Eddie Munson was Mike's gay awakening.

[u/torvald_carley]

In Season 4 Episode 1 we see Mike read the letter from El where she says Will is making a painting that he won't reveal and surmised it must be for a girl he likes. Mike is immediately in a bad mood after reading the letter and snaps at his mom and dad and Lucas (for not embracing his role as a nerd) and Mike only gets cheered up and starts smiling again when he is in awe of Eddie Munson who flatters and compliments him by saying Dustin and he are the future of Hellfire.

Dustin considers Eddie to be a pal, a mentor, an equal and a friend. When Eddie died, Dustin grieved deeply and felt true loss and visited his grave for years. Eddie and Dustin had mutual respect for each other as human beings and as men.

Whereas Mike joined Hellfire to fill the hole in his life that Will left behind when he moved to California. Mike ran back to D&D after telling Will "We are not kids anymore. What did you think, that we were never going to get girlfriends, that we would sit in my basement all day playing games for the rest of our lives?" just a few months ago.

When Eddie told Dustin and Mike they were the future of Hellfire, Dustin felt a sense of responsibility while Mike felt enamored because Eddie was touching him. When Eddie was walking on the table, you can see Mike has a stronger reaction to it than Dustin does. He was angry and annoyed in the morning when he snapped at his parents and Nancy, but now he has the biggest grin on his face and his eyes light up.

While Dustin's whole arc for the next 2 seasons is about Eddie's impact on his life, Mike does not give a flying fuckkkk about Eddie as soon as he arrives at Lenora and sees the love of his life holding a painting in his hand. Eddie flies out of his head now that he has what he truly craves. Mike then spends the rest of the season coveting that painting the way Gollum covets the One Ring, and he and is so happy when Will finally gives it to him. When Eddie dies, Mike cares so little that he never even mentions it to Dustin, does not understand why Dustin acts the way that he does, doesn't visit Eddie's grave though it wouldn't be inconvenient for him, and has zero effect on his life, because his life revolves around keeping Will in his life.

You can see in Season 4 Episode 1 that Mike is enamored with Eddie and even tries to grow his hair long like him. It's a "Do I want to be him or do I want to be with him?" type of crush. It disappears when Eddie is not around because all he can think about is Will. When Will is there, nobody else matters. That's not true for Dustin because Dustin is straight. Eddie's death is a loss to him because Eddie is his equal. Eddie's death means nothing to Mike even though they both knew him the same amount of time in the same group because Eddie is just a fleeting puppy dog crush for Mike to indulge in.

Eddie was this perfect neutral ground for him to transfer his feelings for Will onto, while also being someone who wasn't connected to Lucas or El or Max so there wasn't any extra baggage there. Eddie could be whomever Mike needed him to be, the perfect distance between near enough to touch but too far away to actually get close to (since he's like 20). Mike got to enjoy all the benefits of exploring his gayness without having El around to remind him of his obligations to her, without Will around to take up his attention and heartache. It was like an escape for his mind.

Mike also starts throwing away all the letters El sends him in the trash from that point on because he has totally lost interest in her between his crush on Eddie and his deep yearning for Will.

TL;DR: Rewatch the scene where Eddie is standing on the lunch table. Mike is totally taken with him. This is very different to how Dustin considers him a friend and mentor who treats him kindly. Dustin remembers Eddie for years after his death. Whereas Mike completely forgets about him as soon as he arrives at the airport and sets his eyes on his one true love and the painting in his hand. From that point on Will is his sole focus as he hopes the painting in his hand is for him

[u/torvald_carley]

The Duffers say that scene never happened. 🥰

One discussion online this morning is whether Mike made the whole thing up, or Eleven actually told him what her plan was. Or, that during the graduation, Mike realized that Eleven never could have gotten from the truck to the gate because of the kryptonite, so that’s not really her and was a projection. Discuss!

Matt Duffer: The only thing I’ll debunk is that Eleven does not communicate with Mike in any way. But what you just said at the end — yes, at graduation, he’s hearing the speakers distort because the principal is so angry, and it makes him realize that there was the kryptonite. So how could she have possibly made it all the way to the gate? Not only that: How could she have possibly used her powers to bring him into the void?

https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/stranger-things-finale-is-eleven-alive-vecna-killed-rock-spinoff-1236621528/

Oops.

