#@ the duffer brothers i am tired

[shopcat]

"how can you not like jonathan and nancy if steve's your fave" well because i actually like him ☠️

the litmus test for actually liking steve is u have to love robin and the litmus test for actually understanding steve is you can't like st4ncy

[ijustwanttoreadfanfiction]

Friendly Sex - Chapter 5 - The Cafeteria

I have flashed my creative licence in this chapter and borrowed some dialogue from The Duffers Brothers, because let's face it we all fell in love with Eddie in the cafeteria and the woods scene, but I have slightly re-jigged the context. We also have a flashback. Here be smut and feelings.

Chapter warnings: (MDI) 18+ only, vaginal fingering, overstimulation, p in v sex, dirty talk, swearing, consensual use of the word slut again, mentions of drugs, spit as lube, slight pain during sex? I am terrible at warnings

"It's a promise "

Eddie's words were ringing in your ears as you selected your outfit for the day. Not that you were picking an outfit to catch Eddie's attention, just like you hadn't intentionally put on a lacy baby pink underwear set. It just so happened to compliment your outfit, an off the shoulder baby pink sweater, paired with a simple black skater skirt and your converse, cute and practical that’s all.

"Sprout, hurry up and get your butt in the car or you're going to be late!" Your Dad calls up as you finish applying your lipstick, it was a little beat up from Eddie's antics but still usable. 

Taking the stairs two at a time, you grab your purse, jumping into the idling car on the drive.

"Little overdressed for school aren't you kiddo?" Your dad asks after a couple of minutes

"Uh - they're taking some random pictures of the seniors for the year book today." You reply absentmindedly, flicking down the vanity mirror rooting through your bag for your compact blush.

"Sprout, I may be old but I'm not dumb, are you dating?" 

You pause in your search, you hated lying to your dad, but if you were being technical about it you weren't dating. Having casual sex with the local outcast, sure, but definitely not dating. 

"No Dad," you laugh uncomfortably, "I'm not dating, there's no one I want to date, well apart from Steve." You add, checking over your appearance in the mirror one last time as he pulls into the school parking lot. 

"Ok kiddo, I believe you." His tone said otherwise. "Am I picking you up after school?" He asks as you climb out. 

You go to respond but the air is suddenly filled with the sound of heavy metal and the screech of tires, Eddie, you stare as he spins the van recklessly into a parking spot earning the glare of some jocks nearby.

'I do whatever I want to, to ya

I'll nail your ass to the sheets

A pelvic thrust and the sweat starts to sting ya

I fuck like a beast!'

"Sprout, you ever bring a boy like that home, I'll send you to live with your mother permanently." Your dad says watching Eddie in clear disapproval.

"Uh huh." You mutter weakly, holding onto the car door tightly as Eddie kills the engine.

"So am I picking you up?" He asks again.

"No- uh, I'm going to watch Rob's practice." You reply distractedly.

Eddie spots you from the other side of the car park, a shit eating grin spreading across his face sending a shock of arousal through your body. "Bye Dad." You say quickly, shutting the door and heading off in the opposite direction.

"Hey dingus!" Robin hails you from Steve's car which has just pulled up behind you, Dustin and Mike squeezing out from the back; Hellfire Club t-shirts emblazoning their chests like Eddie's little minions. How they all managed to guilt trip Steve into giving them a lift everyday you'd never know. 

He raises his hand in greeting, a smile on his handsome face, you wave back your heart doing its usual sputter.

‘It’s going to be a long day.’ You think to yourself.

The cafeteria was a hive of activity and noise, Robin talking at the speed of a freight train as you grabbed your food trays, barely allowing you time to add in sympathetic noises. 

“I mean, am I really that invisible?” She asks you desperately.

“Of course you’re not Rob, maybe she was just focusing on the class.” You offer supportively, heading to your usual lunch table.

“Focusing on the back of Dan’s head more like.” She grumbles, taking a vicious bite out of her slice of pizza.

“Didn’t you say she laughed at your David Bowie joke last week?” You ask, remembering how excited she had been.

“She was just being polite.” Robin mutters miserably you can tell it’s going to be an all-lunchtime funk, so you busy yourself with picking the orange segments out of your fruit cocktail.

“ …sodomy, suicide and even murder!” You glance up quickly hearing Eddie’s voice ring out from a couple of benches over, the usual gang laughing at his antics as he climbs up onto the table, talking loudly so it carries across the cafeteria. 

“-but - as long as you’re into band, or science, or paaarties -” He sneers surveying the various cliques, before rounding on the jocks, “-or a game where you toss balls into laundry baskets!” He yells, making the whole cafeteria fall silent. 

You see Jason Carver stand up, looking pissed. “You want something freak?!”

Eddie sticks his tongue out, making devil horns with his fingers, and you can’t hold back the laugh that escapes you, it draws his attention and he winks quickly; shaking your head with a smile as he jumps back down carrying on with his rant the words drowned out by the return of the usual noise.

“Since when did you find Eddie Munson so funny?” Robin asks you suddenly, you realise with a jolt that she’s been watching the entire exchange, you shrug nonchalantly.

“I don’t, it’s just, he's got a point.” You mutter, shoving some fruit into your mouth.

“Mm, fair,” she agrees with a nod “,but not about band though.” she adds quickly, which launches her into another frenetic monologue about band practice tonight and whether she can get Vicki to laugh properly this time.

You zone out completely, eyes on Eddie, who is staring intensely at you as he chews on a pretzel, you raise an eyebrow at him in a silent challenge, watching a grin creep across his face. Biting your lip coyly, you pick up a piece of syrupy fruit with your fingers, tongue laving at the sticky juice running down your hand; it’s a dangerous move so close to Robin, but it’s worth it to see his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard, you smirk in satisfaction popping the grape into your mouth.

“I’m gonna get rid of this.” You say to Robin, picking up your tray. 

“Yeah, I should get going, I've got “Mrs. Clickity Clackity next period, why didn’t I drop history when Tammy left?” She asks with a groan, handing you her own tray, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

“Because you’re a glutton for punishment. I’ll see you at 5.” You call as she walks away.

The tray station is just behind Eddie, you can feel his eyes tracking you as you move across the floor, swinging your hips a little, making sure to pick a low shelf knowing that it would give him a flash of your panties as you bent over. Feeling accomplished with all your teasing, you turn to leave only to walk straight into his chest.

“Oh! I’m sorry sweetheart, please excuse me, I didn’t see you there!” He chimes innocently, placing a hand on your hip to steady you.

“Whatever, Munson.” You say coldly, playing up to your supposed indifference towards him, you feel him quickly slip something into the waistband of your skirt with a pointed look, and then the exchange is over. You push past him, adding  “Just watch where you’re going next time, jerkoff.” for good measure, as he bows out of your way.

You wait until you’re back at your locker to read the tiny scrap of paper.

‘16:15, the picnic bench. E.’

The sky was overcast by the end of 8th period, a slight chill in the air making you regret wearing a skirt as you picked your way through the overgrown path to the picnic bench. Funnily enough it was at the bench where you and Eddie had your first proper encounter nearly 3 years ago, you were a clueless frightened sophomore looking for some weed to ease your panic attacks, making covert enquiries the same name had come up each time; Eddie Munson. 

You had approached him tentatively in the corridor unsure how to go about it, tapping him gingerly on the shoulder as he shoved pristine looking textbooks into his locker, he jumped, turning quickly like he was about to punch you.

“Jeeeesus, where the hell did you sneak up from sweetheart?” He gasped, unclenching his fists.

“I-i’m sorry!” You squeaked, taking a step backwards.

“Hey, you’re fine, it was my fault.” He said soothingly.

This was a bad idea, you probably didn’t have enough money, or he’d just laugh at you, or worst of all you’d get caught by your dad.

“You ok?” He asked, reaching a hand out, but dropping it as you flinched slightly “You need something?” He pressed, emphasis on the word ‘something’.

You nodded sheepishly, eyes darting at the passing people in the hall.

“You know where the old picnic bench is in the woods behind the gymnasium?” He asked quietly.

You shook your head, biting your lip, cheeks burning. He sighed pulling a sheet of paper from his locker sketching a crude map for you to follow. “Meet me here after last period, we’ll get you sorted out.” 

Eddie was sitting at the bench when you arrived, a battered tin box open on the table.

“Take a seat.” He offered, you perched lightly, legs jiggling with nervous energy. “There’s nothing to worry about, okay? No one ever comes out here. We’re safe, I promise” He said with a reassuring smile.

“Okay.” You replied quietly, watching with interest as he pulled out various baggies.

“So I'll do you a half ounce for, uh… 20. What do you say? It’s plenty of bang for your buck, should last a while.”

“A half?” You asked, feeling stupid, thinking you’d just be buying some pre-rolled joints.

“Wow, you really are green around the gills huh sweetheart?” He said with a small laugh, but it wasn’t unkind. “Look you can tell me to mind my own business, but, what do you need this stuff for anyways? I mean it’s not meth but a sweet little thing like you, you sure you wanna do drugs? He asked seriously.

