mikaykayrae

[mikaykayrae]

Mileven Feels Awkward & it’s Purposeful

I’m sure you’ve noticed that Mileven just feels off. It’s because it’s meant to be, and it’s been set up like that from the beginning.

If you’re setting up this main couple that everyone is meant to love, having them compare themselves to siblings right before their first kiss- is something past strange. It may seem like dumb chit-chat when you first watch it, but every line in Stranger Things is supposed to mean something more.

When they kiss it’s different as well, at the end of season 2, the kiss takes place right after Mike stares longingly at Will during the Snowball. Then in season 3, the first kiss scene, is honestly, kind of gross, and Mike literally moves Eleven’s hands off of himself. When they kiss again in season 3, Mike just stands there, he doesn’t react, he doesn’t kiss her back, he doesn’t even close his eyes. In season 4 they only kiss once, even though there were many more moments, that if any other couple were in their shoes, they would’ve kissed. The only kiss in this season is when they reunite, and it’s not focused on in the scene, and you can’t even see Mike’s face clearly, he then goes on to put all his focus on Will for the rest of the outing.

Kisses by other couples in the show, however; are always feel genuine, and don’t feel awkward (unless it’s in a nervous way, not an uncomfortable way)

Pt. 2 soon!

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Stranger Things Won’t Bury their Gays

Bury Your Gays: A trope where LGBTQIA+ characters meet an early death or an otherwise tragic fate, especially when their death only serves as a plot device for straight characters.

Will Byers throughout season 4 had had his feelings put aside in order to further the plot and ‘help’ a straight couple. The Duffers are known to subvert heteronormative tropes. For example in season 3 the audience was ‘straight baited’ by a relationship between Steve and Robin.

Stranger Things is focused on the outcasts and weirdos, which queer people often identify with, especially in the 80’s. The writers would not kill the closeted gay artist, especially when it serves to end the Will-Mike-El love triangle without the real relationship and self discovery conflict it would need to actually develop.

Pt. 2/5 Will Byers Won’t Die

Stay tuned for the next 3 parts! I’m also going to switch to once daily posts, with extras here and there!

💌MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Will Byers Won’t Die in Season 5

5 Reasons: Pt.1/5

He’s Suffered Enough

Will Byers has had it the worst in the show. He was kidnapped and brought to another dimension, an event which still causes struggles with trauma years later. Was bullied relentlessly, has an abusive and absent father. Now he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend.

It doesn’t make sense for the character who’s had it the worst throughout the entire show, to just die at the end.

Especially when that character wants to live. There’s a trope which we often see, where a character who has never felt a reason to live, finally finds it and dies. This works if you do it correctly and if your story is intended to be a tragedy. Which Stranger Things is NOT.

Using Will as a scapegoat and killing him at the end, via some kind of sacrifice, would not make his story the story of a hero, it would make him a tragic martyr of a character who never got anything good out of life. Which would not make anyone who relates to him feel good at all.

Stranger Things is a show ment to relate to outcasts, people like Will. Then what is the message received? That people who suffer will always do so, and that their life’s purpose is to help others be happy at expense of their own happiness?

That is NOT the message the Duffers want the viewers to receive, and that is not what the show is about.

These reasons will be posted in 5 parts and then combined into one big post at the end, stay tuned! Lumax and Hopper analysis will come out soon aswell!

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Possibilities of a Robin + Mike Partnership

Stranger Things has a LOT of characters and relationships between these characters. These two (Robin + Mike) have never interacted other than in group settings. So it is very strange that of the few bts photos we get, that they are included together.

If the writers have chosen to expand on their relationship (which I dearly hope they have), it opens a whole world of possibilities including both of their character arcs.

A Brother-Sister Relationship: Similar to the pairing of Dustin + Steve we could hope to see Robin in a guiding role. This would expand the scope of her character, but especially Mike’s. We don’t get to thoroughly explore Mike’s relationships with his siblings, and since Holly Wheeler is getting a larger role this season, we will get to explore this, which will open the door to his relationship with other sibling-esc relationships.