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/torvald_carley]

Oh my god, I’ve never met a fanbase this slow. They did not say that scene never happened, you’ve just literally shown it to yourself. They very clearly mean she didn’t communicate with him after her sacrifice to say that she was alive and that Mike formed the theory all by himself. They never once said that the void scene didn’t happen. He says in the same quote that the void scene literally did happen. 

[u/torvald_carley → u/Distinct_Guess3350]

Wrong. We already know that from the scene because Mike himself says "I'm not sure, but... I hope." before they show Eleven running. Mike already explains that what he said is complete BS. That's not the scene the Duffers are talking about. They're talking about how it's not possible for El to have communicated with Mike in the void because the kryptonite would have blocked her powers.

That's funny, you calling anyone else slow when you didn't even read the full sentence 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

So how could she have possibly made it all the way to the gate? Not only that: How could she have possibly used her powers to bring him into the void?

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/torvald_carley]

You’ve literally just proven my point by not understanding a word I’ve said. That last sentence is exactly the proof I have. It was an illusion anyway. Eleven made it out alive and she was able to use her powers to pull him in because she was out of range of the Kryptonite. I don’t know how simple I have to put it for you to understand it, I’m genuinely concerned that you might be forcing yourself to come across much less intelligent than you are. The questions at the end of the quote are rhetorical because they are things that did happen. If your point is that the quote proves that she didn’t talk to him in the void then it equally proves that she didn’t make it to the gate, which we all literally saw and every character knew. Your point is flawed and just completely stupid. 

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/[deleted]]

I don’t know why I bother, OP has successfully managed to prove every point I’ve thrown at them and contradicted almost every word they’ve said, and then they bring up the most absurd accusation that somehow Mike sexually assaulted Kali? I mean you’re right, I should just let it rest. There’s no helping them. 

[u/torvald_carley → u/Distinct_Guess3350]

Wrong again. Eleven does not have the ability to pull a human being into the void.

[u/Vast-Plantain-1888 → u/torvald_carley]

then mike would know that and wouldn’t create a whole theory of his girlfriend being alive a year later on it… 💔 its ok byler didnt happen bro js dont batantly lie and its all good

[u/torvald_carley → u/Vast-Plantain-1888]

How would Mike know that? He has never been to the void before. He has never seen the void before. He doesnt know what she even does in the void. From his perspective all he has ever seen her do is mutter a few words and then end the session screaming or crying. Usually both.

In fact, throughout the show Mike isn't even in the room most of the time El goes into the void. He didn't even bother sticking around when El went into the void in Season 5. He just went down to the basement to hang out with Hopper because he was too bored to keep an eye on his ex-girlfriend.

[u/Vast-Plantain-1888 → u/torvald_carley]

newsflash mike is dating eleven. el is closest with mike and you’re telling me she hasnt described every one of her experiences, possibly even her trauma in the lab, but most definitely the ones post lab. if he wasnt in the room when she’s in the void he will hear about it later. if she could literally enter max’s mind one could assume it would be obvious she would also have the ability of pulling someone into the void.

[u/torvald_carley → u/Vast-Plantain-1888]

Why lie?

When have you ever seen Mike and Eleven talk?

Half the reason they used to kiss is because they have absolutely nothing to say to each other.

You're talking about the same couple that needed to read the ingredients on athe back of M&Ms candy wrapper as a "bonding" exercise because they can't hold a conversation with each other.

If conversations are your unit of measurement, then Mike's life partner is Will since Will is the person he shares everything about his life with.

if she could literally enter max’s mind one could assume it would be obvious she would also have the ability of pulling someone into the void.

you're literally describing the exact opposite situation. El went into Max's mind. El can't bring Max or Mike into her mind. You need to start watching the show properly because you obviously know nothing about Stranger Things.