“I - i, uh get these panic attacks, thought it might help.” You mumbled pulling on your sleeves nervously.

He nodded in understanding, expression softening.

“Ok well, seeing as it’s your first time and you’ve opted to score from me, an excellent choice by the way,” He said with a grin. “I'll do you a deal; twenty-five percent discount for the half, that’s fifteen bucks.”

“Yes, thank you.” You muttered with a small smile back. “If I give you $25, would you teach me how to make them - please?”

You had spent the next hour with Eddie, watching intently as he rolled joint after joint, telling you about the different kinds of weed, the best papers. Giving you a standing ovation when successfully made your own, even if it was overly fat and wonky, staying with you as you took your first hit with trembling fingers, rubbing your back when you choked on the unfamiliar smoke. You had left the clearing that day promising him to go slow on the supply, and to come back to him when you needed a restock, he would only take $15.

Unlike your first meeting, Eddie wasn’t already there waiting for you. You sit on the tabletop, legs swinging idly, leaning back on your elbows to stare up at the birds flitting to and fro.

You hear the snap of a branch and suddenly Eddie’s face is hovering above your own,standing between your legs, making you squeak in fright.

“Eddie, you fucking psycho!” You shout, trying to punch him but he grabs both your arms hauling you up against him.

“Ah, ah, play nicely sweetheart.” He coos, nipping at your left ear lobe.

“That was a real dick move, you know that?” You grumble still trying to tug your arms out of his grasp.

“You should pay more attention to your surroundings princess, there could be anyone out here. “ He smirks devilishly, so you simply glower at him.

“Aw, now don’t look at me like that baby, especially after that stunt you pulled in the cafeteria.” He warns, mouth descending on your neck.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You breathe out shakily, trying to stop yourself from pressing forward to chase him, as he pulls away with a disbelieving look on his face.

“Really? That little show and tell you did with the fruit cocktail and the tray, you’re lucky I didn't fuck you there and then.”

You gasp sharply, hips bucking unconsciously at the thought. 

“Such a little slut.” He laughs in awe, capturing your lips in a heated kiss, finally releasing your arms, you immediately tangle your hands in his hair, while he moves to grope at your ass.

“Jesus, I've been thinking about this all day.” He groans, dragging you closer to the edge of the table to grind his pelvis against yours, hissing as you leave a trail of bites along the straining column of his throat. He picks you up suddenly, your legs automatically wrapping around his middle.

“Ed’s I swear to God if you drop me.” You say threateningly, clinging tightly to his shoulders, but he simply sits on one side of the bench, back to the table with you straddling his lap.

“Oh shut up you little brat.” He taunts, pulling on your hair slightly in order to slam your mouth back to his, free hand kneading the flesh of your ass under your skirt; rings sure to leave bruises.

You can’t help but rock your hips, tongues clashing, hands pinching, nails scratching. He breaks apart from you to pull your sweater over your head, eyes sparkling in delight at your lace covered breasts. 

“This is a very pretty bra, baby.” He murmurs, placing a few open mouthed kisses to the pushed up mounds, “I think it matches your panties?” He asks with a smile, you nod wordlessly, feeling his hand go back under your skirt, exploring fingers trailing over the delicate fabric. “Did you put this on for me princess?”

“Yes.” You whine quietly, as he slips the fabric to one side, the chill air making your pussy clench.

“Such a good girl.” He praises, swiping a thick finger through your wetness before slipping into you with ease, making you shift up against him, head buried in his neck. He’s almost cradling you as he works his finger into your soaked cunt, placing kisses anywhere he can reach, murmuring encouragement until you shiver in his arms.

“You cold?” He mumbles, forehead pressed to yours, you nod gently which turns into a whine of protest as his finger slips from your tight heat. Shifting about awkwardly, he slides his jacket off, before helping you into it using the collar to bring you back to his warm lips. “Gotta look after my girl.” 

Your heart skips a beat, my girl, keening softly against his mouth, you unbuckle his belt finding he’s gone commando today, his cock hard in your fist as you pump him slowly but firmly, the tip glistening with pre-cum. He lets out breathy little moans at your touch, before pulling your hand away, hurriedly extracting a condom from his jeans pocket, you play with your clit as he rolls the condom on; both of you staring at the other pupils blown wide.

“C’mere sweetheart.” He pleads softly, holding his cock up so you can sink down, you let out a pained hiss, the stretch at this angle stings, your pussy not used to the intrusion so soon after the last time. 

“Ed’s, i-it’s, ah!” You whimper, nails digging into his back, tears springing in your eyes.

“Slow down baby, it’s ok, I've got you, you’re safe.” He lifts you back up slightly, spitting into his palm spreading some over his cock, the rest he rubs into your cunt, thumb circling your clit as he lets you lower yourself back down at your own pace.

“Oh!” You hiccup, there’s still a stretch but his ministrations on your clit cause pleasurable little sparks that shoot up your spine.

“That’s it sweetheart, nice and slow.” He encourages, his free hand stroking up and down your back, you move with a bit more purpose pulling him in for a needy kiss, as you take his cock fully.

“Oh good girl, shit.” He pants, feeling you seated completely, his spread legs trembling underneath you as he tries to hold back from thrusting straight away. 

“‘M’ok now.” You say quietly, starting to ease yourself up and down, the spit and your own arousal from Eddie’s movements on your swollen clit helping you to glide.

“You sure baby?” He asks.

“Yes, Eddie, please move.” You whisper, and his restraint snaps, hips moving up to meet yours, using his strength to lift you by the ass bringing you back down on heavy thrusts, your arms braced behind you on his thighs. It’s intense, your lips staying connected by a thin trail of saliva, foreheads pressed together, swallowing each other's moans.

“Sweetheart, i’m - fuck - i’m not gonna last.” He chokes out, squeezing his eyes shut tight, teeth clenched in concentration. 

“It’s ok Ed’s.” You say, sucking on his neck with a dreamy sigh. “You can cum.”

"FUCK!" He slams his fist into the wood of the bench, and it's one of the hottest things you've ever seen, his hips pulsing upwards drawing out his orgasm. You move to get off of him but he holds you steady, cock still seated inside you, circling your clit with intent.

"Come on baby, I wanna get you there too." He growls, biting your bottom lip, your body wound too tightly, hanging off the proverbial cliff, hands braced on his chest. "Give into it princess, my sweet little thing." Your eyes snap to his in recognition, harking back to your first meeting, and it takes you by surprise, tipping you over the edge, back arching into his touch as you cum.

You allow yourself to be held, Eddie’s arms smoothing over your thighs and lower back, you press your head into his collarbone and feel his heart racing. 

“That was something else.” He sighs, moving a strand of hair behind your ear.

You smile breathlessly, checking your watch. “Shit, I gotta go, Robin’s got practice and I said I’d watch.” You say regretfully.

He nods in understanding, holding your gaze, fingers still tracing over your thighs, before you can stop yourself you kiss him, it’s slow, delicate and filled with a significance you weren’t ready to discuss. You catch yourself, feeling like you’ve just stepped over some invisible line, you practically jump off of him, stripping his jacket off in haste and throwing it to him.

“I’ll call you later.” You shout, jogging out of the clearing, pulling your jumper back on as you go, leaving Eddie half dressed and utterly bemused.

Taglist: @avalon-wolf @eddiemunsonsgf2

[stranger-fanfiction-n-things]

PROLOGUE

(Gif and photo of Michaela DePrince)

This is an Original Character fanfiction. All Stranger Things characters and content are owned by Netflix and The Duffer Brothers.

a/n: This is my first fanfiction ever. I believe pacing and context is important in any story. This is going to be a slow burn. Hopefully this prologue gives you a little insight on who Diana Sinclair is separate from The Party.

I am a ballet dancer so there is a lot of dance terminology in this. I urge you all to look up some of these moves and positions.

Anywho, let me know what you all think!

Word Count: 1032

Masterlist

PROLOGUE || PART I ||

Sunday November 6, 1983 - BELOV DANCE ACADEMY

Piqué tour. Piqué tour. Upper body. Piqué tour and…double pirouette en dedans. 

“Beautiful, Diana.” Madame Petrovna praises over the melodic rhythm. 

My cheeks grow hot and I continue to dance breathing deeply through my nose. I prepare myself for the hardest move: the Gargouillade. I still didn’t quite understand it, but let my body guide me through the movement. Extending my right foot dégagé to the side, rotating my leg in a small rond de jambe, while pushing off the floor with my left leg to do another rond de jambe with my left foot. 

“And jump!” Madame Petrovna exclaims. “Yes, yes.” 

I perform the gargouillade again, wincing slightly at the second rond de jambe. I didn’t circle my foot completely. 

“Don’t show me you’re tired, Diana. This move is supposed to look effortless.” 

I force myself to smile to hide my disappointment. Soutenu, soutenu, step, step. Double pirouette down to the knee and pose. 

