I Have To Admit, I Chuckled At This Reddit Comment:

i have to admit, i chuckled at this reddit comment:

Rink O Mania (and the airport scene) from Mikes perspective

We all know how wills hug got rejected and that he had to third wheel mike and El all day and how miserable it was for him and how he felt like mike wasn’t interested in anything he had to say and just ignored him all day and how mike only called him “maybe a couple times” and how his undying love for mike is unrequited and mikes an asshole that treated will like shit because the duffers just decided to stop writing his character all together for absolutely no reason so now he’s just El’s boyfriend and—

Why doesn’t the vast majority of the ga ever question mikes behavior? I rarely see normal people (non-bylers) consider why he’s been acting different, or that there’s a reason for anything he does. they just take him at face value and write his entire character off as useless, annoying, and torturing our baby will because there’s absolutely no way he’s anything but straight and no way will could ever do anything wrong. everyone I know irl has said that they hope mike dies in s5, which just goes to show how misunderstood his character is, because in reality he is very important to the story! and he’s also just very complex and well written imo

(I know people are supposed to be oblivious to mikes motives so that his arc makes a big impact, i’ve just noticed that most people simply accept his behavior without looking into it at all and then want him to die lmao like no wonder)

There is a reason. A very good reason.

To start us off here’s a list of things we’ve gathered from the show that most of the ga isn’t aware of or didn’t pick up on that are important in putting together mikes pov of these scenes (this is solely based on the limited information we’ve been given—other than mike being gay, that’s based on subtext—even us bylers haven’t uncovered the full mystery that is michael wheeler)

Mike is gay and is in love with will, possibly having fully realized this the last time he saw him before they moved -> mike is aware of his feelings toward will

(Im unsure if Lucas On The Line is canon material but Im adding this anyway because they hint toward it in the show) Mike started spending all his time in his basement playing on his new NES after will moved, depressed, and rarely going outside or seeing his friends -> will moving had a major negative affect on him

Mike and El communicate through letters and (possibly) cerebro exclusively -> mike does not call El and vice versa

Joyce has a new telemarketer job and mike won’t stop whining about it because she’s always on the phone -> mike tries to call will so much that he’s constantly complaining about not getting through

Mike knows will made a painting for someone he likes, which might be a girl according to El’s letter -> mike is aware of the painting and is under the impression that will is straight

now without further ado,

Mike meets the Byers at the airport. He and El hug and kiss, but he keeps the flowers he picked her—ones he couldn’t keep his mind off of will while picking—between them to create some distance right off the bat. He’s putting on a show. Not a very good one though, because the moment he sees will he remembers all the times he waited by the phone for him to pick up his calls, and then all the times will didn’t. Will didn’t reach out. He must’ve made some new friends—joined another party—and didn’t have time for mike anymore, not enough to call, anyway. Mike doesn’t notice the huge smile on will’s face, or maybe he does, but either way he doesn’t know how to act. Maybe it was that Mike couldn’t handle wills physical touch like he used to, or maybe he didn’t want to blow his cover when will obviously didn’t feel the same way, so he opts for a side hug and a shoulder pat rather than throwing himself into wills arms like his heart was telling him to. This is his favorite person, and yet he has no clue where they stand. As mikes eyes journey across will, seeing how much he’s changed in what’s felt like a year, he registers the rolled up painting in his hands immediately. He can’t help it, his jealously is too strong to hide, he has to know what he already does.

“uh, what’s that?”

Will shuts his question down with an “oh it’s nothing, it’s just this painting i’ve been working on.” Cold. It’s not for mike. obviously it’s not for mike. STUPID. Why did he even bring it?? to rub it in his face??

“cool.”

Two can play at that game. Mike wraps his arm around El’s shoulder like he used to do with will, and they make their way through the airport. El’s talking about burritos—or something, he doesn’t really know because will is stuck in his head like a catchy, overplayed song that you secretly like—and oh shit he caught mike looking. Mike does his best to come up with acceptable responses to what El’s telling him, but his focus is elsewhere. Then will speaks, and it’s the clearest voice he’s heard since he got there.

