I fixed this scene for you

It's not Finn and Noah sticking it to the Duffers. It's Birthdaygate.

I've seen a ton of posts about Finn and Noah keeping up the gay subtext through their acting choices in Vol2-3 even though the script shut down Mike and Will's relationship (and the Duffers said Byler was never the plan, which I don't believe is true). But they're actors, and while they certainly do get to make choices about their performance, the Duffers ultimately decide what makes the final cut.

If the Duffers didn't want them to act so gay for each other, they wouldn't have.

Everyone seems to think they just tanked Byler in Vol2-3 for some shitty reason (Netflix interference, the divorce, ect.), but the deterioration of their relationship was actually a result of them following through with birthdaygate.

It's been theorized since S4 that Venca/the Mind Flayer was making everyone forget about Will because their memories of him helped him break out of his possession enough to tell them to close the gate in S2. Everyone was still on board with this theory when Joyce said in Vol1 that Will was 11 instead of 12 when he got taken, but it seems like it's been forgotten now.

I think what we saw in Vol2-3 was an extension of birthdaygate. Vecna/the Mind Flayer made everyone forget about their emotional attachments to Will (and his to them), so the plan to use Will as a spy wouldn't get interrupted again.

We see this in Will's relationship with Mike in particular, since he was the one who really got through in the shed scene in S2 and was the main catalyst for Will unlocking his powers in S5E4. ("Getting to Mike, now that was the key.")

When Will talked to Joyce about unlocking his powers, he described his memories from the little film, but none of the memories of Mike were there, even though he was featured most prominently in the original sequence. Will also called Mike his Tammy, which we all know is bullshit.

Mike was more physically distant in Vol2-3, and we saw Will get erased from the Rink-o-maina memory in the end credits. Mike also left Will in the Abyss to what? Go shoot a flare gun at the giant spider thing? He would never.

Their deep connection had clearly been messed with, but it was intentional from a story-telling perspective.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is on the S5 inspiration board, and that's exactly what we're getting with Will and Mike here.

SPOILERS: In that movie, the main couple break up and have their memories of each other erased. But they end up finding each other again the next day (in Montauk!) and decide to try dating again even after they learn that they'd been together previously.

Even though Will and Mike have had their memories of their bond tampered with and possibly erased entirely by the last couple of episodes, they're still attracted to each other! They're even dressed in pieces of clothing that Clementine and Joel wore when they met again in Montauk (an orange hoodie and that fuckass beanie). They didn't remember each other at all at that point, but they were still drawn to each other.

The Duffers knew what they were doing here. This isn't all an accident. Finn and Noah didn't get one over on them by acting like Mike and Will are still into each other. They're acting like they're attracted to each other because they ARE attracted to each other, and that's how the Duffers wanted them to act.

And yes, I think they're going to release new episodes in which Mike and Will find their way back to each other, probably by working their way through those lost memories like they do in the movie. I think they're too full of themselves not to.

I headcanon that Dabi has ADHD ✨

trying to remember how to draw him

Esnupi has had enough from the government too

For @pyrose

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

IDK if this platform allows us to do this, but I created an insta so I can post not only my fanart but some of my process, I'll be so happy if you follow me there so my art can reach the correct people (us Bylers obviously)

HERE 💙💛

Some of my art here so you can see what I produce:

(last one is a spoiler hehe 🤭)

it’s so funny to me that mike mentions will being a sorcerer more times than he can say i love you to his gf

the concept of Mike Queerler is fascinating ( bunch of warmup sketches.? )

from will byers' personal archive

this art was heavily inspired by "bury me in metamorphoses (with galatea, my sweet)", so full credit to @hiscleric!

jfc.

Mike realises his feelings a little too late

some college byler stuff yay

Saw a post where someone was requesting a Beauty and the Beast polytrix AU, was in one of those weird community things so I couldn't reblog it or comment, and I wanted to give my 2 cents or whatever 🤪

My first thought upon seeing it was "how would that even work" before coming up with a wild idea. I checked the comments there was only 2 and the the general idea is Beast!Rumi captured Mira or Zoey and the other goes to trade places but Rumi decides nah and just keeps both of them which is pretty valid but it's nowhere near as crazy as my idea 😏

Now here me out:

Rumi as the beast obviously, rather that be some demonic entity or like a purple anthro Derpy or something idk 😈

Zoey as Belle the precious sunshine girl that she is 🥰

Mira, hear me out, as Gaston 💪

Obviously don't need to elaborate on Zoey and Rumi, feel like that kinda speaks for itself so let me dive into my thought process on the Gaston!Mira

Mira herself is not the meathead Gaston is but the people around them semi-force her into that role

Let me do some world building:

Mira's family is one of the richest most powerful kingdoms in the land, her elder brother ,the prince, obviously got all the attention from their parents who are planning to marry him off to some princess or whatever but that not important. Her family themselves are not important. What is important is that they don't give enough of a shit about who Mira chooses to love or anything else she does so when she meets Zoey, who is the first person to treat Mira as a person instead of this powerful princess, she's obviously smitten. Definitely helps that Zoey is adorable.

This small village can obviously see the attraction the princess has to the weird girl and the villagers believe that if they play matchmaker for them they'll kill 2 birds with 1 stone. They get to be rid of the weird girl and also believe it will boost the towns economy or whatever.

Mira isn't going to complain too much. Despite her parents not really caring she is still technically a spoiled princess who generally gets whatever she wants mostly because of people trying to gain favor with her parents . She gets to spend time with Zoey even though the smaller woman is oblivious to her affection.

Zoey doesn't really mind either she's just glad the villagers are leaving her alone and that she has a friend now.

I'm not sure how exactly it plays out that Zoey ends up in Rumi's possession or what causes her to return to the village and reveal "the beast" but its not Mira who rallies the villagers against Rumi, rather they rally themselves in Mira's name promising to destroy the demon and free Zoey from whatever spell she's under. Mira wouldn't accompany them and rather stay with Zoey and get answers before freeing her and the both of them would go to save Rumi.

Alternatively, and this is the more fun idea I think, the villagers could hire like bounty hunters or something The Saja Boys maybe? to find Zoey. They discover that she was captured by this beast and it's them that rally the village to attack but Mira stalls a bit by claiming she will send for her families army to aid them but instead goes by herself to investigate for herself and warn Rumi and Zoey.

Also Mira and Rumi were childhood friends but the curse placed on the Ryu family made Mira forget about her and obviously Rumi is in for a shock when Mira shows up🤪