Delete if not allowed. The OP said feel free to talk about ANY ships, however all the ones mentioning Byler got down-voted. Yet, Crack ships or stuff not related to the show is fine?

I just needed to rant.

In the following, I would like to examine the significance of Stranger Things and the message it seeks to convey. This is based on this blog entry, which (converted to a PDF document) is more than 70 pages long and interprets Stranger Things up to season 4. I would like to further develop the core statements of the blog post, the ideas described here, and apply them to S05 Vol. 2 and the “finale” of Stranger Things. I will also pick out and interpret a few significant scenes. For the most part, we will look at the events in Stranger Things from a higher perspective (= what is the message?) - rather than focusing on the obvious/story level. In other words, we will look behind the curtain that is behind the curtain.

In very simple terms, Stranger Things is about otherness (deviating from social norms) and, in particular, homosexuality, how society deals with it, and the problems that come with it (especially for gay children/teenagers) – portrayed through the fictional characters Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, and El/Jane Ives. Mike and Will go their separate ways, drift apart for a while, but ultimately come together.

„It's forced conformity. That's what's killing the kids! That's the real monster.” – Eddie Munson

This post is about seasons 5 Vol. 2 & the finale. I recommend reading the post about seasons 1 – 3 as also the post about seasons 4 and 5 Vol. 1 first, as everything builds on each other.

I originally posted this in February 2026—but that doesn't change the core of the interpretation itself—as we'll see. The main idea is to explain this one plot hole...

At the beginning, however, we will actually focus a little more on the obvious/story level and try to classify the actions of our characters—for obvious reasons. We need to get a few things straight... The interpretative part regarding the higher perspective will come later.

Let's start with Will

Will's story/arc in S05 can basically be summarized as follows (in terms of his actions/reactions and his conversations with Robin and Mike etc.):

1. There are other people like Will, people who are different from the rest (Will is not alone).
2. It's okay to be different; he learns to love himself (self-acceptance).
3. Having the courage to be true to himself – coming out (acceptance by others/society).
4. Relationship, finding the love he (and Mike *cough*) deserves (final milestone).

Until S05E05, this direction is consistently followed (Robin and Will's conversation before they roast the dead Demogorgon (first coming out to someone else, then relationship)) – and then abruptly interrupted. This is an inconsistency, a flaw in Will's story that can hardly be resolved reasonably. There is no reason, or at least none is shown, why Will should “suddenly” think that Mike is just “his Tammy.” So what happened?

While Will was unconscious and being held captive by Vecna—after saving Max's life and trying to kill Vecna; Vecna “unfortunately” successfully defended himself—Vecna showed him something. Conveniently, however, the Duffles did not show what Vecna showed Will (an absolute outrage – indescribable), so there is no explanation for where the change of mind comes from (=> inconsistency). Neither from Will's side nor from Mike's. In this respect, the whole thing is a case of “it's open to interpretation.” I've thought about it a lot and tried to find a way to explain it in a comprehensible way – not easy... – but I think I've found a way. With that in mind, here is my interpretation to explain it.

Vecna showed Will a future, a vision so cruel, so terrible – so terrifying that Will would break, this time for good. Will would help Vecna one last time. So Will decides to “rip off the band-aid,” completely and irrevocably. I let my mind wander and imagined the worst possible scenario I could think of...

Will would eventually give in to his fears (fear of being different, of not being accepted for who he is, and his fear of losing Mike, his family, and friends, the people he loves). This would cause Will to lose the mental battle with Vecna and ultimately be taken over by him again. His fears would be used against him by Vecna. Will then kills Mike by strangling him with his powers, feeling Mike's neck in his hands and the life slowly draining out of him. Mike begs him to let him live, trying to get through to Will – and Mike succeeds, the real Will is still there – but he is not strong enough to resist Vecna's influence. Will's fears, exploited by Vecna, are too great for him to resist Vecna's influence. Fully conscious, Will watches as Mike finally breathes his last breath, his eyes wide open, and sinks to the ground. With his last words, Mike whispers, “I hate you! You are all the evil in the world!” – whereupon Will, or rather Vecna, breaks Mike's neck – it cracks and it's over. Mike's death breaks Will, breaks El, breaks the group, and thus breaks the resistance against Vecna – and Vecna wins in the end. Little by little, all of his friends are killed – by Will's hand as Vecna's sword. Except Will, Will stays alive—and even when he tries to end his life, Vecna won't let him. He forces Will to live with this guilt forever.

Will then decided to no longer allow Vecna to control him and his fears, to “rip off the band-aid” and come out in front of the whole group. It had been incredibly humiliating, and he would never have chosen this path voluntarily. He wanted to conquer his fear by finally facing it head-on so he could save Mike, El, and his friends—so Vecna couldn't use it against him and his friends. He was certain that he would die in the final battle, and he wanted to finally be able to leave behind this lie that he had lived with his entire life – so that he could perhaps die at peace with himself. He had to do it, he had no choice, so that what Vecna showed him would never become reality.

While he was unconscious, Will also did something else. If Vecna can manipulate thoughts, memories, and feelings, then so can Will. In addition to his fear of being different from others, of not being accepted, and of losing everything, his greatest fear is losing Mike or being rejected by him because he loves him so much—he cannot live without him. A fear that Vecna would also use against him. So Will made a momentous decision.

While he was unconscious/being held captive by Vecna, Will used his powers to erase his feelings and his love for Mike. He tried to protect his friends and family—especially Mike—by burying his love for Mike, thereby depriving Vecna of the chance to use it against him. That's why Will described his love for another boy (Mike) as a “crush” when he came out, thereby devaluing his own feelings. But Will also knew that knowing he had done this and why would make it impossible for him to live – even if he miraculously survived the final battle. Will is smart – so he also erased the memory of having erased his feelings for Mike. Will no longer knows why his feelings, his love for Mike, disappeared. He only knows that it was there once and then it was gone.

Will curses himself and sacrifices the possibility of his own happiness, living from now on with an unspeakable lie, without knowing that it is a lie – in order to protect the boy he has loved more than anything since childhood. He pays the highest possible price; it is the ultimate act of true love.

Will is completely selfless—and would do anything to protect his friends, his family, Mike—even if it cost him everything.

Towards the end, this is the reason why Will seems to be coping so well with the events and his “apparently just vanished feelings” (yeah, right, Duffles—absolutely logical).

Quite contrary to Mike...

Let's start at the beginning—I'll try to make sense of Mike's behavior. Even that can be explained.

Overall, Mike still has two problems, two walls that he has carefully built around himself over time.