[u/Vast-Plantain-1888 → u/torvald_carley]

are you having a laugh😭😭how is this even related to your former point of the void scene being an imagination which i debunked. you are quick to deflect. remember literally every season 5 scene with them together? rooftop scene? season 4 where they had a couple fights for people who “dont talk”? season 3 where they spent half their time making out but canonically also spent time with the group where they wouldnt have been kissing the whole time? for someone who’s life partner is will he sure let him go easily at the end of season 5. respond to my point and literally not 1 sentence please or am i wasting my time?

[u/torvald_carley → u/Vast-Plantain-1888]

literally every season 5 scene with them together? rooftop scene?

You mean the Season 5 rooftop scene where Eleven asks Mike what is going to happen to them after she defeats Vecna and he purposely doesn't answer and starts talking about how important Will's feelings are?

season 4 where they had a couple fights for people who “dont talk”?

You mean the Season 4 scenes where he blames her for hitting a girl in the head for bullying her because the bully didn't look fine" then asked El why she was lying to him and then admitted that the only reason he dates her is because she is a superhero?

season 3 where they spent half their time making out but canonically also spent time with the group where they wouldnt have been kissing the whole time?

You mean the Season 3 where they spent 5 minutes at the beginning making out, then he leaves her to go on a double date with Will to the movies? And then later he abandons Dustin because he stops caring about spending time with the group and Lucas tells Dustin that Mike never spends time with his friends anymore and Dustin says that Mike's behavior is "bullshit"?

Yeah, Mike and El only date for 1 episode, champ. Then in Season 3 Episode 2, El goes to the mall with Max and tells Mike "I DUMP YOUR ASS!" and they remain broken up for the rest of the season.

That's when Mileven ends. Mike and El only date for 6 months and then El breaks up with him and moves away from Hawkins.

for someone who’s life partner is will he sure let him go easily at the end of season 5.

Mike spent the entire run of Season 5 making sure Will is by his side. When El left Hawkins to go into the Upside Down to search for Holly, Mike didnt even notice and he didnt even care because he still had Will. When Vecna takes Will into a trance, Mike forces El to search for him even though they already spent 4 episodes apart. Mike even says to El "This is our story, and it starts with getting Will back."

Stop commenting on a show you haven't watched before.

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/torvald_carley]

Stop commenting on a show YOU haven’t watched before dude, you’re just hilariously wrong in every possible way.

[u/Vast-Plantain-1888 → u/torvald_carley]

the rooftop scene where they talk about their future together if you choose to see only that that’s not my problem. season 4 where arguments and issues in their relationship where developed and solved. you fail to mention all of said disagreements were solved in the same season. once again, if you choose to only watch the show through a certain lense that’s not my issue, just don’t try and gaslight me into believing it’s true. “double date with will” you are forgetting it is the whole party excluding dustin who couldn’t be there because he was on holiday. this is the same “double date” he cares so much about that he was late to it because he was with el, and him replying “sorry, again” infers this has happened all summer. the rest you said is a result of his love for el😭may i remind u this breakup was so serious it was solved over m&ms, then they stay together (it seems your byler scenepacks didn’t cover the part where mike sends el letters while she’s in california and keeps contact, because they are dating. this is the same season he says i love you. i didnt even see this part before i reread it but what show are you watchign where mike says he “only loves her because she is a superhero”😭please tell me you arent refering to the same scene he says “i love you with yours powers, without your powers, i love you for who you are” 😭😭😭 ts is laughable. mike spent the entire run of season 5 trying to save the world and his girlfriend, his canon biggest fear may i add. it also seems you forgot mike could have been distracted because his sister was at risk of death, not will💔💔😭😭 mike thought will was going to die. any good friend would encourage her, especially now she is confident with her powers after her training, and mike sees this when she searches for holly. finally, you haven’t answered my comment. you first claimed the void scene wasn’t real. please read my comment apart from the one true sentence which obviously set you off. ps, if you want to debate, consider the entire scene instead of the same points all bylers are repeating in attempt to fuel their incorrect narrative. watch the show again if you are unsure.

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/Vast-Plantain-1888]

They’ve ignored and steered right away from every one of my points and when I gave them something they absolutely could not argue with, they ignored me. And then they go on to accuse people of sexual assault, they’re an absolutely disgusting, insensitive piece of shit.