#st speculation

In Volume 1 we see Mike back in his leader mode, otherwise known as his persona of "Mike the Brave."

Mike admits to Holly he gets scared sometimes, that everyone in Hawkins is, even if they don't admit it.

But as the leader of the group, Mike, despite being scared, doesn't let it show. Instead he takes action to take control of the situation. As a leader, Mike likely feels a need to stay strong to inspire others in the group to persevere.

We don’t see Mike breakdown at the hospital or about Holly missing. But honestly I found this to make sense for Mike's character. Many people react to stressful, emotional situations in differing ways, especially depending on how those around them are reacting.

We see Nancy falling apart, and get a lot of focus on her reactions, but this makes sense narratively. Nancy is the one that saw the visions of their family killed and has been fearing this happening for the last year and a half. Nancy is also the one that saw the aftermath of their house, while Mike didn't.

Mike tries to reassure Nancy, which doesn't work. But with his sister falling apart in front of him, Mike likely feels he has to be the "strong" one of the two of them.

He's also not "unemotional" as people have been claimed he is in this scene. I don't know why so many fans have been trying to act like Finn is a bad actor in this scene, when we perfectly know how good he is at emoting.

Here we see some of Mike's anger/frustration leaking out. Through rewatching this scene too it's quite clear that he's holding back tears (not just in the hospital waiting room scene but also the scene where Nancy and Mike are visiting their mom).

We then see Mike try to take control of the situation by telling Nancy how he believes that Mr. Whatsit is a real person, and both of them conceive of a plan to meet with their mom to try to determine just who this person is. Mike again enters "leader/planner" mode where he takes control of the situation.

Now I’ve seen some speculation that maybe Mike will confide in Joyce his deeper fears in the above scene where Will is passed out. But after seeing their disparate reactions to Will gaining his powers, I think Mike will be reassuring Joyce about Will here. I think similar to the scene with Nancy, Mike will see someone in distress and seek to calm the situation.

Also this is not to say Mike isn't worried about Will here, because of course we all know how protective Mike is of Will. But I don't think Mike will let those fears leak out to Joyce.

And we do know from what Shawn Levy said at the premiere that Finn was asked to carry a lot of (emotional) weight this season. Now keeping in mind Shawn Levy directed episode 6 (and many parts of episode 7, as well) I think it's safe to say Vol 2 will see us getting a lot more of Mike's POV and see him opening up more, emotionally speaking, as the situation gets tenser and the stakes raise further.

And eventually Mike is going to reach a breaking point.

And I think it’ll be Will that tips that scale for him.

Anytime Will is hurt or in danger throughout the series we see Mike immediately spring into action. In the words of Noah Schnapp himself: "Mike's always been protective of Will, and Will's always leaned on him." Mike's protectiveness of Will is shown in every season of the show, in a way he isn't toward any other character, including his own girlfriend.

Now after 5x04 I'm sure Mike knows Will is capable of defending himself with his newfound powers, but maybe the danger to Will isn’t others, but himself.

According to this article, Will’s powers will put him at immense risk and may lead to him "destroying [himself] in the process [of using his powers]." My guess is it could be a Voldemort/Harry type situation where Will realizes he has to die in order for the hive mind (including Vecna) to die, or Will's powers drain him physically to point of almost killing him.

Will is self-sacrificial. We've seen it time and time again. He will do whatever it takes to save others. Even if it means dying to save everyone else.

And I think the moment Mike realizes Will's life is at risk will be the moment that breaks him.

I think this will likely occur during Episode 7 (one of the episodes Shawn Levy is directing). Mike and Will are going to have a confrontation where everything is going to start boiling over. Mike's fears and insecurities and everything are going to become fully unleashed. I think Mike is going to melt down in front of Will and he's going to reveal a lot of the truths he's held close to his chest.

Will is the one that Mike has been the most honest with throughout the entirety of the series. He can confide in Will in a way he can't with others. Mike can truly be vulnerable around Will, and I think we're going to see that all reach a point of no return.

I'm still debating if Mike's feelings for Will are going to become fully unveiled to the audience in Episode 7, or if they'll save it to the finale, but I do think it's quite likely that we will see a Mike Wheeler breakdown in Episode 7.

“He was so attuned to the forces of nature that many thought that he [mike’s dnd character] would become a ranger or even a druid. But his grandfather was a knight and his father was a knight. So a knight he had to become.”

So a knight he HAD TO become.

im sick.

Not to mention that his mission as a knight is to protect Elven wizard Eleven who is connected to the Eldertree.

and im just gonna leave mike’s s4 dnd hfc character idea here:

this is so heartbreaking.

And let’s not forget: “A paladin who has broken a vow typically seeks absolution from a cleric who shares his or her faith or from another paladin of the same order.” -Dnd player’s handbook

In conclusion, mike’s forced conformity and queerness have never been clearer!!

Thank you for reading! Xx 💙

full pages:

Episode 5: "Shock Jock"

Will Comes to Terms With His Feelings for Mike

“It was… it was so… helpful.” — Will to Robin, Season 5, Episode 5

We have an introduction where Robin’s words help Will and are key to activating his power through memories of love with his most important people (in order: Mike, Joyce, and Jonathan).

“After… after this Tammy and this whole tape epiphany, is that when you and Vickie started to…?” — Will to Robin, Season 5, Episode 5

Robin cuts Will off and explains that no, it was after she was finally comfortable with herself and shared this part of herself with someone else (Steve). After that, she explains that if she hadn’t told Steve, she probably wouldn’t have had the courage to open up to Vickie.

So, in order to move forward, Will has to be honest and comfortable with himself. We don’t know what happened during this 18-month time skip; however, we do know that Will’s perspective toward Mike changed. He started to look hopeful, and to believe that his feelings toward Mike might be reciprocated.