1. If he confessed to Will that he feels differently about him, he would potentially ruin/destroy the relationship between him and Will – perhaps even lose Will – if Will rejected him and wasn't like him/didn't feel the same way he did. Mike doesn't want to take that risk – he has already lost Will once (in S01, almost in S02, at the end of S03) – and it broke Mike.
2. He cannot overcome the pressure of (forced) conformity that he feels = he does not assume that he (as he is) would be accepted by others, by society – and therefore hides his true self (“tries to be as normal as possible”). In other words, he stays in his comfort zone – he stays in the “area” he knows, where it's safe, aka fulfills the expectations set by society.

Mike still feels attracted to Will all the time—you can really see it, you just have to open your eyes (+ “MWTFDYDG”). Nevertheless, Mike doesn't allow himself to feel these feelings—which he still considers wrong, dirty, forbidden. But Mike is now well aware that he feels differently about Will than he does about his other friends. Instead, Mike flirts with Will like the nerd he is – with DnD metaphors, all a little awkward (and it's absolutely cute). The scene in which Mike explains that Will is like a sorcerer shows, of course (in addition to the mountain of other clues...), once again very impressively how well Mike actually knows – and understands – Will. Basically better than anyone else.

Mike's affection for Will reaches its peak in the finale of S05E04, when Mike is bowled over by Will (shot from Mike's POV). Here (or rather afterwards), Mike lets his walls down a little, or rather they crumble away on their own, hence the exuberant hug, all the praise for Will, etc. – Mike really idolizes this boy.

Later, Will fights his mental battle with Vecna, saves Max from certain death, and tries to kill Vecna. Unfortunately, Vecna isn't having any of it and defends himself—successfully, unfortunately—and Will passes out/falls into a coma/gets trapped in Vecna's mind. The whole thing happens at the radio tower, as we remember: signals, incoming and outgoing, which would happen at too high a frequency (= intensity of current) – to sever Will's connection to the hive mind, they “overload” the dead Demogorgon. Metaphorically speaking, this event (Will's fight with Vecna and the result of it) has overloaded Mike, or rather his emotions, his now exuberant affection for Will. What happens when you overload Mike Wheeler's emotions? He resets to factory settings; Mike has never been good at dealing with his emotions. In other words, he wants to touch Will, to be there for him after Will has been thrown back and is now unconscious – but he doesn't. From Mike's point of view, the fact that he feels differently/more for Will than he should/is allowed to may now be too obvious – to others. And that's what Mike fears – so he starts keeping his feelings in check again, at least a little. Will is now out of commission anyway and “not running away” (aka the Duffles have managed to completely sideline him after his moment in S05E04 – again. Thanks for nothing, best regards).

But Mike's feelings don't let him go completely, of course—it doesn't work that way (greetings to the Duffles)—they're too strong for that now. Mike wanted to go to Will, who was unconscious, and be there for him. He also wanted to tell him that he feels differently about Will than he perhaps should. To say it out loud at least once, just once, what has been on his mind for years, to make a confession. Why now? Because Will was unconscious and wouldn't have noticed – so Mike could finally say it without having to face the consequences. He is well aware that it would change everything between them (in whatever direction). It would be a confession without consequences (Mike is very reluctant to leave his “comfort zone,” the thing that gives him supposed security, in fact, he doesn't want to leave it at all). Unfortunately, Joyce is sitting with Will, watching over her son, and simply won't leave. It's not that Mike doesn't trust Joyce. It's just that what Mike wants to say is intended solely and exclusively for Will's ears. So Mike decides to refrain from saying anything and to remain silent...

Finally, El rescues Will from Vecna's captivity, his prison, and Will regains consciousness – and puts his decision (see above) into action. By coming out, Will conquers his fears – so that he can confront Vecna and save his friends. In doing so, he breaks down the last wall surrounding him – the fear of not being accepted by others (= society) – and thus frees himself from Vecna's influence, who can no longer use his fears against Will. And as mentioned, the fact that Will now considers Mike to be “his Tammy” stems from Will having erased his feelings for Mike himself – in order to protect Mike at all costs...

But Will does something else during his coming out. Put simply, he bombards Mike's emotional walls – he shoots holes in them – without realizing it. These holes are almost as big as the general plot holes that the Duffles have produced... He answers the two questions that Mike has been asking himself for years.

1. I would ruin everything if I told Will how I feel. Is Will like me? Somehow different? Does he feel the same way I do? Answer: Yes! “I don't like girls. Not like you guys.” And
2. Something about me is broken, damaged—I'm not normal. And because that's the case, I have to hide my true self. Is it possible to be accepted by others, by society – just as I am, just as I feel? Answer: Yes! Will shows Mike here that he is accepted by their friends. Just as he is, for who he is – and that it's good that he is the way he is.

These are groundbreaking revelations for Mike, revelations he never dared to dream of. You can literally see Mike starting to process this information. It completely overwhelms him, his emotions threaten to flood him – which is why he only gets up after Lucas, Dustin, etc. have gotten up to assure Will that they will, of course, fully accept him for who and what he is. Mike is processing far too much new information... It's important to understand that this moment, what Will is showing Mike here, is probably the biggest revelation in Mike's life so far. And it turns everything upside down...

Now we have the following problem... Will explains here that he is over Mike (= “Tammy”) – however people/Mike may have figured out that “Tammy” is supposed to be a synonym for Mike in this context (= what the fuck is a Tammy?!) – but anyway... So Mike also learns that his feelings, what he feels for Will, would have been reciprocated – if he had “just talked to Will” – and now it seems to be too late. Will rejected him without ever talking to him about it (thanks, Duffles, that was helpful. Not. That was the lesson we needed).

All of this hits Mike hard, it's too much. His facial expression shows a lot at this moment: it's realization, bitter realization, loss, grief, regret, pain – so much pain, it's hard to describe and hard for Mike to comprehend.

The Finale – S05E08

We begin with the scene on the radio tower in the Upside Down between Mike and Will. On the one hand, yes, this is definitely textbook queer baiting, there's no question about that. Nevertheless, here's a “different” interpretation.

Mike waits here for Will until he climbs up to him – Mike believes that Will no longer has feelings for him. Apart from that, you can't process all this new information “immediately”; it takes time... especially for Mike. The dialogue between the two is (in parts) parallel to Rovickie from S04E09. Will asks if they can still be friends (= friendzoning Mike again) – Will is afraid that Mike would reject him for being different, for being gay – for once feeling differently about Mike... But of course Mike doesn't do that; after all, he feels the same way. He can't and won't lose Will, under any circumstances. So he assures him that he would never reject him – that they would remain best friends (assuming that Mike no longer has a chance with Will, that it's too late).

The term “best friends” is used by Mike solely in relation to Will, several times – it is a term that literally weakens what Mike actually wants – but he means it “differently.” Mike wanted to tell Will how he really felt – at least in the way that Mike Wheeler can say it. In the brief pause between “No, thanks” and “best friends,” he considered addressing his true feelings for Will. But Will had already rejected him here for the second time. And Mike can't afford to lose Will, he just can't—he never could... so he chooses the “safe” option. Apart from that, we should not forget that only a few hours have passed between Will's coming out (aka Will dumping Mike) and this scene. As I said, that's a lot for Mike Wheeler to process.

