One of my favorite Byler moments in the entire show is the willel reunion in 4x08.

The double take Mike does between Will and El gutted me the first time I watched it. It looks like a realization on his face. The realization that this isn't what he wants. El isn't what he wants. It's Will. I love Mike so much, I want to see him absolutely break in s5!!!

“Family finds us, even if we’re born in different places to different homes.” ― J.R. Dawson

While watching Vol. 2, for the first time, what was one scene/moment that actually gave you byler endgame hopes, despite mostly feeling hopeless??

Mine was the willel reunion…

Here me out.!

I remember watching the van scene for the first time and feeling like absolute shit. I definitely lost some hope after that scene. And then it was like there was no acknowledgement of what happened afterwards and so I became even more doubtful.

But then they were reuniting with El and it just… it honestly felt like I was watching the scene from the future.

Think about it. The Duffers have most of the series planned out at this point, including the ending. This means that they can curate scenes in s4 to fit better with how they want the show to end in s5.

IF they did want Mike and Will to end up together, how that scene was filmed was perfect, because it managed to respect the current storyline, while also respecting the future storyline as well.

Mike and El reuniting COULD be perceived as romantic, and Will right smack dab in the middle of the frame, viewing it that way himself, reinforces that assumption, in present time.

But then we get Mike instantly drawn to Will, looking at him hopefully and then somberly back at El, THEN again back at Will. And as he walks El over to him, so that they too can reunite, we see Mike kind of looking back and forth quickly between the two of them, trying to both help El walk and smile at Will. Soon after, El and Will are sharing much of the same reunion as her and Mike just did.

We get to see how much Will loves El and that she returns that love for him, all while Mike watches patiently in the background.

This scene managed to discreetly establish that perhaps Mike’s love for El resembles the same love that Will has for her (familial), that El does in fact care for Will a lot, and that Will is in fact not a homewrecker.

WHY do that, unless…

what if that look isn’t just because will is relieved that they managed to find el and she’s seemingly safe and sound

but what if

it’s also because a piece of memory just unlocked. he remembers el, the girl with the shaved head, from when he was kidnapped in season one? here’s el, with shaved head again, and he’s hit with recognition. the overwhelming joyful “it’s you” of it all. 😩😩😩

and what if el’s reaction is more than emotional happiness/relief to see will again after going through the whole NINA nightmare, back in the safety of the byers (no hug for jonathan though? ok) but because she recognises that will just clued up. “finally, you remember.”

not to be that guy but i hope s5's inevitable willel scenes hit so fucking hard that it makes the duffers regret not letting them interact more previously when they had the chance :/

i wonder what mike thought when he saw will and el interact with each other this season. like imagine the sheer amount of confusion he went through at the beginning of season four. just last summer will was out there doing the most to avoid interaction with el. and they’re never seen having one single conversation unless it revolves around the upside down or the mind flayer. the whole climax of their argument was about will calling el “some stupid girl” and mike getting defensive and ticked off. then suddenly they’re moving to california together, having the same issues with mike with opposite reasons. and next thing he knows, they’re sitting by each other at the airport, giving him a judgmental once over when they see his outfit. will’s snarking at el about her supposed “friends” and she’s smacking him in the chest with flowers. the wonder twin power was so strong that when mike said something stupid, their heads turned almost at exactly the same time, to give him the same annoyed, disappointed look. plus will standing in front of her when the police showed up and calling him her brother, not to mention his reaction to seeing her for the first time after she’d been taken away. like, in some shots it’s so obvious that mike’s brain cells have been left in the dust. cause suddenly he’s realizing all these similarities between them. and he doesn’t like it. he’d always been the most important person in their lives, somehow managing to have one while he lost the other. and now they’re together and they don’t need him. and they both know that he’s keeping secrets from them. and ugh. the duffers could’ve made that dynamic so much more comedic. instead of making all of them miserable. like seriously. the hilarity of the “best friend” and the “girl friend” hanging up on him. mike being like: “i thought you said she was stupid!” and will completely gaslighting him: “i never said her name. how did you know i meant el.” and jonathan in the front of the pizza van, mumbling to himself: “obviously both of them are stupid, they’re interested in you.” LIKE. i’m getting off the next stop and exiting the angst train. thank you.

They didn’t even let Jonathan hug El after he deadass drove all night to rescue her!!! His sister!! He was standing soooo far away during the other reunions too. lmao. like why. There is no reason. I am seething I am irate!!!!

i’m sorry i love byler but if i see the willel reunion option on the script poll next wednesday i will choose it over any of the byler scenes without hesitation 😭😭😭

someone explain to me why im so emotionally attached to will and el being siblings

Okay, so I think I have a solid conclusion on El and her lighting with Mike in earlier seasons. The thing with them is that in s1 I recall the best lighting that they had being when Mike was doing her makeup (it was such pretty golden/yellow light).

I don't think this is meant to be crush lighting because it doesn't seem to persist. Whenever they get romantic the lighting tends to get dark/ugly until it kinda seems to tip over in s4.

Look at the light when they're platonic

do you see that smile !!! its reserved for her family !! specifically her twin brother

STRANGER THINGS S4E08 | reunion

I feel as if we should’ve voted for the final scene but people risked their lives for the van scene so I’m not gonna complain

stranger things : season 4 episode eight : papa

GO VOTE GUYS!!

willel becoming siblings and basically being twins means the absolute world to me like holy shit. like i am a twin i have a twin sister and oh my god i see myself so much in both of these characters ohhh my gof OH MY GOD!!!!!! they make me so miserable in the best way possible cus these mfs got me shedding tears at 10:30 pm