obscuredgold

[obscuredgold]

the writers choosing to depict argyle and eden as an obvious, deeply satirical parody of the “love at first sight” trope in the same season they have mike lie through his teeth giving a monologue where he claims he fell in love with el the moment he first met her is so interesting to me

[obscuredgold]

This will probably get like 10 likes but i don't care i drew it for myself I'm satisfied i love Erica

[obscuredgold]

the concept of the boy who said he'd never fall in love in s3 being rejected by the person he loves the most in the end

[obscuredgold]

DND spin off when?

[obscuredgold]

Murray's subliminal messages at the dinner table

Oh, he's really messy.

Murray talks about "dropping in" to visit "old friends" while glancing to Mike.

Of course, he knows that Mike is also visiting his old friends.

He says "Sweeter of you to let me stay" in a flirtatious voice, but Mike's stay isn't feeling so sweet, and him and El have not been at all flirtatious.

He's mocking him and their relationship.

Mike's reaction to this line is the focal point because it's about him — he picks up on this.

Mike's expression isn't confusion (or even annoyance), it's suspicion.

"How much do you know, old man?"

Then, Murray turns his attention to El.

He looks directly at her while making his purposefully distasteful "little housewife" joke. She's the only other female at the dinner table aside from Joyce (who is not a housewife), and Mike's girlfriend.

It's quite blatant and pointed.

He's already clocked the dysfunctional relationship, and he's sending her a subliminal message (or warning) about how it may end for her.

The message is recieved.

El rolls her eyes, because she is not a little housewife.

"You don't know anything, old man."

When Murray and Joyce begin to lie about the conference, Will is the only one who questions them.

Everyone else either keeps their thoughts to themselves (El and Mike), or remain oblivious (Jonathan and Argyle).

So of course, Murray looks to Will here.

He chuckles nervously and his expression looks desperate.

He's noticed that Will is actually quite wise. Therefore, no subliminal messages to Will — he's off limits.

"You know too much, little guy."

After Mike makes his insensitive comment and El storms off, Murray looks to Mike again. This time he's not cocky — he's curious.

This group is not as easy to figure out as he thought.

Before, he was making fun of Mike and warning El, because he percieved that El was the one who was dissatisfied and disinterested in the relationship.

The cogs are turning.

Now, he's realizing it goes both ways — Mike's body language here is the embodiment of not giving a fuck.

This shot is from Murray's perspective; we're practically seated at his place-setting. He studies Mike closely, but he also sees Will.

This is the moment he clocks the tension between Mike and Will specifically. He says as much, and he's giddy about it.

He doesn't look at Will again in this scene, because as I said, he's off limits. Instead, he looks to Jonathan — he's urging him to take notice and step in.

"What do you know about this, big guy?"

Notice how his look goes from light-hearted to serious and pointed.

He knows he can't say anything, because it's a sensitive matter — a family matter.

His subliminal message to Jonathan is to talk to Will about the tension.

Message recieved (belatedly).

In conclusion, Murray is an ally — if that wasn't already obvious.

[obscuredgold]

Mike Wheeler, I'm not done with you yet.

Another small(ish) post about Mike's hidden POV in season 4 because I'm a little bit obsessed with trying to figure him out.

Something I feel the need to point out is that, in the opening of season 4, Mike is absolutely re-reading El’s letter—and it's significant.

The likelihood the letter arrived that morning and Mike got up early to retrieve it from the mailbox (while in his underwear…) is pretty low. That boy defintely just woke up and grabbed the letter from his nightstand or something.

Also, El mentions Joyce's new telemarketing job. Mike had already been complaining about this to Dustin—a lot, apparently.

I should clarify for confusion: El does give us a hint about when this letter was written - approximately 6 months since they left Hawkins (Early October '85). Mike is reading the letter on March 21. I posit this letter is from early March or even late February.

This letter is old news!

So why is he re-reading it? He's seeing El in person the very next morning anyway.

Now, we already know that Mike and El have been consistently communicating—Will described it as a, "book of letters" after all.

But who hasn’t Mike heard much from?

Will.

Mike was re-reading the part about Will’s painting—the part where El hints that Will might like someone.

How do we know this?

Mike is in a bad mood all day (until he plays D&D).

At the airport the first thing Mike asks Will, aside from a brief “Hey, how you doing?” is about the painting.

And interestingly... the part of the letter we see Mike reading when we cut to his POV?

The part where El mentions having lots of friends.

In this letter El says she is, "twice as happy now" and that she has finally, "adapted." Meaning this is likely her first and only mention of having friends. And Mike is re-reading it for some reason.

