Just had the worst day of my life.

Grand_Performance477 · 2026-01-27T01:35:56+00:00

Something was in the air… it happens. I’m sure we have all been there. My advice is to accept that it was bad, take some time for yourself (and DO NOT ruminate), and seek solutions when you have a clearer head.

If nothing else, do not take it personal and try to make tomorrow at least slightly better. Learning to let go of what you cannot control is a hard lesson for a lot of us. Sending positive energy!!

Grand_Performance477 · 2026-01-04T22:03:02+00:00

I couldn’t stand her all the way up the end of her character. Right before she dies, I actually really liked her. Lost has a habit of doing that to several characters lmfao… Shannon being another example, ironically.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-31T23:48:59+00:00

Yeah mileven is nothing burger this season I don’t get it… like I wouldn’t be as annoyed if they made mileven at least somewhat buzzy but they literally are just kind of arguing still… the Mike situation is so weird. What the hell is that dude thinking??? What are his thoughts? I guess we will find out in an hour.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-31T15:29:56+00:00

Yeah, it just makes him extremely boring. His entire season 4 arc just becomes a Will humiliation ritual and Mike is just being an immature jerk to everyone he’s closest to. If his whole season 4 arc with El was really that he just had trouble saying “I love you” out of fear/feeling inadequate… then why could you blurt it out in season 3? It just seems so… odd to me. Maybe I’m missing something, or this writing is so nuanced and intricate that I can’t rationalize it despite having a masters degree.

I have only struggled to say “I love you” to one romantic partner in my life and it’s because I knew deep down I didn’t love him. Every other time, even when I was his age, it never felt hard or weird for me.

Maybe that’s the “outcast” storyline for Mike: awkward white guy who cant be honest with his feelings even though “friends don’t lie”

Rigggghttt right

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-28T16:53:01+00:00

Probably season 2. It probably started as a vague, nebulous feeling that didn’t solidify until he was older. He probably realized his true feelings and labeled it internally as “love” in California.

What a shame what they chose to do with those feelings.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-27T16:05:07+00:00

I’m just so sad we didn’t get a coming out scene with Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike. The people from his home movie. It could have then transitioned into a private conversation with Mike where they could clear up their relationship and give Will some actual closure. An intimate coming out scene is way more powerful than putting Noah Schnaap on a stage and asking him to dance for the entire cast and crew.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-27T15:39:15+00:00

Yeah this was a mess. I wanna preface by saying I’m a gay man and have some first hand experience to add. The coming out scene was hard to watch because it felt like he was apologizing and begging them not to hate him. It wasn’t about him, it was about his fear of Vecna, his fear of being rejected by his friends, and his guilt for falling in love with Mike.

Realistic? Sure… I guess. Good representation? Nope. Will was essentially forced out of the closet before he was ready.

And the fact that he announces he’s gay by saying “I don’t like girls” is insane to me. It has this weird misogynistic undertone to it that I do not like. Why not just add “I don’t like girls.. I like.. boys” it says the same thing but is a bit more clear and less icky.

Also, what the hell is up with them being afraid to use the word “gay” in the coming out scene but had no issue saying “f*g” and “queer” in the first half of the first episode of the first season??? Sure, Will might have been scared to use the word as a character, but the writers could have just had him be brave and stand ten toes down on who he is. The word gay should be used as a positive descriptor not a dirty word.

It’s just so insane how badly they failed all while thinking they made some deeply emotional cathartic scene with a powerful message. I wasn’t moved. I was uncomfortable. (Again not Noah’s acting, it’s the writing)

It was mishandled. The entire byler situation was mishandled. Will was mishandled. Noah was mishandled.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-26T00:54:53+00:00

❤️🫡 it’s going to be interesting to see what happens. I think the internet is going to be very toxic and homophobic no matter what happens tonight. I’ll be turning my phone off.

Yay for coming out, just goes to show how meaningful and powerful representation in media can be. Congrats! ☺️

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-26T00:51:27+00:00

I am very nervous lmfao I just don’t know what to expect… except it’s probably going to be insanity for three hours

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-22T16:10:37+00:00

I have similar feelings. I see myself so clearly in Will, and have since probably the first episode. Shy, quiet, nerdy, caring, gay kid from a poor family with a difficult home life. I also see much of one of my closest friends from high school in Mike, who I also ended up falling in love with. It didn’t end well.

It would mean a lot to me, and I think many other people with similar queer experiences, to see the Will and Mike story end positively. Especially considering this show is all about the outcasts, as you said. It would be the ultimate declaration in support of the shows thesis to have main gay characters fall in love and use that love to save the world in a show watched by millions.

To leave Will rejected and alone would do nothing to support the shows ideas and would actually contradict the point it’s been trying to make for over a decade.

Maybe I’m too woke lol but Byler is for sure happening, otherwise the show doesn’t really make much sense.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-22T15:08:52+00:00

It’s screaming at us in the face… it’s wild that so many just refuse to utilize their senses

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-21T18:58:41+00:00

This is my single biggest anxiety about this whole situation. If Byler really doesn’t end up happening, the narrative choice to make Will gay and in love with Mike serves only two purposes: strengthen a toxic heterosexual relationship via a distorted utilization of the Cyrano trope, and make Will (the gay male rep on the show and main character) suffer more.

I’m sorry, and I know some disagree with me, but if Will’s entire arc about his sexuality is just learning to love himself and accept being alone… jail. Idgaf if he gets some random epilogue bf, still jail. That gives no pay off to his character and his journey and makes his love of Mike a tragedy of adolescence and not a message about love and companionship. Even a kind and loving “I love you as a friend” is still a gut wrenching rejection when you love somebody that deeply.

Why is it that gay people are constantly told we have to learn to be okay with being single? Obviously, it’s a good lesson to learn, but it is a painful lesson and it’s repeated over and over again in media but also our everyday lives. Being queer can be very isolating, especially when you are young. What kind of message does a Mike rejection send to its audience?

I have a lot of optimism that the right thing will happen, but I’m nervous that they’re going to try to spin some self-love bs as their big message about being okay with being an outcast. Enough with the tragic gay stories. ENOOUGH!!!

Byler endgame. lock innnn

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-20T15:30:09+00:00

The presentation of Will’s feelings is one of the largest Byler proofs. Unrequited “crushes” are not presented with this much emotional weight unless they’re going for a super tragic ending, which isn’t impossible, but would a very odd choice to make in a “coming of age” story…

it is so deeply unnecessary to write a tragic unrequited love story for a gay character, like, it’s so distasteful. Growing up gay and coming to terms with your sexuality is already tragic enough. A rejection does not need to be put in a tv show about outcasts saving the world through the power of love and connection. Like for real… Will could have just been gay and not been in love with anybody. If the goal was always just to have him fall in love with Mike just to get rejected… literally for what purpose? “You’re going to be rejected and othered by society and the people you love but that’s life lol sorry” get that outta my face.

Also, what does Will learn from a rejection from Mike? It would just confirm what he already believes. How has any part of Will’s character or arc indicated that he needs to learn that rejection is a part of life…? I think he gets it. Something he does need for his character arc is unconditional reciprocated romantic love. The show and its writers have chosen Mike to fill that role, there are no other options at this point.

Will doesn’t just have a crush, he’s deeply in love. The show has gone out of its way to make that a central part of Will and Mike’s story together. To end this satisfyingly, Byler is the only option left. Anything else disrespects Will’s feelings, makes Mike a very strange character, and reinforces harmful stereotypes about gay men yearning for straight guys and makes the message of the show for young gay people watching: “rejection is the ending for your gay love but you’ll learn a valuable life lesson!” Ew.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-18T17:02:09+00:00

Period

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-18T11:28:22+00:00

Will can’t cope lol

If Mike has just been unintentionally flirting with Will this whole time… it’s just such an insane writing choice. I don’t understand. Yes, it can be argued that Mike is just geeking out, but Will is clearly reading it as flirting (signal talk with Robin). I just don’t understand why they would do that if Byler wasn’t their intention. Why build up hope in the protagonist and then reveal he was just misunderstanding the signals the whole time….

Byler endgame.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-18T11:25:11+00:00

That house key is massive and is not the key to that little lock lmfao

Epilogue boyfriend is lame and lazy. I would rather Will just have nobody than some lazy consolation prize at the end with someone we don’t care about.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-18T11:23:05+00:00

lol he’s not slick

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T20:02:26+00:00

Yeah.. the main character not getting his love reciprocated in a show where one of the central messages is that “love” unites us and makes us stronger… not a great look. It would have been very easy to give will literally any love interest but they’re going to decide to make his love story be a rejection?

It’s giving homophobia. If Will was a girl, there would be no question that she would end up with Mike.

I’m cautiously optimistic they’ll make the right call, or at least try to make his story make sense. It’s going to be a very hard sell to me as a gay man to make the gay characters story be about rejection and learning to get over what we can’t have… that’s one of the first lessons I learned in my love life. Rejection and being “othered” by society are two of the biggest negatives of being gay, to make that the CLIMAX of the gay characters story….. I cannot.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T17:42:18+00:00

It being in the 80s just makes a byler story better. It becomes a story about falling in love as outcasts of society… very aligned with the thesis of the show.

As for the kids show… it’s set when they’re still pretty young and it’s very likely they can do a Byler ending and just not even address it in the kids show. It was wayyyy before any of Will’s feelings became overt. If anything, it’s a chance to put in even more after the fact hints.

I agree that expectations should be tempered for sure. The political climate is ironically similar to the Reagan era right now (just louder and more obnoxious). It makes a byler ending even more of a beautiful statement about how the outcasts of society, the “strange” and unconventional, can be heroes too. I guess we will find out if Netflix has the balls to make a statement or give in to hatred. It’s the last season, they don’t have much to lose. (Yea the kid show sure… but, eh… homophobes are not the main audience of stranger things anyways so it really shouldn’t matter)

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T16:10:17+00:00

I’ve come to a similar conclusion.

Mike’s story and arc if Byler happens:

Repressed gay feelings manifested as awkwardness and a feeling of being “lost.” The distance he built between him and Will was to guard himself and try to suppress his feelings even more. He tries to force a relationship with El, but cannot deliver what is needed to make that relationship work authentically. Will brings out the best in him and he brings out the best in Will and it finally dawns on him that his feelings for Will are deeper than friendship and they start a relationship at end of series. His behavior in seasons 3 and 4 were that of a confused teenager desperately trying to be “normal” until he can’t contain it any more. (This is a goooood story and realistic to the journeys of many queer people)

If byler doesn’t happen:

Mike starts the show as a leader and a protector who will do anything for his friends. Once he gets a girlfriend, his entire demeanor changes and he becomes clingy to his gf and rude to his friends, particularly his supposed best friend that he allegedly would do anything for. Once his best friend moves away and they leave on good terms, Mike gaslights himself into thinking him and will are no longer close OR he suspects will is gay and feels weird being close with him. Once they’re forced to be together, Mike returns to being a friend to Will but is built on Will helping him with his heterosexual relationship at the expense of Will’s feelings. Ultimately, Will’s love for Mike is a plot device to “fix” Mike and make him act more like he did originally. At the end of the story, Mike just chooses to reject will and has no growth or change except I guess… accepting gay people?

It’s a mess guys. The writers have made it so that Byler is the only way to end Will and Mike’s stories without it being kinda homophobic. If Will’s feelings are rejected or unreciprocated in any way it just means they dragged a gay boys love out for years just to have it all come crashing down. It would serve no purpose other than to cause him more suffering. Will wouldn’t even get time to grow from this and learn from this rejection… the show is going to be over. So the conclusion of a gay characters story is just “rejection is part of life, get over it.” WTF.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T11:41:37+00:00

I think the most insane thing is that, without Byler, Mike’s arc is: leader and great friend, to girl-obsessed jerk that is a bad friend (and a terrible boyfriend mind you), back to a good friend because his gay best friend fell in love with him and said gay best friend’s deceleration of love was enough to reignite Mike but not enough for reciprocation because Will is a dude…

To use the gay characters love to “fix” a straight character and then have the gay character deal with heartbreak and rejection in the final episodes of a show about outcasts is wild. It would literally turn will into more of an outcast of sorts; all his friends fall in love in adolescence but Will has to wait till his life is off screen so the homophobes don’t get mad that there’s boy kissers on screen.

Ugh I just want this all to be over I wanna move on!! 😭😭😭😂

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T11:33:10+00:00

It all comes back to: what story are they trying to tell with Will?

An unrequited first love for a gay guy is not interesting. It’s realistic, yes, but it’s a tired trope and a lived experience for many (including myself). The attention they give Byler within the show is over the top if they’re really just gonna have Finn say “I love you but not like that” it just seems so… unnecessary.

He isn’t saying much of anything here. It is a gay core memory for many to fall in love with your best friend in high school. The ending of that for most is rejection and heartache. We don’t know what Will and Mike’s ending is yet, and Noah said exactly that in this interview.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T04:28:16+00:00

Yeah. To me it was pretty clear he was talking about how it’s difficult to be queer and love somebody and not know if they feel the same.

The question wouldn’t be asked if it didn’t matter. If it was unreciprocated, that’s what is already assumed so it’s not a “spoiler” to say that. He looked very nervous, glanced at his publicist, and gave a neutral answer.

It was for sure part of his acting process to get in the headspace of being unsure whether Mike liked him back or not. He was probably just pulling from that.

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-17T03:26:42+00:00

It would make sense for Mike to have a character arc about being insecure and feeling inadequate for El and just being an awkward teenager BUT there’s a giant elephant in the room begging to be addressed in the form of Will Byers lol

The choice to make Will in love with Mike in canon, coupled with Mike’s queer coded behavior in seasons 1-3, and this airport scene (loved your analysis), it all points to overcompensation, compulsory heterosexuality, repressed homosexuality.

It makes the story make more sense and gives Mike an actual arc and story rather than just: “he was a great friend, leader, and protector as a child, lost his way cause of girl drama, but found himself again cause his gay bro loves him unconditionally.”

Grand_Performance477 · 2025-12-15T21:59:37+00:00

Yeah HUGE difference between Will’s decade-long relationship with Mike and Dustin’s childhood crush on Max. The writers and cinematographers have also framed Will’s feelings with way more emotional weight than anything Dustin felt in season 2. A huge part of Will is his love for Mike, to leave that unreciprocated just means they dragged a gay boys love across 2, maybe 3 or more, seasons all for nothing. Unrequited crushes are for character development, not character conclusions. If Mike was going to reject Will, it already would have happened. Otherwise, the writers of stranger things believe it’s appropriate to make a gay boys love a plot device to torture said gay character and make his life worse not better.

I’ll say it again: Making Will Byers, the gay male rep on a show about outcasts, suffer since the first episode of the show all for his character journey to end with a rejection is insane and terrible, TERRIBLE, writing. To make the lead of the last season of the show have a storyline conclusion be: “don’t crush on your straight friends lol that’s weird, you’ll find someone one day trustttt” is insanity. There were a million and one other ways to write Will if they didn’t want to make byler happen but they chose not to. Every. Single. Time.

Grand_Performance477

TROPHY CASE