moobloom11

[moobloom11]

Ty for tagging me :D

This was really hard my music taste is all over the place but I picked a small mix of old faves and current loves.

1. Let’s Dance- David Bowie

2. Hounds of Love- Kate Bush

3. boys, bugs and men- Paris Paloma

4. Cynical One- TV Girl

5. Luna Moth- Maya Hawke

Last 10 people in my notifs are:

@thesomebody @sana-kei @stonathandreamer @simascreams @amesalt-blog @the-effect-of-chaos @cvcipria @justthemsstuff and @ambquiroga please join if you’d like to but no pressure whatsoever! And of course the floor is open to anyone else who wishes to share :)

Tysm again @biscuitsandwaterx13x for the tag <3

When you get this, list 5 songs you like to listen to, publish them, and send this ask to the last 10 people in your notifs!

Thank you for this fun ask! :)

Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode

Golden Brown - The Stranglers

Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Friday I'm In Love - The Cure

we hug now - sydney rose

@asmo-d3us @verastraea @siriusly70s @aidyaiden @regulus-cannot-swim @siriusblackdevotee @starsandmarsbars @simplysirius @rosiestarmoon @franklysirius @noblehouseofgay

Don't feel pressured to answer, anyone! <3

[moobloom11]

Johnathan Byers <3

I don't see enough people putting respect on Jonathan's name. Jonathan might honestly be one of my favourite characters because he is just one of the best people ever??

His relationship with Will is so important to me and has been since I started watching the show. He is constantly supportive and never gives up on his brother. When he believes him to be alive in season 1 he NEVER stops trying to find him; he does everything he can to try and get his baby brother back. He takes it upon himself to create and distribute missing posters when his mother doesn't have the time, he visits the home of his abusive dirtbag of a father because he'll be damned if he doesn't check even the worst possible option if there's any chance that he'll find Will there. In season 2, he comforts Will, listens when his little brother expresses his frustrations with people treating him "like a baby" and, unlike most people, who would tell Will that they're ‘doing it for his own safety', he adjusts his behaviour to keep his brother happy and feeling independant while also making sure he knows that needing support is ok. In season 3, he drops everything the moment Nancy even insinuates that Will might not be safe and puts his own life at risk without second thought to protect his brother and the other kids. Season 4 speaks for itself because, even while he's dealing with his own issues in some noooottt so healthy ways (being stoned all the time) he still takes notice of his brother's distress and pain, apologises for his own behaviour and makes sure Will knows he is loved and always will be loved no matter what (I could go on for days about that scene alone, makes me cry every time).

Also not strictly about Jonathan himself but I just adore the fact that, in season 4, we can see how Will has picked up on some of Jonathan's tendencies and habits as a brother and emulates this in his relationship with El (the protectiveness, methods of support, and even some of his body language and facial expressions in certain scenes resembles that of Jonathan’s).

(And I love that we also see Jonathan treat El like a sister immediately. The Byers-Hopper family are my Roman Empire I love them).

I know some people will disagree but I also think he is honestly a great boyfriend. (Yes he has his flaws in season 4 with the college application and his keeping of this information from Nancy but I can totally see the reason why he does it and it's honestly heartbreaking that he's willing to sacrifice a place in his dream college to support his family). Not to ramble about shipping in a character appreciation post but I think Jonathan and Nancy work so much better than Nancy and Steve because their relationship is truly founded in friendship and mutual respect. Jonathan clearly fell in love with Nancy at some point when she was still dating Steve but he never acted on it until she did. He treated her with kindness and supportiveness regardless of circumstance and that's what made her fall for him. I think the biggest evidence of Jonathan being a fantastic boyfriend is actually their fight in season 3. After both being fired from the Hawkins Post, they're frustrated with each other for equally valid reasons. Jonathan had a right to be angry, as did Nancy, but he showcased his brilliant boyfriend material by recognising that they were both right and wrong and choosing to take responsibility, apologise and he and Nancy worked it out together. Because of both of their openness to understanding one another, they were able to reconcile and work it out (communication which is extremely important to maintaining a healthy relationship!!)

