#mike wheeler defence squad

[bisexualmultifandommess]

Me: *Looking up some Mileven fanfics*

The Fanfics have tags like “Mike Wheeler is an Idiot”, “Mike Wheeler Being an Asshole”, “Mike & Eleven Break Up” or “Endgame B*ler”

Me:

[mirrorballdazai]

people always talk about how mike was good in the first season to el and will and no one talks about how exhausting that must’ve been, like he was just a kid and not one but two other kids were completely relying on him for emotional support… i mean yes will did have joyce, jonathan, hopper and his other friends but they didn’t get him as much as mike did. with el was even worse because she had no one before hopper and it’s just so :((

[whentheynameyoujoy]

“Mike sucks as a boyfriend for not saying ‘I love you’ to E--” Yeah, that’s one possibility, the other is that y’all are so over-fixated on what a person says instead of what they do I genuinely feel uncomfortable for the people around you if this is the Disney view of relationships you’ve been brainwashed into adopting.

[lesducks]

me: mike is literally the worst person ever he’s such an asshole

anyone else: yeah mike sucks lmao

me: 😡😡🤬

[urdearestmom]

so happy to see you back here because the takes on mike ever since the season (by bylers, locals and even people who claimed to love him but are now mad and not even trying to understand him) are driving me crazy. he needs protecting

I am tumblr’s Mike Wheeler defence squad

No but actually I think the problem is so many people just consume media without thinking critically about it (which like, it’s FINE to just watch things for fun, but if you’re going to pass judgement on something then perhaps you should spend more than 2 seconds thinking on it. maybe analyze the scene past your first reaction to it).

I'm going to talk mainly about Mike's interactions with Will and El in the early episodes of season 4 but there will also be references to earlier seasons.

Now, Mike's not an angel by any means!! The boy makes mistakes. He WAS dismissive and kinda rude to Will (also everyone forgot it was Will's birthday?? including me LOL) but it's not like he was behaving that way with the intent to hurt Will. Mike tends to hyperfocus on El whenever he's around her (which we've seen since s1: drifting from Lucas, Dustin's claims that all Mike cared about was El; s2 Mike's emo phase when she wasn't around and his subsequent focus on her once she returned; s3 Mike's entire emotional arc being about his feelings for El). In the scene at the rink, El had JUST been publicly humiliated and Mike found out she had been lying to him about her life and emotional state, so of course he was more concerned for her and focused on finding her than he was with listening to Will. Duh, anyone would be.

That hyperfocus is a completely natural thing that happens when you have strong feelings for someone; you tend to drop your friends a bit. The goal is to find a balance between the attention you give your friends vs the other person, but it's a learning process. Also Mike is at the maximum only 15 years old and this is his first relationship, so he is very much still in the early stages of figuring all that out. The important thing is that when you realize you hurt someone you apologize, which Mike did and Will forgave. I loved that scene a lot because I really really appreciate their friendship and the fact that they were both even tearing up a little bit really moved me :') It's also a development for Mike because he brought up the situation himself and apologized without anything else prompting it, which has been a difficulty for him in the past (remember him refusing to apologize to Lucas in s1? or the fact that we never saw him apologize to Max after s2 either). It takes emotional vulnerability to recognize that you were wrong and apologize to someone for hurting them, and he is a character that struggles profoundly with putting his feelings out there, so this is a win for him!!

The thing about his vulnerability leads me to my next point: the fight with El. El was completely valid in wanting to hear Mike say that he loves her, I think definitely in part due to her terrible upbringing and some in part to media she'd been exposed to since escaping the lab. Before she got out she was clearly in an abusive environment, where likely the only form of affection she received was words (Brenner's actions were obviously not those of someone who cared for her, but his choice of words and tone of voice helped him manipulate her), which would have some effect on the way she expresses herself and the way she accepts affection from others. During her time in isolation, we saw her watching soaps and those are the kind of stories where love is presented as this grand, sweeping thing that can only be demonstrated and affirmed through an extremely dramatic declaration. That's not a thing that usually happens irl, it's part of the entertainment factor, but El wouldn't know any better and she probably came to expect something similar.