The scene here is also significant in another way when viewed in the context of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s (= mere contact with gay boys/men = dirty/sick/deadly). Mike grew up in a conservative household (“Reagan”) and, as a result, with these values (= Mike's problems with himself = forced conformity that Mike fights against). But Mike doesn't give a shit about that, of course he shares his water bottle with Will (parallel to Lumax from S03) – of course he continues to consider him his closest, best friend, the person he trusts most – even if Mike wishes there was more between them...

Let's just skip all this nonsense about the “final battle” with the Mind Flayer (wtf) and Vecna. It was (as someone recently so elegantly put it) nothing more than a “MAGA fever dream” – and I can't say that's not an accurate analogy. Instead of the ultimate evil (metaphorical enforced conformity and its sword (= fear)) being defeated with love, with truth – with everything ST has always stood for – no, it's torched with a bunch of assault rifles and a few flamethrowers. Then we quickly impale this piece of shit (apparently he's not so smart after all and actually a pretty dumb idiot *cough*), and that's the end of that – in less than 10 minutes. So much for that. Oh yeah, we sideline Will (and Mike) again, of course, and... Well, whatever...

El's death and the scene in the void/Mike's thoughts

We are inside Mike's head/his thoughts here – which means that what happens here is the indisputable truth. And what is the truth?

Mike loves El more than anything – no one disputes that – and naturally doesn't want to lose her, as we all don't. He imagines El saying that Mike is the one who has always understood her. Which, canonically speaking, is only partially true (= a lie). Mike also imagines El telling him that she loves him (= possibly a lie – throughout the entire fifth season, it was impossible to tell whether their interactions were romantic or not/whether they are now together or not) – and he doesn't reciprocate. El is about to die, we are inside Mike's head (no one else is there), and even now he is still unable to say the magic three words. Why? Because they would be a lie. Classic Melvin counterargument: he doesn't have to, the other couples don't say it to each other either. I would even accept that – if it weren't for the small detail that Mike and El are the only couple who have a problem with this (= El doesn't feel as loved by Mike as she would like to). In other words, the other couples don't have to either. Mike can't give El what she wants, what she really needs and has always wanted from him. He never could. Instead, he kisses her, because kisses don't lie. And even that seems to take some effort on his part...

His subsequent reaction shows the immense pain he feels because of her death. He blames himself for her death, for not being able to save her—just as he blames himself for pretty much everything that has happened to his friends. For not being able to protect them. With her, he loses his anchor to his “comfort zone,” that “area” that gives him security – that allows him to pretend not to feel the way he really feels.

At this point, I would like to offer another interpretation. This brings us to the “higher perspective” mentioned at the beginning. The Duffles said that El represented the “magic of childhood” (and would therefore die) – so she represents an abstract concept. Seen from a “higher perspective,” a metaphorical level, El is an allegorical figure, an allegorical personification. I really tried to apply this concept to El and all the seasons – and failed miserably. Thankfully, the Duffles confirmed exactly that – that El represents something – only that it is not the “magic of childhood.” El represents something else.

She embodies the feelings Mike Wheeler has for Will Byers. Sometimes she is also a personification of the feelings Will Byers has for Mike Wheeler. She also acts as a mirror for Mike's inner self, representing Mike's inner self (depending on who she interacts with and in what context, etc.). Since Will and Mike are two boys, these are same-sex feelings. So she essentially represents these (homosexual) feelings, this (same-sex) love, and in the broader context of this parable, she is a personification of homosexuality/same-sex love. If you want to learn more about this, check out the other two posts on S01 – S03 and S04 – S05 Vol. 1.

Let's look at the scene (as I said, everything takes place in Mike's head/his thoughts!) from the aforementioned higher perspective, which gives it a different meaning. El (= Mike's inner self) tells him here that Mike has always understood her (= himself). Metaphorically speaking, Mike always knew deep down that he was different, felt differently – felt differently about Will. She (= Mike's inner self) tells him that she loves him – Mike should love himself for who he is and what he is and stop hiding, because that doesn't work, it can't work. In S04E09 (Mike's monologue to El), Mike has accepted himself (seen from a higher perspective) – but has not yet been able to express his feelings outwardly (for fear of the consequences/rejection by third parties/Will).

The scene shows the realization of what has happened. Will explained that he had feelings for Mike and, in the same breath, explained that he was now over him—he rejected Mike (twice...). Will erased his feelings, his love for Mike—and so El (= the love between Mike and Will) “must” die (metaphorically speaking, of course). El commits suicide, she sacrifices herself – just as Will sacrificed his feelings for Mike. That is the parallel that is drawn here. That is the realization that dawns on Mike here, that is what he understands here. He is too late, he could have talked to Will earlier – but he didn't. And now it's too late. This is accompanied by Mike's reaction. It breaks him, just like in S01 when he thought Will had died. It breaks him, just like in S03 when Will moves to California/leaves Mike. It breaks him here – because now, it seems, he has lost Will for real. That is the meaning of this scene.

At this point, I would like to briefly return to Will's rescue from Vecna's mind/prison. It is El who saves him – metaphorically speaking, it is Mike's love for Will that saves Will – how could it be otherwise? *cough*

The Epilogue

Will seems to be doing quite well—he appears to be in good spirits. Will's plan, which he no longer remembers, seems to have worked out; Will did not die in the final battle. And yet, feelings never completely disappear... a lie cannot remain hidden forever.

Unlike some of the other characters, Mike never had the chance to process everything that happened to him. He never had the chance to heal since everything went down the drain ~6 years ago when Will disappeared. Mike is not doing well – obviously not – for obvious reasons. But now, 18 months later, he has had time to think about everything – finally, and he is going to make a decision.

Hopper and Mike's conversation

Mike blames himself for El's death—and doesn't know exactly how to deal with it. Hopper offers him two options.

1)    He blames himself forever for what happened => self-pity/self-hatred (and as a result, he will end up on a cliff)

2)    He accepts El's decision and moves on, accepting his fate

From a higher perspective, however, this is about something else. El represents Mike and Will's love for each other, which has apparently (from Will's side) died out. Should he blame himself forever (he understood too late) and be destroyed by it, or accept that it is what it is – that Will simply stopped loving him – and move on?

Our group's last DnD game

And so we find ourselves back in Mike's head, his thoughts, his imagination.

Mike imagines Will in a different place—far away from Hawkins, far away from all the horror and terror—with a boy who bears a striking resemblance to Mike (= Mike wishes he were this boy at Will's side).

He imagines El's fate as her existing/living alone in a faraway place (= you could say in the middle of nowhere...) – something to do with three waterfalls. Yes... El would certainly have wanted that...