I am going to quickly mention the photo-taking session because, while I understand that it was wrong of him to do, I fully stand by the opinion that he felt terrible about doing it and didn't take the pictures for any malicious reason (or any reason at all seemingly? The way the show presents this scene as a whole is just really confusing to me tbh). I think the most telling thing is that Nancy herself seemed neither creeped out or especially upset by the photos themselves and very quickly forgave Jonathan. I'm not saying what he did was good and it definitely was an uncalled-for invasion of privacy, but I hate it when people act like his character is 'irredeemable' when he did one morally dubious thing that he clearly felt completely awful about very shortly after. I like Steve as a character and 100% think he redeemed himself from season 1 but I can't handle it when people praise Steve for his development and change, excusing his actions entirely, then turn around and call Jonathan a bad guy for this one act.

I don’t think we talk about Jonathan’s character nearly enough and, resultantly, I think his own problems get swept under the rug both in the show and in the fandom. I see so many people insulting him for being stoned in season 4 and ‘having no personality’ throughout the series and it really makes me sad. Jonathan cares about his family SO MUCH that he’s willing to give up his dream college he’s wanted to go to since he was six years old so that he can stay behind to support his mother and family. He turns to drugs to deal with his own problems, which, as unfortunate as it is, is a very common coping mechanism and completely understandable for his character. He is trying to deal with his own trauma, personal problems and general life while maintaining a healthy and committed (now long-distance) relationship with his girlfriend and acting as a carer to now not one but two siblings. It’s a hell of a lot for anyone to deal with and I’m sick of people sympathising with just about every other character’s trauma and understanding their coping mechanisms but seemingly refusing to do the same for Jonathan.

Anyways I could genuinely go on about this character for days because I just adore him. I think he’s an amazing brother, son, boyfriend and all around person and I want to see people appreciating him more. I am a Jonathan Byers defender, apologist, protector, lover and stan until the end.

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friendly reminder mike's the one making it weird! will has absolutely zero intention to pursue mike romantically. he wants to be honest but he does not believe it's reciprocated. MIKE is the one seeing their interactions differently.

he makes it weird in season three by hyperfixating on his relationship to the point he's a shitty friend. he makes it weird by actively pushing will away. he makes it super weird with "it's not my fault you don't like girls." he is the first one to speak out loud about a version of their relationship where they have forever to do what they want, implying at the same time that the reason they can't is because he's obligated to grow up. he makes it weird by being so devastated when will admits he did want that, because mike wanted that, too.

he makes it weird by not writing letters. he makes it weird by not hugging will at the airport and getting jealous of the painting. he makes it weird by acting up at the rink, paying all his attention to will while pretending to ignore him. he makes it weird with "that's because she's my girlfriend, will!" and then doubles down on that weirdness with "we're friends! we're friends."

and it isn't just their friendship he makes weird, it's the entire dynamic of the party, it's his relationship with el, with hopper, with his parents to an extent, because he isn't acting like himself.

will, despite his canon romantic interest in mike, was not the one to choose to interpret their friendship through a romantic lens and that is so fucking fascinating. mike did that even though he's totally unaware of will's feelings.

mike is the one who cannot appropriately contextualize their relationship and struggles to behave appropriately. mike's the one who missed will so much he called and called and whined to dustin when will didn't pick up. mike's the one who refused to let dustin use the phone when will DID pick up.

mike did that shit bro idk what to tell u. he's the one who can't be normal despite that being his hidden goal the entire season.

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I desperately need to know how the GA views the Mileven conflict in season 4 because I genuinely cannot think of a reason why Mike cannot say “I love you” to Eleven if he is truly in love with her.

I’ve barely seen any arguments to begin with and the few I have seen + ones I’ve tried to concoct myself just to see if they make any sense whatsoever are all extremely easy to disprove.

“Mike is bad with words”- this is a more common one I’ve seen and I think it is just objectively false. My boy is a writer?? I don’t think he’s bad with words 😭 Now I’m not trying to say that every writer speaks with perfect eloquence and doesn’t struggle with emotional repression but we have in show proof that Mike is perfectly capable of verbally expressing affection to people he cares about.

“Crazy together” speaks for itself, adorable, 10/10, comforting, sweet, loving.

“Well I call bull on your logic, because you’re my best friend too.” my sweet boy, did you see the look on Dustin’s face? Pure happiness.