Queer Guidance: Robin will pick up on Mike and Will’s feelings towards each other as soon as she starts spending time with them. How she uses this knowledge can help build up Mike and Will’s relationship. It will also help Mike and Will to know that they aren’t alone.

Robin + Vicky: Allowing Robin and Vicky to work as a team helping Mike and Will, could strengthen their relationship, and help them understand themselves better.

Robin + Nancy: Robin creating a strong relationship with Mike could also allow for more conversations between Nancy and Robin, as they could work together to try and help or understand Mike and his struggles better. This bonding between the two could also lead to Robin coming out to Nancy. Which would create strong development for both characters.

Robin will be an conduit for Mike’s self discovery and/or acceptance. She will also be a mentor and someone Mike looks up to. Mike finally having somebody who is similar to himself, someone who will help to battle his internalized homophobia, someone who will help him realize that he can have relationships with women that aren’t romantic, and one’s with boys that are, will greatly expand and develop his character.

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Mike Wheeler is the Heart - Why is this so important, and how does it connect to Lover’s Lake?

Lovers lake gate is awesome, and lots of convincing evidence has been put forward. Here’s some more, and also bits and pieces of other’s theories!

Mike is (at least in Will’s mind) the heart. What else is a heart? Lover’s Lake. These are the only things (at least that I can thing of: correct me if I’m wrong) that are associated with hearts in stranger things. The lake is also broken directly in half due to the ‘earthquake’ that affected Hawkins. So now we have a whole new symbol, a broken heart. 💔

We could argue this represents a lot of things, which it does. I mean someone definitely has a broken heart as of right now (ahem Will). But according to what the show says, Will isn’t the heart, Mike is, and not only is Mike’s Heart broken, Mike HIMSELF is broken.

Lover’s Lake is slowly connecting to Mike, and Lover’s lake has no Lover’s yet. It is strange to name something after a type of relationship and not have a relationship to associate it with. Especially a setting as prominent as Lover’s Lake. Presumably Mike is one of the aforementioned Lovers, and the one who assigned him this ‘heart’ characteristic, is the other.

PS. The Lovers of Lover’s Lake being any other couple in the show doesn’t make sense, as no couples thus far have been described as ‘Lovers.’ Lovers are also a common way queer couples are described.

Any thoughts?

💌MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Byler endgame perfectly matches with Mikes hero’s journey.

Mike Wheeler: The Heroes Journey

Pt. 2

Mike is a hero, and his character arc reflects that. How does the heroes journey allow us to predict what happens next?

We left off on step 8/12 on the heroes journey, 'The Reward,’ the pay off that Mike got for all the challenges and trials he faced, was the return of Will.

9. The Road Back: The journey back begins, the hero faces new challenges along the way. For Mike this was helping Will return to normal and adjust. This phase continues till season 4, Mike is stuck. Another challenge is holding him back from reaching step 10: this is most likely his hidden queerness. The next piece of his arc would be him realizing that he has been lying to himself.

10. The Resurrection: The hero ’dies’ and is ‘reborn.’ For Mike this part will most likely be representative of two things. 1) Him coming out, his old identity is left behind, and replaced by the real one, the one that is true to himself. 2) A literal fake death, probably Vecna or Lake related, this will be his literal ‘resurrection.’

11. The Return: The Hero returns home, transformed by their experiences. This will be ‘the return’ of season 1-2 Mike. Mike has become a very dislikeable character ever since season 3. Losing his role as a leader and overall being a jerk. Hopefully in season 5 he returns to his previous fan favorite self, and his ‘resurrection’ will do that.