“Good. Very Good girls.” Madam Petrovna says, clapping her hands in her poised manner. Which meant we could do better. “Waltz of the Flowers to the stage please.”  

We all curtsy before running off stage. As soon as my body disappears beyond the curtain, I deflate wiping the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. My cheeks burn from exertion. The Dance of Marzipan was a little over two minutes long but it was one of the hardest dances in The Nutcracker Showcase as lead. 

The Waltz of the Flowers orchestration begin shortly after and I watch the performance quietly on my own, swaying from side-to-side en pointe, the malleable shank of my pointe shoes bending with the arches of my feet with each shift in weight. I need to start breaking in my other pair of pointe shoes mom bought for me two weeks ago. These were dead. I glance at my wristwatch. 7:00pm. I sigh, exhaustion weighing down on me. We’re running late as usual. 

“You’re doing great,” a voice whispers near my ear. 

I whip around, clutching my necklace. 

 “Sorry for scaring you!” Mei Wong says. 

Mei Wong is the Sugar Plum Fairy in the annual showcase of The Nutcracker at Belov Dance Academy. She’s also a senior at Hawkins High, most of the girls at the Academy are. I didn’t talk to her or anyone much, my shyness getting the best of me. I always had Nancy until she quit last year. Mom says I need to “put myself out there more” and make new friends at the Academy. The proposition sounded like a death sentence. 

I sigh in relief, revealing a small smile. “It’s okay.” 

“I just wanted to say, you did so well in your routine. I think Madame Petrovna made a great choice picking you to be lead.” 

The audition process for lead was grueling and downright nasty. The girls at the Academy were extremely competitive and I didn’t have a competitive bone in my body, choosing to have fun and enjoy the experience. It didn’t mean I wanted the part less than the other girls. Deep down, I really wanted it and practiced every day after school until the auditions with help from Nancy, Barbara and Mom on technique and presentation. The voice at the back of my mind constantly nit-picked my skills. Taunting me with cruel words and insecure thoughts. You’re too short. You’re not good enough. You can’t dance. You will never be like Mei Wong or Sophie Miller. If it weren’t for Nancy, I would’ve made up an excuse to not audition. 

Two weeks later in the front room of the Academy, I held my head high as I walked to the bulletin board and saw my name across Lead Marzipan. 

“Thank you,” I say. “It means a lot coming from you.” 

“Don’t thank me, you deserve it. Have you ever thought about Juilliard?” 

Juilliard? Last month, Madame Petrovna announced that Mei Wong applied for Juilliard. That was huge for us small-towners. Unheard of even. Juilliard was Emerald City to us at Belov Dance Academy. A place where hopes and dreams can come true. 

I shake my head, toying with my pendant. “No.” 

“I think you should. I can definitely see you going there.” 

I blink unable to comprehend what I heard. Mei Wong is by far the best dancer at the Academy and she was telling me she can see me at Juilliard. The Mecca of all things art. The magical place far from home. Mei looks at me, concern etching her features and I realize I’m staring at her. 

“R-Really?” I stutter.

 “Of course!” 

 “Oh, wow.” I answer, sounding breathless in my ears. 

Mei nods her head in response and I sense the conversation is over. The silence is awkward and a wave of acid wells up in my stomach. I have so much to ask her, but the words are caught under the lump in my throat.  

“I’m gonna get ready with Ben. I’ll talk to you later?” 

I nod cursing violently in my head for being so…awkward. When Mei was far enough, I groan plopping myself down on the floor. Stretching my legs in a straddle split, I watch the girls in Waltz of the Flowers. I don’t pay attention because the acid in my stomach turned into butterflies. Juilliard. I never thought about the school until last month and now Mei thinks I should consider auditioning.

              You know dad won’t let you go. 

I lay down on my stomach resting my chin on the back of my hands. The butterflies in my stomach harden to knots. Juilliard is in New York. Dad wouldn’t even let me see Prince in Indianapolis. The closer to Hawkins, the better. Dad didn’t appreciate change. He was at peace in Hawkins and its simplicity. If he found out his baby girl wanted a life outside of Hawkins…I’m sure it’ll break his heart and I couldn’t stomach the possibility. The look on his face. 

I shake my head, pushing down the thought. I just started sophomore year and had more than enough time to think about college. Especially Juilliard. 

CHAPTER 1: THE VANISHING OF WILL BYERS

[pbnjloverman]

It is the first time in 3 years that I doubt that Byler is real, I am tired of waiting, I have been doing this for 7 years and so far the only thing I have achieved is Byler hug in season 3, Confirmation that Will is gay and a lot of disappointment and sadness, the truth is that I'm disappointed that Byler has not been canon in season 4. I'm afraid, I've wasted 7 years of my life shipping Byler so that in the end it's a possible failure? God help me keep my faith in Byler for 3 years but if I survive 2017&2019 I can survive 2024&2025/2026. Please duffer brothers Make byler canon Because if byler becomes a total queerbaiting without joking I will commit suicide my only goal in this depressive life is byler canon and if byler is not canon they will have to lock me in a basement because if they leave me free I swear I will catch A trip to the United States and then I kill the Duffes Brothers

[thegayhimbo]

Ranking The Stranger Things Tie-Ins:

Now that I've finished the reviews (for the time being), I wanted to do a ranking of all the tie-in comics, graphic novels, and books. Originally, I was just going to do a Top 5 Best and Worst List, but I figured it would be more fun to make a complete list of all the tie-ins while also giving my brief thoughts on each one (especially for those who don't want to read my lengthy reviews). Please note this is all in good fun and just my personal opinion, which can be subjected to change.

Also, this list will NOT include any of the show's episodes, video games, tabletop games, children's tie-in books, the Choose Your Own Adventure book, the Stranger Things Experience, or the stage play The First Shadow.

With that out of the way, let's begin in order from Worst to Best:

#26: Stranger Things Summer Special (See Review Here)

I never cared for Powell and Callahan as characters. They barely have anything to do with the show's main arc, they're NOT funny, and the "bumbling cop" trope is something I've grown tired of in recent years.

The premise of this short, where both of them are conveniently present at key events during season 3 in their lousy pursuit of being "good cops," all the while having constant near-misses with the Upside Down, the Flayed, and the Meat Flayer, is a repetitive joke that quickly grows old. That's not even getting into the huge continuity errors plaguing the short and creating a bunch of plot-holes. Completely unnecessary. Hard pass.

#25: Stranger Things The Bully (See Review Here)

This only ranks slightly higher than Summer Special because I like the artwork better, and it doesn't mess up the show's continuity like the previous comic did. However, that's all this really has going for it.

For whatever reason, they decided to make an entire graphic novel focusing on Troy and James (the bullies from season 1), and all I could think about while reading it is "This is a huge waste of time." I already didn't like Troy to begin with, this comic does NOTHING to improve my opinion of him, and considering that neither James nor Troy have appeared on the show since (and probably aren't coming back for season 5), I don't see what the point of this story was. This paragraph from my review sums it up best:

#24: Stranger Things x TMNT Crossover (See Review Here)

I'm sure there are fans who enjoyed this bizarre trip while embracing its absurdness and surrealism, but I am not one of them. I like TMNT and I like Stranger Things, but I draw the line at saying both properties exist in the same universe. That's not even getting into the haphazard attempts by the writers to make this comic canon with the show. Knowing the Duffer Brothers, that's likely not going to happen.

#23: Stranger Things Tales From Hawkins (See Review Here)

The idea of doing an anthology comic focusing on Hawkins residents was intriguing, but the end result was disappointing. They should have broadened their horizons regarding which characters to focus on, and not just set the stories exclusively in the first 2 seasons.

Murray's story (Issue #2) and the Pumpkin Patch Rivalry (Issue #4) are arguably the best ones. The rest are either forgettable or derivative.

#22: Stranger Things Six (See Review Here)

My first venture into Stranger Things comics. I've come a long way since then! :)

I remember looking forward to this particular comic to learn more about Hawkins Lab, Dr. Brenner, Project MKUltra, and the special kids............only to feel underwhelmed when I actually read it. I wanted to like Francine/Six, but I didn't find her interesting or compelling as a character, and the attempts to include other aspects of the show's lore (i.e. The Upside Down, Terry Ives, El and Kali, etc) felt shoehorned. Combined with the direction season 4 went, and it's a safe bet to say this comic is NOT canon (if it ever was).

#21: Stranger Things Suspicious Minds (See Review Here)

Suspicious Minds ranks slightly higher that Six for doing a better job fleshing out the experiments that were taking place at Hawkins Lab, as well as giving more details about Kali, Terry Ives, the test subjects, and El's biological father Andrew. It helps that Brenner is a threatening presence in this book, and that the narrative excels in maintaining suspense.

However, similar to Six, the events of season 4 render most of this book non-canon. That's not even getting into a major continuity error regarding El's date of birth that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Suspicious Minds serves as a cautionary reminder that if you're a creator and you've planned out a major twist for your show, then you either need to have a direct hands-on approach to how tie-ins are written and approved, or you need to be willing to share that twist with those you've hired to write tie-ins for the universe you're managing.

