#btw i understand el has her own struggles trust me i do

[thranduel]

i just spent so long leaving tags on a mike post but i'm on pc and it didn't tell me the tag limit so i kept typing and then when i queued the post it cut off and i lost most of what i wrote UGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[runninguplenorahills]

I just wanted to remind everyone that no matter how much better Lenora objectively was for Will than Hawkins, he was not happy there!

Will might’ve not been bullied in Lenora but he had no friends either which was not a deliberate decision btw. I see a lot of people claiming that Will could’ve made friends if he wanted to but didn’t because he rather spent time with El and I just don’t think that’s the case. Will is not an extroverted person who makes the first step when it comes to making new friends. He’s introverted in general and shy when he’s surrounded by people he doesn’t know so making friends is a struggle for him in general and has nothing to do with him sticking with El in Lenora. And while we don’t know anything specific about if Dustin and Lucas sent letters or called Will, we do know that Mike did not. Furthermore it’s canon that Jonathan wasn’t really there for Will during the time spent in Lenora either and while it is never specifically said it is heavily and obviously implied, it’s shown, that Will was in utmost need of his brother’s help and support! And El did not replace Jonathan in that aspect! Jonathan being distant from Will does not and did not equal Will and El becoming close on the level that Will and Jonathan are. I know I talk about this a lot (that willel isn’t as close in canon) but I just had to say it again because to me it seems really clear that a lot of people think that Jonathan not being there for Will somehow led to Will and El sticking together. Like it’s them against the world while that was never the case ever! Will did not once seek comfort in El because Will didn’t simply need a sibling, he needed Jonathan. Jonathan and Will have a close and deep bond and it’s unique because Jonathan isn’t just fulfilling the role of a sibling for Will. So Jonathan cannot just be replaced by another sibling or anyone at all. Point is, when Will realized Jonathan was being distant he started bottling up everything he wanted to talk about. He did not talk to El instead because quite frankly, they don’t have that kind of relationship (El also didn’t tell Will about her and Mike’s problems and the lying).

So Will had no friends in Lenora, he almost lost all connection to his closest friend whom he’s also in love with and his big brother whom he could always count on for support wasn’t really there for him either. Mike and Jonathan are literally the two people Will always knew he could trust with anything because he knew they’d understand in one way or another. But then neither of them was there for him anymore for reasons unknown to Will which lead him to feel as though he can’t talk to either of them anymore. He wanted to talk to them! Desperately! But he just couldn’t. And all of a sudden Will was all alone. Lenora wasn’t fresh and happy and so much better than Hawkins. Lenora was lonely.

Did Lenora allow more room for personal development due to the lack of the upside down and bullying/rumors? Of course it did. Will’s willingness to make and present a project about Alan Turing is hinting at some positive development. In that aspect Lenora was better for Will than Hawkins but in every other aspect it wasn’t, simply because Will was on his own.

The fact that Will felt lost and alone in Lenora is also important for byler’s love story btw. Will telling Mike that he felt lost without him throughout the months he’s spent in Lenora is so significant because it’s a reply to Mike telling Will: “It’s Hawkins. It’s not the same without you.” Mike has called Hawkins his home throughout his entire life but once Will wasn’t there anymore the feeling of being at home left as well. And Will could move anywhere with his family but if Mike’s not there he feels lost nonetheless. The place where they feel like they belong is not a place at all, it’s the state of being together. Will feels found with Mike and Mike feels at home with Will. Mike makes Will feel better for being different and Will makes Mike feel like he’s not alone. Hawkins, Lenora, that doesn’t matter because it’s not about the place!

Will not being happy in Lenora without Mike is exactly as important as Mike not being happy in Hawkins without Will. Erasing that creates a different narrative, destroys the story they’re trying to tell. Simply because people are making it seem like Will can do just fine without Mike while Mike loses his mind without Will which is just not the case. The whole of s4 showed us that Will is not happy without Mike and that he needs him! Will literally tells Mike that he’d fall apart without him and still there are people that try to depict Will as having a good time in Lenora without Mike. Feeding into Mike’s insecurities and undermining Will’s love for Mike! And this is honestly something that makes my blood boil! People who constantly feel the need to undermine Will’s feelings for Mike are completely missing the point.