“Angela?” will blurts, panicked all of a sudden in response to El’s mention of her friends. Mike does a double take. Angela. A name to the mysterious cali girl from El’s letter, a name to the paintings recipient, a name to whatever was causing will to have been “acting weird” in Lenora. could this be any more heart wrenching? In an act of spite, mike kisses El on the head and hugs her closer, but he doesn’t know if will noticed. probably not, why would he?

At Rink O Mania Mike has his eyes glued to will. Even when he’s not looking at him, he notices his every move. And what does he see? He sees will rolling his eyes, moping, and is painfully aware of his silence—he’s quiet today. Maybe he’d rather be spending it with Angela. Did he really not miss him at all? Meanwhile mike spent their time apart sulking in his basement playing Nintendo since the second will left. Why’s he being such a douche?? They sit down to put on their roller skates when El tells mike he needs socks, which only reminds them all of his ridiculous facade. Then out of nowhere will brushes his leg to get his attention, the jolt of electricity causing mike to whip his head around at the speed of light.

“they sell them at the counter.” will says, pointing past mike.

“oh, okay,” he responds, heart probably racing. Wills talking to him again! are they cool? back to how they were? Mike makes his way back to will and El, practically throwing himself in wills direction before sitting down (I don’t know why he did this, maybe it was just really crowded so he had to go fast as to not get stuck in the crowd of people? whatever the reason, it’s hilarious and I laugh every time I see him almost crash into will).

“So, I asked for vomit green and I got vomit green. Isn’t that awesome?” mike says as he shoots a quick glance toward El, only to then beam at will. He’s testing the waters, looking for something, anything to tell him he was wrong feeling like will was pulling away from him. But will doesn’t respond, he doesn’t even fake a smile like mike does soon after.

The three of them huddle into a booth after skating, mike and El on one side and will on the opposite. Like this, mike can peak at will through his hair easily from across the table. He’s still barely talking, though. Suddenly a group of other teens skate up to their booth and El introduces mike to the blonde girl, seemingly leading the bunch, as Angela.

Mike goes through the pleasantries with them, while still noticing any slight changes in will’s demeanor. He watches will stare at Angela, surprised and nervous, practically jumping out of his seat. So this really is the girl he likes. El’s friends whisk her away to go skate with them, nothing weird about that. As they leave, will gets up out of the booth and gapes at them, probably upset that he missed his chance at giving Angela the painting he made her. Mike sips his milkshake in a jealous chafe, left alone at the table to his own gay devices until—

Will let’s out an apprehensive “oh no,” and mike is instantly by his side at that, despite the distance between them physically and emotionally.

“what?” mikes asks him, interested in anything will has to say. Then the truth comes out. Will goes on to explain to him that El’s been having trouble with bullies in Lenora, and that Angela isn’t actually her friend, but rather, her oppressor. Mike’s attention finally transfers over to El, but not for long, and not before glancing at will’s lips now that the two of them are face to face.

Im gonna end it here because the actual fight scene is kinda overwhelming and I really don’t know what mikes thinking other than realizing what’s been actually going on and that he’s been lied to so it’s hard to write out. but yeah this is how I see these parts of the episode now since I feel like I have a grasp on both will and mike’s perspectives. obviously I could be completely wrong I didn’t write the show but it’s pretty clear to me how much attention mike is paying to will once you look for it!!

kinda off topic but l noticed while watching this episode that blue and yellow lights (mike and will) follow mikes head around during the fight, like he’s got them on his mind, which we already know lol but I thought it was interesting. take a look:

Right when they start looking for El

Here as they’re walking, all of those games are blue and yellow and so is the lighting above them

Here for obvious reasons. notice how will only has blue behind his head, yellow is in between them, but both colors behind mike’s (also peep the exit sign 👀)

And here. the ‘what about us’ moment. these are from every shot of mike! the colors do not leave his head the whole scene!

anyway thx for reading sorry for the bad quality screenshots lol

i am a huge fan of the way that, once he learns that will is missing, mike only takes a break from his busy schedule of frowning once in order to smile his biggest smile when he purposely ruins dinner by revealing his sister's boyfriend. she stormed off and called him a douchebag and for a brief moment light returned to his eyes

The fact that when Mike was looking for a sub for Hellfire, he was looking for someone that…

He knows,

Who likes physical contact,

Who he has chemistry with,

Who is an artist,

And who likes playing games.

Mike was trying to find Will.

Will is everything Mike wants.

im finally finishing up earthbound and yeah