What did El want? El wanted to understand and be understood. She wanted to belong, not to be perceived as an outcast or a freak. She wanted to be accepted for who and what she is, not ostracized, hunted, hurt, abused, mistreated, and killed. She wanted a community, a family that would accept her as she is—to be normal, to be seen as normal. Not as a monster, but as a human being. In a metaphorical sense (El represents same-sex love/otherness/deviation from the “norm”), queer people just want to belong—to be part of the community, of society—just like everyone else. To be equal and recognized—to be seen and treated as equals.

The key point here, however, is that he believes El is not dead. He believes it wasn't real. Seen from a higher perspective, this means that Mike believes Will's love for him has not completely died, has not completely disappeared. That it is still somewhere – and just needs to be found. It is an illusion that El (= Will's feelings for Mike) has disappeared/died – what is an illusion? A lie. Or a curse. He refuses to believe that this is really the case. He believes in it, they all believe in it. And Mike is damn close to the truth. This is probably (in relation to Mike and Will) the most important scene in the epilogue.

When Mike wears blue clothes, his path leads to Will. And vice versa, Will's path leads to Mike when he wears yellow clothes. This continues throughout all seasons – right up to the end. When they wear contrasting clothes, there is conflict (see, for example, S03 Rain Fight or S04, when Mike lands in California/Rinko Mania) – and they drift apart. At the end, Will is no longer wearing yellow in Mike's basement (= his feelings for Mike have apparently died down) – but Mike continues to wear blue (= his feelings for Will are still there – and strong).

Mike's fate

And Mike's fate in Mike's imagination? Mike has to make a decision, the one decision he has been carrying around with him and putting off for so many years. The one thing he has tried to repress, forget, bury for years—nothing has worked. He has to face it.

Max showed Holly three options, three doors – how to deal with being trapped in Henry's mind, stuck in a prison.

- Option/Door 1: Suicide – end it

- Option/Door 2: Accept your fate

- Option/Door 3: Escape/fight against it

Max originally chose Door 3 and tried to escape on her own – and failed. She then chose Door 2 (= Hopper's Option 2). An equally cruel fate. Then Holly came into her life. And Holly chose door 3 and showed Max that it is possible to escape from prison. Max understood that her love for Lucas/his love for her is the key. That brought her back, that freed her from prison.

Mike is also in a prison, the foundations of which were laid by others (= society), but Mike built his prison himself. Forced conformity and its sword, fear, is the worst prison, the most dangerous of all monsters. It has no claws, no teeth, no talons – you can't shoot it, you can't kill it – and it will destroy you. It is the slowest but also the most effective poison that exists to destroy a person; it always achieves its goal. It eats you up from the inside, bit by bit, until there is nothing left. Only emptiness. But there is a cure, everyone has it – you “just” have to use it.

He shows us/the viewers what would happen if he chose option 1 – eternal guilt for what happened, eternal self-hatred – eternal damnation. He would become exactly what he fears most. Conformist, depressed, lonely – living a lie his whole life because he never took the chance to truly be himself. And we all know how it ends – the end will be at a cliff.

What does Mike's basement represent? It was always the room, the place where Mike was happiest. It was the place where he did what he loved doing most. Spending time with his friends, playing DnD, he was happy. It represents childhood, carefreeness – as the Duffles said, a chapter that is now ending. This chapter, being happy, ended far too soon in Mike's life.

On the other hand, Mike's basement also represents a metaphorical refuge for Mike, a place where he finds the security he has always longed for. A place of normality – of conformity. A place, a time when the world was not yet complicated – when his feelings were not yet complicated. Simplicity, security, refuge – for Mike, it is a place he never really left. He never really wanted to leave it; it was his anchor – the thing that kept him from walking out the door. Because “outside,” outside his refuge, outside the familiar rules, the normality Mike knows is a place Mike does not know – it would mean change. It would be something new, something Mike has never explored before – and yes, he doesn't want to leave here. He knows what is here – it is familiar. What is familiar is not dangerous, cannot hurt him. But it is a prison. His prison. It would slowly waste him away, bit by bit he would disappear until there was nothing left.

Looking at his and Will's DnD folder, Mike realizes that option/door 2—accepting what has happened, accepting the seemingly inevitable—is also not an option. It may work for other people, but not for him—not when it comes to Will. It is not a door that will bring peace to his soul—in the end, this door will also lead Mike to ruin. Some losses cannot be weighed up or compensated for; some losses can only be repaired in one way.

Mike realizes that he has to move, that he has to make this decision – even if it's difficult for him. There are opportunities that must be seized. Because if he doesn't... well, Mike shows us/the viewer what would happen if he didn't make the decision or made the wrong one.

Mike will tell stories, he will write—he will do what he has always loved to do. But there is one story he can never tell. A story he cannot tell because he does not want to tell this story, because he wants to live this story and therefore does not need to tell this story. He has to live it. Because otherwise he will not survive.

The final scene

Mike's sister Holly and the children Mike briefly observes represent, metaphorically speaking, the innocence he misses so much at this moment. They represent a time when things were simpler—Mike misses that time, the feeling of warmth and security—when one did not have to struggle. Max told Holly that she is like her brother, like Mike. Stubborn and headstrong, unteachable once she has made up her mind. Holly chose life, chose to fight.

The door to the basement is yellowish, the wall behind the door is blue, and the area around it (the basement) is illuminated in blue. The yellow comes into focus as soon as Mike closes the door. This is no accident, it is intentional – metaphorically speaking, it is the door that shows the way out of his comfort zone, the way out of supposed safety. Out of this area where he has hidden out of fear his whole life. It is the door that leads him out of his prison. He walks through it and closes the door to the room, the area he has always clung to, which gave him security – the pretended normality. He ventures into unknown territory. It is the door to Will (who, incidentally, has just walked through this door).

Mike chooses the third option, the third door. He chooses non-acceptance, he chooses to escape from his prison, he chooses to fight. No, it's not over yet – Mike makes the decision to finally stand up for himself – to finally want to be himself, to stand up for himself and for Will. To allow his feelings and to fight for Will, his great love.

So only one question remains – will it work? Will Mike succeed or fail?

The Narrative

Will lived his whole life a lie, with an indescribable fear of the truth and the consequences it would bring. He finally eradicated this lie as part of his story and with his coming out; his truth, the truth about himself and who he is, defeated the lie he was living. Now he lives another lie, under his own curse, living in an illusion, something that is not real – and he does not know it. He cursed himself, buried his feelings, his love – to protect the boy he has always loved more than anything else. It was an act of true love.

Mike also lived a lie his whole life, denying his true self for years and hiding under the guise of conformity, security, and supposed normality. But he can't keep up this lie forever; he knows what would happen if he did. And now he has decided to face this lie, to face his true self and his feelings. Mike leaves his comfort zone, his refuge, the place that always guaranteed him security—a protection from the change he fears so much. The anchor that once held him here is now gone.