And this is kinda a different topic but I’ve seen this trend where people headcanon Will to have been on a sports team in Lenora and I just think that these people are once again missing a point that’s been made in the show. Will not being into sports serves a purpose in the telling of his story, It’s a story telling device. And while I do of course know that the focus is on baseball specifically, baseball seems to stand as a symbol for sports in general which then again are a symbol for conforming to society. Being into sports is what society thinks you should be into as a boy. “You shouldn’t like things just because people tell you you’re supposed to” is what Jonathan tells Will in s1 in regards to Will going to baseball games with Lonnie. Will does not like baseball = Will does not like sports = Will does not conform to societal standards. And Lonnie dragging him to the baseball/sports games is him trying to force Will to conform to societal standards. And Basketball was this big symbol of forced conformity in s4. Therefore being into sports and joining a team in Lenora totally defeats the purpose of a rather important story telling device in canon and therefore just isn’t compatible with the character. I’m of course well aware that Will wore a letterman jacket in the stranger things experience clips but owning a letterman jacket doesn’t automatically equal being on a sports team. It was a popular fashion item in the 80’s just like it is today. And I think it’s more likely that Will wore the jacket because he liked the jacket and not because he’s on a sports team because, again, that’d be missing the point. And as I said, the Alan Turing project hints at positive development while Will joining a sports team would hint at negative development so it simply doesn’t make sense for Will to have been on a sports team in Lenora.

[yazthebookish]

I'm so confused. So... SJM said she laid out crumbs for the upcoming BOOKS in ACOFAS right? And that was like, domesticated Elriel. Right? And she said during the ACOSF tour for Aus/NZ (which I watched live btw) that none of the new characters have changed anything, she just didn't plan for all of them to be introduced. Yes? So how then, with all of this information, and all of the foreshadowing across the series, especially in ACOFAS and ACOSF, is Azriel supposed to become the mc for a book with his love interest being G*yn? They lack SJM's usual set up. She has absolutely no relevance to the overarching plot. She isn't training, she's in the library. She's still dealing with her trauma. How do people expect them to get the next book?

And why would you want that? Like, he's in love with Elain. It's not lust. The books and bonus chpt show that clearly. He talks about the secret glances and brushing of fingers. We see him stay up at 3am with her just to listen to her plans. We see him staring out the window into her garden. Mor was a safety net that he used to stop himself from getting hurt. He may have been in love with her once upon a time, but somewhere along the line love became like and like became trust. Trust that if he loved her she wouldn't love him back. And he knew that and therefore couldn't be hurt by love more. And then he met Elain and got to know her.

That's the difference. It wasn't instant love for them. It was the bond that formed over time after forming a friendship and learning to understand one another. Friends to lovers. They've both been hurt by love and have their own demons, but they also both deserve to be loved.

And unlike Gw*n, Elain holds significant plot relevance and could hold a book by herself. So how, with all this foreshadowing in the books and hinting that SJM had done in her interviews and old newsletter, do you expect me to believe that Gwy*riel is the obvious choice?

And Elain isn't going to become a villain over them. Where did that stupid rumour that SJM hates her and Feyre come from? She's said Elain would be her best friend out of the characters from the series because they'd get each other. I really don't get it🤷‍♀️.

Oh boy this will be long.

"So... SJM said she laid out crumbs for the upcoming BOOKS in ACOFAS right? And that was like, domesticated Elriel."

You really think ACOFAS confirmed Elr*el?

