MadCat

All the analyzing I did, all the work, all the research.

All for nothing.

The Duffers never put half the work into the values and motivations of their characters that I did. Not that I expected them to have the psychological expertise that I have, but I thought they at least tried to make them human in the sense that they'd have worked out the whys of their actions in a way that meshed with their established canon.

But, no, they all just did whatever the plot called for, with any explanations being shoehorned in later.

So, now, when I see people reblog or like my analyses, I don't feel proud of them anymore. I feel like I wasted my time, even if they seemed valid at the time I wrote them. I feel like a fool for being so wrong. I know people talk about death of the author and whatnot, but I don't look at it that way, I guess. I looked at this the same way I'd look at a person, only to find out that everything I thought I knew about them was wrong.

So, yeah, I seriously considered wiping all of this out. Maybe someday I still will. But, for now, there's maybe a couple people out there still getting some hope or happiness from what I've written in the past.

I love that they wrote themselves in such a corner with Byler which was so deeply interwoven into the narrative and is basically the backbone of the whole show that there’s still no definite proof that Byler is not canon despite everything they did to try to not make it happen!

✨ HEWWO 🗣️✨

If everything goes well AND MY DESIRE TO CONTINUE COMICS STILLS THERE, I will return to making sequels or things related to my alternate universe. For now, it was just how they met.

Maybe I'll do a shorter one later, depending on the context. Also, if all goes well, you can go to the questions section and I'll answer anything (even with art) about it.

the difference between s4 & s5 was that s4 was able to find its footing. vecna may have felt (not saying that he was) retcon’d, but the story was compelling. storylines like california may have been underwhelming, but with the promise of further exploration once the whole cast reunites, people can push past it.

but s5 does NOT find its footing at all. the entire plot revolves around story elements only added in s4. if you traveled back to 2019 & told me, “actually, stranger things is about this vecna guy who looks like evil adult groot voldemort trying to combine the real world with this dimension x you’ve never heard of” i’d probably ask you why they decided to go in that direction. or what the fuck you were talking about.

Nevermind all of the cruel, horribly-written, absolute bag of shit st5 they gave us. Yeah it was bad. But we still have our space and our community - which we've known for YEARS has brilliant writers and artists and analysts and creatives.

Go out there and get EXCITED. Go out there and draw or paint or write or drabble and make mistakes and don't lose that hope and joy that brought you to love byler and stranger things in the first place.

Cause I still remember last year when I waited for the email that signified "The end is here" had updated. I can remember finishing it and feeling such a profound sense of loss but also hope that we would have something like this next year.

And we ARE getting it- fuck CANON, who even cares anymore?? The show chose not to have any meaning. The writers did such an insane disservice to their story and their audience.

I saw we ARE getting it because that feeling is back, that excitement, that thrill of knowing in your bones you are going to read damn good stories.

@bookinit02 has started yet ANOTHER rewrite (and when I tell you I SCREAMED-) - it's already just so much better than what we got.

Of course, taking up a rewrite is a heavy project, and one she's doing for her love of this story and it's characters. I mean it when I say I'm going to have fun reading whatever she can find the time to enjoy writing and want to post. If ever she decides that she can't finish, I will still be grateful for what we got rather than anything else because she creates for the love of this show just like everyone else on here.

I honestly can't wait- I'm going to be rereading "The end is here" as soon as I can find the time to do so because that is my season five now. Also bury me in metamorphosis from @hiscleric, and To Hell and Back by @perexcri and "I know better (but you're still around)" by @andiwriteordie and MANY, many, many other authors like @astrobei and @wiseatom (speaking of whom - if you guys haven't read "a cruel summer with you", you're missing out🙂‍↕️) and I wasn't EVEN TALKING about camp whiteman, they're brilliant authors whose individual works I have loved as well. @smoosnoom (ALSO absolutely BRILLIANT fics) @miwiheroes "how could I be blind to it" is one that left me in tears!!! 😭

ALSO BEANSIE on ao3 on Tumblr as @byeler (I'm not sure if there's a Tumblr there I will find it just you wait) and of course @mikeslawyer who has written literally my favourite soulmate au in existence for these two. (Yes there are others too but c'mon you guys you can have more than one best friend)

THAT is Some of only MY FAVOURITES of the many, many, many brilliant writers we have. (And I primarily engage with fan content through reading otherwise i would be dropping art blogs too)

I'll maybe make a long post with all my favourite fics- but honestly for all your fic needs there's other blogs dedicated to this (shoutout to @light-lanterne for the @byierficrecs blog that LITERALLY had graphic designs for so many great fics)🙂‍↕️ (and some brilliant fics of their own too like HOLY SHIT that one fic where mike is in a time loop??? It had like 3 chapters and all three of them made me CRY. AND IT CAME WITH DESIGNS TOO THAT IS ONE OF THE COOLEST AUTHOR'S SKINS I HAVE EVER SEEN?!?!???)

They haven't been able to log in for a year ish now, what with life getting in the way, and I hope they're doing okay after how this trainwreck of a season went. Reach out if you can, I'm sure anything you can do to help would be appreciated.

Also of course you took my heart (I was sleeping) by lameparties - but all of you know that one already, with it being the top kudos'd fic in the tag - if you haven't read it already GO CHECK IT OUT IT'S SO GOOD)

We'll be alright, guys. One day maybe we'll get it. One day maybe one of us, of our community will have the chance. Until then, holding up will and robin and vickie and yes, even mike (especially mike) is important for those teenagers and for everyone I know resonated with their arcs.

They're our characters now. Honestly they always have been, so go crazy. God knows we'd go crazy together.

(WE CRASHED NETFLIX WITH CONFORMITYGATE YOU GUYS WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE)😭