This chapter is over—and is Mike afraid of what might come next? Yes, of course! Does he regret giving up his safe haven—the normality he sought refuge in for years? Of course! But there is no other way...the alternatives are not real alternatives...Mike chooses his own destiny; society will not do it for him. Not anymore. Mike knows what he really wants – and so he leaves this room and moves on to the next chapter of his story, the story he can't tell because he wants to live this story. Because he will live his story.

Will has taken his step, he has defeated his lie – and in doing so, he has shown Mike that it is possible to defeat the greatest lie of all that you can live yourself – as a gay boy. Now it's up to Mike to take action and do the same, to allow his true self to emerge. And Will, to conquer the boy, the thing Mike always wanted most and always tried to protect as best he could. It's time...

How are lies exposed? With the truth. How can a curse be broken in pretty much every story I know? With love, with true love. How is an illusion ended? By removing the cause of the illusion, lifting the fog and bringing the truth hidden behind the curtain to light.

Mike has done it before. At the end of S02, he got through to his best friend, Will Byers, who was possessed by the Mind Flayer, and freed him from his possession. The paralyzing fear of being different (i.e., that Will had feelings for Mike, felt differently about Mike than he should, than he was allowed to) was so overwhelming that Will gradually became unable to think about anything else—until he could no longer act independently as an individual and was completely controlled by his fear—until it was too late. Will's obsession was not just like a curse, it was a curse from which he could not free himself.

Mike opened up about his feelings for Will—even though he couldn't classify or name them at the time—he expressed what he felt and how important Will was to him, that he didn't want to lose him, couldn't lose him. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me” – Mike reaches through to Will, the real Will, who was still trapped in this possessed shell. He reached him and enabled Will to communicate with Mike, Joyce, and Jonathan. And he did it only through Will's hand – the hand that his best friend (and great love) Mike Wheeler had previously touched lovingly and tenderly. Without Mike, Will couldn't have done it; without Mike, Will couldn't have been saved. Mike defeats Will's fear, which Will is obsessed with, which paralyzes him – with his feelings, his love for him.

If Mike could do it once, he can do it again. Mike will break the curse that Will is now under. He will break it by finally accepting who and what he is, what he really feels, and by expressing this outwardly and standing by it. He will break it by admitting his feelings for Will, standing by them, and revealing the truth to Will. The truth, his truth, will defeat the lie that Will lives. The love, the love that Mike Wheeler feels for Will Byers, true love will break the curse with which Will once cursed himself to protect and save Mike.

And Will will remember, he will remember that he did what he did. That he once erased his feelings, his love for Mike. He will remember why he did it—to protect Mike at all costs, to save Mike's life—because he loves him more than anything else in the world.

The spark of his feelings, his love for Mike, is rekindled; it was never gone—just out of reach for Will. But Mike reaches it, finds the spark, and reignites it. Mike finds the truth buried deep within Will and brings it to the surface—just as he did so many years ago, saving Will from certain death. And the illusion collapses. And the spark will become a flame, a flame that will shine brighter than ever before. The blue flame and the yellow flame will unite and become a green flame – a flame that will be greater than the individual flames could ever have been (a little cheesy, I know...).

The core narrative of ST will be fulfilled. Apart from that, the promise that Mike and Will made to each other back in S02 must be kept – if they both go crazy (= gay), then they will be crazy together. Promises are not broken; the promise will be kept.

The love between Mike and Will, their true inner selves, lived in the subtext from the beginning – until the end, until literally the last shot. The obvious/story level can lie, characters can lie, plot can lie – the subtext does not lie. Would I have liked “a little more”? Sure, it's really annoying that it never made it out of the subtext (thanks, Duffles, really helpful). But it doesn't change the fact that Byler is the goddamn end game.

Finally, just this:

Most people will probably think that the Duffles' statement about “we have to be realistic here” (regarding Mike/Will/El aka queer love – of course *cough*) refers to Will – that it's realistic that (his) feelings are not reciprocated. I disagree; in my opinion, this statement refers to Mike Wheeler. Why? Will makes this decision and declares Mike to be “his Tammy” – none of the other characters know why, Mike doesn't know why, the viewer doesn't know why – only Will knows. Will makes this decision and thus decides for Mike at the same time. By never talking to Mike about it, he takes away Mike's choice, he takes away his ability to decide. Will presents Mike with a fait accompli, Mike was denied the choice, Mike is too late.

With that in mind, make the decision to stand by yourself and reveal the truth to your Will Byers in time. Don't wait too long out of fear, because if you don't, this decision will ultimately be made for you. And then it may be too late to reverse it. No, there's no guarantee that everything will turn out well. But not trying, not making this decision will definitely go wrong. Destiny is relentless and absolutely merciless—so don't let destiny decide for you, it will screw you over—choose your own destiny.

Crazy together.

In the following, I would like to examine the significance of Stranger Things and the message it seeks to convey. This is based on this blog entry, which is more than 70 pages long (converted to a PDF document). I would like to summarize the core statements of the blog post, further develop the ideas described here, and apply them to each season of Stranger Things. I will also pick out and interpret a few significant scenes from Stranger Things. For the most part, we will look at the events in Stranger Things from a higher perspective (= what is the message?), rather than focusing on the obvious/story level. In other words, we will look behind the curtain that is behind the curtain. Stranger Things also embodies a political message and, in some cases, addresses it quite specifically (with regard to the 1980s (“Reagan”; “conservative revolution” in the US, etc.), but I will largely leave this aspect out. Let's take a look...

In very simple terms, Stranger Things is about otherness (deviating from social norms) and, in particular, homosexuality, how society deals with it, and the problems that come with it (especially for gay children/teenagers) – portrayed through the fictional characters Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, and El/Jane Ives. Mike and Will go their separate ways, drift apart for a while, but ultimately come together (again).

„It's forced conformity. That's what's killing the kids! That's the real monster.” – Eddie Munson

This post is about seasons 4 and 5 Vol. 1. I recommend reading the post about seasons 1 – 3 first, as everything builds on each other. Here is the continuation with season 5 Vol. 2 & the finale.

I originally posted this in November 2025—but that doesn't change the core of the interpretation itself—as we'll see.

So, let's start with season 4.

Season 4

And that's where we start in S04. Here's a brief summary of where we are at the beginning of S04.

Mike is in Hawkins and he's not doing well. He has been separated from Will for some time and is suppressing his feelings. It hurts him immensely. Here and there, however, his suppressed feelings come through, or he seeks contact with his feelings (= his letters to and from El). However, these are all signed only “from Mike.” Meaning: Mike is now much more cautious in his attempts to understand his feelings. Almost timid—and he doesn't really want to explore his feelings either; he's too hurt for that. In S03, he was too hasty/rushed things – but that didn't work and ended up breaking him. He doesn't allow himself to feel his emotions – for fear of being hurt again – but metaphorically speaking, his emotions are reaching out to him. The feelings are still there.