12. The Freedom to Live: A state of enlightenment or a ‘happily ever after’ is reached. For Mike this would be finally being with Will. This could also include him leaving Hawkins and moving with Will to California after graduation. To a place more accepting than small town Indiana. (Small Town Boy related theory)

The outline of the ‘Heroe’s Journey’ works perfectly with a Byler finale, and with Mikes development. 💙💛 Feel free to add or question anything!

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Mike Wheeler: The Heroes Journey

Pt.1

Mike Wheeler is presented as a leader, and a heroic one. What does the heroes journey tell us about him and what’s to come?

The Twelve Steps of the Heroes Journey

The Call to Adventure: The event or challenge that begins the journey. For Mike this would be Will’s vanishing.

The Refusal of the Call: An initial refusal to answer the call. Mike doesn’t actually refuse to ‘answer the call,’ however; he does experience doubts and feelings of inadequacy as he feels he has failed Will. (We see this around episode 6~ in season 1)

Meeting the mentor: The hero meets someone who guides them, or offers support. Mike doesn’t have a super strong mentor, his conversation with his mom would be the closest example.

Crossing the Threshold: The hero adventures into the unknown. This would be Mike learning and becoming more involved with the paranormal. As well as expanding his relationship with El.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies: A series of trials with help and opposition from others. This would be discovering that ‘Will’ is ‘dead’ in season 1. Then the wake of that on his relationships with them hide around him.

The Approach of the Innermost Cave: The greatest fears and challenges are faced. The boys discover they need to close the gate, and run from the government.

The Ordeal: The moment of the characters greatest challenge. When Mike with the help of El and the others close the gate.

The Reward: A reward for all the hero has gone through, often the goal. For Mike this was Will being returned home.

Steps 9-12 will be covered soon. I’ve decided I’ll attempt to post twice a day at 9am and 9pm. Predictions about the finally of his arc will be in part 2! Stay tuned!

💌MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Stranger Things Theories

Jancy Endgame pt. 2

Endgame Couple: Nancy + Jonathan

The triangle will ultimately come to a conclusion when Nancy makes the decision hbetween Jonathan and Steve. Nancy has made this decision before though, and she chose Jonathan.

The tension and buildup for Stancy in season 4 is for just that- tension and buildup, they are dragging out the love triangle so that we have more attention on it and in turn on the show. Even though it was basically resolved as soon as Nancy chose Jonathan.

The love triangle also creates room for the characters to grow and develop. Together and separately.

Nancy Wheeler is a Badass. She’s a beast with a gun. What she wants and believes in is heard. She’s a natural leader and fighter. Nancy’s arc is about breaking from her ‘little miss perfect’ mold and being heard by others, especially men. Nancy is quite independent and is career driven. Steve says he wants to have 6 kids together. Does this really seem like something Nancy would want?

Nancy’s personality works amazingly with Jonathan’s shy and reserved one. Opposites attract and they balance each other out well.

Steve and Nancy on the other hand, don’t do this, they didn’t get along when they were together, Nancy didn’t tell him things, Steve was a jerk, and Nancy couldn’t say she loves him, because she didn’t. (Byler parallels!) You could argue that this was a ‘right person, wrong time situation,’ but even in season 4 it is shown that they have clashing interest. (The infamous 6 little nuggets talk)

She prioritized Steve over her best friend in season 1 this led to her death. Steve and her sex scene was mixed with imagery of Barb being killed. While Jonathan and Nancy getting together helped save Will from the same fate. Steve and Nancy’s relationship is destructive of each other and others.

Steve’s character arc is complete without Nancy, better even. Steve has ‘soulmates’ in Dustin and Robin, even though they are platonic. He flirts with and does like Nancy, but he does this with practically every girl he meets. Steve should learn to value platonic relationships just as he values romantic ones.

I would also like to note that I strongly believe that if Byler is endgame Jancy will be as well. (And you should know I don’t play about Byler)

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Mike Wheeler is the Heart - Why is this so important?

The painting made by Will introduces the idea of Mike being the ‘heart of the party.’

“You’re the Heart, okay. Remember that.”

