#confronted with the true identity of her lover. the inner turmoil. the longing

[an-established-butt-dent]

One more piece titled 'going wild in procreate fueled by Solavellan angst'

I need Dreadwolf teasers like I need air

[finalgirlwillbyers]

can you assign mayhem songs to st characters? (this is not from robin pinkeoni)

Thank you for indulging me!

💉Disease - Will. Reason: Mayhem's lead track teases Will's inner turmoil as he wrestles with keeping his "darker" desires in check. The conflict of maintaining balance, being "the cure" and "the disease," reiterates similar themes of identity seen in ST inspiration like Wizard of Earthsea, with Ged fleeing in terror from the shadow (the manifestation of his darker side) but eventually accepting it as a part of himself, culminating in his coming-of-age. With his own shadow, the Mindflayer (and thus Vecna), likely preying on him again in S5, Will's hidden truths (insecurities and fears) will come to light. He'll need to learn to wrangle his fears, in order to maintain order over his heart and mind.

🔮Abracadrabra - Max. Reason: this song is a cultural moment and so is Max's RUTH sequence in Deary Billy (4x04). Max's struggle with overcoming hardships is reflected in the core of this track, which is about "facing the challenge of life... and finding the magic in it all". Abracadrabra's music video and Max's Vecna's Curse sequence represent one's light side challenging the internal, self-defeating, monologue that's pushing one to give up. It's not just about surviving. It's about developing resilience, learning to keep getting up in spite of it all. And, S5 Max is on her way to that.

🍎Garden of Eden - Kali. Reason: the song is about temptation, as Gaga seduces the listener to indulge in their darker desires (to take a bite of the forbidden fruit). Functioning as her spiritual adviser, Kali encourages El to face her emotional wounds in order to become stronger. One way Kali confronts her own is by killing her abusers as retribution. She tempts El with this kind of solace but El, ultimately, rebuffs it as it doesn't align with her beliefs.

📸Perfect Celebrity - Nancy. Reason: one thing Gaga and Nancy have in common is that they're no stranger to navigating the tension between one's public persona and one's true self. After losing her virginity and her best friend in one night, Nancy becomes increasingly independent and resourceful, proving herself to be more complex than her "princess" persona. It's that defiance which perturbed Steve enough to publicly shame her. As Gaga knows, there's no pleasing people with their expectations.

🖼️ Vanish Into You - Robin. Reason: with her thwarted romance with Vickie in S4, it's fitting to assign Robin to one of Mayhem's "apocalyptic love songs". The song is steeped with a sense of longing, as Gaga asks her lover: "Do you see me? Do you see me now?" Despite their few moments, Robin's admiration for Vickie is clear as well as her hope for Vickie to see her as something more. This song is also funny, on a meta level, since fans complained about the pair being "the same" (vanishing into each other haha).

💥Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein) - El. Reason: oozing with confidence and danger, Gaga declares herself a "killer" in a literal and figurative sense. As a character with incredible strength and with one of highest kill counts, if not the highest, on the show, El seems like a given. This song is "peak confidence," according to Gaga, which El is on her way to achieving. The track's unique production also sets it apart from Gaga's discography, speaking to El's own singular quality.

🧟Zombieboy - Jonathan. Reason: the lyrics describing the sulky boy hanging at the back of the party sent me back to Halloween, when Jonathan made awkward small talk with Siouxsie Sioux ("KISS?") while seeing a drunk Nancy dance with Steve. While the song is in honor of Gaga's friend, it's also about that point in the night you know you're gonna wake up feeling like a zombie. The last bit resonates with Jonathan's existence of perpetual eyebags.

💞LoveDrug - Steve. Reason: this song is straightforward, like the man in question. Gaga explores how one can become addicted to love, desperately seeking another hit to maintain the high and forestall underlying pain. Steve is no stranger to using love as a distraction after his break-up with Nancy. His effort to rekindle their romance is a way to achieve the "high" of the past.

🤯How Bad Do U Want Me - Mike. Reason: 'cause it's my least favorite /j...mostly. This song is about Gaga's insecurity over her partner having an idealized version of her in their head. It induces an identity crisis, authenticity vs. conformity. The scenario in the song rang true with Mike's behavior and impact on El in S4, with his focus on her as a superhero not a person. Plus, the mainstream pop vibe fits Mike's Hot 100 tastes.

📵Don't Call Tonight - Hopper. Reason: the song is a woman asking her one-night stand to not call her back, because he's unable to cultivate a meaningful connection. With S1 Hopper being a guilt-ridden alcoholic with a pill popping tendency, gruff exterior, and commitment issues (remember the Marissa the librarian?), he's the perfect recipient of the woman's frustrated requests.

🌆Shadow Of A Man - Erica. Reason: As a character who clearly expresses what she wants and knows how to get it, it seemed fitting to assign Erica to a song which celebrates liberation and self-expression under the patriarchy. Erica Sinclair is not a girl to be trifled with. She made that clear with various boys and men across the show: Lucas, Dustin, Murray, Eddie, etc.

🐺The Beast - Joyce. Reason: Gaga is expressing her desire to feel the darker, more bestial, side of her partner. It's about two people meeting at their lowest point and accepting each other--which fits Joyce's comradery with Hopper in S1. The song's slow beat, the building tension, conveys her slow burn attraction with Jim as well as willingness to face danger to see him (hello, death-defying trip to the gulag and back).

🌱Blade of Grass - Dustin. Reason: Dustin and Gaga are both empowered by their love to create. This track blossomed from a moment in the backyard when Gaga's now fiancé asked her how he should propose and she said, "...just take a blade of grass and wrap it around my finger". While too young to propose, S3 Dustin made his own show of commitment by making Cerebro and trekking up the highest hill in Hawkins on a hot summer day to set it up, just so he could talk and sing a tune or two to his "Suzie Poo".

🫂Die With A Smile - Lucas. Reason: last but not least, this track is the second of album's "apocalyptic love songs". The duet between Bruno and Gaga embodies the reaffirmation of mutual trust, love, and acceptance between Lucas and Max in S4. The threat of death looms, but the singers find solace in being close to one another in what could be their final moments. A similar sentiment is shared during their doodle scene at the Creel House.

Bonus Tracks

😶‍🌫️Can't Stop The High - Argyle. Reason: the reason I picked this song is self-explanatory.

🪦Kill For Love - the ensemble as they do a group number like the cast of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Reason: that's the show.