El (i.e., his feelings or same-sex love in general) is also not doing well. She is being bullied (again, metaphorically representing society's (Angela's) treatment of same-sex love). However, she (i.e., Mike's feelings) pretends to him that everything is fine—even though nothing is fine. It is not good for El (= Mike's feelings) that Mike consistently suppresses them (i.e., Mike = Angela (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Will is also not doing well; he suffers from being separated from Mike and, of course, he continues to struggle with himself. Outwardly, he doesn't show this, or only a little – it is much more evident in El (= Will's love for Mike) and her behavior towards Mike (= the letters suggesting that everything is fine). We remember that El (= a personification) can take on different roles depending on the context. He pretends that something is not the case. In reality, Will is not doing well at all.

After Mike lands in California and sees Will again for the first time, he suppresses his feelings even more (the hug at the airport *cough*) – but he doesn't really cope with it very well. It immediately becomes clear that something has changed between Mike and Will – their relationship is damaged, they both feel hurt.

The drama then continues in Rinkomania. El is a metaphor for Mike and Will's relationship, but mostly for Mike's feelings for Will. Over time, they have both built a house of cards. Mike lies to himself about his feelings, Will is aware of his feelings for Mike but still can't accept them and pretends that everything is fine. At the beginning, they still pretend that everything is fine, but after a short time, cracks begin to appear. Will asks El (while Mike is briefly away) why she would lie. Metaphorically speaking, he is basically asking Mike's inner self why he is behaving this way, why something is wrong, why he (= Mike) is hurting Will so much. “Mike wouldn't like that” – yes, that's right, Mike wouldn't like that. And El (i.e., Mike's inner self) replies, “I'm not lying” – which is an obvious lie and reflects Mike's suppressed feelings and his way of dealing with them by lying to himself.

The whole drama continues until everything goes wrong. Mike and Will don't talk to each other, don't try to find out what's really going on. They don't understand each other. And it hurts Mike – this is metaphorically represented by Angela's bullying of El (= Mike's inner self). And El (= Mike's feelings for Will) then metaphorically withdraws from Mike (= El sees Mike rushing towards him but runs away from him). Mike even tells Will this verbatim afterwards (“you ruined the whole day”) – so it's Will's fault = Mike feels hurt by Will. Will then tells Mike that El (= Mike's inner self) is lying to him, metaphorically telling Mike that he is lying to himself. This hits Mike hard; deep down, he knows that Will is right – but of course he doesn't admit it. And this moment, “And us?” "We're friends. We're friends,“ followed by ”we're used to be best friends," painfully reminds Mike that his feelings are very much there. And in that moment, something breaks inside Mike. It hits Mike hard, it hurts him immensely that Will feels hurt by him. El is now in the staff room, crying and completely devastated (= Mike's suppressed feelings for Will are literally crying, they have been seriously damaged here). This is the moment when something broke between Mike and Will. However, Mike continues to suppress his feelings.

But Mike's feelings don't give in. That El injures Angela with the skate shoe is, metaphorically speaking, a cry for help, a kind of impulsive outburst of his suppressed feelings toward Will. It is an emotional act, something Mike cannot control. The rest of the plot shows once again how hurt they are by each other—that something between them has broken.

Later, El (= Mike's feelings for Will) retreats to her room (= Mike continues to suppress his feelings). The conversation between Mike and her basically confirms this again. El says that Mike is afraid of her (because of her attack on Angela = the impulsive outburst of Mike's feelings) – and Mike replies that he didn't know how to react – and that's true. “But you don't love me anymore?” – Meaning: His feelings tell him that he does like his feelings for Will, or at least used to like them, that he once loved them. What happened to that? Why are you (Mike) suppressing me (your feelings)? Will is right here... Mike, for his part, gives an evasive answer, another lie that Mike tells himself (= this is the peak of his suppression of his feelings for Will).

When El is picked up by the police a little later, this is, on the one hand, a metaphor for how society (= the police) treats same-sex love (= El) when it defends itself against oppression even once (= attack on Angela (= society)) – for this, El, i.e., same-sex love, is to be locked up.

On the other hand, the whole thing also metaphorically represents Mike's feelings, which he now suppresses even more or tries to suppress (= El/his feelings for Will are to be locked up, Mike tries to bury them even deeper within himself).

But then something “interesting” happens—more or less at the same moment Mike tries to bury his feelings even deeper, he realizes that this is a mistake. The more he tries to suppress his feelings, the more it hurts and wounds him. And it frightens him that his feelings could/would “disappear”—after all, they are/were once beautiful. Mike realizes that he cannot continue like this. He also suffers from the fact that Will is not doing well – that he has hurt Will again, even though that is the last thing Mike wants. He realizes that he is about to lose Will. He understands that he can only repair his relationship with Will if he finally deals with his feelings. So he decides to search for his feelings – to deal with them, but this time properly. This is expressed metaphorically by the fact that Mike immediately (after El is picked up by the police = Mike buries/suppresses his feelings even deeper) more or less immediately moves heaven and earth to find El (= his feelings) again.

During the police interrogation, El says something interesting. When asked whether she wanted to kill Angela or not, she says she doesn't know. Translation: Mike's feelings for Will have become so strong that, metaphorically speaking, they would kill (= the emotional outburst/attack on Angela) in order to finally break free and escape Mike's oppression. It also gradually becomes clear that the more Mike suppresses his feelings, the worse El feels. Metaphorically speaking, they (= Mike's feelings) are disappointed and hurt by Mike and are losing hope.

But El never arrives at the prison (the place where Mike wanted to banish his feelings), as Dr. Owens and his people intercept the transport vehicle. Owens makes El an offer, giving her the opportunity to be “fixed,” to be healed. He offers her the chance to restore her powers—and even to strengthen them. Mike's queerness/his feelings for Will have been damaged ever since El lost her powers, i.e., what makes same-sex love unique and powerful. The end of season 3 broke Mike.

She asks him something interesting here: “What if I am the monster?” (= what if same-sex love is the monstrous, truly terrible thing in this world) – and Dr. Owens replies, “I'll bet the fate of this world on you being one of the good guys” (= same-sex love is good, it's wonderful, and it can (and will!) save the world). It is literally Dr. Owens who gives hope to El (= Mike's feelings for Will/his homosexuality) and firmly believes that this is a good thing. Owens could represent the more liberal part of society here, the rational part – the part that disagreed with the “conservative revolution” (Reagan) and resisted it. Which was immediately suppressed and intimidated (= the military “paying a visit” to his house).

Metaphorically speaking, this is the moment when Mike begins to accept himself, his homosexuality, and his feelings for Will (= El/his feelings give rise to hope). The process of repairing himself and his relationship with Will has begun—even if it will be a rocky road.