“I have no idea what’s going to happen next, but whatever it is, I think we should work together. I think it’ll be easier if we’re a team, friends, best friends” reassuring, apologetic, everything??

“It’s Hawkins, it’s not the same without you” absolutely adorable, Will was on the verge of tears.

“Could’ve used you up here too” ok King making Dustin feel validated and appreciated.

In conclusion, I hate that argument because I just don’t think Mike is bad with words.

“He doesn’t say it because he’s scared of losing El”- the fact that this is the argument actually presented by the show is crazy to me. What kind of logic is that? Mike isn’t stupid, he’s an intelligent boy and has displayed competent levels of emotional intelligence in every season of the show (which I’ll talk more about in a second). You would think that, especially with his desire to be needed and depended on, Mike would be more likely to have the opposite problem, he’d be always saying “I love you” and seeking out that validation back from Eleven. Surely, he would constantly reassure her that he loves her if he’s afraid of losing her because he wouldn’t want to push her away but that is exactly what he does. I don’t think that, from a writing standpoint, this was an effective, convincing or sensical route to take if the fear of losing El is the true reason behind his inability to say ily.

Going onto a point I touched upon a second ago, the argument that “Mike doesn’t realise he’s upsetting Eleven because he’s not emotionally intelligent enough to note it”. The fact that I’ve genuinely seen this argument before is both an insult to Mike’s character and to this show’s writing. Mike is very oriented around protecting the people he cares about.

In season 1, he’s the most emotionally oriented one out of the party, being relentless to find Will, reassuring to Dustin, kind to El and apologetic to Lucas. He notices when will is “more quiet than usual” in season two and knows when something is upsetting him most of the time throughout the series. In season 4, we see him look over to Max in concern when her nose is bleeding. He’s always checking if his friends are ok and seems to know when they aren’t.

This is why I honestly can’t believe that he wouldn’t realise his avoidance of the phrase wouldn’t upset El. Not to mention the fact that she literally comes straight out with it and tells him?? Crazier to me still is that people still stand by this argument when Mike’s immediate response to El’s frustration with him was not to apologise and tell her he loves her, explaining that he genuinely didn’t realise and reassuring her, and is instead to go on the defensive, getting mad at her and telling her she’s “being ridiculous”. Is that really the way you’d act when being confronted with the fact that you’ve hurt the supposed “love of your life”?

If all this isn’t damning enough, the way the show handles this conflict and the Mileven relationship as a whole should be.

Their breakup in season 3? Framed as comical.

Season 4 fight? “It felt like a fight you can’t come back from”

Mike’s monologue? The vines tightened around El’s neck when he finally said “I love you”. Not to mention that he looked broken.

The aftermath? El purposefully avoided Mike and they didn’t get a single scene together.

Finale? El on her own, Mike with Will.

Not my most eloquent or well put-together rant but I seriously, genuinely cannot fathom how anyone can look at all the Mileven conflict in season 4 and come up with a feasible argument for why Mike behaves the way he does.

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This single handedly cured all my byler doubt.

Joyce is back there, carrying a really weak/unconscious Will. And I highly doubt that Joyce or any of those kids in the background could carry a limp sixteen year old boy without completely dragging him across the floor. And at the end of the day who's left to carry Will?

Mike.

[moobloom11]

Robin Buckley 💚💙

Doing a series of multicoloured sketches of some of my favourite characters and I of course had to draw my girl Robin.

Scoops ahoy Robin is my ultimate fav Robin atm but I cant wait to see her get more scenes next season!!

Robin Buckley fans wya?

[moobloom11]

if milkvan is endgame, then why doesn't mike bring out the best in el?

but yk who he brings out the best in..

[moobloom11]

Getting rid of my Byler doubt

Byler doubt is crazy because how am I over here stressing that they’re going to deny Mike is in love with Will when if Will wasn’t the one confirmed to be in love I would 100% think it was Mike.

I mean…

This compilation took me a while to gather (Netflix I hate you why can’t I screenshot) and it’s nowhere near all of the instances in which Mike looks at Will as if he’s the moon incarnate. And there are MORE.

Will of course also looks at Mike with pure love but honestly? I can hardly find a fraction of shots with Will staring at his best friends lips as much as Mike does.

Also Mike is so much more touchy with Will and shows so many classic traits of having a raging crush on someone when he’s with Will.

