Stranger Things' Mike Is Overhated, And It Needs to Stop
We are about to find out why Mike is hated and if he deserves it after all.
The next season of Stranger Things is not coming anytime soon, so, to kill time, fans are delving deeper in the events of the past four seasons.
Stranger Things' fans started a discussion on Reddit deciding who is the most overhated character in the show. It turns out that apparently Mike has received the most hate, especially in seasons 3 and 4. Let's find out why.
First reason is his friendship with Will. Since Eleven and the Byers relocated to California, Mike and Will gradually became less close. It's important to note, however, that Will also failed to make much effort to stay in touch.
Mike has consistently been a reliable friend. He has always taken care of his loved ones. However, when he chose to prioritize his own desires and needs during Seasons 3 and 4, he faced severe criticism.
Moreover, Lucas and Dustin also chose to pretty much ignore Will. While it's understandable that Will can have double standards, why do some viewers? It seems that their expectations of Will are higher than of Dustin and Lucas.
Even after they eventually discussed the issue, reaffirmed their friendship, and successfully collaborated as a team to rescue Eleven, it still seems that Mike has left a generally bad impression after season 4.
Apparently, some fans expected Mike to be fully focused on Will. And if he isn't, he is accused of being a bad friend.
Another reason is that Mike's inability to express his love for Eleven might have also sparked some anger among viewers. However, several factors have to be considered.
Mike grew up in an emotionally distant environment. Verbalizing his emotions has always been a challenge for him. Due to his low self-esteem, he doubted his worthiness for Eleven.
And lastly, he was afraid that opening up to Eleven would intensify the anguish of losing her.
In season 4, Mike had a tangible objective (to rescue Eleven) as well as an emotional objective (to embrace vulnerability).
This combination was executed in a manner that significantly influenced the narrative of the season.
Without Mike's involvement, Eleven would not have been located, resulting in greater harm caused by Vecna. So maybe we shouldn't hate Mike after all?
Source: Reddit