My Thoughts on Mileven vs. Byler
(this is a community post I made to Byler Nation with my main before making this alt)
THIS IS REALLY LONG BTW, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVENT WATCHED THE ENTIRE SHOW!!!!!! (that means u psyche)
Okay, I've explored both the Byler and the Mileven communities here on Tumblr, and I tried to see EVERYTHING without bias and with an open mind. And I think the Mileven vs. Byler situation is toxic as hell, especially on Tumblr.
Lots of Mileven shippers call Byler shippers "toxic", and lots of Byler shippers also call Mileven shippers "toxic". This just leads to everyone hating everyone else and thinking that everyone hates THEM, which isn't good for anyone. Whichever way the show goes, is the way the show goes.
And I think that everyone needs to calm down.
After hearing many arguments from both sides, I am, in fact, a Byler. I believe that Byler has a 90-99% chance of happening, that it would progress the story much more than keeping the same relationship from Season 1, and that Mike has shown much more actual love to Will than to Eleven. With the information given to us in Season 5 Part 1, when Will accepts himself that that is also extended to Mike, who also realizes his true feelings.
I believe that the emphasis put on Will's homosexuality and accepting himself has no greater and more impactful outcome than a happy ending for both Will, Mike, AND Eleven.
To be honest, I think Eleven could find a much better partner than Mike, and the same goes for Mike finding a better partner than Eleven. They just want different things. Mike also hasn't been there for ANY of Eleven's darkest moments, and only says he loves her after WILL pushes him to. Mike has, however, been there for ALL of Will's traumatic moments.
Mike looked for Will even though no one else would.
Mike stayed with Will in the hospital overnight after he was possessed and tortured by the Mind Flayer.
Mike jumped off a cliff, basically trying to commit suicide, while trying to find Will.
Even after Mike saw Will's "dead body", he still didn't fully give up.
When Mike sees Will use Vecna's powers, he is not scared. He is astonished. He looks at Will like he is the most perfect, beautiful being in the world.
I am a Byler shipper, not because I don't like Eleven or don't want to see her happy (in fact, it's the opposite), but because Mike and Will have ALWAYS been there for each other, have ALWAYS loved each other, even without realizing the full depth of those feelings. And I can't say the same for Mike and Eleven.
With extra interpretation from a commenter, I can also say that of COURSE the Byler community is reacting with much more common sense, and are much more understandable than the Mileven community. I know many Mileven shippers that respect Bylers and wouldn't be too sad if Byler was a reality/don't rule it out entirely, so I don't want to make generalizations, BUT. I can say that I've seen lots of Milevens on Tumblr react disproportionately to Bylers and react with heteronormativity or even homophobia that we obviously don't see in the Byler community.
I am NOT saying that we should compare them equally (one group has MUCH larger numbers of homophobic/heteronormative people than the other), I'm simply saying that we should address the toxicity in the community in general, and shared some of my own personal theories and views.