I am completely certain that I would wholeheartedly believe Mike was the one in love if we didn’t get confirmation and this is what gives me the most hope for Byler canon.

Duffers, don’t be cowards.

Do it.

Give the Bylers what we’ve been waiting for.

Give Mike the character he deserves.

[moobloom11]

Shared Looks

mike suspected he was breaking both his and will's hearts in the monologue

mike both understood will's meaning in the van, and that he also knew that will was breaking his own heart by pushing mike back towards el at surfer boy pizza.

If this theory is true, it would add so much more meaning to all of mike and will's shared looks post the mindfight in vol. 2 - especially all the moments when mike tries to make contact with will.

where else to begin than the sheer anguish of this scene? there'll be top-layer meaning to all of these scenes, but byler has always been told mainly through subtext so far, and this continues into vol. 2, giving every scene with mike and will a double (or triple, or quadruple) meaning. if there is only one way (ahem) to describe their relationship in s4, it is that they are hyperaware of each other. yes, love... yes, romance... yes, attraction... but all that is to come in earnest in s5. s4, with its attention and hidden looks, is all about the hyperawareness of the beloved, if not the self.

so what is it that vol. 2 does specifically? what is special about vol. 2 in byler terms? what separates it from vol. 1 thematically? there must be a difference, elsewise there would not be a divide of volumes. for each character arc, vol. 2 brings new changes, just like acts in a play. and vol. 2 for byler begins with the van scene; a scene that establishes and clarifies. and then its all torn away in the monologue - but just imagine that mike's look to will in sbp is one of surprise and confusion.

why are you saying this? his face appears to scream.

there is understanding beneath the pain. and what if... what if he and will actually WERE on the same page, from the van scene right until the end on the hill? is there anything that supports this idea?

the desperation on both of their faces: panic, a sense of complicity: this is all we can do, there's no other hope.

can you imagine? if mike was simply waiting for a chance to talk to will, to sort everything out with el, but then... there simply is no chance? no moment to talk? everything we see post sbp suggests mike and will are trying to silently communicate without anyone else noticing.

the way we get the cross-shooting camerawork, where focus lands on the furthest person from the camera. the focus starts here on mike and then moves to will, showing how both of their reactions are of equal importance. it's subtle, but it's there, and they use this technique a fair bit with mike and will.

then they both look to el, and there's the sense that they are both thinking the same thing, looking with new eyes at what el has done. what she can do. her power. more than ever, she is inspiring wonder and awe; this plot point is not necessarily humanising her in mike's eyes, and as a conclusion to their shared 'you're my superhero' arc, it's only serving to make her even more awe-inspiring and mysterious.

of course, will's wistfulness is tinged with longing for mike, and despair, while mike's is tinged with knowingness and revelation.

el perpetuates (perhaps unknowingly) her own mysteriousness in mike's eyes when she refuses to tell him much about what happened in the desert and interim.

personally I don't believe they stopped at a motel for a couple of reasons, including the urgency with which el said they had to get home or their friends would die, and also because it was only two days on the title card between nevada and indiana. that doesn't seem like enough time for a junky old pizza van with an 80s engine to get across the interstate with a whole overnight rest stop included. we already see jon yawning and rubbing his eyes as he drives in the byler van scene, and we know a very tired argyle has also been driving too - and this was before the stakes had ramped up because they hadn't even heard that hawkins was in danger as well as el yet. plus will hasn't changed clothes despite bringing a packed rucksack - surely he would have at least washed and changed if they stopped at a motel, even if he couldn't sleep?

i love the romance of motelgate, but it just doesn't seem likely for a show known to have characters that ignore their own personal needs when extreme danger threatens their friends. the storytelling is suggesting that they pushed themselves through the fatigue to get home; jon and argyle taking turns driving, and mike will and el napping in the back if they even could.

we also then see this scene, with everyone looking concerned and very tired, practically speechless at the disquiet in hawkins...

... which is why its a perfect place for this rack focus shot of mike looking at will. will is looking out at the destruction, just like mike had in previous scenes, peering out of the window...