In any case, it is PAINFULLY CLEAR the Duffer Brothers didn't share information about Henry/One/Vecna with Gwenda Bond when she worte this book (or Paul Dichter for that matter when he helped oversee its development), and boy does it show in the final product. 😖

#20: Stranger Things Kamchatka (See Review Here)

Another example of a comic where the premise sounds intriguing, but they squander it on characters who aren't going to play a role on the show while also giving very little (and in some cases, contradictory) information about the show's lore.

While I liked the darker tone, the Cold War setting, and the spy thriller aspects, the characters didn't do much to impress me, and I was also frustrated by the lack of canon characters (Hopper, Dmitiri, Yuri, etc) who could have been in this comic and weren't. It's not bad, but it is mediocre when it didn't need to be.

#19: Stranger Things Into The Fire (See Review Here)

A sequel that improves on its predecessor (Stranger Things Six). While the comic likely isn't canon for the same reasons Six isn't, I appreciated the personal stakes this time around, I loved the creepy gothic aesthetic they did with Jamie/Nine's hallucinations, and it was nice to see Kali utilized in this story in a meaningful way. Here's hoping the Duffer Brothers wise up and bring Kali back for season 5 because she deserves so much better!

#18: Stranger Things Creature Feature (See Review Here)

One aspect of Season 4 that was disappointing was how little we got to see of the family dynamic with El and the Byers once they moved. It's hinted at, but not explored deeply. Creature Feature dives a little more into that, as well as El's struggles with PTSD, and gives a nice heartwarming scene between El, Jonathan, and Will towards the end that makes the short stand out.

However, the one-shot comic is sadly brief, and it may leave people frustrated about why they didn't go for a longer comic/graphic novel about El and the Byers adjusting to life in Lenora. I would've been interested in seeing that!

#17: Stranger Things The Game Master (See Review Here)

A one-shot comic where we get to see Steve and Nancy back together after the events of season 1 while also getting a surprisingly sweet interaction between Steve and Mike that isn't them griping with one another. I don't care much for Steve and Nancy's relationship, but I did like their attempts to help Mike feel better after El's apparent death. That was enough to elevate this short.

#16: Stranger Things Erica's Quest (See Review Here)

Not a fan of the artwork, but I was happy to witness the Scoop's Troop back together again. I also love how this short confirms Steve has played D&D before, which gives context to that scene in S4 when Dustin calls Steve asking him to be a substitute player in Eddie's D&D campaign.

#15: Stranger Things The Voyage (See Review Here)

Major improvement on Stranger Things Kamchatka. It's highly doubtful the show will include any mention of this comic (though if the Duffer Brothers decide to bring back the Russian arc for S5, I hope they incorporate Dr. Karine as the main antagonist), but the story is scary, suspenseful, and has the kind of gruesomeness you'd expect from an R-Rated horror film.

#14: Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (See Reviews Here)

Having grown up reading a lot of murder mysteries, I have a soft spot for the genre. Hearing that Hopper's backstory involved him tracking down a deranged serial killer in New York City back in the 70s while also dealing with a dangerous cult was enough to get me on board with this book.

This novel isn't perfect, but it makes up for its shortcomings in creative ways. Hopper's backstory with the NYPD is fascinating, the story's focus on issues related to poverty, crime, mental health, law enforcement, and societal woes works well (even if they drop the ball towards the end), Hopper's interactions with El in the present are a highlight, and the narrative is effective in keeping the reader invested.

#13: Stranger Things Erica The Great (See Review Here)

A light-hearted graphic novel that bridges Erica's arc between seasons 3 and 4 while expanding on her growth as a character and development as a D&D play. It was cool seeing Erica's friends get their day in the limelight (one of whom might be making an appearance in S5), and the story has enough funny moments to keep the reader entertained.

#12: Stranger Things Flight Of Icarus (See Review Here)

I know fan reaction towards this book was cold when it was first announced, and I'll admit parts of it were hard to read given we all know how Eddie's story ends. I'm not a fan of media that teases false hope to the audience, only to cruelly yank it away.

That being said, I will go to bat for this book: It's well-written, and does a good job expanding on Eddie's character and his relationships with others (Wayne, Al Munson, Jason, etc). I also appreciate the book's themes regarding "forced conformity," and its scathing criticisms towards individuals and institutions (school teachers, law enforcement, students, residents, etc) who scapegoat and punish people like Eddie for existing while allowing (or in some cases, enabling) truly vile people to get away with being vicious and cruel towards "acceptable targets."

Considering how certain individuals on Tumblr and varying social media platforms have been treating others for the past few months, this book couldn't have come during a more relevant time.

#11: Stranger Things Halloween Special (See Review Here)

A delightful Halloween comic taking place before season 1 which centers around the Party telling an urban legend about the Child Eater of Hawkins, which coincidentally has eerie parallels to Vecna. Creepy artwork, an unsettling atmosphere, and a fun twist at the end! :)

#10: Stranger Things Hawkins Horrors (See Review Here)

Same deal as the Halloween Special, except it takes place between Seasons 3 and 4, and features multiple horror stories told by Steve, Robin, Nancy, Max, Lucas, Erica, Dustin, and Mike while they're all trapped in the Video Store during a power outage. The stories are scary and reminiscent of horror anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Goosebumps, and some of them even cheekily foreshadow certain events that occur in season 4.

#9: Stranger Things Runaway Max (See Reviews Here)

Like Flight of Icarus, this book is hard to read, albeit for a different reason: I don't enjoy stories with characters trapped in abusive situations, and this book does not pull its punches in depicting the utter hell Max suffered through living with both Neil and Billy.

That being said, I grew to have a new appreciation for Max's character because of this book, and I liked seeing her backstory, her perspective on the events of season 2, and her thoughts about the characters she interacts with. I loved seeing her relationship with Lucas develop, I liked her brief interactions with Steve, and there was a satisfying payoff in her standing up to Billy and finally regaining some control over her life. If you love Max's character, this book is for you!

#8: Stranger Things Winter Special (See Review Here)

The closest Stranger Things will ever have for a Christmas Special (not counting the endings of the first two season finales). So many little details (i.e. the way the Party explains different Christmas stories to El and how she visualizes them, the revelation about what happened to the demodog in Joyce's fridge, etc) that make this an enjoyable read.

#7: Stranger Things Lucas On The Line (See Review Here)

One thing I will say for the tie-ins is that I appreciate how they expand the perspectives of characters from the show. Such is the case with Lucas on the Line. It takes place between seasons 3 and 4, and explores Lucas's attempts to come to terms with his trauma, the growing rift between himself and Max, his attempts to balance his strained relationships with his friends and his desire to play basketball and break out of the "nerd" stereotype, and it gives a very brutal but effective portrait of what it's like for Lucas to be one of the few black kids in Hawkins constantly surrounded by people who are either outwardly racist or project their biases and prejudices in truly insidious ways.

There are two reasons I'm not ranking this novel as highly even though it's a fan-favorite: 1.) There are continuity errors that took me out of certain moments while reading it, and 2.) The third act (which is when S4 begins) does a clumsy job tying in with the rest of the book and its themes. I really wish the book had continued with Lucas's story up to the end of S4 instead of stopping halfway through.

#6: Stranger Things The Other Side (See Review Here)

I always wanted to know what was going on with Will in season 1 when he was taken to the Upside Down. This comic thankfully elaborates on that and doesn't disappoint. Will's journey to survive is both intense and terrifying, and the way the comic seamlessly connects itself with the events of season 1 is to be applauded.

I have no clue what the Duffer Brothers plan to reveal in season 5 about the Upside Down and why time froze in 1983 when Will was taken, but considering they talked with the writers and artists for this comic and gave their stamp of approval, I'm hopeful the events of The Other Side won't be retconned.

#5: Stranger Things Science Camp (See Review Here)

Who knew that when Dustin went to Science Camp, he walked right into a Friday the 13th movie? 😂

Don't want to spoil too much about this one, but I had a blast reading it. Dustin's perspective is always entertaining, the comic works as a brilliant introduction for Suzie, and the mystery plaguing the camp is genuinely interesting and has a good twist. High recommendation.

#4: Stranger Things Zombie Boys (See Review Here)

I'm still bitter that the character of Joey Kim never made an appearance on the show despite the camaraderie he had with the Party, as well as how he gave the boys some catharsis from all the shit they were put through in season 1.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the premise of the Party making a zombie movie, and I appreciated how it handled the characters' trauma without being patronizing. The artwork was also impressive and beautiful to look at. Here's hoping we get more comics and graphic novels like this in the future!

#3: Stranger Things Tomb Of Ybwen (See Review Here)

At its core, the comic manages to explore an aspect that wasn't given much coverage on the show: Will's reaction to Bob's death and his attempts to come to terms with it. All of which culminates in a quest Will undertakes when he finds a map from Bob that (allegedly) leads to an ancient Viking treasure buried in Hawkins.

