stranger theories

God, this is so real. Especially Johnathan, he practically raised Will. His heavily queer coded chats with Will are some of my favourite moments in the show and I cannot wait for S5 once the chats just become queer full stop. Steve may be a babysitter and I love that for him, but I will take a tender Will and Johnathan moment over Steve talking about his six nuggets any day of the week. I just know that if Byler is canon, Johnathan is going to be so supportive.

Also, I swear the writers forgot that Nancy and Mike were siblings in the later seasons and it's such a shame. Their interactions in the earlier seasons felt so natural and relatable as a sibling and I loved the reference to how Nancy dressed up for their game. I hope we can see a sweet moment between Mike and Nancy next season as a resolution to some of that tension, like how her dancing with Dustin helped resolve the plot point of her slamming the door in his face. Which is another example of how caring Nancy is, even if people either demonize her or act like she's just a love interest.

Thanks for the ask!

Just read an article ranking the top ten most hated characters in Stranger Things and it is so bad oh my god. I'm not going to touch on Mike being in the list because Byler isn't confirmed either way yet so I can't say whether they're wrong or not (regardless, he's nowhere near as awful as so many on that list as he's just a traumatized teenage boy dealing with his shit). HOWEVER. Look at what they said about Will:

You can't just say a character's trauma isn't that bad because someone has it worse? Trauma isn't a competition and different people react differently to experiences regardless of which one you decided was worse and Will desperately trying not to grow up is how he reacts to his. They act as though he's being horrible to his friends and whiny when he's a traumatized child trying to reclaim his innocence after going through a horrific experience. The worst thing he does is want to play D&D with his friends or needing to be saved? Really?

It's frustrating because El also messes up with the people in her life and gets into fights with them and yet she's not being demonised like Will is because he's just tagging along, ignoring his role in the mystery due to his connection to the mind flayer. And sure he doesn't have superpowers but trauma doesn't always make people stronger, in fact it usually doesn't. Just because he's not using his baggage to be a hero or because he's apparently mistreating the people in his life (ignoring how he constantly sacrifices his own wellbeing so others can be happy) doesn't mean he's deserving of being hated?

The article also has some other great highlights such as saying that Johnathan is worse than Angela and also says he doesn't care about Will and El because he did drugs while they were being bullied. Ignoring how the drugs are cleadly a coping mechanism, what the hell was he meant to do? And Mike and Will should not be on this list period. Overall I find it a bit crazy that people on this list are there for trauma responses whilst others are on it for bullying, bigotry and abuse.

I'm aware this is one article and dumb to be getting annoyed over but I'm sick of people saying that the show doesn't explore x trauma enough and then villainizing characters who actually express their trauma in a way that isn't screaming with magical powers.

TL;DR: please never rate again ❤️

I, despite being a massive Ronance shipper, am still rooting for Jancy or at the very least single Nancy. I like both of those options and I feel as though they're both realistic. My one concern (ish) would be them doing something about how their aspirations are too incompatible for each other because Nancy wants to be independent whereas Johnathan wants to settle... And then Steve and Nancy get together. Because they are the epitome of that, not Johnathan and Nancy.

I hope if they do break up, it's made clear they love each other but sometimes that's not enough because whilst that's painful, it's realistic. Especially since Nancy wants to be independent and follow her dreams whereas Johnathan wants to look after other people. In a dream world, they could go away together and be happy as it's not fair that Johnathan has to sacrifice his own wellbeing for his family, however sometimes that's just how it goes.

Second BTS drop of Stranger Things Day!

Stranger Things Day Update: a new puzzle game themed around Stranger Things is releasing!

Seems like an average mobile game but the art in the trailer is seriously cool. Check it out!

Hi I'm thinking of doing some more character analyses like my Mike, Will and Max ones. They take me a long time and are several thousand words hence why I stopped but I don't have that much content to make so I think I might start up again. I have some old (like several months old) asks for Eleven, Dustin and Robin, but if anyone has any requests please send it to me! I'll probably prioritize new ones anyways so the anons who sent them can read them. I'd love to look at some, in my opinion, underrated characters too, like Johnathan or Lucas. Or overhated ones like Nancy. Or big progression ones like Steve. Actually anyone. I could talk forever about anyone.

You can also ask for a specific interpretation in the analysis, eg a gay Mike analysis (see index post). This is less about canon and more of a long breakdown of their character arc and the direction I think they'll go in next. Thanks in advance!

Na I think that's a tad extreme, Johnathan and Will barely even know each other, Johnathan is just some kid who hangs around in their house, cooks breakfast, roots for Will and this Mike kid to get together and smokes weed. Reddit is crazy sometimes.