• Azriel face lights up when Mor enters the house and he was looking at Mor with yearning and heat in the same damn room Elain is in but you conveniently leave that. There was more romantic coding for Moriel than Elr*el in ACOFAS if we'll go by that Lol, but anyhow, we know it's not happening but Sarah was showing us who Azriel was romantically interested in. Yes, Azriel and Elain had a sweet moment and he sat with her that night hearing her garden plans, that does not erase his visible romantic interest in Mor. You argue that Azriel wouldn't change his feelings overnight for Gwyn, well... he won't change his feelings for Elain overnight either and his scenes with mor happened 9 months before ACOSF. He obviously entertained the thoughts of 3 brothers + 3 sisters and projected those fantasies onto Elain, and Mor being away on Vallahan probably made things easier. Wasn't it shown he didn't like Helion asking about "his beautiful Mor" in ACOSF?

• What you also conveniently leave out is the part where Elain is asking Amren about her transformation and Amren immediately shooting down any hopes she might have of transforming back to being human. You really think Sarah would hint at one of the fundamental arcs of Elain snd her struggle to adjust to the Fae world just for her to be like " hmmm Amren yeah you're right". She acted like Amren had no idea what she was talking about because she exposed her. Elain wanting her humanity back is a big crumb that has nothing to do with Elr*el.

• Azriel's hatred towards the Illyrians was addressed (as it was addressed again in ACOSF too). That is another crumb for Azriel's arc "It was healthy, perhaps, for Az to sometimes remember where he’d come from. He still wore the Illyrian leathers. Had not tried to get the tattoos removed. Some part of him was Illyrian still. Always would be. Even if he wished to forget it." Sarah won't keep bringing this up if it means it won't be dealt with because hating his identity feeds into his self-loath.

• Elain is keeping up an appearance to appease everyone. “Why wouldn’t I be all right?” she asked, a smile lighting up her face. I’d seen those smiles before. On my own damn face. Yep... even Feyre senses that.

• You also leave out THE Morrigan's speech to Feyre: Mor leaned back against the steps, utterly unrepentant. “Let him live with his Band of Exiles. Let him deal with Tamlin in his own way. Let him figure out where he wants to be. Who he wants to be. The same goes with her.” She was right. That doesn't sound to me like Sarah drowning Elucien, more like they have a LONG way to go before they get together.

Let's move on from ACOFAS.

And she said during the ACOSF tour for Aus/NZ (which I watched live btw) that none of the new characters have changed anything, she just didn't plan for all of them to be introduced.

Ah this part that you guys love to twist. Here is a post where I explain this. She never said none of the new characters changed anything she only said more characters were introduced and never specified what role those characters would play. The question was about it things change, she said things did not change as much as they expanded. (Link to the post here with video).

So how then, with all of this information, and all of the foreshadowing across the series, especially in ACOFAS and ACOSF, is Azriel supposed to become the mc for a book with his love interest being G*yn? They lack SJM's usual set up.

Here is another post on Sarah's ideal couples. I won't bother writing much on things I have already addressed before (link to post here).

Sorry but Elain and Azriel's chemistry is as blans as a stale biscuit.

That's the difference. It wasn't instant love for them. It was the bond that formed over time after forming a friendship and learning to understand one another.

Azriel said nothing. He hadn't gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to.  

These are his thoughts. We were in his head. He doesn't need to confess his love for Elain to Rhys but we might've had something since we're in his head? Sorry but what Azriel is feeling for Elain is a recycled version of how he felt, with less intensity though, for Mor. They barely interact. They barely talk. You said do yourself, there were only glances and brushes of fingers. Sarah did not add something of substance for them because it's obvious they're not ending up with each other, they're seeing each other as a safe option. Sarah likes to write her couples with tension between them and take the rocky road until they get together. Elr*el without the forbidden love have nothing spicing up their dynamic. Sarah knows how to write a romance, she knows how to build up a couple (e.g. Nessian in ACOWAR) and she herself said she likes to write tor her heroines to experience romance with a couple of characters before they end up with their endgame (e.g. Celaena with Dorian and Chaol) and she also said she did not want the romance between Rowan and Aelin to be obvious in Heir of Fire, back then people were convinced she would still end with up with Chaol while her and Rowan were platonic.