... and while it looks somewhat like mike is doing the same, notice the little raising of eyebrows, the look of gentle and timid confusion, and the way that from his seat the view through the front windscreen would make leaning forward/peering the natural response. instead he sits still, with a look of hidden pain on his face. why doesnt he look out of side window instead, like in previous shots? and if thats not enough, the rack focus alone, from will on to mike, suggests that this is very much a moment about the two, about the emotional connection between them - and the way it awkwardly makes sure to crop el from the frame results in a shot that feels uncomfortable and unfinished - which is exactly how mike feels right now. this shot is showing us mike is bursting with so many things he wants and needs to say to will, but he just can't get him alone.

not only does this track with the motelgate isnt real idea - they surely would have had a moment while el slept or showered? - but we see in their next scenes that mike is still looking to get a moment alone to talk to will properly.

in the hospital, max and lucas are the main narrative focus. but underneath, there are always subtleties and details, like will gently caressing mike's back when they hug. mike's not resisting will anymore. he's letting himself be touched, be held. almost as if there is an understanding between the two of them, finally. finally. if only they could get a moment alone amongst the chaos.

in the cabin, it happens. mike so readily opens up to will even when el is around, choosing to confide in will instead of going after his girlfriend. it's healthy because he's reading the room and giving her the space she definitely wants - its a direct contrast to him going to her room in lenora. but it's also a growth of a different kind, where he follows his instincts and finally allows himself to talk to will instead, allows himself to want will by his side instead.

their physicality is very close; not as close as they were by the freezer at surfer boy pizza, but then again there is no direct danger right now (or so they think).

even so, mike can barely look will in the eye for more than half a second.

he's in distress about el - she and will are at the forefront of his mind. we don't see mike talking about the destruction of hawkins and his family - that will come, but to tie up his s4 arc, they're choosing to remain in the romantic conflict realm for mike. the story is told both through dialogue (re: el) and through physicality (re: will), which we see when mike steps closer to will before moving to the sofa. do we think he did this subconsciously or consciously?

and will leans in too, because it's the most natural thing for them both.

i find this shot so interesting. it's a long take two-shot which began with a left-right pan but then features a backtracking right-left pan, which is beautiful because the cinematographic language is so LOUD.

right -> left implies going backwards, characters retracing steps or backtracking, deliberately or not. el is moving left to right when she walks past mike and will: she is moving forward, moving on from them both in this situation. this is not to say she won't reunite with either of them in a new way in s5, but for now, she has deduced something about the both of them, and herself, and is choosing to move onwards. the camera then moves backwards, right to left, finding will and mike where el left them: standing together.

they make eye contact, speak intimately and complicitly (both in vocal tone and in content), and move off together in the frame, again from right to left. they're going back: back to basics, back to their friendship, back to a start where it was the two of them together and they could figure stuff out. i really do think s5 is going to take us back in time, although i'm not sure if that means physically or just emotionally yet.

and then mike moves into a sunbeam.

it's a high beam; it comes from above.

which means that it misses them when they both sit down, leaving only will in the light. but mike touched it. the light touched mike, momentarily. then he slid back into the dark.

and will plops down on the upside down sofa (having followed mike there... oh, visual storytelling foreshadowing), completely bathed in beautiful sunlight from mike's pov.

and yeah, when we see another intimate two-shot, mike is still mainly in the dark and will in the light...

...but when it was will's pov, will following mike to the sofa, he saw a beam of angelic light grace mike's shoulder.

lets now take a moment to appreciate the sheer intimacy and closeness this entire scene portrays. sat together calmly on a sofa, discussing the end of the world. and then mike makes another promise to will, that they'll finish it together.

i don't know about you, but i wouldn't want to cross THIS michael.

the cinematography is so pure and warm - but isn't it the end of the world? where's the horror? it comes in the stinging music when will talks, but the atmosphere and lighting is telling us that love and safety exists underneath everything, and hope. mike's grip on will's shoulder: the extra meaning of the fact he's even allowing himself to be touched by will at all, let alone choosing to touch will deliberately, to reach out to him finally, isn't lost on will. the way the light hits will's irises so crisply and perfectly, asking us to search his eyes for meaning. this is arguably the first scene of s4 that tells us will is going to be making a return as a main character for s5.

and mike only reluctantly lets go, because he wanted to talk to will. there is still so much he needs to say. that hand reaching out was only the start. he's reaching into the light.

look how upset he is when they are interrupted AGAIN. and that light? does it want to be any more painterly? it's practically a vermeer. it's sheer romance, even when it's not (yet).

and even as they move off, mike is momentarily included.

notice how they've flipped the camera position completely 180, so that the boys can move from the right of the frame to the left yet again, this time with MIKE following will. to flip the camera pov so obviously is an unusual and deliberately jarring effect that draws attention to the moment, just as it did on the cartop in the desert.

and when we see will peeking out of the cabin, it throws us right back to his hiding during his s1 arc.

and of course we follow this with the family reunion and the hillside scene.

