Okay, I want to talk about something because I’ve been seeing a lot of it these past few days and it’s really starting to bother me.

Ever since the last episode of Stranger Things released, I have seen comment, after post, after video about how “Byler isn’t real queerbait. Not like (insert queerbait ship)” and I just want to understand why this is the take these other fandoms are having? So yes, I’m addressing you directly. If your ship is tagged, it’s because I’ve seen a post somewhere of one of you saying this.

Small disclaimer: I was there for Destiel, Sterek, and Klance. I know the experience of being queerbaited. I’ve been through it before Byler.

So to get on with it:

#1 - Why are you turning on your own peers?

Why is it that, you, having been someone who was queerbaited and have felt that pain, are intentionally downplaying the feelings of someone who has just experienced the same exact thing as you?

#2 - This is not the hill you should be willing to die on.

Why are we fighting each other? Is it not a bigger problem that companies are still using the same insidious and manipulative tactic? That in the big 2025, queerbait is still so common? We should collectively be angry at the studios for doing this to their audience! Why are we fighting each other when we should be angry at the studios that are doing this to people! We should be addressing it so that it stops happening!

#3 - Do you not see how hypocritical this is?

Considering how common it is for studios, cast & crew and homophobic people to call fans of queer ships “delusional” once it doesn’t work out, why are you perpetuating this?? Sterek, Johnlock, Klance, SwanQueen, Supercorp, Finnpoe, Merther, Destiel, Scorbus—I could go on, have all been victims of this. You’ve all been called delusional, and told that you’re just reading into it too much. Why are you doing the same thing to Bylers??? How is this any different??? You’re just pushing the same cruel and manipulative agenda as the people doing this to you!

#4 - Yes, it definitely is queerbait.

Here’s the thing. I can understand why people often say that Bylers are delusional and look too much into things. There are a lot of cases in which this is a thing. But that doesn’t mean that everything Bylers call evidence is just mass delusion. There is a reason why so many people truly believed, not just hoped, that they were going to get together.

So let’s get into it:

#1 ~ Explicit Diegetic Evidence

I’m going to be pointing out the most explicit pieces of evidence. Things that I literally don’t think you can interpret any other way.

The image above was the final shot from season 4. The couples standing on the left and the right are long running canon couples. Standing in the center, is Byler. To have this scene come after an episode in which one of the characters was officially and finally confirmed to be in love with the other is extremely manipulative. This is also not the only time in which Byler has been paired up in relation to other canon couples, while Eleven stands alone.

Both images below are from the second to last episode of season 4. The top photo takes place in the same episode where Will confesses his love to Mike. To also remind you, the bottom picture is a shot from the same episode, in which the other queer character in the show is shown between her official canon love interest, and said love interests ex boyfriend. Vickie (the love interest) is standing on the same side as Mike (the right) while the ex boyfriend is standing on the same side as Eleven (the left). These scenes literally happen within 30 minutes of each other.

This is also the SECOND TIME a shot like that was used that season.

In terms of the painting:

Will gives Mike a painting meant to represent Wills love for Mike. He then lies to Mike and tells him that the painting was actually from Eleven, leading to Mike finally finding the courage to tell Eleven he loves her. Not only is this a classic example of the Cyrano trope, a commonly used romantic trope, but this is also, in the context of the scene, dangling the idea of a Mike/Will confrontation in front of your audience, only to have it then be used to help a straight relationship. Not just this, but fans were promised by cast and crew that this painting lie WOULD BE ADDRESSED only for it to NEVER be addressed. Meaning, that at the point where the story ends, Mike still believes that the physical representation of Wills love for Mike was given to him by his girlfriend. THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL AND CRUEL TOWARDS YOUR QUEER CHARACTER AND AUDIENCE.

In season 5, we have a scene in which Will is told by Robin to look for signals that would make it obvious the person he liked, likes him back. He then says “how obvious” and gets a look on his face as if he has just realized something. Considering that the audience knows Will is in love with Mike, it is manipulative to show your character having hope! On top of this, one of the things listed as being a signal is “shared looks”, WHICH WE KNOW IS A DIRECTING CUE USED FOR THE ACTORS WHO PLAY MIKE AND WILL. This scene is not necessary for Wills self acceptance arc and actively makes no sense as to why they would include it, considering that we never see Will notice or do any of the signals mentioned, not even with his epilogue boyfriend.

There is more evidence, but I feel these are the most inarguable conclusive pieces. None of these filming or narrative choices make sense if there was never going to be a romance between Mike and Will. Perhaps they haven’t been queerbait the entire series, but they absolutely have since season 4.

#2 ~ Non-diegetic evidence:

It is incredibly well known that The Duffers and Shawn Levy (the writers and producers of the series) are lurkers and are aware of Byler and all of the things believed in the fandom. They know about the obsession with the colors Blue and Yellow and they know about the internal jokes. The images below aren’t the only ones and are not even the worst examples, they’re just what I could currently find. There is way, way more.

Official cast and Netflix accounts have posted about Byler, treating it as if it is a legitimate contender. The cast and creators shut down several other ships that were never going to happen such as Ronance (Robin & Nancy) Steddie (Steve & Eddie) and Stonathan (Steve & Jonathan), yet they never did this with Byler. Considering the fact that Ross Duffer (co-showrunner) literally said “the Byler shippers are the loudest”, proves they were aware of this ship, never shut it down, and continued to let the fans believe something would come of it, even though they knew nothing would.

I’ve run out of Photo slots, so the rest you will just have to look up yourself.