I don't want to give too much away in terms of spoilers, but the story is both emotional, sad, and heartwarming, and it does an excellent job reinforcing the friendship between all 4 boys while also demonstrating the impact Bob had on Will's life.

#2: Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons (See Review Here)

Speaking as someone who's occasionally crafted various fantasy scenarios in my head to cope with the stresses of life, this comic was deeply relatable. The show never shied away from emphasizing the importance of D&D to these characters, and this comic expands on that by illustrating why they became interested in D&D in the first place, how they've used D&D to cope with living in Hawkins, how the events of the first 3 seasons factor into how they play D&D, and how the game evolved with them as they continued to get older. It's like the piece of media from your childhood that stays with you as an adult. Arguably the best comic in the series (so far).

#1: Stranger Things Rebel Robin (See Reviews Here)

My favorite book and tie-in of the series. Speaking as someone who's gay, this story spoke to me on a personal level, and there were a lot of parallels I was drawing between Robin's experiences in high school and my own: The fear of being outed and ostracized. The desire to break free and explore the world. Recognizing the injustices that exist in society and wishing you could do something about them. Getting a nasty dose of reality that people you thought you could trust aren't reliable, and may even be more awful than you anticipated. Been there, done that, still dealing with some aspects of it.

It's funny because even if you take out the plot elements relating to the Upside Down, you still get a great coming-of-age story, and one that speaks to many people, LGBT+ or otherwise.

That concludes the ranking and reviews for right now! Thank you again for those who've been reading them! :)

[thewingedwolf]

wait i’m gonna be so annoying and have a final thoughts here

the aesthetic & main romance has just really fallen off. they are incapable of sticking the landing in the third act & while they still have some good looks, i think there’s a certain level of playing it too safe (see Kate’s wardrobe!!!!!) and also just, bizarre makeup choices that were a bit distracting.

they also just don’t know how to keep a character waiting for their romance while building that character up over several arcs. kind of a bad trait to have for a tv show?? 😭😭 like, i love them with all my heart, but everyone has said that eloise, benedict, & colin have felt so confused at points as characters, like the writers didn’t know where to go with them. they’re just waiting for their romance instead of like, growing.

Colin was the male lead what do we even know about him beyond his inability to interact with a woman without projecting onto her.

once again the milfs outsold, agatha and violet are the best thing about this series and i don’t care how much i like violet’s lil thing with agatha’s brother, i want those two gossipy old milfs to kiss sloppy style.

it’s too goddamn short, i think this wasn’t a problem in s1 or qc bc it’s the First season so there’s not as many characters to follow but they keep introducing all these other characters that take space away from a) The Main Couple and b) The Bridgertons As A Family, and those are the draws of the series!! it’s too much for only 8 episodes, what happened to 12-18 episodes for high budget or cable shows, if they had these people on like Normal tv contracts they wouldn’t have such a hard time scheduling and have these long ass waits between seasons Either, im tired of this and i blame the duffer brothers and i want those two nerds hunted for sport.

also hyacinth and gregory are getting SO OLD OMG HURRY UP 😭😭😭

i think they did a better job this season with folding the siblings in together but it feels disjointed from s2. anthony & kate specifically feel very oddly thrown in there and idgi. i loved seeing the bridgertons using calling times as an excuse for Group Hangs, and i loved the way John pointed this out to Francesca. i liked that the ending with benedict where he’s realizing he’s the oldest still left at home with two like, toddler siblings and feeling unhappy with it, but bc they struggle with incorporating all the siblings together, we really lose that thread from last season between him & anthony that could have given benedict a way to explore his sexuality in a slutty way while also giving anthony something to do & not drop the art school thing. however, this is all detailed and would take a lot of time and they only have eight episodes. why. do 13-18 or im gonna start sending death threats to ceos. for legal reasons that’s a joke haha.

i do think in the few kathony scenes we got, they nailed the dynamic that she is the world’s most put upon eldest daughterson and he needs to be institutionalized. pls put jonathan bailey and simone ashley in another thing together so i can see them together again. this can’t be the end. be the next tom hanks and meg ryan please. he george clooney and julia roberts. i’m on my knees here.

am i allowed to say i’m glad we got a long devirginizing scene like in s1 & qc but also we did not see Nearly enough of those two fucking. more than kathony but imo still not on the level of the other two. also you could write an essay here about the sex politics of this show. i will refrain and say Is This Not The Pervert’s Show?? Can we Please get better pandering????

i think no one can handle a big cast like shonda not even her hand picked teams. qc handled having a host of characters so much better. early grey’s is really great at this. htgawm is good at this. u can tell what season she was really In That Writer’s Room. shonda pls get back in the writer’s room i need something as emotionally devastating as “meredith i’m so sorry” “you must be the woman whose screwing my husband” i need sexy like the “teach me” scene but with the freedom of streaming to get freaky with it, this cast WANTS to deliver but netflix & these writers are NOT up to the challenge!!!

i love bi benedict. even if nothing else comes of this i didn’t think they’d genuinely have benedict get intimate with and acknowledge being attracted to a man. genuinely really jazzed about that. but they Have said they want to explore his ~fluidity more and there’s so many scenarios that could be, i have no idea what the hell they mean by that askksjd. crossdressing sophie, genderbent to solomon, a trans sophie/solomon of some persuasion, im excited to see where they go!

BI FRANCESCA. MICHAELA STIRLING. PEOPLE ARE HATING BUT YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION. esp bc you could do a michaela that has like, resigned herself to a life of never feeling love only to fall in love At Her Cousin’s Wedding so well with this. these three, michaela francesca john, are gonna break my HEART i’m READY for it!

i want the resolution to one of the gay couples to include brimsley & reynolds encouraging charlotte to cure society of homophobia somehow. if we can do this with racism we can do it with homophobia. why the hell not.

listen to me. listen closely. are you listening. if we don’t get lesbian eloise what are we even fucking doing here. enough fucking around. give me a real sign this is all going somewhere. i am no longer asking.

[phoenixwrites]

There's nothing that I'd like more than both Chrissy and Eddie coming back and getting their fairytale ending in ST, or at least meeting again. But Grace supports Palestine - which is the right thing to do -, Ross Duffer signed that pro-Israel letter to Biden and actors who speak against the genocide are losing opportunities. I don't have so much hope.

The hard cold truth of Hollywood is that they’ll hire whoever they think will bring them the most money—regardless of whether they support Palestine or not. If there is a large enough public wave of outcry and demands to support Palestine, Hollywood will backtrack all Israel shows of support or at least keep it very, very quiet. If public opinion sways towards supporting Israel, Hollywood will pretend to follow in suit. Hollywood doesn’t care. They care just about money. (For the record, I am anti-war in all cases. I want Hamas to disappear, I want Palestinians to live peacefully without violence from Israel, I want the Israeli military to face justice and accountability for their crimes of genocide and rape, I want Israeli civilians caught in the crosshairs to be safe, their kidnapped families returned, their 10/7 victims of rape and murder to be believed and fully condemn the Israeli government for committing the most heinous of war crimes, much like the US did after 9/11 and I refuse to participate in any antisemitism used to try and liberate Palestine—liberation for Palestine is inextricably tied to the safety and protection of the Jewish people.)

The fact of the matter is, I have zero faith in the Duffer brothers as writers. I know what I would do for season 5 (I wouldn’t bring back the tired dead love triangle of Steve/Jonathan/Nancy, I’ll tell you that much). Despite the wave of support for Barb, her character never returned (though I’m still gunning for a flayed version of Barb to fuck with Nancy a little bit).

What I’m trying to say here is I don’t actually care what happens in season 5, because whatever dumb or good writing they do, I’m going to get a flobbityjillion fic ideas from it. I win either way. Would I love more Hellcheer content? Totally. Do I expect it? Nah. Does that matter to me? Not at all. Cuz I’m just going to do whatever I want and hopefully I can come up with some even crazier rare pairs…

[thecelestialsyzygy]

I feel like this has been said plenty of times before, but I'm going to say it again...

The whole conversation about whether or not Mike deserves Will because "Mike treats him like crap. Also, what about El?" or whether or not the Duffers will bury their gays, is so exhausting.

First off, they are all complex characters who are (may I remind you) 15 YEARS OLD. Who doesn't say and do stupid things at 15?! We haven't even really seen the full extent of things Mike has been going through personally and there are so many good analyses out there that provide possible explanations as to why Mike in specific may have done/said the things he has. Not excusing them, but OMG character development is a thing. S4 was not the last season. Did we forget? I know not everybody keeps up with ST news, but if you did even a little bit of research you would see the Duffers say things like "We don't want to be like GOT" and "Mike (a main character) dying would be too depressing". Not only that but you would see David talk about how the ending is beautiful and Noah comment on how amazingly well Wills arc is handled.