And we can see this process at work throughout the rest of S04. The more El regains her powers, the more she “repairs” herself, confronts her past (= repressed memories and feelings that come to the surface = metaphorically Mike's suppressed feelings) and gradually becomes whole again, the better Mike and Will get along. El learns that she is not the monster (= same-sex love is not monstrous = Mike learns that his feelings are not monstrous). Mike gradually gains more clarity about his feelings. Mike and Will begin to move toward each other again, to talk to each other, to really talk—and realize that what was broken between them in the beginning can be repaired. And that's what they do over the course of the rest of the season: they repair their relationship with each other.

Overall, the van scene in S04 takes on a different meaning. “Superman landed on my doorstep” – Mike idolizes El – and thus his homosexuality and his love for Will. It was a coincidence that he discovered his feelings in the woods on a stormy night – but he is so happy about what he found back then (= his feelings for Will). But he is also afraid of losing this feeling. It would be the worst thing for him. Along with this, Mike says that he is not worthy of El (i.e., his homosexuality/his feelings for Will), he doesn't feel good enough – for Will.

And what does Will say to Mike in this scene?

He tells Mike that El made him paint this picture, that it was “practically her idea.” On the surface, this is a lie. (El doesn't even know who Will painted this picture for. We learn this right at the beginning of the season.) But in the subtext, it's exactly right: in a way, El commissioned Will to paint this picture. El is the personification of same-sex love. Here, it is claimed that it was same-sex love that made him paint the picture. In other words, his feelings for Mike prompted him to paint this painting with Mike as the heart.

This is a scene in which El is clearly a personification of Will's feelings for Mike.

Will says that El told him what to draw. His feelings for Mike told Will what to draw... that's the meaning.

Will goes on to say that without a heart, everyone would fall apart—even El, especially El. Yes, with El (homosexuality/same-sex love), it's all about the heart. And that heart is Mike. Without Mike, Will says here, his homosexuality wouldn't really mean anything to him. Everything would “fall apart.” Mike is the one Will needs to keep his composure. And that's exactly why Will calls El “different from others.” That's why Will projects all his feelings onto El. That's why he talks about her as if she were himself. El is a personification. She represents something.

Then comes the end of S04E08, El (i.e., Mike's homosexuality/his feelings for Will) has finally regained her powers, is repaired/healed—stronger than before. And she escapes the facility, overcoming every obstacle (military = society = oppression of same-sex love) – and with the death of Dr. Brenner (= symbolically, what has always held her back), she is finally free. She (= Mike's feelings) comes to the surface (literally...), so Mike finally finds her, his true inner self. But one thing is still missing... Mike now has to accept this and accept himself.

And that brings us to Mike's monologue in S04E09.

On the surface, Mike is telling his girlfriend El that he loves her. However, he is (partly) lying in his monologue – which is why the end result is not so great (Max dies (temporarily), the four gates are opened and Hawkins is destroyed, oh yes, Eddie dies too) – a complete defeat across the board.

Now let's look at Mike's monologue, the scene, from a higher perspective, which gives Mike's monologue to El a different or deeper meaning. Because nothing he says is a lie.

Mike literally tells her: "Honestly, El, I don't know how to live without you. I feel like my life began the day we found you in the woods. You were wearing that yellow Benny's Burgers T-shirt, and it was so big it almost swallowed you whole. And I knew at that moment that I loved you. And I've loved you every day since."

She represents homosexuality/same-sex love. She represents Mike and Will's feelings for each other. Mike feels that his life only began when he “found” El, i.e., when he discovered his love for Will. He stumbled upon El, i.e., this love, by chance. He didn't plan to discover El (or his love for Will). It just happened. And El (or this love) was still very small back then. But now, in the fourth season, El (or this love) has grown up. Mike's love for Will grew and grew and grew... It has grown so incredibly over the years.

It is Will, of all people, who urges Mike to confess his (supposed) feelings for El! Will is the catalyst. Because actually, this isn't about Mike expressing his feelings for this girl; in the subtext, Mike is talking about his feelings for Will. El is a personification. She (meaning her love) is trapped in the shadow world, i.e., in the closet, literally tied to something, trapped, locked up, and yet she is fighting to break out, to be freed (= to be accepted by Mike).

What helps El (meaning: her love) to free herself (= to be accepted by Mike)? It's Mike's confession!

And we learn all this in this key scene: Mike remembers how El first entered his life. He talks in particular about their first encounter in the forest. Because that's what this story is all about: how Mike discovered his feelings for Will. By chance. Accidentally, so to speak. Completely unexpectedly. Nothing he had planned.

Mike says here that he is no longer afraid of El. Yes, he has really grown! Mike says he is no longer afraid of homosexuality/same-sex love—his feelings for a boy (Will).

He says, “You can do anything. You can fly. You can move mountains. I believe that. Really!” It's so obvious once you know it. How do you usually say “move mountains”? Love! Exactly that. “Love can move mountains” is a common saying in the English language.

Mike goes on to say, “I can't lose you” and “The truth is, El, I don't know how to live without you.” Mike doesn't know how to live without this love.

He said, “I feel like my life began the day we found you in the woods.” So Mike means that his life began when he discovered these feelings for Will.

Mike ends his confession of love with the exclamation “Fight! Fight!” to El. This love must fight. It must fight, fight, fight. And it works; she can free herself from the chains/vines and defeat Vecna here.

With his monologue in S04E09 to El (= his homosexuality/his feelings for Will), he finally accepts exactly that. Himself. His homosexuality. His feelings for Will. It is Mike's moment of self-acceptance.

El (i.e., same-sex love) is then even able to bring Max back from the realm of death. In S01, she was able to save Mike (a gay boy) from death—in S04, she can undo death. Dr. Owens was right: El (same-sex love) has become stronger and more powerful than ever before.

Season 5 - Vol. 1

Now let's take a quick look at S05 – Vol. 1. Put simply, the fact that Mike is now acting like he did in S01/S02, behaving as he did back then, is directly related to the events of S04 and S04E09. Mike has finally accepted himself and is no longer preoccupied with himself (= his character change in S03 and S04). He is now finally himself (again) and acts like himself; he has made peace with himself. Oh yes, Mike uses the word “crazy” quite often in S05 Vol. 1, doesn't he? “The plan is a little bit crazy” and so on—the choice of words is no coincidence. We remember the “crazy together” scene from S02 (crazy = gay)—Mike has now accepted that he is crazy (= gay). His part of the conversation between him and Will back then has now come true.

Will, on the other hand, isn't quite there yet, but S05 – Vol. 1 shows this development, his development, which comes to a conclusion in S05E04. This is Will's moment of self-acceptance; he finally accepts his homosexuality and his feelings for Mike, and this makes him stronger. Nevertheless, he and Mike still haven't quite made it...

