this problem mainly began back in season 3.

In season 3 we see Max and El create this bond, this deep joyful bond. They get along more than El and Mike ever did. Their chemistry was off the charts. They smiled when in each others presence. While when El and Mike are in the room together it feels stiff, like all of the air has been sucked from the room. It's awkward to watch these two supposed Partners Interact.

On the adult side of season 3 we see Murray and Alexei, who both come together in this sweet relationship. they're so close, and at the fair they seem to be having what can only be described as a date, the type of date giddy teenagers go on. Murray and Alexei seem so queer that I can convince myself there's no way either are canon straight.

and in season 4 this persisted. Eddie Munson is queer. there's no way around that. there's no conceivable way you can tell me that is a straight man. His manerisms, the way he dressed, the fact that he's an outcast. Alternative subcultures are full of queerness. Outcasts are queer. People like Eddie aren't often straight. And hell, whens the last time you saw a straight person play DnD?/j Eddie had this chemestiry with Steve and yet we were given a prequel book (The flight of icarus) and the only fathomable reason I can think of that they made this book was to convince people that Eddie Munson was a straight man. He's dead. We are never seeing him again, what harm could it have done for him to be queer? I'll tell you. its because he was queer towards a beloved character.

Steve Harrington is a textbook case of compulsive heteronormativity. Steve was hawkins high's golden boy, he was the son of rich parents, he had a smart girlfriend. and then he lost that. He slowly became less of an ass, and started finding himself. Steve's character could be aided by him coming to terms with queerness but no. he's straight. Why? Because he's a fan favorite. This issue persists. Fan favorities have to be straight, no matter if their fanbase is predominantly queer. Queerness is alienating nowadays. You'll loose your MAGA facebook mom audience if theres too many queer characters, and if that queer character is an conventionally attractive man that doubles. Straight women could never deal with Steve being queer, even if I see his queerness as Bisexuality, any man who is attracted to another man is gay in their eyes; and therefore not worthy of their infatuation.

Through all of the series we see Nancy struggle through relationships, she struggles to find herself, to find out what she wants, to who she wants. Nancy is always stuck between the two men she has the least chemistry with. But when Nancy and Robin are in a room together? They work. They get along. That awkardness she faces with Steve, and the anxiety she faces with Jonathan is all gone. All that's left is her and Robin. Even the actresses behind Robin and Nancy think they work best together. But why would Nancy be queer? Those MAGA facebook moms would loose their Gun toting girlboss and that would just be a crime wouldn't it?

and then there's Mike. Mike fucking Wheeler. I'm going to be honest. I've never been a fan of byler, nor mileven for that matter. Both Will and El deserve better than a man who wont pay either of them any mind. However, during season 4 i saw a change in Mike. This resistance to his relationship with El yet the unwillingness to let this already dead relationship go...And then seeing him ignore Will...it almost felt like he was ignoring his feelings. the good, the bad and the queer. and Season 5 doubles this behavior. His relationship with El is in shambles and they refuse to acknowledge it. But when he's around Will? It seems like that small boy excited to see his friend again. It's like the light returns to his eyes. You could make the argument that we are seeing Mike through Will's eyes but I don't think so. I think over the years Mike accidently became queer. Like Steve, Like Nancy, Like Eddie. But he can't be queer when young girls thirst over him. Whatever would their MAGA facebook moms do?