And let's bffr for a moment; Do you really think any of them dying (in this case, Will) would be considered a beautiful ending? NO. Not only would it be sad af for the other characters, but for the audience as well. They all deserve happiness. And deaths in cases like this solve NOTHING. Idc how bittersweet and purposeful they're written to be. Idc if Byler becomes canon, Vecna is defeated, and Will dies 'happily' after an injury or something while he's surrounded by love and holds the knowledge that he protected those he cares for; it's still too depressing. Think about the party (Will's best friends) and family who has seen the horrors he has gone through. There's El (his sister who has been through a lot herself), Jonathan (his brother who has helped raise him), Joyce (his mom who has fought tooth and nail for her kids), Hopper (his stepdad who's been there through it all), and let's not forget Mike (his bestest friend AND true love). What are they gonna do? Would the Duffers just play it off like "Everything happens for a reason so everybody's gonna move on because it was for the greater good". Like STFU. Even when Noah and Millie were joking about killing off characters, the Duffers basically told them "no". And let's bffr for another moment; Do you really think Noah would allow them to let Will die? Yes, Noah is just an actor so he doesn't have a huge say, but my point stands. Noah has expressed how much Will means to him numerous times and I know Noah is dramatic at heart (we love him for that) and would nail a scene like that but I'm pretty sure he would not enjoy that ending and say good things about it. Not only this, but Noah has said he wants to see Will ACTUALLY be happy as well, not just have a glimpse of it.

Stranger Things is NOT all these other shows and if they pulled the same things these other shows did it would go against the whole meaning of Stranger Things. The Duffers would literally ruin their careers.

I understand being skeptical because unfortunately things like this do happen, but this conversation is old and tired. Ppl on this app have provided reasonings and evidence over and over as to why this still shouldn't be a huge concern. If you choose to not trust the Duffers or listen to anyone's points and be negative, then fine, but do us all a favor and keep it to yourself because I am tired of seeing it.

[starsarefire824]

I know the Duffers handled Robin really well but I have been so burned by other shows and how they handle queer characters. I just. I don't want Byler to blow up like other shows have

Hey anon!

I mean...I definitely have my reservations about how Will and Mike's storyline will pan out throughout season five and the conclusion of the series. For sure I do. And I do wish that a lot of media would be braver in their choices for characters. I would like to see queer storylines in shows that don't center around the topic you know? Like Young Royals and Heartstopper are gorgeous pieces of media--Young Royals is one of my favorite shows of the last couple years, but I would like to start seeing more characters, not even characters, more MAIN characters that are in a story who just happen to be queer, and maybe less of the "media created specifically for queer audiences." Black Sails comes to mind for me as a show that executed that rather perfectly.

And don't misunderstand me, I am SO happy that there are so many more choices when it comes to lgbtq+ media that is made by and for queer people. That is such a fantastic thing that has blossomed a lot in the last few years. I am a younger to middle of the pack age range Millenial and damn if that wouldn't have been lovely for me to have during my pre-teen, coming of age. From my experience, and from a lot of people around me that are also queer, I think it was a much longer and confusing road for a lot of us to get to the point we are now, and I think that we all could have greatly benefited from that type of media. My personal journey was delayed in a lot of ways, and I know media is just one part of the problem, but it really does make me happy to see things like Heartstopper of Sex Education be so popular. 'Cause DAMN if I didn't need those shows when I was 14.

But my real point here is, that I hope the Duffer Brothers really utilize the very rare opportunity they have here. Stranger Things is a very vast, ensemble cast, supernatural family drama that I think has a lot of sociopolitical statements wrapped up into that. But in the end, it's an all-encompassing piece of media that is made up of many genres and has many, many different stories to tell. Will (and Byler) is just one component of that. And so I would LOVE it if they chose to go through with Byler in the end.

I totally agree with you on the Robin storyline. I think that the way they handled that storyline was perfection. It was done in a surprising way, it was done in a sensitive and empathetic way, and it was done in a way that after the reveal it challenged the audience and maybe made people rethink the way they sort of absorb and read media. It inverted tired tropes and it just felt very organic and real between Steve and Robin. It felt like an interaction that really happens to a lot of people. It also gave Steve as a character a lot of growth without having him wrapped up in another love story. I really, really can't tell you how much I love that plot line and how it all turned out in season 3. And even though Robin's romance couldn't be a main focus in season 4 because of what was happening in the overall plot, I thought that they gave it enough attention to make you feel for her and also to root for her and Vickie to be happy. And I mean, how cool is it that there is a CANON lesbian main character in a show that is a cultural phenomena? People of all walks of life, colors, religions, and ages watch this show. People who would never, ever turn on a queer piece of media watch this show. And maybe, just maybe, it might change someone's point of view or bias. Maybe it makes it easier for some thirteen year old somewhere to come to terms with themselves. That's important and it matters. It's reaching an audience that it might not have reached before.

And I one hundred percent think the Duffer Brothers know that. I truly think that it's all intentional on their part and the part of the other writers. They also have characters like Nancy, who goes against most female stereotypes and even plays against a lot of the standard tropes of female characters from the 80s. There's Lucas, who goes against a lot of stereotypes that black characters are pigeonholed into while not white-washing or erasing his blackness in any way. Steve is the jock asshole who went against every trope we thought we were going to get from him. They do a wonderful job of examining cycles of abuse while not necessarily flat out telling you, this is the villain of this story. They like to live in the gray areas and I really respect that. Billy for example, while a very controversial character, is given the same depth and nuance as the "heroes" of the story. Eleven herself, the main hero of our story, isn't good or bad, and her journey and choices are never black and white. Brenner, Hopper, hell, even Henry is highly relatable in a lot of ways. There are sooo many well-written characters, big and small, that are written with care and thought. And this is the reason people so staunchly defend and love and debate their favorite characters. Everyone can find something of themselves in multiple characters and it's why the audience is so attached to what happens to these pretend kids from pretend Hawkins.

And so, when it comes to Will and Mike, and how all of this will play out. I truly trust the Duffer Brother's to write Will's story line with grace and with a lot of care. It seems like they really enjoy writing for Noah Schnapp as an actor and from what I've gathered, they deeply care that his character is given the justice he deserves. So I am of the opinion that whether they write Byler or not, I will be satisfied with his characters final arc. He is my favorite character of the show and that really is what is most important to me when it comes down to it.

That being said, I think that the Duffer Brothers are going to surprise everyone, even us Bylers, with how they write Mike and Will in season five. As much as I like to take care with getting too excited, I'm at a point where I think that the writing, while very subtle, has been leading to no other end than Mike and Will together romantically. The fact that Will has not had a love interest and that there will be no new characters in season 5, the fact that his character has been queer-coded since day one, the fact that they've said season five will directly deal with his coming of age, the fact that Will and Mike have orbited each other since season 1, and literally the entire foreshadowing of season four for me...I just can't see it being written any other way than that.

I think that the Duffers have the talent in the writing room and the general sensitivity of making it no.1: easy to swallow by the GA and maybe even the reddit bros, no. 2: come to fruition in a way that is surprising, heartfelt, and gives you that aha moment of "oh, it really was there all along wasn't it?" I think that they have it in them to write a really beautiful ending for these two characters that would feel authentic and also....just natural. It will be one small but important part of a very complex story involving so many characters and if they do it right, it could be a really beautiful queer story wrapped up in something bigger than that--and maybe open up some people's eyes to how a little boy like Will's life and journey is just as worthy of their time to root for, that his story matters, and what happens to him is just as important as the standard heroes and heroines they are so used to rooting for. It might make people see that queer love can save the world the same as the prince's love for the princess can.

You can't get your hopes up too much, but boy if it doesn't make me smile thinking about the possibilities of that.

[fizzigigsimmer]

Stop screaming HE WAS RACIST at me like that’s the magic phrase that makes a character off limits. That is not how fiction works. I’ve enjoyed nazis, colonizers, and literal flesh eating monsters as characters before this. You’ve enjoyed amoral fiction before too. I promise you. Did you enjoy The Greatest Showman? When you learned the real history did you delete the soundtrack and start haunting the tags to get people to stop enjoying this white washed fairytale? Are you shit posting and trolling the comments of little girls bopping to This Is Me? Worse, did you root for Zac E’s character to end up with Zendaya’s character thinking he was ‘the good one’ without even registering that he’s as racist as his parents and the society he lives in? If you need that unpacked for you you’re already too short for the ride. For those who are thinking it: no, sexual and romantic attraction to black peoples is not a cure for racism or evidence of the absence of racisim. That is all.

Racist people and racist characters are everywhere. Acknowledging that is not the same as condoning it. But having acknowledged it, please explain why the fuck exactly you think the audience isn’t allowed to feel for or want anything positive out of a character who is essentially a kid with the same moral flaws as people they have to live next to and go to work with in the morning? Explain the big moral crisis to me. Use your brain cells. People liking a fictional character is not the same as condoning their flaws. I’m not out here eating flesh, murdering folks for revenge, or selling my soul to the devil; and yet, watch me and the rest of the world enjoying fictional assasians, tyrannical Sith lords, monsters, witches and demons. What about ‘this is fiction’ are you not understanding? You have a list of characters you like just fine who are fucked up. And that’s alright. Cause it’s FICTION.

But I can’t be a “good black” unless I hate Billy Hargrove and never spare him a kind thought? Go all the fuck away with that. lol I am a child of god beloved. The light is within me. I am capable of depths of humanity your tiny brain can not yet conceive of. Apparently. I’m out here marching for my rights and educating white ignorance in real time, while you’re fighting in the sandbox over the right way to play with toys. I’ve forgivin former racists and watched them change lives when I’ve lacked the patience and the mental emotional capacity. I’m fighting the good fight and praying for the strength not to bitch slap my own relatives for their anti-black foolishness. Still black. Still enjoying Billy. I’mma keep doing me and put the blame for tired lazy writing that relies on tropes, titillating the white audience with the ‘things you can’t say’, and trauma porn where it belongs. REAL PEOPLE. Aka the Duffer Brothers and the folks at Netflix. Peace.

[alltime-ana]

the plot and dialogue of stranger things is just increasingly worse and more cringy with each season and yet I keep watching. I love these characters, I have enough emotional attachment to them to want to see what happens but oh my god it’s so painful. It’s just. SO bad.

Duffer brothers were really like let’s create a show with really compelling characters and an interesting story and then with each new season do our best to undo all of that

I’m currently watching the final (supposedly) badass montage from the last episode of the most recent season and I just cannot bring myself to care. I LOVE these characters, I SHOULD care, but I am simply tired

[stranger-fanfiction-n-things]

CHAPTER 1: THE VANISHING OF WILL BYERS

This is an Original Character fanfiction. All Stranger Things characters and content are owned by Netflix and The Duffer Brothers.

a/n: These parts are going to mostly be about world building and context. We see how Diana navigates in her relationships with her friends, her perception of popularity, etc. Her personality in general!

Warnings: Mentions of sexual implications. Bullying.

Word Count: 2029

Masterlist

PROLOGUE || PART I || PART II || PART III

HAWKINS HIGH

I switch seats with Mom once we approached the end of Dearborn and Maple and she drives the rest of the way to school. She drops me off at Hawkins High and I kiss her cheek before I leave and say goodbye to Lucas and Erica. The parking lot is teeming with people. Some getting dropped off by their parents like me and others with their own cars and motorcycles. It’s loud in the parking lot, groups of people scattered screaming and gossiping about the latest trends and fashions or what they did on the weekend. 

A gust of wind blows and I clench my arms to my side bracing myself against the winter wind. Brushing my hair away from my face, I glance around the parking lot for Nancy or Barbara. Usually, I see them as soon as Mom drops me off. I am startled by a loud sputtering van in the lot. It drives past me trailing puffs of smoke behind it. I wrinkle my nose at the heavy smell of gas and tuck my head into my coat. 

“Diana, wait up!”

I turn around and Nancy is jogging toward me from the parking lot. She smiles at me and I return it looking at her outfit. 

“You look so cute!” I gush. Nancy blushes. 

“Thank you. You do too!” 

The first school bell rings warning students first period was about to begin. Students and teachers bustle about rushing to their respective classrooms. Thankfully our lockers are in the main hallway and we don’t have to travel far to change our books for first period. 

“How were rehearsals last night?” Nancy asks. 

“Tiring. You know we never end on time.” 

“That is one thing I don’t miss about Madame Petrovna.” 

“So, did he call?” A voice says behind us. 

I jump for the second time this morning nearly dropping my books on the floor. Barbara laughs behind me and I playfully hit her shoulder. 

“Keep your voice down.” Nancy scolds, looking around. 

Barbara rolls her eyes dramatically while walking with us. “Did he?” she whispers. 

My eyes grow wide and I move closer to Barb. “Steve called you last night?” 

Nancy smiles shyly. “I was going to tell you, but I knew you were probably tired from rehearsals.”  

“Lady Di needs a solid eight hours of beauty sleep,” Barb teases and I roll my eyes. 

“Ha. Ha.” I say, fighting back a smile. 

“I told you, it’s not like that.” Nancy looks at us. A light shade of pink warms her cheeks. 

Barb and I exchange a knowing look. 

“Okay, I mean yes, he likes me, but not like that.” Nancy quickly corrects herself. “We only made out a couple of times.” 

“We just…made out a couple of times.” Barb mimics, looking dreamily up at the ceiling. I giggle leaning my head on her arm. 

We approach our lockers. Nancy and I’s are two lockers apart and Barb stands in the empty space waiting for us. I add my lock combination and press down opening my locker. Rising on relevé, I switch out my books shoving the ones I need in my book bag. I take off my jacket, folding it neatly in my locker before closing it. 

“Ever the ballerina you are, Diana.” 

I huff, dropping to my feet. “It’s not my fault. They gave me the top locker again.” 

Barb looks at Nancy who is still toying with her lock. 

“Nance, seriously. You’re gonna be so cool now, it’s ridiculous.” 

Nancy shakes her head. “No, I’m not.” 

I walk to stand beside Barb, resting my head on her arm. I inhale filling my nose with her floral perfume. 

“You better still hang out with us, that’s all I’m saying.” 

Nancy looks at us, lips slightly ajar in disbelief for us to think such a thing. She turns back to her locker finally opening it, mouth opening and closing as she fought to find the words. Barb and I have talked about this before. Once we realized Nancy was enjoying the attention she got from Steve. We feared she would eventually get so popular; she won’t want to be friends with us anymore. 

“If you become friends with Tommy H., or Carol—” Barb says. 

“Oh, that’s gross! I’m telling you; it was just a one-time…” 

I arch my brow and Nancy blushes again. “…two-time thing.” 

I don’t know why Nancy bothers to deny how much she likes Steve Harrington to us. She can deny all she wants, but Barb and I know the truth. She is absolutely smitten. Who wouldn’t be? Steve “The Hair” Harrington is the most popular boy in school. The captain of the basketball team and co-captain of the swim team. Everyone at Hawkins High worships the ground he walks on. Girls lust over him, boys envy him. If you weren’t popular or climbing the social food chain to be popular, Steve didn’t notice you. But he noticed Nancy and that meant something, right? 

It’s not like I don’t like Steve Harrington. I just feel uncomfortable around him. Especially because he is friends with Tommy H and Carol. The two most meanspirited and downright awful people at Hawkins High.  I don’t understand why Steve hangs out with them and deep down, I don’t think he knows either. Nancy looks down in her locker and reaches for a piece of paper. Biting her bottom lip, she opens the note. Barb and I lean in reading over her shoulder. 

              Meet me. Bathroom – Steve 

“You were saying?” Barb comments.  

I lift my head off Barb’s arm overcome with dread. She’s not actually considering…

“Nance, we have first period in three minutes.” 

“I know, I know,” she replies, slamming her locker shut. “But I’m sure he just wants to talk to me about something.” 

“Nancy—” 

“It’ll be quick! I promise. Save me a seat!” 

She runs excitedly down the hall. He doesn’t like me like that. She says. I feel Barb’s arm around my shoulders and I deflate, peering up at her. She gazes down at me, and the slight curl of her lips tells me she feels the same way. Yes, we were happy for her, but what if…what if our fears came true? 

The first half of the day goes by in a blur. Dozens of students make their way to the cafeteria for lunch. When Nancy showed up to class late with a flush face and slightly swollen lips, Barb and I exchanged knowing looks. The cafeteria was like the watering hole in a safari. Everyone met in the middle to mingle and socialize. I often brought a lunch to school, refusing to eat cafeteria food after I got food poisoning from eating the mac and cheese. Nancy and Barbara joined the lunch line and I went into the crowd to find a table.  

I pick a clean table in the centre of the cafeteria and sit down, pulling a paper bag out of my book bag. One by one, I take out each item lining them neatly on the table. A cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, sliced granny smith apples, a bag of salted pretzels and a bottle of water. 

“Talk about anal retentive.” I hear someone say. 

I peer up and sure enough, the jock team are sitting one table away from me. Tommy H grins and Carol Perkins laughs. 

“Hey, Princess!” Carol calls out and it’s anything but a compliment. 

“Princess of Anal,” Tommy H adds, winking at me. I scowl at his crudeness. 

Carol throws her head back and laughs along with Jason Carver and the other cronies I don’t know the names of. Steve Harrington looks at me. He’s not laughing but he’s not stopping them from making fun of me either. 

“Look at how she’s sitting. Like relax little miss perfect.” Carol adds. Her obnoxious bubble gum chewing makes me want to throw pretzels at her. 

“I bet she shits diamonds ‘cause she’s so uptight.” Jason says. 

“I know a tight asshole when I see one.” Tommy H says. Carol punches him in the chest and he laughs along with the whole table. Everyone except Steve Harrington. I curl my hands into fists by my sides. 

“Let her eat in peace, guys.” Steve finally says. Tommy H and Carol roll their eyes. 

“Whatever man,” Tommy H replies, shaking his head. But he leaves me alone. 

Steve Harrington looks at me and nods his head. My frown deepens. Am I supposed to say thank you? I unbutton my cardigan and take it off, suddenly feeling hot with embarrassment. 

“Turkey, mashed potatoes, and corn today,” Barb says, placing the tray of food on the table. She sits across me effectively blocking my view of Steve who is still looking at me. “Are you okay, Diana?” 

I look at Barb, forcing a smile. “Yes, I’m fine!” I look at her tray of food, wrinkling my nose. “I can’t believe you eat that food. I swear it’s all out of a can.” 

“Not everyone has a mom willing to make them lunches every day. Us common folk have to resort to cafeteria food.” 

Nancy soon joins the table sitting beside me, not before looking at Steve. I look at my sandwich before taking a bite. I chew for a moment and swallow. 

“So, I was thinking,” I begin. “We should go to the store and get some snacks before we go to your house, Nance.” 

“Ou! Yes! I’ve been craving potato chips today.” 

“Oh, and skittles!” I add. 

“Yes!” 

Barb and I look at Nancy waiting for her response but she is moving her loose corn around her plate. 

“Nance?” I ask, nudging her arm. “Are you okay?” 

“Hm? Yes, I’m fine. I’m great!” 

I arch my brow at her. Something was on her mind. Barb and I waited patiently for her to speak. Nancy drops her fork with a sigh. “Steve and I were…y’know.” 

“Making out.” Barb finishes for her. Nancy’s eyes widen and her face turns bright pink. 

“Well, he wanted to hang out with me and I was so caught up in…” 

“Making out.” Barb says, shovelling mashed potatoes in her mouth. 

“Ugh. Yes. Making out…” she clenches her eyes shut. “And I told him he could meet up at my house at 8.” She pushed the last few words out so fast I almost didn’t hear her and I was sitting beside her. 

“Nancy!” Barb exclaims. 

“To study!” Nancy emphasizes. 

A visible shudder runs through my body and I frown processing what Nancy said. Suddenly losing my appetite, I place my sandwich on the saranwrap. 

“You’re cancelling for Steve?” I say. My voice is calm, but my hands are shaking. 

“I’m not cancelling!” Nancy claims earnestly, touching my arm. “We can still study just after…”  

“We have to leave.” I finish, looking at Barb. 

“No! You guys don’t have to! We can all hang out together. With the potato chips and skittles.” 

My frown deepens. Three of us hang out with Steve? Since when did Steve study? He got a C in Kaminsky’s class. He can’t even help us. If Steve comes, that means Tommy H and Carol will be invited and take over with their unpleasantries. Tension in the air manifested in my body language. 

“You know what?” Barb speaks to diffuse the tension. “It’s fine. You and Steve can study. Diana and I will study together tonight, right Diana?” 

I shake my head scoffing in disbelief. It was Nancy’s idea to study at her house in the first place and now she was ditching us for Steve Harrington? It was already happening. Nancy was changing. We all know study is code name for making out. I clear my throat sitting up straight and begin to pack my lunch back in the crumpled paper bag. 

“I just remembered I have to go to the library to look for a book for my history paper.” I say, picking up my cardigan and book bag. 

“Aw, Diana.” Barb says sadly. 

“I’ll see you guys in chemistry, okay?” I force a smile and walking through the tables. 

“Diana. Don’t go.” Nancy pleads. 

I don’t turn around.  

NEXT -> PART III

[lovestuckyhatemarvel]

Okay, another hour and a half long episode.

1.) Brenner missed the sad CGI and also baby El was very good at sealing the upside down.

2.) Brenner should have been a tattoo artist instead. I mean, a tattoo artist for adults, not kids. He’s got very steady hands and can tattoo numbers very exactly.

3.) THIS IS MUSIC.

4.) Honestly so far the only one who’s been a snob about music is Robin. But also I still don’t think Eddie would like Taylor Swift.

5.) Henry really wants to villain monologue at you, Nancy. Take a seat for this cliche.

6.) Damn, the CGI on those restraints is…bad.

7.) These images are going way too fast.

8.) Damn, Steve. Your arms are nice.

9.).”Written and directed by the Duffer Brothers”. I Know. That’s the Problem.

10.) What’s the point of keeping Yuri quiet at this point?

11.) Hopper, we super had a funeral for you.

12.) El is actually doing really badly.

13.) Why is anyone surprised that demogorgons can climb? Look at those fuck off legs.

14.) DID NONE OF THESE GUARDS PAY ATTENTION TO HOPPER USING FIRE?

15.) Okay the soldiers can unload their clip into a demogorgon and nothing happens but Hopper can shoot a demodog once in the head like Ol Yeller and it works.

16.) Okay but for real, where are the Russians getting all these bastards? Fun tubes, but WHERE ARE THEY FROM? Are they from Hawkins? How did they transfer that shit?

17.) HOW’D THEY GET THE CGI DUST MONSTER TO RUSSIA?

18.) Okay she can lift a thing.

19.) Will, I’m so sorry, but I did not care about your speech to Mike.

20.) I still don’t understand how Henry survived El’s attack or why the upside down didn’t turn into anything for him or what the fuck he did for like a decade floating in a void.

21.) Why is everyone whispering

22.) El got to hear at least some of the plan, at least.

23.) The War Zone is a hilarious name for a shop.

24.) Eddie, you moron. Wearing a mask doesn’t help if you’re wearing a shirt emblazoned with your club.

25.) BIG BOY.

26.) My roommate pointed out the RV would have been hooked up to water and sewage so driving it off like that would have fucked up the ground and the vehicle.

27.) I do not understand why Henry is so powerful or why him killing people would give him their powers when it doesn’t do that for El.

28.) I still don’t want Steve and Nancy together. Also I don’t think he actually said he wanted her there.

29.) that helicopter is hilarious

30.) “The KGB will be listening to this call” Oh what a change. This time it’ll be agents of someone else’s government that will be listening in.

31.) Oh, okay, Steve got the jacket from War Zone. Where’s the vest though?

32.) Ah, the boyfriend reveal.

33.) I still hate Jason Carver. Also, buckshot has a pretty good range, dipshit.

34.) Tire tracks. Ah yes, the plot happened here.

35.) IDK why El told Sam to check Max’s place. The bit she heard did not make it seem like they were staying there. And so Sam asking that woman for that was kind of stupid.

36.) What? Brenner double crossed Sam Owens? Who could have predicted this twist? Surely only the greatest psychics.

37.) I am proud of El for saying to Brenner’s face that he’s a monster.

38.) Baby girl, kill Brenner anyway.

39.) YOU KNOW WHO WOULD LOVE TO KILL BRENNER? KALI. THE GIRL NO ONE IN THIS FACILITY TALKS ABOUT.

40.) Robin and Steve are sweet.

41.) goddamn it, brenner, just remove El’s collar.

42.) I am glad Brenner got shot so many times though.

43.) Oh shit, it’s the script.

44.) oh no the psychic child is using her psychic powers to stop your from badly shooting at her? Who could have predicted this?

45.) oh my god el, do something real already.

46.) the payoff wasn’t worth it.

47.) “Yeah, it’s cool, but it would have been better if it’d happened about 11 seconds earlier.” My roommate is hilarious.

48.) Brenner turned off the collar as a last act. Okay whatever.

49.) BRENNER SHUT THE FUCK UP AND DIE ALREADY.

50.) this heartfelt conversation makes no sense and was not earned.

51.) brenner you were shot like 5 times by a sniper rifle, how are you still talking, let alone alive?

52.) SHould have run over his corpse with the pizza van

53.) god they held on that brenner shot for way too long

54.) WHO’S GONN DIE????? Just say everyone.

55.) moody shots.

56.) LMAO THIS SONG. GOD. DUFFERS, STOP SUCKING YOUR OWN CODCKS FOR FIVE SECONDS.

Oh god I looked ahead and the season 4 finale is 2 and 22 minutes long. I hate the duffers.

[maxmayfieldirl]

WAIT HOLD THE FUCK UP!!

IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHY WOULD YOU BE AFRAID OF LOSING THEM BC UR NOT COOL ENOUGH

IF YOU TRULY LOVED EACH OTHER, THAT WOULDN'T MATTER???

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOOSING HER BC U LOVE HER AN SHE LOVES YOU.

SHE FUCKING SAID IT MIKE. SHE BEGGED YOU TO SAY IT BACK SO WHY WOULD SHE LEAVE YOU

WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF MIKE

MICHAEL WHEELER I AM DELUSIONAL AND I WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU ARE

[stanleyvris]

me after watching stranger things 4 volume 2 leaving eddie dead, no byler, no will coming out scene, no robin and vickie kiss or date, max basically dead, steve still being in love with nancy and dimitri just disappearing without a goodbye or any explanation

[thegoodceai]

stranger things vol 2 feelings