And unlike Gw*n, Elain holds significant plot relevance and could hold a book by herself.

No one denies that, Elain is getting her own book we know that. Who is connected to most of her plots? Here is a pretty little graph that clears that up. What is obvious to me is Azriel's book being next and I'm pretty sure that what Sarah meant by it being obvious.

So how, with all this foreshadowing in the books and hinting that SJM had done in her interviews and old newsletter, do you expect me to believe that Gwy*riel is the obvious choice?

It is the obvious choice.

You're telling me that the next couple would have only a SINGLE dialogue between them in the entire book? This was the only direct dialogue on the text between Azriel and Elain. For those that haven't read the bonus chapter would be confused as hell if they read the next book and suddenly there is this forbidden romance because where did it come from? They barely interacted

Look at the language Sarah uses with all her endgame couples (here is a post on that). It is so clear. I won't waste much time typing this because I am replying to you, I'm not trying to convince you because if you believe in Elr*el then... good for you I guess? And I don't think you can convince me either because I'm pretty confident Gwyn and Azriel are endgame.

[bibliomorgan]

the 1th season was my season

[the notorious ranting about season of Supergirl and how i don’t know why i’m still watching]

There’s this thing about Supergirl, first season, when I started to watch like a year later (I guess they were going to 2th season and all the “Who’s gonna be Superman???” stuff). Lemme explain: I don’t like superheroes, I have no respect for Superman or Batman and anyone who wears different underpants on the uniform pants (Makes no sense! Why superheroes? Why?!), my favorite character of comic books is Daredevil (Far from a usual hero) and the one who get me at DC is the Martian Manhunter (Or how we used to call here in Brazil: Ajax, o Marciano).

And there was Supergirl, the brand new series of DCU to save our geek lives.

I’ve always watched the 1th season as a story about an immigrant. Someone who lost every reference of living and part of her story while escaping, we see this kind of stories at news everyday, Syria (nowadays), here in my country there’s a lot of those who left the place they used to call Home and goes anywhere where they can find for many reasons (Most for trying to make money and escape from poverty). Immigrant story, right? That’s Kara from 1th season.

She’s not homeless, but kinda lost of her doings, her belongings, her story. Fragments of a destroyed world and tales of super awesome stuff her cousin did and still doing, must be hard to step out of shadow of someone for so long. And then there’s Alex. She’s Kara big sister, the best sister if you ask me about sisters relationships, still overshadowing since she came to Earth: Kara needs to fit, to be low profile, to understand that all what she lived once it’s over. Not going back, nope, forget it. Alex is there to reminder her every single episode that she can be more of it, more than the regular adults expectations. She can be Kara Zor-El, but most of all, she can be herself. And that's beautiful to watch.

The 1th season i’ve watched called me out for my own story, me and my family have moved of houses so many times we lost count, my big sister often tells me we never gonna settle as the other families because of it, sometimes I desperately wonder when I’ll fit to somewhere, for someone, I don’t know, maybe be normal, you know? Just like Kara from 1th season. That’s what we call somehow representation.

I’ve watched while I was very upset about how my life were going, how to fit, be the average seems so better than outstanding (and getting riled up for it),to be normal was a quiet and nice place to be. And every episode of 1th season gives us the completely opposite, empowerment, full knowlegment of our habilities, and ffs gawd Cat Grant and her weird motivational speeches! Every single episode hooked me so deeply cause i've saw something I was missing: I could be myself and be happy for it.

The Danvers's sisters relationship got me good too, I have a big sister, we don't get along so much since I was 13, I missed her so badly, but when we grow up we're trying to figuring things out. I still don't know how to get along with her, and seeing how supportative Alex and Kara are with each other goes to my soft spot. The 1th season was that mostly, their relationship, their trust about each other, their struggle to be as a family even with all the worse odds (The House of El dysfunctional family, hello?). It remind me I also can be better too. I loved Alex Danvers character at the first sign, I want to be like her someday.