Mike, on the other hand, is a person who struggles to verbalize any of his feelings, much less something as all-consuming as his love for El is. Some of that is simply part of his personality, but some of it is also home influence. It's obvious by now that the Wheelers don't have a great marriage, so Mike has more than likely not often or ever heard his parents say that they love each other (interestingly, I don't think Nancy has told Jonathan to his face that she loves him either). Mike has learned to express his love for people in a different way: through his actions. He is usually the first to jump into action/planning mode when a friend is in danger, he takes care of people who need help (El in s1 and Will in s2, and the way he comforts El at various points during s3 even while they were broken up), and consistently acts recklessly when it comes to someone offending or endangering his loved ones (aka, the cliff scene, or him attacking a possessed Billy armed with a skinny piece of metal, among others) because he feels as though he is their defender and keeping them safe is how he shows that he cares. Let us also not forget the fact that he handpicked those wildflowers in El's favourite colours because he knew they would make her happy (he also dressed in the same colours, which I LOVE even though his airport outfit makes him look like a muppet).

At the moment that they had their argument, El had been experiencing a lot of changes. Not only did she lose her powers, the thing that defined her as a person for almost her whole life, she also moved across the country, away from almost everyone who cared about her, and started school. Being bullied in general is difficult enough, but being bullied when you know you really are different and there's nothing you can do about it must be hell. The loss of her powers caused her to question her own self-worth because without them, who is she really? That's something that El is still in the process of discovering. Being the victim of bullying at the same time has reinforced this idea she has that her powers are what give her worth. With them she can defend herself, intimidate her enemies; without them she is a target. She must feel that people only liked her before because they thought her abilities were cool. This thought, plus the emotional toll that bullying causes, plus the fact that she only ever overheard Mike say that he loves her and it was while she still had her powers, and the fact that he hasn't said it in words since then has probably made her extremely insecure about whether his feelings for her are from a genuine place of love, like hers are for him.

Because El is struggling, and because Mike hasn't yet worked up the courage to vocalize his feelings, they fight. El is upset because she has probably started to doubt whether her boyfriend, who she cares about immensely, genuinely loves her or not. Mike is upset because he loves her so intensely and he tells her that in the way he knows how but she isn't receiving the message, and he doesn't know how to fix it. It's an unfortunate situation all around but I thought that it was a very realistic problem to present Mileven with and I absolutely adored how many layers there are to what's happening. Millie and Finn's performances were also spot on! The way you can see Millie's anger through her sadness and the absolute sincerity in Finn's whole person (his face, voice, even the little extra movements he does while speaking) really lend the emotions to the scene and make it feel real.

Anyone who says "El deserves better" is delusional or just hasn't considered how wonderful Mike actually is. How could she do any better than the boy who has cared for her unconditionally since the moment he met her? I mean, he put himself in danger to protect her and she's literally killed multiple people in front of him and he didn't bat an eye. All he wanted was to know that she was safe.

Anyone who says Mike doesn't love El: see the above. I don't know what show you're watching

ALL OF THIS TO SAY: I love Mike Wheeler because he is a flawed character. He's not perfect! He makes mistakes! But guess what, we all do. It's part of growing up and part of being human, so all it does is make him feel more like a real person to me. He's a lovely lil boy and I will defend him to my last breath, tumblr!!!!!!!

(i know this got really mf long but i will probably be active for a bit so send me more asks friends!!)

[will80sbyers]

That scarecrow-looking fellow Mike Wheeler having the most beautiful and talented people head over hills for him, meanwhile I can't get a second look from anyone. Unfair.

oh cmon! Mike is a pretty boy too lmao he's a bit of a mess but he's so loyal and cares a lot about people, I understand why Will and El love him... I'm on his defence squad 🤣

[gilded-garnet]

I am now officially part of the Mike Wheeler defence squad...my god, I've never seen a character get so much undeserved hate by a fandom.

Apparently he's the most selfish person in the world because for once he needed some support from Will and had his own issues to work through. I never knew it was 'selfish' to need some time to work through your own feelings of helplessness and inadequecy, but here we are...