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I know we always talk about how Mike jumped into a relationship with Eleven to feel “normal” (and quell his internalised homophobia) because he’s been taught that boys kiss girls and that’s just the way things go, but I’ve never really seen anyone talk about how El probably regards her relationship as something that makes her “normal” too. I mean, less than a week after she got out of the lab Mike kissed her and that was her first introduction to heteronormativity. No one taught her that romantic relationships weren’t the most valuable kind of love and she jumped into her relationship with Mike thinking she loved him romantically because how would she know the difference?

Both Mike and El rushed into what they thought was a relationship based on reciprocated romantic love in a desperate attempt to feel normal. Their fights in season 4 hurt both of them so deeply because for them it’s not just addressing that they don’t fit together well as a couple, but addressing, for Mike, that his internalised homophobia is preventing him from realising/accepting his true feelings (romantic love for Will) and, for El, having to come to terms with the abuse she’s faced and how this has impacted her relationships and dependency on others since getting out of the lab.

Anyways I’m so ready for the Mileven breakup because these two both need to figure out who they are and understand that their relationship is negative and harmful for the both of them. I love both of their characters to pieces and I just want to finally see them happy.

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Will is such an important and relatable character to me and so many other people and I also adored him from the moment he was first on screen.

I’m so glad he’s finally getting the justice and screen time he deserves!!

will has been my favorite character since THE SECOND i saw him in season 1, for me he was always the main character (well...not just for me its a FACT)

so watching him slowly having more scenes, seeing him be so strong, having the boy he likes liking him back etc just makes me so happy! i love this series so much i love everyone how can i survive this last season omg

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Raven Queen 💜🖤

I have no idea if this fandom is alive or not but wanted to share my appreciation for this show with a little doodle of my fav character

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One of my favourite things about watching Gotham with a friend who knows nothing about Batman lore is watching the light increasingly leave her eyes as she realises that yes, those are in fact their real names

"Jim Gordon?? That's unfortunate"

"is Nygma really his name" "Yes" "dear god"

"Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot 😭 no wonder he turned evil"

"Kristen Kringle? does she become a Christmas-themed supervillain?"

"THERE IS NO WAY THEY ACTUALLY CALLED THE SHIP NYGMOBBLEPOT THAT'S MORE CRIMINAL THAN THEM"

And I just sit there cackling waiting until she meets Eduardo Flamingo

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what if these kids are holly’s friends who are trying to help look for her as a parallel to will and the party in season 1? (even more proof for the s1 jancy parallel for s5 byler 🤭)

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So I've been thinking a lot about the kids in the trailer

I know everyone's been talking about this photo and I completely get why (protective Mike is back!!) but its the moment that stuck with me most for a different reason.

Who are the kids behind Mike? And why is he protecting them?

Looking at other posts I'm assuming we don't know for certain who they are but my immediate thought was that they're friends of Holly's.

We've known for a while now that the second episode of season 5 will be called "The Vanishing of...." and most people have speculated that this missing person will be Holly Wheeler. Going by this assumption, it would make sense that these unknown children are friends of Holly's who have got mixed up in all this by trying to find their friend (just like Mike, Lucas and Dustin did when Will was missing).

We know the Duffers are intending to parallel/go back to a lot of things from seasons 1 and 2 so having this call-back would make a lot of narrative sense.

Anyways, I'm sure they aren't going to be especially prominent characters but if they're intending to establish these as the "next generation" of kids I'm very curious and excited to see what interactions they're going to have with the characters we already know. I'm super glad to see protective Mike is back and I want to know whether he, Will and perhaps some of the others are going to form somewhat of a similar dynamic with them as Johnathan, Steve and Nancy did back in the early seasons.