After Will doesn't give him the painting and he learns they're going to Rink-O-Mania he asks El if her friends are meeting them there... while glancing over to Will.

So basically, since reading the letter two things have been stuck in Mike's mind:

The fact that Will is painting for somebody he likes, and

that El has friends.

He is connecting the dots... in fact, he's connecting the dots so hard that he probably keeps the letter by his bedside and re-reads it every so often trying to figure out who the painting is for. That is some serious yearner behaviour.

Mike Wheeler—I know what you are:

Jealous, seething, and tormented by the possibility of unreciprocated gay love.

[obscuredgold]

I wanted to do this trend with byler

[obscuredgold]

we all know will gets startled when jonathan walks into the room after the byler heart-to-heart (i can't find a clip of it but you(probably) know what i'm talking about)

but i'm rewatching season 4 and i just noticed mike jump when argyle starts talking because he was so focused on will.

mike wheeler i know what you are.

[obscuredgold]

both scenes with mike in the bedroom with either el or will don't just parallel because of the quote "you never say it" "i say it" and "i didn't say it" "you didn't have to", they parallel because in the situation with El, she's begging him to say i love you, and he just never gives that to her, he doesn't even say it aloud during his heart to hearts with will where he supposedly feels remorse for not saying it.

whereas, in rink o mania, will tells mike that they used to be best friends, implying that this is a label he wants back. later in the bedroom scene, mike gives will exactly what he wants in his apology. he calls them best friends - paralleling the fact that he "didn't know what to say" with el.

[obscuredgold]

i am pretty sure will is wearing a vest at some point in act 1 (there was a post on twitter abt the characters outfits in s5 and will's mentioned the vest) but i don't know where the idea that it's mike's came from 😭

okay can anyone show me like actual proof he's wearing mike's vest here bc as far as i'm aware mike is not wearing a vest at all in act 1 and in act 2 his outfit changes (he'll probably still be wearing the same jacket but still no vest)

[obscuredgold]

i see a lot of people saying that finn's acting took a turn for the worst in s4 and i keep hoping it was on purpose especially because mike's thoughts have been cut off from us since s2

i've only ever seen finn in st, it, the goldfinch and the turning, so i can't say anything about his more recent stuff. maybe his acting has gotten worse, i'm not an expert on this. i just hope that he was told to play mike like this, because mike himself is a terrible liar and therefore a terrible actor. i think finn's performances in s1&2 were amazing but there are instances of actors falling off once they grow up

[obscuredgold]

okay can anyone show me like actual proof he's wearing mike's vest here bc as far as i'm aware mike is not wearing a vest at all in act 1 and in act 2 his outfit changes (he'll probably still be wearing the same jacket but still no vest)

[obscuredgold]

mike listing all his platonic friends and then saying will is different and home wasn’t the same without him was literally a romantic confession lol

[obscuredgold]

funny how they say "forced conformity thats whats killing the kids" and then when mike is forced to conform to heterosexuality max (a kid) pretty much dies and hawkins gets ripped to shreds

hm

im sure its a coincidence

[obscuredgold]

it's january 1st, 2026. you wake up late after a long night spent watching the stranger things finale. you are absolutely ecstatic that byler was endgame. you had sweet dreams about them. you open google. you look up "who does mike wheeler end up with in stranger things?" will's face pops up. war is over.

[obscuredgold]

i have not known byler doubt one single day since i laid eyes on this photo

[obscuredgold]

The actual context for the Finn Wolfhard quote

Hey Bylers don't get too excited. The excerpt that has come out is an excerpts and sounds like it could be a Byler confession or kiss, but here is the full quote from the Variety article:

What's implied is that this is one of the final scenes and that it is with "some" of the "kids." Also, the champagne was part of the final wrap-up party.

I am GUESSING it isn't a Byler love confession, which I think would be a private moment between the two with a kiss. Also, the epilogue of the story (which this sounds like it was from) doesn't seem to be the best time to have Byler culminate.

I know it's easy to get excited, but let's check our sources and the context for quotes!

However, WHO KNOWS? What if it's a graduation day speech? And maybe it IS Byler related: Finn "stopped himself from spilling further." As if it was a big spoiler! =D

And, honestly, what moment could happen that elicits "true joy from everyone"?

What if at graduation day there's a Byler public display of affection because they can get away with it because everyone knows they saved Hawkins? What if Mike gives a speech and credits everyone who played a part in saving Hawkins and mentions "Will, the love of my life"?

Anyway, I don't think we can say 90-100% we know what it is. But nothing is ruled out, either!

-teambyler