[thrashermaxey]

Fantasy Impact: Matt Duchene Traded to Columbus

  Columbus and Ottawa have the most valuable trade pieces available at the deadline, so naturally one of those pieces was traded to the other team? Anyway, Matt Duchene was traded by Ottawa to Columbus in exchange for prospect wingers Vitaly Abramov and Jonathan Davidsson, and a 2019 first round pick. That pick is protected if it lands in the top-3. There’s another first round pick included with the condition of Duchene signing with Columbus. Defenceman Julius Bergman, who was acquired by Ottawa in the Mike Hoffman trade, was also sent to Columbus along with Duchene.

  Columbus Gets

Duchene was traded for the second time in his career after just 118 games in an Ottawa uniform. They were very productive games, though, as he put up 50 goals and 107 points in those 118 games. His points/60 minutes at five-on-five as a member of the Sens ranks inside the top-30 league-wide among forwards, in the same range as names like Jack Eichel, Leon Draisaitl, and Mikko Rantanen. Going back to the start of the 2016-17 season, including games with that horrific Colorado squad, he’s tied with Sean Couturier and Blake Wheeler in this category. In other words, he’s a true first-line production centre.

He also drives offence for line mates. Here’s how he rates to another top centre, only one that was traded away by Columbus a couple years ago (from CJ Turtoro’s viz):

Duchene rates very well in shot assists (passes that lead to shots by teammates), and possession entries/exits. All these are things that can help line mates score and is not something that just grows on trees. That doesn't tell the whole story because Johansen has been able to rely on a mobile defence corps and talented wingers whereas Duchene at least didn't have overly talented wingers. All the same, we can how strongly he rates across the board in creating a good scoring environment when he's on the ice. 

If there are issues with Duchene, those would be on the defensive side of things. However, with Zach Werenski and Seth Jones behind him, Pierre-Luc Dubois��and Boone Jenner being able to take more defensive assignments, and general improvement of line mates, I don’t think defensive issues will be a concern. One thing I will say is that this is still a team coached by John Tortorella. If Duchene doesn’t play the way he wants to play, ice time could be a concern. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, though.

Speaking of Dubois, the interesting point here is where Duchene slots. Does he bump Dubois off the top line, or do they have Duchene play behind Dubois and company, hoping he can mesh well with the likes of Josh Anderson in a more sheltered role?

I know sometimes Columbus has gone with split PP units at times, but to me it makes a lot of sense just to load the top unit and add Duchene in with the top line. We worry about how players will fit in certain roles but Duchene didn’t necessarily have a defined role on the power play with Ottawa. Here are his shot locations at 5v4 this year (from Hockeyviz):

Columbus basically needs someone to play the bumper with Dubois in front and Panarin/Atkinson on the wings, playing a similar role on the PP that Patrice Bergeron does in Boston. Duchene can do exactly that.

  Ottawa Gets

Jonathan Davidsson was a sixth-round pick in 2017 and hasn’t really taken a step in production yet. In his two years in the top Swedish league (SHL) after the draft, where he was drafted as an over-ager, he’s posted 51 points in 87 games. That’s not the kind of production you hope to see from a 20- and 21-year old. 

Our own evaluation at Dobber Prospects (accessible by clicking Davidsson’s name above) basically has his ceiling as a middle-six winger who can score a bit. Given the lack of talent in Ottawa (assuming Mark Stone is also traded), he could get a look in the NHL before he’s ready. He’s a good skater with quickness, something that could help translate to PK work. That works in his favour as well.

The key prospect is obviously Vitaly Abramov, even if it hasn’t been a great year in the AHL with just 22 points in 52 games. He hasn’t been a big volume shooter, either with 119 shots in those 52 contests. Averaging under a half-point per game and just over two shots per game in the AHL at the age of 20 doesn’t exactly scream superstar. It’s not a matter of adjusting to North American rinks, either, as he was a Russian import in the QMJHL.

Abramov might mesh well with someone like Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk is a player who can do the work down low and find shooting lanes while Abramov acts as the playmaker. There’s a lot that has to happen between now and then, however.

