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in today’s episode of “Iori Hida: Ace Attorney”…

will and mike in the “crazy together” context but in an apocalyptic hawkins au.

mike is a protective boyfriend.

I seemed to be going to draw angst, but this pairing is literally associated with fluff and I just can't

STRANGER THINGS NATION, BYLER NATION, WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS VERY CAREFULLY.. NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS SO PLEASE SPREAD

this is one of my favourite details in stranger things and i love how it connects the different relationships in the show. i’ve thought this melody had a lot of narrative significance ever since season 3, but now that all of season 4 is out, i’m even more amazed by how this soundtrack ties everything together—especially with byler.

my nerd brain picked up on the similarities between these three songs—The First Lie, The First I love You, and Being Different, from seasons 2, 3, and 4 respectively.

The First Lie is played during the scene where Jonathan and Nancy hook up in season 2 following Murray’s encouragement. It’s a reference to Nancy not being truthful about her feelings towards Steve and could have a few double meanings, including the LIE literally being Nancy and Jonathan sleeping together (hence, LYING together), as well as Jonathan’s trust issues that Murray talks about.

The First I love you plays during Robin’s coming out and also El saying I love you to Mike (that Mike appears confused by in season 3). My favourite detail here is that the word “love” in the song is not capitalized. This may seem insignificant, but when you look at the ENTIRE stranger things soundtrack pre season 4, no other words have been in lowercase. This was intentional, both for Mike/El’s awkward kiss, and Steve/Robin’s love for each other, which is not romantic, since Robin is a lesbian. It starts out as one-sided for Steve and then we obviously see their amazing friendship.

Here’s where the symbolism gets super interesting. There’s no way this is not intentional. In season 4 vol 2 when Will gives Mike the painting, he confesses to Mike but covers it up with El’s name. He then turns away from Mike and cries, muffling the sound with his hand. It’s been emphasized throughout the show that Will is unable to lie to Mike. Literally season 1, episode 1: “it was a seven. The demogorgon, it got me.” Lucas encourages Will to not say anything to Mike since he didn’t see the roll, but Will physically cannot lie to him. This theme is seen with byler again and again throughout the show. Will never lies to Mike. EXCEPT, in this scene in season 4.

Will covers up his feelings. It’s a weird halfway point. He lies to Mike for the first time, and he can’t bear it, combined with all his other feelings for him. THE SONG THAT PLAYS DURING THIS SCENE, BEING DIFFERENT, has the exact same melody as BOTH THE FIRST LIE AND THE FIRST I LOVE YOU.

Are you guys hearing this??

It’s both the first time Will lies to Mike in the show AND the first time he somewhat confesses the truth, that he loves Mike. The melody of First Lie/First I love You ONLY STARTS once Will finishes up his monologue and turns away to cry, realizing what’s just happened.

This is literally insane musical symbolism.

I compiled a video with Will’s scene at the end for you guys to see how similar the songs are.

Let me know what you think of this!

Every drawing Will's given to Mike has been a little way for him to say 'I love you,' and every drawing Mike's taped onto his basement walls has been a response of 'I love you, too.'

i just saw someone say shipping byler is misogynistic in a tik tok comment section cuz apparently we’re rooting for El to be miserable

Shoutout to our boy Jonathan who knows exactly what the fuck is happening between these two

If your big three ships are byler, lumax and jancy then you're a real one and i need you to be my friend.

Just a sketch of Yuta and Toge vibin’ together

does Will Byers is gay

will IS gonna get powers, he IS gonna get the guy and he IS gonna become plot relevant again so help me GOD

Murray: “You, you’re harder to read. Probably, like everyone, afraid of what would happen if you accepted yourself for who you really are

and retreated back to the safety of… Steve.

We like Steve.

But we don’t love Steve.”

Nancy: “What? No, we- I mean, I-I-I do…”

Why are the Wheelers so see through

I’ve previously said that El won’t defeat Vecna, at least not alone, because Dustin’s roll of 11 was a miss.

But I’m also noticing that the campaign and the basketball game were both won by unlikely players: a benchwarmer and a sub. The fact that they were brother and sister only makes me think even more that we were meant to notice that.

El will no doubt still be a key player, but Vecna is going to be defeated by someone nobody would expect.

Possibly someone who has been largely sitting on the bench for a while.

Cough.

This scene is probably my favourite byler scene we’ve ever gotten. 

THIS is what made my entire family believe Will has a crush on Mike. This is what made me have to contain myself from sobbing because the music paired with Will’s gaze, the gaze in which he knows he shouldn’t be like this and that he shouldn’t have a crush on a boy, one that he’s known for ten years and that is also his sister’s boyfriend, because he’ll be living his entire life knowing that Mike would never reciprocate, is such a real, natural, and true feeling that just makes my stomach flip. Will knows he will be living his entire life knowing that Mike will never see him as more than a friend. Knowing that he’ll have to live his whole life in secret because no one will accept him for who he truly is. Noah Schnapp is actually one of the best actors I have ever seen, he hasn’t had much of a role this season but the expression on Will’s face just makes me want to collide worlds and hug this poor boy. I touched on this before, but I think Will’s conversation with Mike overlapping this scene is very intentional: Will saying to himself “You can’t let him (Mike) get to you” because it will only make him hurt even more. This scene is just so beautiful, and even though through this lense and scene of the show it may look unrequited, it shows such a special place in my heart because this is what I have wanted for so long, GOOD portrayal of what it is like to be gay and the hardships of it, especially in the 80s.  

It's just so tender and emotional (ha) and I think that's beautiful.

Wrong. Byler will be canon.

yeah, i know haha! this scene is just through will's pov so i was sort of speaking through wills pov, and will still thinks mike is 'totally-straight-in-love-with-el'