There’s definitely a lot to unpack in Stranger Things Volume 2. Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) have broken up. We finally know what the Upside Down is, and perhaps most importantly, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) revealed himself to everyone in this extremely emotional scene.
It’s a secret that fans have known for some time, and a revelation that the Duffers handled with particular care when writing the script for the show’s final season. However, one detail they made sure to include was how Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) handled it all.
During Will’s journey of self-discovery, he developed a long-term crush on Mike that was not reciprocated. When Will remembers this, we get a clear image of his friend, listening along with the others. In a recent interview with People, the Duffer brothers were asked if this visual cue confirmed that Mike had finally realized the truth. Ross Duffer replied: “That was the intention.”
The revelation for Mike and the rest of the group comes as Will remembers a conversation he had with Robin (Maya Hawke) and his personal moment of discovery with his first crush.
“Once Will talks about Tammy and all that and his experience, yeah, it’s Mike – and his friends – who all realize and understand now for the first time, even though Mike has been somewhat oblivious over these years, to what his friend is saying,” Ross revealed.
Of course, it was important to find balance in this very sensitive and extremely impactful moment. For Mike, “it measures what Will has felt over the years”. As for which member of the group has become one of the most important and powerful this season, “it’s about Will figuring out who he is, being less afraid and expressing himself to all his friends and family.” All that remains is for our team to take down Vecna once and for all. We’ll get to see how this all plays out on Netflix on New Year’s Eve. Our only concern is that when that happens, these questions will also be answered in the Stranger Things finale.