And all this 1th season was like a blast to me, as a viewer and as a storyteller, as a person. That season means a lot to me, for real. Because I've grow up watching television shows that never gave too much attention to these particular topics (And match with my own living): how to be the outsider, having the most wonderful sister support ever and not get lost. And includind the space dad J'onn J'onzz? My favorite League of Justice character EVER?! That plot twist was amazing, right at the solar plexus feelings for good!

Aaaaaaand the season 2 comes.

The writers just... i really don't know what happened right there, it's just... The 2th season it's a completely different show. I can't relate anymore to anyone, I can't see anything as a nice way to keep the hopes up, I definitely can't stand the way how Kara's development was subsided by some misogynist plot ever (FFS of Rao! We are talking about the Girl of Steel, she should not bend like that!) and well here we goes Alex Danvers, my true hero, get out of the closet. Oh well... We've seen this situation before, I finally related to that too, i was pretty older when I finally got the nerve and say out loud I was gay, so been there, done that Alex! All the hugs for ya honey! I hope they didn't fuck your coming out story with cliches. It was the best I could ask for them (writers), do not fuck with this plot. Because this plot it's already doomed since ever, we don't wanna go there again. Make a change, please? 

We saw how it ends, right? And I don't know where exactly the writers and producers wanna go with this mess of plot they invented. I just want to say I miss 1th season Supergirl, because that was the truly storytelling of someone trying to figuring out to be human, as we normal boring humans do everyday, even not realizing it, but we do. That's the power of some of media does to us everyday, shows like Supergirl has all the potential of bringing nice messages and bring people together not only for the fun of watching, but because maybe the story that is telling is about them, about us, everybody, somehow.

(BTW thank you Kate McGrath and Odette Annable for saving the plot, I wish Krys Marshall was there since the very beginning - that would be a A+ of dramatic background for the Worldkillers)

[thranduel]

let’s talk about will and why the dismissal of his feelings and shoving him to the side is cruel and unnecessary

i am so tired of people overlooking will’s trauma, forgetting about everything he's been through and acting like he's "getting in the way" of mike and el or that he can “just move on and find someone else” when he has known mike for most of his life and actually loved him FIRST. mike has always been his safe place, and trying to shove will to the side when he doesn’t deserve any of this pain isn’t okay at all. he is the most kind, gentle, loving and selfless character on this entire show that always puts other people before himself and spreads so much love even though he rarely receives it from others.

(btw this gets pretty long and these are just my own opinions!)

people have been so cruel and ignorant towards will and he started getting more hate after it was confirmed that he likes mike and after volume 1 got released. people are saying ridiculous things like "he's getting in the way of mike and el", "byler can't happen because mike and el has been built up since the start", "will can find someone else" and many other things and it’s bullshit. it really hurts because they don't understand anything about this character at all and they don't even seem to care. people really need to think about everything he's been through (childhood trauma with bullies and an abusive father, struggling with his sexuality, the upside down, being kidnapped and mindflayed and controlled, being excluded and forgotten about, etc.) and they also need to understand how important mike is to will and how they've known each other since kindergarten.

i also think it's important to note that i love el and i genuinely think she would be happier without being in a romantic relationship with mike. i'm not dismissing her feelings or shoving her to the side like a lot of people do with will, and i’m not just saying this because i love byler either. i'm actually considering what she's been through, and season 3 made a point of how she can be happy without being in a relationship with mike when she dumped him, and it actually allowed her to grow as an individual person and discover her own likes without someone telling her, which was so important for her. i’ve also watched this show so many times and i actually know how to pay attention to character behaviour, relationship dynamics and what’s good for the overall story and character development. mike and el just don’t make any sense to me in a romantic relationship and i just don’t like how they change when they’re around each other. their friendship is beautiful, and i believe that they love and care for each other so much, but the romance was rushed and they show no signs of character growth or development when they’re together. in fact, i think their characters become worse when they’re together and i’m not trying to sound harsh when i say that but it’s true (and the other characters in the show would agree because literally no one has said anything positive about their relationship. they’ve only called them out and encouraged them to break up). mike and el pretend to be people they’re not when they’re with each other. they lie to each other, they dodge each other’s questions, they don’t trust each other enough, they can’t be open and vulnerable with each other, they’re never on the same page, they can’t be themselves when the other is around, and one thing that really bothers me: they literally exclude their friends and don’t pay attention to them because they get so consumed with each other and it’s just so immature and unfair (like when dustin just returned home and they immediately ran off from the friend group to be alone, and when will was all alone at the ice rink and they were just holding hands right in front of him and didn’t talk to him or include him… like come on man it’s just selfish.)