Rapid Fire:

- There were several posters used in season 4 and 5 in which it was either just Byler on the poster, Mike, Will, and Eleven on the poster in a triangle formation, or Byler explicitly looking at each other on the poster.

- For the Funko Pop of Mike is season 4, he is holding Wills painting. That painting was also included in an insane amount of merch.

- Multiple actors have spoken about Byler as if it was a real and genuine contender, such as Noah, Finn, Millie, Maya, Charlie, Eduardo, Joe (Ted), Cara, Caleb, Jamie, Brett, Amybeth and more. (I do not blame the actors as there is a chance they were either led astray, just as we were, or were told to treat it as real)

- Several members of the crew have also done the same, such as other writers, dub voice actors, stunt doubles, producers, executives, and family members and friends of people working on the show.

- During the press tour, cast and crew were explicitly and directly asked about Byler on serval occasions and always gave vague answers while never debunking it despite a) debunking other ships, just as said above and b) not hesitating to debunk other popular theories such as Eddies return, it was all a DnD campaign, Eleven opened the lock, Barb coming back, etc.

- Just because one of the characters is actually queer doesn’t mean it wasn’t queer bait. They knew the ship was popular and continued to market it despite knowing it would never happen. As well as this, the only actual queer relationship shown on screen barely kisses once, has very little screen time together, and is implied to have broken up off screen.

Closing Remarks:

Now, I can understand if some of you are upset because some Bylers are saying that this is “the worst case of queerbait”, but I remind you, this is a lot of people’s first queerbait, and I have actively watched several people in your communities say the same thing about your ship. At the end of the day, queerbait is queerbait. It doesn’t matter how extensive it is, it matters that it’s happening at all.

We shouldn’t be arguing about what is and isn’t considered queerbait. That isn’t the conversation that needs to be had right now and that’s not what it should be centered on. Queerbait needs to stop happening because it’s manipulative, harmful, and wrong. The important thing is that the people doing this need to be held accountable so that it won’t keep happening. But nothings going to change if we’re all arguing amongst ourselves.

Words: 512

‘I, and the kingdom, need you to find your strength son.’

Uther stepped down from his throne. Arthur kept his head bowed and stayed kneeling before his father and his king.

‘I, know you can do it Arthur. You’re a good knight, and a good man. ’

Uther’s words echoed in Arthur’s head and pressed upon his shoulders.

Prince, legacy, knight, man…

All things he apparently was, yet all things he constantly seemed to fall short of being.

*

‘What should I do Merlin?’ Arthur asked his manservant later in his chambers.

Merlin paused what he was doing and turned to look Arthur in the eyes.

‘I think you should follow your heart.’

Merlin often said odd things like that. To be fair, Merlin was a pretty odd man. Arthur had caught him looking at, feeling and even stealing women’s dresses on multiple occasions.

But he was still a man.

A man who gave very different advice to his father.

Arthur stayed silent.

‘You shouldn’t have to marry the princess if you don’t want to.’

Merlin moved towards him.

‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved to hear you say that Merlin.’ Arthur began. ‘But how can I follow along with what I want when so many are counting on me to do something different? What could it mean for the kingdom?’

‘It would mean,’ Merlin said, stepping even closer, ‘that Camelot will one day be ruled by an honest man who only does what he truly believes in.’ Merlin was close enough to touch now. ‘When he believes in his knights, and in his people, when times are hard, they will believe in themselves too.’

Merlin moved to give Arthur’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

‘Your heart is good Arthur. You should believe in it. I do.’

Arthur felt himself both shrink and grow as Merlin’s intense blue eyes beheld him. He lifted his hand up to meet Merlin’s, giving it a squeeze as he closed the small distance between them, making it almost non-existent. Arthur kept in contact with those blue eyes as he let Merlin’s hand go. Merlin reached for Arthur’s face, almost as if in a daze, and held it reassuringly as he stroked his thumb along Arthur’s cheek.

Merlin gave a little jump, and took his hand away, as if he hadn’t realised what he’d been doing. Arthur’s cheek still felt warm where it had been, and he felt his heart cry out for Merlin’s touch again.

‘Merlin,’ Arthur whispered in a hushed, deep tone, ‘Merlin, I don’t mind if you don’t.’

Merlin responded by returning his hand to its place and pressing his lips into Arthur’s. Arthur felt his entire body relax into Merlin’s hold, applauding him for the most correct action he’d ever undertaken. He felt so elated it was as if his heart could fly out of his chest. Based on the way it banged against his ribs it seemed like it might be trying to.

“John, have some flowers. Samuel, these are for you.”

He splits the flowers between the two of them and waltzes into the chamber empty handed. John and Samuel look at each other.

“Merlin’s nice.”

“Yeah, I like him. My wife is gonna wonder who is giving me flowers though.”

A time later, Merlin backs through the door again, this time with a basket of the King’s laundry in his arms. King Arthur follows him.

“-and another thing!” Before he notices the flowers his guards have.

“Why…are you lot holding flowers?”

“Oh, Merlin gave them to us.”

The King whips around to see Merlin’s retreating back.

“Oi! Why do they get flowers?”

“John and Samuel work hard! They deserve flowers!”

The King looks like steam could come out of his ears. “I work hard! I run a kingdom, Merlin!”

“But I like John and Samuel!”

“Merlin!”

“What’s that? I can’t hear you over the sound of how much laundry I’m carrying! Bye!” And Merlin vanishes around a corner. The King scoffs - more like a growl - and storms back into his chambers.

…