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At the time of posting this, the final episode of Stranger Things Season 5 and the show as a whole will drop in 12 hours. I really don’t think I have ever been more simultaneously excited and nervous for a show to end.
I thought my initial post would be all I had to say, but I’ve realised that I actually do have a little more that I want to talk about in terms of byler and how the show will end. I’ve also decided that, no matter how it ends, I will (AT SOME POINT) update this one final time with my thoughts on the finale.
As of right now, I do believe byler can be canon. I haven’t watched any proof videos since volume two dropped because it genuinely made me feel a little sick to think about with how nervous I was when the volume initially dropped, so most of these thoughts will come from my own mind only, even if a lot of them might overlap with other peoples.
Essentially, this is me talking about all my byler proofs and what it will mean to not address these. I know this isn’t really the ideal platform for this but I have nowhere else.
Surprisingly, the main reason I believe they can still be canon is the snowball/avalanche scene between Robin and Will in volume 1 of season 5. This scene draws the audience’s attention to the potential signs of reciprocated romantic feelings (which we know have occurred at multiple points between Mike and Will) specifically to Will. I truly cannot imagine another reason beyond hinting at a future of RECIPROCATED romantic byler for this scene to be included. It just seems genuinely absurd and a little cruel for them to include a scene like this just for it to not be reciprocated in the end. In addition to this, it really doesn’t make sense for Will’s character for him to have been so hopeful one day and then deciding that he is over Mike practically the next day.
(Also slightly less relevant mention, but I did wonder if the Snow-Ball at the end of season 2 could somehow tie into this? Could simply be a coincidence, but we all know what Lucas said…)
My next reason is the one everyone keeps bringing up, and that is the painting. THE PAINTING. This one would really just be cruel to not address. And I am positive that they will address it because I know one of the actors mentioned it in an interview, but I am just so desperately curious to see how it happens. Mike and Will’s story is not over and the painting is going to be a catalyst to seeing them acknowledge the truth of Will’s feelings, and hopefully Mike’s as well. That, and with the knowledge that the van scene took 12 hours to film? There has to be something more there.
These two are my main reasons why I believe byler can and should still happen. I know that there are so many more reasons, of course, but these two are my main two because of what they would mean if they aren’t addressed or followed through with.
Both of these scene are portraying to the audience a clear pathway for byler to be canon. Neither of these requires much reaching in logic. The painting has to be addressed or literal years of theorising and questioning about it will have been for nothing. The snowball/avalanche scene shouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t going to be any meaningful payoff for it. Both of these scenes, if byler is not canon, would show that the Duffer brothers have been genuinely queerbaiting the audience. Neither of these elements needed to be included in the story (especially the snowball/avalanche scene) to portray Will’s feelings, and yet they were. And they had to have meant something.
I want to say that I truly, deep in my heart, believe this ship will be canon, but I am just not sure. I’ve been baited too many times to have faith and maybe I’m being pessimistic but I don’t want to risk putting my full faith into this ship.
My whole hope is in it, that is for sure. Unfortunately this will make or break the beginning of 2026 for me so I am desperately hoping that these characters and this story gets a satisfying ending.