Johnathan when he finds out Mike and Will are gay:

Same with me, I was so relieved when I saw how popular it was. I didn't consider the bonus golf scene as a possibility and I'm praying that the writers do so I'm so curious as to how they originally had the Rink-O-Mania scene be at a golf course (presumable crazy golf). All I'm hoping for now is for them to post Ronance in the poll! Thanks for the ask (:

I'm personally voting for Johnathan and Will, but the Angela gets hit by a putter option is very tempting. Because this means originally they were golfing and Will sadly golfing in a vaguely homosexual manner is very funny to me. And how would Eleven get golf humiliated? Would she get golf balls chucked at her? And the concept of Angela getting bashed in by a golf club is kind of insane, I feel like that's why Eleven got arrested for attempted murder because that is seriously lethal. I have so many questions about that scene. However I really want the Johnathan and Will scene so I will hold off on voting for Angela getting golfed.

I'm aware Byler shippers like myself want the Mike monologue but I really don't think it'll give away Byler or anything because they wouldn't put it as an option if it said "Mike actually doesn't love Eleven and wants to smooch boys" for spoiler reasons. It's just going to say Mike loves Eleven or else they wouldn't put it as an option. And then the Byler fandom would have a couple of days of misery before becoming optimistic again because that is what always happens whenever there is a Byler setback. I don't think it means Byler isn't canon, just that they're not going to reveal it, so let's get some Byers family and gay Will content for now. They also haven't put options for any early season Mike and Will scenes yet and whilst I'd vote for them if they pop up, I don't think they'll confirm Byler.

Also the lack of Ronance is just! I want to see there scenes so badly and I swear they must be getting more requests for that scene, especially considering how we got Steve and Eddie in the woods. Personally I'd like the officially friends scene but all of the scenes at the asylum would be cool too. In terms of them stretching it out, I'm not sure why they'd do that (maybe for more attention or so fans are satisfied for longer?) but it does seem like that's the case. That or their sources for which scene are very poor.

Thanks for the ask again (:

Yeah, I have the exact same thought. Also why there's no Ronance or early season Byler stuff because I've seen that be requested tons although I'm also in a bit of a bubble online so who knows. Either way, I do not get why people are voting for that scene. Maybe it's their favourite? But like... How will a script add anything to that scene? It's the same with the Steve and Eddie scene; it's the actors' performances that make the scene special, the dialogue is pretty self explanatory.

Whereas the Johnathan and Will scene will make the scene sadder and also give some gay Will proof for the idiots who don't already believe that. And the Lumax scene... I need the Lumax scene. It's such a sweet and retroactively heartbreaking scene and I want to see what was originally planned and what was added by the actors. I know this is hypocritical with my point about how prior scripts added nothing, but Lumax makes me feel angsty. The boobies scene makes me snort but I doubt a script could do that. The Chrissy and Eddie script would be better see than that scene although in my opinion a lot of the flirting in that scene isn't from the text but from Grace van Dien and Joseph Quinn.

I need to go check the final poll I think, but I'm praying for Lumax! And then Johnathan Will next week. Fingers crossed and thanks for the ask (:

My friend is trying out a different art style on Johnathan and it's so amazing, I had to share it on here!

She's still taking requests to help practice digital art and different art styles if anyone has something they want to see <3

I don't think Jancy makes Byler incest because by that logic M*leven is incest as well (obviously this anon doesn't ship that though). It's like those news stories where you see twins falling in love with another set of twins, it's not incest. They weren't raised as siblings nor do they view each other as siblings and there is no biological link between them. So I don't think that just because someone's older brother is married to their crush's older sister means they view their crush as their sibling.

I agree that Jancy was a pretty good relationship (I prefer Ronance) but unfortunately I don't think they're breaking up for Byler, it's just bad relationship writing. And possibly St*ncy too (not a fan). But even if they didn't break up, I don't think that changed anything. Who knows, maybe it is for Byler, but I really don't think the writers would do that as they've made it clear that Johnathan and Eleven are siblings too and the possible incest wasn't an issue for Mike and Eleven in S4. And if anyone says that's because they were dating beforehand, Will had a crush on Mike before he started dating Johnathan too.

Thanks for the ask! (:

I got another request to do a Stancy post from @webuserspam and a Ronance post from an anon so I think I'll just do them all at once. So in this post I'm still going to discuss Jancy endgame, Stancy endgame, single Nancy and Ronance endgame and I'll say my thoughts on which are most likely at the end. Full disclosure, I don't really like Stancy, I like Jancy and I love Ronance but I'm going to try and write them all in a satisfactory way. Just in case I sound biased.

In terms of the time skip, casting websites are asking for cars from 1988 meaning there'd be a time skip of 2 years. This would mean after the first few episodes they'd skip ahead to where the kids would be 16/17 and the teenagers would be 19-21 (I know they're all teens but it's easier to differentiate that way). For me this pretty certainly spells out a Jancy breakup because they will be at separate colleges so Johnathan will have to admit they can't go together which means breakup.

