Mike Wheeler Is Not Straight - Tumblr Posts

Ok so you know how S3/4 is like the worst? So I have some stuff that might make him seem less like the worst. Most of this is from someone who does byler analyses (causeineedu on tiktok) but I’ve interpreted a bit of it myself.

So basically instead of bi Mike, it’s gay Mike with so much internalized homophobia and comphet.

He loves El, but platonically. And what everyone (including himself for a while) thought was romantic attraction, was actually idolization. Mike constantly referred to El as a “superhero” in s4. Most of the time referring to her powers. He’s just a nerd who thinks El is a real life Superman. Obviously he still sees her as a person, but he doesn’t love her. He uses her to convince himself and others that he’s straight.

Obviously it’s not cool to ignore your friends and only focus on your girlfriend, but he was probably only doing it because it’s his first relationship and he’s like “this is how relationships work right?” He also wants to seem as straight as possible because during s3&4 Mike knows he isn’t straight. He hates it, and he’s trying to stop it, but he knows it.

Another thing people hate about season 4 Mike Wheeler is the painting scene in the van. Mostly the fact that he seemed oblivious to Will crying. But I don’t think he was. Mike read El’s letter in the beginning of the season. El didn’t know what Will was painting, so how could she have commissioned it? Mike knew Will was using El’s name as a mask. He knew Will had feelings he couldn’t share at that moment. Mike knew Will wasn’t ready and respected that. (Also they were in the car with two other people so it wasn’t exactly the place for a full on heart to heart.) And when Will started crying, Mike knew he was crying. He also knew Will was trying to hide the fact that he was crying and probably just wanted to be left alone. Mike probably still doesn’t completely realize Will is in love him but he’s getting there.

Also not to mention Will basically peer pressured him in to telling El he loved her. (They peer pressure each other into being straight it’s so funny.) Mikes entire monologue was just a mix of Will’s words and contradicting what he said earlier in the van. Will basically prompted him to say his love monologue. Mike also mostly did it to trying and save El. It didn’t help. The vines got tighter. The only thing that helped her was her memories with Max. Max is her best friend and was the one who helped her realize her life does revolve around Mike and she is her own person. (Her feelings about Max being romantic could be possible but that’s a talk for another day.) Mike’s monologue didn’t help El except for maybe made her realize that Mike was lying through his teeth to save her and doesn’t actually love her romantically.

I’m conclusion: Mike Wheeler is not an asshole, he just has a lot of internalized homophobia and makes some really stupid decisions because of it.

Thank you for coming to my Gay Ted Talk

This might just be the best thing I've ever seen

this song has been playing in my head non-stop with mike wheeler running around it

song: has anybody seen my will to live by The Tin Knees

Idk why I'm praying that my favourite character will die, this post reminded me of that fact

heroes plays when byler kisses and when it’s cold i’d like to die plays when mike dies

When are the Melvins going to realise that it isn't bad acting, they're just reading the characters wrong AND are denying any possibility that that's the case.

which was more culturally significant:

the renaissance or… THIS photo:

i can romanticize life as much as i want, but the truth is that I’ll never be will byers and mike wheeler on halloween of ‘84