and yes, they’re just teenagers, i get that, but they’ve shown no sign of individual character growth or development while being in a relationship and i’m tired of it. it’s the same thing every season and it’s boring and ridiculous. it’s like they’re being forced to stay in a relationship when they don’t even want to be in one. and i’m so sick of mike being reduced to el’s boyfriend and having no other personal storylines because his character is so much more than that but we barely know anything about him or his struggles because they don’t allow us to. it’s just always about el. and it’s annoying because el is so strong and doesn’t need to depend on mike for happiness but so many people act like she does even though she was the happiest she had ever been right after she dumped him. both of these characters are absolutely wonderful individually, but when they’re in a romantic relationship, it ruins so much.

also, i personally believe mike is struggling with his identity, has repressed feelings for will and is forcing himself to be someone he's not whenever el is around, so i obviously don't think that's fair to anyone. i don't want el to be in a relationship with someone who can't give her the love she deserves, i don't want mike to force himself to be someone he's not and i don't want will to suffer and be excluded like he is every season. based on what i've observed, mike, will AND el (and even other characters) have all been hurt or annoyed in some way because of mike and el being in a romantic relationship. it's clear that there hasn't been any growth or maturity over the past few seasons between them and it's getting repetitive at this point.

but anyways, i don't care if people ship another couple. the point is, mike is one of the most important people in will's life that he's known for 10 years and experienced so much with, and will is also important to mike. you don't have to ship byler but you cannot deny that mike and will have the most history and build up and they have a relationship that no one else can replace. trying to take mike away from will and acting like mike belongs to el and saying "will is getting in the way of them" or "will is selfish because el is his sister" when he's the one that knew and loved mike first is just selfish and unfair. and i'm not saying mike automatically “belongs” to will either just because he knew him first, mike isn't an object and he's his own person, but i constantly see people acting like el owns mike and that will is getting in the way of them and it's pathetic. mike and will were best friends long before el came around, and el has only been living with the byers for less than a year anyways. mike doesn’t view will as “his girlfriend’s brother” and will doesn’t view mike as “his sister’s boyfriend”. stop with that bullshit and stop using that to try and make them feel guilty. they are NOT connected through el. they were best friends first and that’s how they see each other. el has nothing to do with their own personal relationship. in fact, the only reason mike met el in the first place was because HE WAS SEARCHING FOR WILL. so stop invalidating will’s love for mike and stop acting like "he can just move on and find someone else so that mike and el can stay together" and admit you don't care about will at all. it’s actually disgusting how people just shove him to the side and act like his relationship with mike doesn’t matter when it does.

you also need to remember how much harder it is for him to be gay and struggling with his sexuality in the 80s, especially after being so heavily bullied for it from when he was a child and experiencing so much trauma. everyone is so concerned about him “getting in the way” but they have no idea how difficult this situation is for will. he doesn’t fit into society’s definition of “normal” because of who he is and he can’t just “move on from mike and find another boy”. that’s not how it works. he can’t live a normal life like most kids because of this cruel society and homophobia, and he even thinks that he'll never get to experience love because he doesn't think mike would ever like him back.

