There’s certainly a lot to unpack in Stranger Things’ volume 2. Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) broke up. We finally know what the Upside Down is, and perhaps most importantly, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) came out to everyone in that massively emotional scene.
It’s a secret that fans have known for some time, and a reveal the Duffers handled with extra care when writing the script for the show’s final season. One detail they made sure to include, though, was how Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) was processing it all.
During Will’s journey of self-discovery, he developed a lengthy crush on Mike that wasn’t reciprocated. When Will recalls this, we get a clear shot of his friend, listening along with the others. In a recent interview with People, the Duffer Brothers were asked whether this visual cue confirmed that Mike had finally realized the truth. Ross Duffer responded, "That was the intent."
The revelation to Mike and the rest of the group comes from Will recalling a conversation he’d had with Robin (Maya Hawke) and her personal moment of discovery with her first crush.
"Once Will is talking about Tammy and all that and his experience, yeah, it's Mike — and his friends — all realizing and understanding now for the first time, even if Mike has been somewhat oblivious over these years, what his friend is saying,” revealed Ross.
Of course, finding a balance in this highly sensitive and massively impactful moment was important. For Mike, “he's clocking what Will felt over the years.” As for the member of the group who has become one of the most important and powerful this season, “It's about Will understanding who he is and being less fearful, and expressing himself to all his friends and family.” Now all that’s left is for our team to bring Vecna down once and for all. We’ll be able to see how that all plays out on Netflix on New Year’s Eve. Our only concern is that, when it happens, these questions are answered in the Stranger Things finale as well.