The idea that Mike is the heart is repeated several times after being introduced. Will even says to “remember that.” Inadvertently telling the audience to remember that Mike is the heart as well. This makes him being the heart even more important seeming.

So, Mike Wheeler is ‘the heart.’

A heart can represent love, relationships, the center of something, etc. In the context of the Mike Wheeler, it means that he keeps the party together. Or at least that’s what Will states. But the thing is- Mike doesn’t, if anything he has been pushing people away. Not even in the gif above is he ‘keeping the party together’, it’s not Mike’s speech that saves El, it’s Max. Will has actually been the one keeping the party together consistently. Especially in season 3, then in season 4 he was single-handedly ‘saving’ Mike and El’s relationship. So really in terms of the party, Will is the heart, but in terms of Will, Mike is his heart. (Which is pretty obvious if you’ve been paying attention)

This ‘Mike is the heart’ thing will not be one off. This will continue into season 5, accompanied by the continuation of the painting plot and Lover’s Lake.

Stay tuned for pt. 2

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Stranger Things Theories

Jancy Endgame pt. 1

(This also connects to Byler 💙💛)

Endgame Couple Jonathan + Nancy

At the end of season 4 they are shown to be drifting apart, and Nancy is shown to be moving closer to Steve. The main reason for this drift between Jonathan and Nancy, is college. Nancy wants to go to Emerson and Jonathan explains to Argyle that he was accepted to a nearby community college and may attend there instead.

Obviously this is a common decision people face all the time. It is important to note that Jonathan’s indecisiveness about college isn’t really because he doesn’t want to be with Nancy, or even because he prefers Lenora’s Community College over Emerson- it’s because of two things 1) his family 2) money. Jonathan’s potential decision to go to Lenora isn’t being made because that’s what he wants for himself or for Nancy, it’s being made because he thinks that’s what his family needs.

One of the main themes of Stranger Things is not conforming to what others think or believe, “conformity is what’s killing the kids.” The most logical next thing in Jonathan’s arc would be him making his own decisions, that aren’t entirely based on his family. Jonathan’s entire presence since season one has had him focused on his family, which isn’t a bad thing, but everyone needs their independence. In season one and two he was focused on helping his mom and finding or saving his brother. In season 4 he was focused on his brothers emotions and relationships over his own. Jonathan needs freedom from the responsibilities of financial struggles and his family.

When we reach the end of the upside down, Vecna, and the completion of Will’s character arc, it’ll allow Jonathan to make his own decisions. He will stay in his relationship with Nancy and choose his own college path, which probably won’t be Lenora, because that’s not what’s actually best for Jonathan, or what he really wants. He will attend a college he actually wants to go, which will be Emerson with Nancy, or NYU the college that his Mom mentions that he always wanted to go to, ever since he was six.

We know very few things about Jonathan, what does he like? Who really is he, this is one of the few things we know he actually wants.

Either way he will stay with Nancy. As of right now Nancy and Jonathan are in Indiana and California, which are much further to each other than Emerson and NYU. They could definitely visit each other. I believe it may later be revealed that Jonathan also applied for NYU and got in.

Jonathan going to either Emerson or NYU will represent him making his own decisions and not making his entire existence around his family, making him his own person. He will make decisions in his relationship with Nancy, which will help solve their communication issues. Jonathan going off to college would also be a great representation of Will growing up, this ending would be a satisfying ending for him.

This post is already really long, so I will discuss Nancy and Steve’s endgame couples (or singles) in the next ones!

💌 MiKayKayRae

[mikaykayrae]

Stranger Things Theories

(Byler Endgame pt. 2 👀)

Mike + Will: How will they get together?

Flicker gate? Lovers lake gate? Letter gate? Painting gate? Church gate? However shall one choose? Well I say we don’t choose, instead take the best and most realistic parts of each, and put them together.

