#they care that el got to hear what SHE wanted (the ily monologue) but they don't care that mike has never been told what HE wants

[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

[erikiara80]

how do you explain mlvn monologue if mileven isn’t meant to be endgame? im a little bit worried for byler :/

Hi, anon.

I can only tell you my opinion, based on my knowledge of storytelling. I think Mike's monologue is one of the worst scenes of the show. And that they did that on purpose.

The filming. For such an important moment in his and El's story, the culmination of two season arc, there is zero effort to create intimacy. We keep seeing Will, who is the other potential love interest, so not a good sign. And even Jonathan, who was present in other important Will and Mike moments: the shed scene and the van scene. We saw that these writers and directors know how to write and film good, intimate moments. In the shed scene, you forget that Joyce, Jonathan and Hopper are there. And Will was in grave danger, too. So El's life being at stake is not an excuse. I also think about Hopper and Joyce's reunion and talk in S4. Lucas and Max in S2 and S4. Jonathan and Nancy in every season. Mike's big declaration of love simply isn't good. And thanks to many scenes in the show, we know that it's not because of bad directing. Also, the only part that seems to actually help El is when Mike tells her to fight. That's when she looks at Max, realises that she's about to die, so she thinks about Max. Not Mike. And finally fights back. And if in a scene about a declaration of love that should save the day, they don't show you any important moment of that relationship but only a reaction when another person is in danger... Not to mention the fact that when El remembers Max, the scenes we see, are the ones when Max tells her: there's more in life than stupid boys. We make our rules. Or: not Mike. Not Hopper. You. Very interesting...

The writing. I don't know about you, but I cringed during this monologue. What Mike says is vague, or a rip off of what other people said, or a lie, or not what El wants to hear. Plus, Will had to push him to say something. So Mike is panicking and says what he thinks El wants to hear and can help her. But it's not easy. So he is vague. The good and the bad days. Yeah, thank you. An example? They didn't even show us any scene that could help us to understand what Mike is referring to. Nada. With Will, Mike was extremely specific. About how he was feeling, what Will was doing, and his answer when Mike asked him if he wanted to be his friend. You didn't need a flashback. You could see that moment. And when Mike does mention something specific, the t-shirt, it's not actually cute imo, because, something that could swallow you whole? Not very romantic, especially since El's literally dying while he's speaking. Also, it's a rip off of what Eddie told Dustin in 4x01.

Mike also tells El that she's his superhero. Something that El definitely doesn't like. She was afraid at the beginning of the season that Mike didn't love her anymore because she had lost her powers. So he tells her that he loves her now, when she got her powers back? She could think that's the only reason he likes her... And then Mike tells her something that it's simply not true. He didn't fall in love with her the night he met her. We saw that memory. His look. Curious that this is the only scene they show us. Imo, it's because it proves that what he's saying is not true. In fact, he looks disappointed and suspicious in that scene (almost angry) and we know that the first thing he said when he saw El was: "That's not Will". There is no love at first sight in this show. I'm not saying that Mike wanted to lie. He cares for El, immensely, and wanted to save her. He's just not in love with her. That's the simple reason he can't tell her that he loves her. And he only told her ILY because he thought it could save her life.

Just one more thing. If that love confession was the culmination of two season arc and the resolution of Mlv problems, it should've saved the day. But El lost. Or at least, we should've seen Mike and El being closer again. But they aren't. They made Will (again, the other potential love interest) specifically asking if they're talking. And Mike says not much. Then proceeds to talk to Will instead, on the couch, (intimate moment) and show him that he wants to protect him. Basically, the S2 dynamic again. Now, I know many people say that El not talking to Mike after what happened to Max is realistic. That she needs to be alone. That's right. In real life. But this is a story. With arcs, characters development and a plot. So, Mike and El still being distant after Mike finally told El what she wanted to hear, means that things are not good for them. And I think El has already realised that this is not what she wants.

An ILY is not a promise of eternal love. And sometimes, only when you get what you think you wanted, you realise that it's not what you really need. Hope this helped. : )

[sevensided]

Hi!! I really want to hear your opinion on this. How would you feel about canon s5 byler if Mike really does a big love confession for El? I've been reading a lot of the "leaks" and most of them say it's open for byler on s5 but there's the ily monologue. I don't usually listen to these "leaks" but it got me thinking and if it really happened, idk if i would want canon byler on s5, i feel like it would cheapen both relationships

I love this question! Thank you for asking me!

I'm staunchly on the 'S5 Byler train' and I have been for months. So jot that down. Regarding the 'I love you' monologue. Well, I don't see it as 'cheapening' either relationship because Mike's confession is, in fact, important for pushing the story forward for everyone involved.

For El: she needs closure. This relationship with Mike does not make her happy, and she deserves to be happy. She needs to receive a type of love that Mike is not capable of giving.

For Mike: he needs to stop stringing El along - because that is what he's doing. He needs to be honest, not only for himself but for her, and to realise that 'friends don't lie' and that it is possible to 'love' your friends, and for that love to be platonic in nature.

For both Mike and El: they need to understand that their friendship is just as strong and meaningful even if it is not romantic. They can love and care about each other without that being their 'one and only' relationship in life. This is a big lesson for them both, because to differing extents and for distinct reasons, they're emotionally stunted, and they need time and space to grow as individuals before they're able to demonstrate that love to anyone else.

So, really, Mike's 'I love you' monologue could do a lot. It could be proof that he is able to overcome his essential fears around communicating his feelings. It's also about him being honest with himself and with the people he cares about. It gives El an opportunity to reclaim some autonomy and to be an individual separate from Mike. It also reinforces a central theme of the show, which is friendship and family. They have been through so many life-changing experiences together. To figure out what that means for themselves as people and together as friends is actually a huge arc in itself - and it would be powerful if it ends up being canon.

I recognise that in talking about Mike needing 'time and space' to love anyone else that does apply to Will, and I'm not shying away from that fact. Just as El deserves better so too does Will. But I think that S4-5 is a massive learning curve for everyone, but especially Mike. He's been in a holding pattern for three seasons now, more or less. It's time for him to grow up and to stop hiding.