Episode 7 of Stranger Things 5, The Bridge, had a few surprisingly heartwarming moments. Max finally wakes up from her coma. Karen Wheeler is still a badass who blew up three Demodogs.
And Will Byers finally comes out as gay to his friends and family. His coming out has been very controversial among the fans that ship him with Mike Wheeler (ship is called Byler).
A lot of the drama is because season 4 had confirmed their theory that Will is secretly in with Mike, who’s oblivious. They view the scene as a sign the show is closing the door on Byler becoming canon.
The Tammy Parallel
When Will was trapped in the Upside Down, Vecna showed him a vision where he’s rejected by his loved ones because of his sexuality. The vision pushes Will to reveal his secret himself so Vecna can no longer use that fear against him.
During his speech, Will admits that he had a crush, but he never says Mike’s name. Instead, he calls this person his “Tammy”.
Earlier in the season, Robin tells Will about how she fell in love with a girl named Tammy. Unfortunately for Robin, Tammy is straight and falls for Steve.
Robin is devastated until she finds an old video of herself when she was younger. The video reminds her of how happy she used to be before that crush took over her life. She didn’t need Tammy to feel whole because she already has everything she needs.
It’s not hard to see the parallels. Mike is Will’s Tammy. Even if Mike knew how Will felt, those feelings would never be reciprocated. While Will has gotten moments that allude to his feelings, Mike never got the same treatment.
The show isn’t denying how important this crush was for Will, but it’s making it clear that it’ll never blossom into a full-blown relationship.
A Last-Minute Byler Hook-up Would Feel Hollow
I know this will piss Byler fans off but I don’t care. Even if Will/Mike did become canon, it wouldn’t be the grand love story shippers are craving for.
Think about it: the series finale is one episode that’s only 2 hours and 8 minutes long.
There are A LOT of plot threads that need to be resolved in a very short amount of time. There’s no way the Duffer Brothers can pull off a last minute Byler hook-up that’ll feel genuine.
In order for Byler to work, Mike needs to have a character arc that revolves around his sexuality. Realistically, Netflix would need to greenlight a sixth season of Stranger Things. The main B plot would be Mike discovering he’s not straight AND is in love with Will. AND realize that his love for Will is stronger than his love for Eleven. That’s a lot of story to squeeze in.
If Byler did get together canon during the series finale, shippers would rejoice in the short-term. Eventually they would realize that they were cheated out of a satisfying romance. The same people asking for Byler now would be frustrated at how little time the show gave their relationship to actually exist.
Will Deserves More Than To Be Someone’s Boyfriend
Why should Will’s story end with him in a relationship at all, let alone with Mike?
Queer viewers are right to be frustrated by the lack of representation in sci-fi. Queer characters are either sidelined or killed off for cheap thrills. Even Stranger Things is an example. Will is one of the main characters, is central to the plot yet he’s overshadowed by Eleven or Hopper or Max.
There’s more to being queer than ending up with a boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner by the time the credits roll. Will can have his happily ever after as a single young man. The idea that his story needs to end with him being in a relationship is limiting.
Remember that Will has spent almost the entire series being haunted by Vecna. His abduction has defined him for too long. Putting an end to Vecna is arguably more meaningful than getting to be with Mike.
He deserves to be free from the madness of the Abyss and the Upside Down so that Will can finally heal so he can live his best life.
He deserves the chance to heal. To explore who he is without a monster in his head or a crush weighing on his heart.
Will acknowledging that Mike isn’t the one and accepting this should be celebrated.
Instead of hanging onto a crush that he knows will never go anywhere, Will is choosing to move on with his life. Byler fans don’t have to like that choice, but they should follow his lead.
