Michelle

I don’t think this take is controversial at all, honestly. I feel like Mike is at real risk of growing up to either become like his father or live a deeply unhappy life because of him. One of Mike’s biggest, quietest fears has always been ending up emotionally stuck, disconnected, and unfulfilled the way his dad is, and so much of his identity gets wrapped up in El and the future he imagines with her. If he loses El—his first love, his emotional anchor—it’s not just heartbreak, it’s the loss of the life he thought would save him from that fate. On top of that, Mike carries an enormous amount of trauma that often goes unacknowledged: losing Will, believing El died, living in constant fear of losing everyone he loves, and feeling powerless through it all. Trauma like that doesn’t just disappear, and without space to heal, it can easily turn into bitterness, emotional withdrawal, or quiet misery. The tragedy is that Mike knows what he doesn’t want to become, which makes the possibility even sadder. Whether he repeats the cycle or breaks free from it really depends on whether he’s given the chance to heal and build a future that isn’t defined solely by loss.

One thing I want to say is that I actually really liked the ending Steve had. Even though Nancy broke up with him in season two because he was acting like a jerk at the time, that breakup played a huge role in his growth. In season three, you can tell Steve is trying to fill that emptiness, but nothing really works—and that’s because what he was missing wasn’t just Nancy, it was purpose.
          
          Even back in season two of Stranger Things, you could already see how much he cared about the kids. He was constantly putting his life in danger just to protect them, without expecting anything in return. That caring side of Steve kept showing up again and again throughout the series.
          
          That’s why I think his ending as a baseball coach is actually perfect for him. He’s helping kids, guiding them, and being there for them—something he’s been doing for multiple seasons already. A lot of people say he should’ve ended up with Nancy again, but I think him moving on shows real growth. His story didn’t need to end with a romantic relationship to be meaningful.
          
          Steve’s ending shows that becoming a better person and finding purpose can be just as powerful—if not more—than ending up with the girl.

Hey guys, so I made like a couple of mistakes while doing it I will un-publish it and I’ll publish it today because I made a couple of a mistakes so I’m deeply sorry but it’ll be republished today. Don’t worry though.