The assessment from our Dobber Prospects writers on Abramov is basically that if he can stick in the NHL, it’ll be due to raw offensive output, not because of a well-rounded game. Whether that type of player flourishes in Ottawa remains to be seen. But again, because of the lack of NHL-ready depth, he should have a real shot at cracking the roster in 2019-20.

  Who This Helps

Josh Anderson and Nick Foligno – Whether it’s Duchene or Dubois, Columbus’s second-line wingers are going to get an upgrade.

Seth Jones – Jones has been manning the top PP unit lately and adding Duchene gives them an additional dynamic that was lacking before. It’s a second hybrid playmaker/goal scorer alongside Artemi Panarin.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau – With Duchene gone and the only other centre of note really being an unproven Colin White, we could easily see Pageau crack 20 minutes a night. He played just under that in Ottawa’s game against New Jersey when they sat all their potential trade targets.

  Who This Hurts

Bobby Ryan – Assuming Stone and Ryan Dzingel are traded, the only good offensive player left for Ryan to play with will be Brady Tkachuk, and they’ve rarely skated together. He did spend some time with Tkachuk in that same game where the stars sat, but it’ll be a fluid situation. He lost his best centre and was a meagre fantasy option to begin with.

Pierre-Luc Dubois – We’ll have to see how lines shake out but this gives Columbus another top-line centre. It’s great for the depth of the team, but it should also cut into Dubois’s ice time one way or another.

Alex Wennberg – It’s been a brutal year for the 24-year old centre and he was already averaging a four-year low in ice time. Unless he gets really lucky or there’s a significant injury, he’ll be invisible for the rest of the year.

Boone Jenner – Same reasons as Dubois.  

  In general, most Senators players is going to take a hit with the Duchene trade and all the trades this team will make in the next few days. They just got rolled by a non-playoff New Jersey team that was without Taylor Hall. There are going to be a lot fewer goals scored in Ottawa over the balance of the season than the first four and a half months.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/fantasy-take-latest-nhl-moves/fantasy-impact-matt-duchene-traded-to-columbus/

[bisexualmultifandommess]

I saw some TikTok’s basically saying that since Jopper are together and will probably merge families that Jonathan and Hopper are going to join forces to hate on Mike since he’s dating El (Hop’s reason) and doesn’t return Will’s feelings (Jonathan’s reason) lmao

Like first of all that’s stupid because in the finale of season 4 Hopper and Mike have basically made peace and hugged each other and he’s not going to hate on Mike anymore because he now knows that it will hurt El and why would he isolate and hurt someone who makes his daughter happy.

Also Jonathan might not like that Will’s upset but I’m sure he’ll understand that it isn’t Mike’s fault that Mike doesn’t return Will’s feelings. He won’t hate on Mike because what would that accomplish? Will would be upset with Jonathan because he still cares about Mike and El would be upset too and although he isn’t as close to El as he is to Will he wouldn’t want to upset her. Will and Eleven are his brother and sister and he would never want to upset them by upsetting someone they both love.

[bisexualmultifandommess]

Always hate that Mike gets hated on for things that a lot of the others do too or even when he’s apologised when he has been wrong. He also gets hated on for having realistic reactions and emotions that a teenage boy would have especially one that’s grown up in a home with parents that don’t show any love for each other.

He gets hated on for being uninterested in Will’s DnD game in season 3 but Lucas also wasn’t very invested plus Mike was more preoccupied and upset with the fact he’d just been dumped. I feel like playing a game is the last thing on his mind. Mike apologises after arguments with Will but some fans act like he never has and still thinks the things he said when angry.

Some fans also say that he’s the one that doesn’t care about where his friends are like when Dustin wasn’t around for a bit and he gets hated on for joining a Dungeons and Dragons group when in season 3 he didn’t have fun with it but in the season 3 scene it was obviously a bad time and meeting Eddie and joining Hellfire probably helped him find his interest in it again. Plus with the not knowing where Dustin is bit neither did the others and I feel like it’s not fair to hate on Mike for playing Dungeons and Dragons without Will when Will started the game in season 3 without Dustin (no hate to Will I’m just using it as an example as both are just playing a game)