before he was kidnapped and taken to the upside down, will had always suffered from being bullied and abused by his own father and school bullies, and they would call him homophobic slurs and make fun of the way he dressed. this is absolutely heartbreaking and i just hate thinking about it. he was just a little kid when it all started and he has always been so kind, gentle and loving towards everyone around him. i will never be able to understand how people can be so cruel and horrible. he also had to watch his parents constantly argue and deal with his father's abuse when he was at home. for so long, will had no friends either and the only people that were there for him were joyce and jonathan. but then one day, on the first day of kindergarten, when he was sitting on the swings all alone, mike came up to him and asked him if he wanted to be his friend. if he hadn't, will probably never would've found any friends or walked up to anyone on his own, because he's always found it difficult to make friends. but mike was his very first friend, and they've known each other for 10 years, so they have so much history together and they've experienced things that they haven't experienced with anyone else. this is what i consider proper build up (since so many people act like they don't have build up) and a beautiful, genuine relationship that no one else can replace.

mike became a safe place for will. he was the reason that he no longer had to be alone and then they ended up sharing the same interests and hobbies, such as playing d&d. getting invested in fictional worlds and playing games was an escape and distraction from the real world, especially for will, who came from a broken family that was struggling financially and also because of his abusive father. he would go to mike's basement to escape home so he wouldn't have to hear his parents arguing or get yelled at, and he remained close with the party, as they were his only friends. will is also extremely passionate about art, and he draws things that mean the most to him. mike keeps all of his drawings and he looks through them whenever he thinks of will. we also know that in season 4, will paints something special for mike.

in season 1 and 2, you can see how much mike cares about will and how worried he gets when he's in danger. he took care of him all the time and he would always stay by his side. you can imagine how much this would mean to will, but what makes it even more heartbreaking is the fact that we now know that will likes mike too, but he probably thinks mike will never love him back. will fell in love with his best friend and he's struggling with his own sexuality in a time where being gay wasn't accepted, and it would've been even more traumatising and scary for him because he was targeted with homophobic slurs from a young age.

now try to imagine how it feels for will to see his best friend get a girlfriend and become so consumed with her that he forgets all about him. and yes, lucas, dustin and will have all confronted and called mike out for being too consumed with el. it's not healthy and they missed when their friend could actually be himself instead of acting like someone's he's not.

in season 3 episode 3, mike and will had their first big fight and it ended up triggering an emotional breakdown for will. the only other times we've seen him cry is when he was struggling with the mindflayer and upside down, and when mike and his family were talking to him when he was possessed. but other than that, he's never broken down like this. he was angry, hurt, overwhelmed, upset, heartbroken, confused, lost, alone. this was everything bottled up inside him for so long and it eventually reached the point where he just couldn't keep it in any longer. the thing that made will storm out in the first place was the fact that mike had become so consumed with el. not only would it hurt to see your best friend forget about you, but it would hurt even more when you're also in love with him and think he'll never love you back. the moment mike started talking about growing up, getting girlfriends and no longer playing d&d, will realised that his safe place that he's known for most of his life was finally moving on without him.

will wasn't ready to grow up due to all the trauma from his childhood and the upside down, and also because he was struggling with his sexuality. growing up meant that he wouldn’t be able to stay safe in his comfort zone, which was being with mike and the boys. fiction was their escape and their distraction. mike was not only his best friend, but the boy he fell in love with, and will realised that mike no longer had time for him because he was too busy with his girlfriend and he thought that he would never care about him like he used to. he also realised that he would never be like all the other boys and he doesn't fit in with society's definition of "normal". will is struggling with his sexuality in a time where being gay wasn't accepted and he already faced so much bullying and abuse and homophobic insults. he would've felt even more overwhelmed hearing the words "it's not my fault you don't like girls" directly from mike. this fight resulted in him having an emotional breakdown and then destroying castle byers, another safe place that he’s always used for hiding and escaping. he also ripped the photo of him and the boys as well as his artwork.