Mike and Will agreed in season 4 that they were going to work as ‘friends’ in the future. (Similar to Joyce and Hopper saying they are going to work as a ‘team’) we also have lots of behind the scene photos supporting this. So we know they are going to be teamed up for season 5. The plot line that brings them together based on what we know, is the arc in which they look for Holly Wheeler. This season is going to be Will centric and Holly’s disappearance would be a direct parallel to Will’s Vanishing in season 1. What effect did Will’s disappearance cause his brother and his love interest? It brought them together. It brought Nancy (Mike) away from Steve (Eleven), her partner at the time who she couldn’t say she loved, not because she had a hard time saying it, or was nervous, but because she DIDN’T love him. In the end Jonathan and Nancy end up together. (Jancy is also endgame, but that will be next post!)

Besides that, here’s my series of events that lead to Byler goes like this:

Mileven break up very early in the season, I would imagine as a mutual thing. 5x01: The Crawl

Holy goes missing; this brings Mike and Will together to work as ‘friends.’ 5x02

Painting Gate: The painting is brought up, Will’s crush on Mike is at least partially revealed to Mike. Possible parts of letter gate are confirmed. 5x04: The Turnbow Trap

Lovers Lake Gate: something very important happens at lovers lake that’s Byler related. (There’s more in depth things about this look at the tag, you guys are so smart!) The quote by Eddie saying that ‘Wheeler’ jumping in to save Steve was a sign of unambiguous true love, is GENIUS foreshadowing. Along with all the water imagery surrounding Will and Mike, makes this pretty obvious. Either Mike or Will are going to save the other. (I think they both save each other; just in different ways) I personally DON’T think they will get together in this episode, but it’s definitely possible. 5x05: Shock Jock

Church gate will either be in this episode or the finally. Parts of flicker gate could easily be worked in. I believe this episode is where most of the Miwi flashbacks will be. (Praying for the deleted Mike bike scene🤞) I truly think this is the episode that they will get together. I believe Camazotz represents, not only the upside down, but social expectations and by extension heteronormativity. 5x06: Escape from Camazotz

The giant wall shown in the teaser is going to be important, and I think in the finale Will and Mike are going to be the key to turning everything “right side up” Another use of Heroes as the wall goes down and Mike and Will have a moment would be fantastic. 5x08: Rightside Up

Fin - Obviously not all of this is going to be right, this is just my most educated guess! Please look more into these Gates if you’re curious and feel free to add to or question my theories!

💌 Mikaykayrae

[mikaykayrae]

Stranger Things Theories

(Byler Endgame pt. 1 👀)

Since the first crumbs of season 5 have started coming out I’m going to start posting my theories on here just so I can say ‘I told you so!’ When I’m inevitably right.

(I’m always right trust 🤞😭)

I’ll be adding evidence and everything to support these claims as well! (Stay tuned?!?)

The first of the bunch are gonna be my endgame couples and how they will get together. So before my first theory, let’s make one thing clear; I’m a Byler truther through and through. So that’s what my first theory is gonna be about.

Endgame couple: Mike + Will

Mike I’ll just put it this way, a) The show ends with Mileven endgame and Will is just miserable, and so are Mike and El as it is shown that their relationship brings out the worst in each other. b) Mike is one of the most beautifully written complex characters ever created and the writers are geniuses. El finally gets the independence she so desperately needs and Mike returns to his old season 1-2 self. A fan favorite, not the selfish jerk we see in season 3-4.

Will: The writers have set it up so that his character goes no where without Byler or another love interest, and as far as we know another love interest hasn’t been introduced. So if Byler isn’t endgame, Will is just a sad gay boy for all eternity. (Side note: Will is not dying he’s the main character and that would not be a satisfying ending at all) Byler would be a very conclusive and the optimal ending for Will. Everyone rooting for him to have a happy ending will get that.

PS. I could not figure out how to turn Will’s name yellow, so orange it is 🤷🏻‍♀️

💌 Mikaykayrae