However, this season is described as post apocalyptic so maybe they both decided to stay in Hawkins, although I doubt that. I feel like Hawkins is going to be taken over so the group flees Hawkins but something happens and they all have to come together again to defeat Vecna once and for all. Kinda It Chapter 2 esque, where he's been defeated for now but he's coming back. Either way, I'm going to talk about it as if they do go to college because I don't know why that conflict would exist if they were never going to go anyways.

Ok first of all, Jancy endgame. Early on in the season, Johnathan is going to have to tell Nancy that he isn't going to Emerson with her. They're both pretty awful at communication, especially since they're long distance, so I don't think the relationship will be sustainable. This means pre time skip, I think they'll break up. However upon reuniting, Johnathan and Nancy are working together doing investigative work. It's a bit awkward but amiable. Spending so much time together reminds them that they love(d) each other and as all hope seems lost and it seems like the world is going to end, they turn to each other and rekindle their romance. They know where they went wrong last time and they're prepared to make it work.

Next up, Stancy endgame. Like aforementioned, after realzing they won't be together at college, Johnathan and Nancy break up. Steve will either be at a (community) college or still working. Either way, Robin will probably be there with him which is irrelevant for now. Steve has given up on casual dating and is now trying to commit to someone. Who knows, maybe he even had a serious relationship at some point in these two years. As a result of this, Steve has moved on from Nancy but he knows he's never loved a girl more than he used to love her.

When Nancy comes back to Hawkins, she's been broken up with Johnathan for two years. She's more concerned by the inevitable doom than romantic relationships. Similar to Jancy, Nancy spends more time with Steve and they're reminded of why they were such a good match in the first place. Previously, Nancy couldn't bring herself to love him because of Johnathan, but now she's able to commit to him. When all hope seems lost, she shares a final kiss with Steve but shockingly they survive.

Steve and Nancy talk afterwards and decide they'll keep the relationship long distance because Steve wants Nancy to follow her dreams but it's on an optimistic note. That or one of them dies (Steve most likely) and the remaining person (probably Nancy) is able to say I love you to their grace as a sad tear jerker moment. Especially considering Steve's whole dream for their future that he never got to achieve because he died so young for his actual "nuggets", leaving behind Nancy and the kids.

Next up, single Nancy. This one is a bit more simple than the other options. After breaking up with Johnathan, Nancy throws herself into journalism at college and is doing very well for herself. She drops this to come back to Hawkins. The town is now famous for whatever the hell is going on with it so Nancy claims it's to write a crazy article. Nancy spends time with both Johnathan and Steve but ultimately she tells them that she has to pursue her dreams without romance holding her back and maybe when she's older they could get together, but for now she's got to be alone. This isn't to do with romance, but I think if Nancy is writing an article on Hawkins it could be a big exposé and could be used in voice over to cap off the series. If we're being really cheesy, she could even name drop the series.

Finally, Ronance endgame. When we see a scene of Nancy at college, they could drop a hint about Nancy liking women, like her blushing at someone or something along these lines. Nancy and Robin have been sending each other letters whilst Nancy was at college and their relationship is strong. Robin still isn't out to Nancy and has a whole will they won't they thing going on with Vickie.

When Nancy arrives in Hawkins, their feelings for each other become abundantly clear as they spend time together. Robin wants to tell Nancy that's she's a lesbian but she doesn't want to damage their friendship because she's scared Nancy won't be as close with her if she comes out. Robin is smoother with Vickie than she was but the minute she's with Nancy all of that smoothness goes out of the window and there's this kind of flirtatious awkwardness that hangs over the relationship. Eventually, Vickie asks out Robin but by this point, Robin has realized she's much more interested in Nancy and politely turns her down. Robin then goes to Nancy in some sort of "the world's ending so I might as well say it" thing where she fully expects to get rejected but instead they kiss instead and the series ends with them both together.

In terms of likelihood for each scenario, I think that Ronance is unlikely because of the fact they're really pushing Robin and Vickie as well as the whole love triangle thing with Nancy (I hope to be proven wrong though). But in terms of the other options with Nancy? I'm not too sure. Single Nancy doesn't seem likely because they're pushing her into choosing between Johnathan and Steve. Jancy is so cute but they just can't communicate and I don't get what the point of Steve being all flirty with Nancy in S4 would have if they weren't pushing for Stancy. I also think that they're planning on killing off Steve so giving him a love interest would make it even sadder.

Thanks for the requests! Hope this was interesting. I can make a follow up one with Robin and Vickie if anyone's interested as well.

Why are people voting for the final scene instead of the Johnathan and Will scene, please I want to see it so badly. Plus it'll almost certainly have gay Will stuff and beyond that, it's a certified Byers family moment.

Ok, I don't know if these are unpopular but here we go:

So those are my unpopular opinions! Feel free to disagree with me. Thanks for the ask (: