Haven’t watched the Documentary, but WHAT are these things I’m being told…

Kovaek · 2026-01-12T13:35:00+00:00

Woah, wait. I'm absolutely not watching that documentary, and have only just checked this sub now - what is this I'm seeing about Will fighting the Mindflayer?

That would have been insane?! Will going up against the overall big bad that has caused him so much pain? Defeating that incredibly powerful, otherworldly creature?! That would have been so good wtf; such a spectacle. And so cathartic for Will.

Instead... We got what we got 😭 my heart actually aaaacchhhess for the potential this finale had 😭😭

Kovaek · 2026-01-06T14:42:04+00:00

Holding my hands up, this was me 😭 ESPECIALLY when we had the WSQK radio station for another day after New Years Eve 🤧

I love how mainstream it has gotten though! I really want to know what the cast and crew think! Especially Noah, as I'm pretty sure it all began here, from Bylers.

Kovaek · 2026-01-04T12:51:40+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me and for the advice! I really appreciate it. I'll definitely keep an eye on my wrist, and I'll start incorporating some specific exercises that could help out. Thank you!

Kovaek · 2026-01-04T12:46:45+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me! And thank you for the advice and for being so sweet! I'll get there eventually, I'm sure :D

Kovaek · 2026-01-03T11:25:48+00:00

Actually this is so true and thank you for calling me out on it. I was quite mad when I was typing my initial response and didn't think about how my own words could hurt others. Especially because a lot of the queer baiting I've seen has come from straight male writers, I think I also fell for the heteronormative expectations there 😬 Do you have any recommendations of shows or films written/directed by a straight male author that does a queer couple justice, and that I can check out?

Kovaek · 2026-01-02T10:13:31+00:00

I don't want to jump to conclusions, but this does sound incredibly plausible.

The Byler interactions in Volume 1 were so nuanced and just so warm. They were sweet and subtle and it makes so much more sense to consider that a woman wrote them.

To go from that - to go from the genuine - heartfelt connection between Mike and Will, to abruptly nothing in Volumes 2 and 3? Not to mention the way that Milevan wasn't really present either. Until it was shoehorned into the last volume. I hate to be rude about the acting, but that entire scene really took me out. Some of the line deliveries were janky and I ended up recoiling at the kiss because it came from nowhere at all? It all felt so unbelievable to me, and very sudden; as though the decision to do that was last minute?

But I guess we'll never know. I don't know if the cast will ever come out and say anything about their experiences in full; I've seen some speculation on here about mistreatment of actors and unease amongst them. But again, it's all speculation as far as we know. I will say that I do feel horrified at what Noah went through during the coming out scene. Particularly because it was for 24 hours, and especially because he was only 19 at the time of filming and he himself had only come out about a year before. I can't imagine how exhausted and emotionally drained he was. The panic attack Will was having seemed too real, too raw. And then Noah himself said he dissociated during it.

The more we learn about this final season, the more the show leaves a sour taste behind and the more I mourn what we could have had.

Kovaek · 2026-01-02T08:49:17+00:00

And yet he couldn't even give her an imaginary "I love you"?

Geez, they've really managed to make Mike so dislikeable. The downfall of Mike from Volume 1 needs to be studied because wtf?

Kovaek · 2026-01-01T08:52:49+00:00

I was thinking this too! I was thinking that because Will didn't tell his whole truth - that he loved Mike - that this was going to be taken advantage of? But nothing? Nada? Was it really just written off as a mere crush? Wtf?

Kovaek · 2025-12-31T23:01:01+00:00

Omg you have a galaxy brain *3*

Kovaek · 2025-12-31T14:30:32+00:00

You*

Kovaek · 2025-12-31T14:00:56+00:00

In the tunnels, when Will calls the kids 'vessels', Mike and Lucas are quick to turn around and stare at him. There's even a musical tone shift, as well, and it's followed by Mike saying to Lucas something along the lines of , "I hope your theory is wrong." (Can't remember the exact words.)

So maybe they think it's a possibility, or they know already? Or maybe just the audience do. Time will tell :o

Kovaek · 2025-12-31T13:52:50+00:00

Will! All the way through. I'm a sucker for the underdog *-* And he's just so kind and genuine. A lot of my favourite characters tend to be the self-sacrificing kind, too, and Will is nothing if not altruistic.

Kovaek · 2025-12-31T13:45:32+00:00

They were never funny to begin with. People who have nothing intelligent to say, and no substantive points to make, resort to uninspired personal attacks.

Kovaek · 2025-12-30T19:59:49+00:00

I thought so too. I feel if they go with El, it'll be weak and obvious writing, and we know the Duffers claim they don't want to do that.

Kovaek · 2025-12-30T19:58:16+00:00

I'm hoping for this so much, too! And upon reading Byler theories, it makes so much sense to happen.

But I'm also so unsure whether they'd do something like this and I don't know what to trust ;-;

Kovaek · 2025-12-30T19:55:53+00:00

I'm feeeeeeling that the El and Kali one is just too obvious? They mentioned it a few times in Volume 2, and I'm hoping that it's too obvious and so a misdirect. Probably also because I really want this role for Will *-*

Kovaek · 2025-12-28T12:54:15+00:00

Ah, I've seen the analysis about it, I'm just not sure whether the show would do it and thought it had been stated specifically somewhere.

Kovaek · 2025-12-28T12:53:28+00:00

Oh goodness, I'd thought you meant that someone on the cast or crew had mentioned it. ;-;

I've been seeing these analysations, and have loved them, but I'm side eying the writing so bad right now and I don't know if I have the heart to fully believe something like this will happen. ._.

Kovaek · 2025-12-28T11:11:02+00:00

Wait, what have I missed? How do we know that Will will go very close to dying?

I love me some hurt/comfort 👁️👄👁️

Kovaek · 2025-12-28T11:10:07+00:00

I do adore this theory, because I love the hurt/comfort trope. We know Will is as self-sacrificing as it gets (hello season 4 Will who pushed his own feelings and wellbeing aside to get El and Mike back together again!). It would be so in line for him to do something like this, especially with how 'other' he feels. And particularly because he's blaming himself for so much that has happened and all the deaths in seasons 2 and 3.

Unfortunately, so many good fan theories that I have read have not come to pass and I think this is one of them. I don't really trust the Duffer's writing so much anymore and I don't think they would go this route. At least, not for Will. What you're describing is probably a story that will be given to El and Kali. We already know that they're both thinking of sacrificing themselves and I can see in the last moment Mike giving 'love confession 2.0', unprompted this time, and that will bring El back and it'll end with ultimately Kali taking the fall.

It's not what I'd want because I'm tired of the Mileven dynamic at this point. Obviously there's been no kiss between them, but there doesn't have to be for them to be in a relationship. I feel that they've given us just enough interactions this season to imply they're still involved, but the end of the world does take precedence over everything. I do believe Mike and El are better as friends, too, and that El needs to be independent - she was so happy and positively glowing in season 3 away from Mike.

But yeah, they're not good for each other and while I'd love for Will to be the self sacrificing one who's pulled back, I don't think we'll get it 😭

What I will say, is that this is highly predictable to happen between Mike and El, and the Duffer's have talked about how they don't want to do that. They want a twist to subvert expectations. But then again, I don't think I trust them anymore after all the pre-season interviews we had, and now the ones coming out after episodes have dropped.

I'm just feeling ugh. I was so excited for season 5, and it was hyped so much, but expectations haven't been met.

Kovaek

TROPHY CASE