Both still believe that their feelings are not reciprocated by the other – the final building block, so to speak. But here, too, there is already small progress on both sides.

The fact that Will asks Robin how she knew that Vickie would want to date her implies that he picked up on signals from Mike (as we know) – otherwise he wouldn't have asked. In other words, Mike doesn't consciously want to approach Will (because Will would reject him, in his opinion) – hence his reaction before they go into the tunnels – Mike is unaware of Will's feelings for him; but he does it anyway (Will picks up signals from him that he probably didn't pick up before). Mike can't help but move towards Will... even if he consciously tries to avoid it.

Will, on the other hand, now also tentatively moves toward Mike (after Robin has explained a few things to him).

Mike and El’s conversation on the roof of WSQK can be interpreted in two parts. The part concerning Dustin’s condition (the first part) is a conversation with El as a concrete character. The second part (what comes next?) is (metaphorically speaking) a conversation between Mike and “his inner self.” Mike says that after an adventure, the group doesn’t return to the village (= they (= he) must continue to grow; they (= he) can’t stay where they (= he) were), Mike goes on to say that there is hope that they could have a future together (= Mike believes there might be a chance for peace in his soul = that it might be possible for Mike to live at peace with himself—as mentioned, Mike has accepted himself). His next target is Will; metaphorically speaking, he believes there might be a chance that Will could reciprocate his feelings—but he immediately adds a caveat. “If Vecna doesn’t happen”—this is foreshadowing, as we’ll see later—so Mike isn’t sure if it will work. And Vecna (= fear = the sword of forced conformity) happens…

At this point, I would like to address the scene between Mike and Will before they go into the tunnels to rescue the children. What does Mike say here? “We need some magic here” – what is magic? Powers. What are powers/magic associated with? El (Mike mentions her by name). What does El stand for? Same-sex love. Mike goes on to say that Will is like a sorcerer, his powers are innate (!) – what is innate? Sexual orientation/homosexuality. So Mike is basically saying, “We (I) need some magic (gayness) here” – I need you to be gay. That's what Mike is saying metaphorically here. And we know what happens later in the finale of S05E04... Mike (together with Robin) basically helped Will to finally accept himself. Much like Will helped Mike in S04.

Apart from that, the promise Mike and Will made to each other in S02 (“they go crazy together”) must be kept. Now they are both crazy (= gay/in love) and know it and have accepted it. We remember that promises are not broken—that is one of the group's core rules.

Technically speaking, after S05E04, there’s a “stalemate”—metaphorically speaking. Both Mike and Will have come to accept themselves by now. The conditions are (or were...) perfect...

Then something happened...

Finally, just one more thing:

Finn's statement (at the time), “El is part of Mike, and Mike is part of El,” makes perfect sense when viewed from this “higher perspective.” I mean, he was probably instructed to say those words. And they hit the nail on the head.

Season 5 Vol. 2 & The finale

Continue here

A tragedy — “of biblical proportions” — and a video that captures that.

But even destiny can be defeated...

by lumerine

It's actually kind of funny... — when you think about it.

by maxncasie

I wanted to share an AU story that I read recently and really enjoyed. Maybe someone else will like it, too.

The story is entirely AU — no Stranger Things — and have a happy ending.

I tried to find some fan art that was somewhat suitable, well.

1. by Irinatatarniko2
2. by arctiinii
3. by arctiinii

i'll love you (even at the end of the world)

by ziahra (2025)

The story begins around 1988, is entirely AU (zombie apocalypse/no ST/no supernatural events), and tells the story of Mike and ... who has been traveling across the United States for three years, trying to survive — after the world ended around 1985 and he lost almost everything. The story comprises 3 chapters and ~101,000 words and is told from Mike’s perspective.

Eventually, he returns to Hawkins, the ground zero of the zombie apocalypse, and finds some survivors, including a few of his friends who are still alive. Maybe Mike is a little inspired by Michonne from TWD... (if you’re familiar with it).

Technically speaking, the events of ST did not take place. The period between 1983 and 1985 (the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse) is not explored in detail and unfolded differently than depicted in ST.

The story explores moral dilemmas and decisions, the topic of suicide, loss and grief, as well as acceptance and rejection in a post-apocalyptic world — much like TWD does. This is particularly evident, of course, with Mike (but also with the other characters and Will), the story delves deeply into these themes. Mike faces various internal conflicts (in addition to his overwhelming trauma, of course), which are consistently addressed and developed throughout the story.

The love that our two idiots feel for each other is, of course, a central part of the plot — and, in my opinion, described in a cruel but also beautiful way and leads to the story’s happy ending — even if *that* (or rather why) isn’t “directly explained” by the story itself. I think that was the author’s intention, and I have a theory/interpretation — as to why the ending turns out the way it does. If that’s the case, the metaphorical meaning behind this (as also the closure of everything as such) is, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful, refers to ST — as it should have happened *cough*.

Since this reveals key plot elements, I’m putting it in spoiler tags.

>!El (who is completely immune to the virus) — or rather, her blood — is necessary for the cure to work and for the disease to be defeated (albeit temporarily). The injection that Mike, Robin, and El find in Hopper’s cabin has a fracture/crack (which Mike assumes is only “on the inside”). During his conversation with Max — and the accompanying acceptance of respecting Will’s decision and ultimately having to kill him, that he have to let him go — Mike sheds a tear onto the injection. In my opinion, this tear represents both his final acceptance (in a sense) of his decision to no longer run away from what he once did and why, as well as the love Mike feels for Will — and it mixes with the cure.!<

>!El (her blood) causes the healing (= from the curse); Mike’s tear (= his love, that he stops running away, his acceptance of Wills decision/of what he feels) makes the healing last, making it eternal. (Eternal) love defeats the disease that cannot be defeated. Mike defeats the curse that had been weighing on Will (= a reference to Season 2 and his obsession with the Mind Flayer — here, too, Mike broke through the obsession by expressing what he was feeling) — and thus gives Will a second chance.!<

-----

Mike,” Will had said to him, voice calm despite how hard it was for him to even make a sound. He didn’t try to sit up, but Mike wasn’t sure he could, even if he wanted to. “I need you to kill me.”

Mike shook his head, holding Will closer to his chest.

“Mike, please.” Will pleaded, closing his eyes against the light, or perhaps it was too much effort to keep them open. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” Mike whispered, surprised at how vulnerable he sounded, at the shake and utter defeat in his voice. “You won’t kill me, Will. Because we’re the same. We can’t hurt each other, even at the end of the world.”

;

It's been three years since the start of the zombie apocalypse and Mike is finally returning home. He discovers that not only is he not the sole survivor of Hawkins, but that his friends and sister are alive, too. As he begins to reconnect with them, the tension between them begins to increase, and Mike doesn't know how long he can stay with them.

Because while some of the group are more than happy to have him around, others don't like the company he keeps...

Credits to taylorr.dooley