compare this to the mike and el break up an episode earlier. it was made to look humourous with bright lighting and music, and when el dumped mike she was actually happy, free and learning to be independent and grow as a person which was so good for her and something she really needed (even max said it). mike didn’t even seem to really care and he didn’t go running back to her apologising. but when mike had a fight with will, it hurt will so much that it literally triggered an emotional breakdown for him, revealing how much losing mike can affect him and how it hurt hearing those words from the person he’s been so close with for most of his life. mike was will’s first ever friend and would always be there for him whenever he needed support and comfort. mike was also the first person other than joyce and jonathan to actually make will feel loved and accepted because he had absolutely no one else. he experienced childhood trauma because of bullies and his abusive father and he got called homophobic slurs, and to this day he’s still struggling with his sexuality and feelings for his best friend in a time where being gay wasn’t accepted and he thinks his best friend will never love him back. when their fight was happening, the colours were dark, there was sad music and it was raining. then mike rode his bike in a storm to try and apologise to will because he can never leave him without making up and checking that he’s okay. these scenes reveal so much about both relationships.

i think people are also forgetting that will had to watch his best friend get into a relationship with the girl who (unintentionally) opened the gate that resulted in him getting kidnapped and traumatised for the rest of his life. el obviously didn’t mean to open it but the point is that she still did and it changed will’s life forever. and then the only reason mike and el met was because mike was searching for will! imagine having that constant reminder of your trauma and heartbreak as you watch that same girl and your best friend date each other while you’re still suffering and getting excluded. don’t even try acting like you know “what’s best for will” or that “he’ll be okay and he can find someone else”. mike and will started the show and connected everybody together. THEY are the ones that have been built up from the start and they are so special to each other. i’m not saying that will needs to be in a romantic relationship with mike in order to be happy but he certainly needs his best friend in his life because he's so important to him, and we already know that can’t happen if he’s still in a relationship with el, because mike changes so much and forces himself to focus on her and then will just gets hurt over and over again. i also think mike is struggling with his own identity and repressed feelings for will which is why i don't think it's fair to anyone that he's forcing himself to be in a relationship he doesn't want to be in and he's pretending to be someone he's not.

so don’t ever say that “will can just easily move on and find someone else” just because you feel threatened that he’s “getting in the way” of mike and el, because that’s absolute bullshit and it's just selfish. none of this is easy for him, and no one even considers how much harder it is for a young gay kid who probably feels so alone and scared and out of place from everyone else around him. he’s watched all of his friends have romantic relationships while he never has, and he thinks he’ll never be able to either which is absolutely heartbreaking.

after everything will has been through and all the teasing about byler, i will be absolutely devastated and furious if they don’t make them canon, or at least heavily imply that there’s a chance for them. will never should’ve been involved in this “love triangle” if they were planning to make mike reject him. that would be so cruel and unnecessary. so many people already treat this character like a joke and shove him to the side, and i’m sick of it. he doesn’t deserve to suffer again. the cast, writers, products and netflix accounts have also teased byler so much and told people that they’ve been building them up, so you can’t blame people for getting excited. we aren’t the ones being delusional here when we’re constantly having things shoved in our face. and in volume 1, they kept mike’s feelings ambiguous towards both will and el. if mike was just gonna run back to el, what’s the point of all that? why did mike and el have a big dramatic fight? why couldn’t mike say “i love you” even when el was crying and practically begging him to say it? why did they confirm will likes mike if it was going to be unrequited? why was mike awkward with will at the airport even though they left on good terms? what was the point in all of mike and will’s emotional scenes and the tender emotional music? why was mike nodding when will was talking about how it’s hard to say how you feel especially to people you care about most because what if they DON’T like the truth? mike already knows what el wants to hear, so why would he be agreeing with what will is saying? why have they made this plot so dramatic if it’s just gonna end up the same way as it has every season and none of the characters have any growth or development? if they chose to get will involved in this just to hurt him, that wouldn’t be okay at all, and people really need to stop dismissing his feelings and think about everything he’s been through.