We know Will’s character. We’ve known this kid for a long time. We know he would never interfere in Mike and Jane’s relationship. So by this point, Mike and Jane are no longer together. I’ve been saying this since Season 5, Volume 1, especially after the hurtful question, “How obvious?” Now, in Volume 2, we know they are just friends after the “Friends don’t lie” scene between Mike and Eleven.

However, Will’s perspective changed after this encounter with Vecna:

Episode 6 - Escape from Camazotz

1. It's always about Will

"This is our story. And it starts with getting Will back" - Mike to Jane, Season 5, Episode 6.

What I loved about this episode was that we were finally able to understand what Mike was referring to in everything he said to Jane, especially when he talked about the “we.” All of their conversations started with a “we.” People assumed he was referring only to himself and Jane. However, later in this episode, we learn that the “we” Mike was referring to included the entire Party:

“But we do. You, me, Lucas, Will, and Dustin.”

As always, we see Mike worrying about Will, while Will remains unaware of it once he wakes up—a trope we are used to seeing between these two characters. Mike asks Jane once again to look out for Will. Let’s remember that Mike is a character who is emotionally unavailable; he doesn’t show his feelings right away.

2. The Heart-to-Heart Between Nancy and Jonathan

So the next step will be a heart-to-heart conversation—to be honest about how they are really feeling. I predict that something like this might happen between Will and Mike. They will be put in a dead-end situation, just like Jonathan and Nancy, so they can be truly honest with each other (I like to think it will be something similar to the last episode of She-Ra).

After Jonathan and Nancy said everything they had been hiding during this time and were honest with each other, that honesty is what saved them. I don’t know how, maybe the power of love, maybe the power of being honest. However, honesty was involved, and that was the reason they were saved.

“Sometimes I think it’s just scary to open up like that. To say how you really feel. Especially to people you care about the most. Because what if… what if they don’t like the truth?” — Will to Mike, Season 4, Episode 6

So now we know this line wasn’t only referring to Jane and Mike’s relationship, but also to Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship. The independence arc of Nancy mirrors the one Jane already had during Season 4, Volume 2. So we can be sure that Jane and Mike have not been together for a long time.

Epsiode 7: The Bridge

1. I need you.

“So, yeah, I need you, Mike. And I always will.” — Will to Mike, Season 4, Episode 8

“It turns out that the whole time, I didn’t even need it (referring to Kate Bush). I just needed you. Just you.” — Max to Lucas after waking up from Vecna’s trance, Season 5, Episode 7

So now we have the most loved and canon couple stating that what saved them from Vecna was the need they feel for each other. This creates a clear parallel to Episode 8 of Season 4, when Will assures Mike that he will always need him in his life (disguised as Jane). However, Mike doesn’t follow through, because he doesn’t have all the information needed to process Will’s confession toward him.

I feel this is important because, during this volume 2, the Stranger Things team has been giving us an order: first, be honest. Have a heart-to-heart with the person you need to face. Do they feel the same need for you? You won’t know that until you say the words clearly.

2. Ripping Off the Band-Aid: Will Byers's Comin Out Scene

We know—everybody knows—that coming-out scene was… I don’t even have words. I didn’t want to watch that scene again because it was so painful. However, it’s important. And thanks to Noah and his understanding of the queer experience, that scene works. I won’t include Will’s crying face as a reference, because it’s too painful to see.

So, we have Joyce and Will alone in a room, talking about what Vecna showed him. Will was tortured for hours during that trance. Vecna showed him a future where he was “alone” and “scared.” This isn’t the same Will we were watching from Episodes 1 to 5 of Season 5. This Will is scared—so scared that he decides to rip off the band-aid. He just rips it off.

But do you know who has been in charge of the medical stuff and the first-aid? Mike. You can see him holding a box of band-aids in several scenes. I remember thinking, why are they showing us the band-aids (CURAD KIT)? You can see them during Lucas’s scene, when they’re taking care of his wounds. And now that I’m writing this post, I notice it.

So yes, that confession was the ripping off of the band-aid. My kid Will didn’t come out as gay on his own terms. He was cornered by Vecna and the Mind Flayer into doing it. If he wanted to be able to help, he had to be honest. I hate that coming-out scene—but Noah really saved it. I was crying so hard. When he said, “He’s my Tammy,” I was like, stop.

Will is an unreliable narrator. He’s oblivious to Mike’s behavior when he’s not around—the need Mike feels for him, the love.

My kid Will has just started to love himself, to not be afraid of being “different.” He is oblivious, just like Mike.

3. The Kamikaze Plan

We have so many references from the characters saying that Will is the second El, and I hate it. First, because Will is Will. And second, because it led me to the conclusion that Will and Jane are sharing the same neural connection—and that is… their kamikaze plan.

I think Will and Jane have realized that if they want everything to stop, they have to sacrifice themselves. That’s why Will keeps looking at the wormhole, and why he fits perfectly in the circle and he decides to be "honest".

I need to know what happened with Troy and James

I need to know where Lonnie is at

I need to find out more about Mr and Mrs Harrington

I need to learn more about Hopper’s ex-wife

I need Barb to make an appearance

I need Mike to grieve Eddie and for his suicidal ideation to be addressed

I need Will to have autonomy over his body and reclaim his sexuality

I need Max’s letters to be revealed

I need Karen to reveal what she knows about the Upside Down

I need Mike to parallel Jonathan’s parentification and for them to argue and have a heart-to-heart about Will and Holly’s safety

I need to know what Owens did to Will

I need to know how Max’s parents took Billy’s death and Max falling into a coma

I need to see the Sinclair family and Max’s parents interact

I need Will to fireball Vecna or at least a demo something

I need El to find something that she likes, like a favourite colour or flower and be constantly pictured with it