#and thinking things

We’ll see Mike start to question his identity in Season 5, after learning about Will’s feelings. But I don’t think he’ll be ready to reciprocate — not yet. He’ll be freshly broken up with, the world falling apart around them, no time to process anything. We’ll get glimpses — subtle moments showing he could love Will, just… not like this. Not right now. There won’t be a kiss. But there will be mutual understanding (with a few longing glances, obviously)..

NOW. The final episode will be all about going back to the beginning. Full circle.

What if the Upside Down was never created? What if Will never disappeared? What if.. Eleven was never taken from her mom?

The Upside Down is frozen on the day Will vanished. What if it’s not just symbolic? What if they literally loop back to that first episode — to the moment it all began?

Will joins Vecna in S5 — but only to betray him. Not to rewrite reality into something twisted, but to restore what was lost. To turn back time. How far, I don’t know.. maybe back to the lab. Maybe to Henry’s childhood. I think the clock is symbolic in this way. Either way, they defeat Vecna — not just in battle, but by unraveling his entire existence.

Eleven never meets him.

She’s never dragged into the lab. She never gets taken from her mother (a nod to Season 2).

And Vecna? He never appears on that street. Will never crashes his bike. He never falls. Never runs. Never disappears.

He just keeps biking.

Cut to the present (/future) time. Same date. But Vecna never happened.

Will is smiling. He’s walking on campus — with Mike. In the big city.

Will’s studying art, of course. Mike writing.

They had time. They never grew apart. They confessed.

They're walking through campus — brushing hands, maybe holding pinkies. That’s the only confirmation we get. It’s enough.

They sit on the grass.

In the distance, Mike spots a girl. She looks happy, carefree, laughing with her friends. Then she looks at them.

She doesn’t know them, not really. But maybe, just maybe, the three of them will become close. (It's El).

And the ending is bittersweet. Because everything ended well. And for Will, finally something went right.

All will be the Right side up (title). Mike, El, and Will defeated the villain, saved Hawkins, spared countless lives taken by Vecna …

But they don’t know they did.