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assortedfruitsnacks212 · 3 years

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Billy Hargrove sketches at varying levels of completeness 💖

(ohbillyboy is my IG watermark, I was just too lazy to change it)

#stranger things #billy hargrove #billy hargrove fanart #assortedfruitsnacks212 #ohbillyboy #stranger things fanart #billy hargrove art #stranger things art

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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The First Rule of Analyzing Stranger Things: The Upside Down Is Symbolized By Water

I’m not kidding. This symbolic relationship is so important to the show that I consider it the foundation for everything else... including my assertion that Billy is alive.

Wherever water shows up - rain, baths, showers, pools, the ocean - the Upside Down is not far behind. Nine times out of ten, the pattern holds true. And if I went through every example, this post would be HELLA LONG. So I’ll just hit a few highlights...

1) The Upside Down is designed to look and sound like the deep sea.

As someone who’s fascinated by the deep sea, I freakin’ love the Upside Down’s design. Walking through the place is like walking on the ocean floor. Stuff that looks like barnacles and seaweed covers everything. Spores float through the air like the particulate matter we see in the ocean. In S1, Hopper and Joyce even wear "dive suits."

The music and sound design emphasize the deep sea connection. Billy’s trip into the Upside Down gives us the perfect example. If you listen carefully to the sound in the scene, it creates an underwater ambiance. When Billy first steps out of the phone booth, we hear wet, squishy sounds. Every other sound has heavy reverb, and we hear no high frequencies, just low ones, as if the soundscape is muffled by water.

So yeah, the Upside Down’s likeness to the sea is pretty obvious. But the connection affects more than the way the Upside Down looks and feels. It even affects key plot choices.

2) El first encounters the Upside Down in “the bath.”

In S1, we get a series of flashbacks showing El’s training in the lab. Her training culminates in her meeting the Demogorgon and opening the first gate into the Upside Down.

Remarkably, she doesn’t even hear the Demogorgon until she’s in the water tank. The first time she runs away. The second time, Brenner forces her to approach it, and all hell breaks loose.

Symbolically, she’s being submerged in the Upside Down. That’s why she meets the Demogorgon in the tank. Later in the season, when she wants to project her mind into the Upside Down, she uses a kiddy pool to recreate the tank (aka, she’s symbolically submerging herself again).

3) Barb encounters the Demogorgon in the Harringtons’ pool.

The scene begins with Barb perched on the diving board, dipping her feet in the water. Then the Demogorgon shows up, Barb flashes into the Upside Down, and... well. We all know what happens next.

(This scene creates a parallel with Billy that is extremely significant. I’ll explore it at length in another post.)

4) Will’s “dead body” is found in the water.

The people of Hawkins aren’t aware of the Upside Down. When Will’s “body” is found, his death is chalked up to drowning. Thankfully, we as the audience are in on the secret; we know Will’s alive. HOWEVER, his drowned “body” being pulled from the water represents the threat he still faces: the Upside Down has taken him, and he could very well die there.

The threat is underscored by my next example...

5) When Hopper and Joyce rescue Will, he’s portrayed as having (almost) drowned.

“He’s not breathing! He’s not breathing!” Joyce cries. As Hopper pumps Will’s chest, he talks her through giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Finally, Will jerks upright with a gasp, all to the tune of “When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die” by Moby.

I don't want to swim the ocean I don't want to fight the tide I don't want to swim forever When it's cold I'd like to die...

Literally, Hopper and Joyce just saved Will from the Upside Down. Symbolically, they pulled Will from the water, then gave him CPR like a lifeguard would.

(The lifeguard connection is HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR BILLY OMG, I’LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE BARB POST)

Other details of the scene support this reading. Will’s vest makes it look like he’s wearing a life preserver. Meanwhile, the library around them looks like a shipwreck on the ocean floor. There’s even a “porthole” in the background.

6) When the Upside Down takes Heather, she’s portrayed as being dragged under the ocean.

We start with El finding a bathtub full of ice. Already we have the association with water - cold water. Then Heather pops out of the tub, begs for help, and gets sucked back down. After that, we’re hit with one of the most significant visuals of the show: Heather disappearing into the green-tinged darkness, reaching for the surface, as El screams her name.

Again, we see that being taken by the Upside Down = drowning. Tragically, no one reaches Heather in time to save her.

7) Billy's first experience of possession is surrounded by water symbolism.

When Billy wakes from his nightmare about the Upside Down, his eyes reflect the pool like he’s seeing water all around him. Not coincidentally, he looks like someone splashed him from the pool while he was asleep. Gasping for breath, he stumbles to the pool showers and literally submerges himself in water. Here, the Mind Flayer scorches through Billy’s mind, making His presence known for the first time.

It’s here that the Mind Flayer forces Billy to claim his first victim. Soaked from the shower, Billy attacks Heather and pulls her into the stall with him.

Symbolically, he’s been dragged into the ocean too. We’re left wondering if he’ll ever escape.

»»————-　✼　————-««

These are just a FEW of the many, many examples I could use. Like I said, wherever water shows up, the Upside Down isn’t far behind. This rule applies to rain, bathtubs, pools, even glasses of water at times.

With a little deduction, the rule also gives us a back door into a crucial revelation.

Billy is alive, and he’s coming back from (or through) the Upside Down.

Most popular story of the year?

Still “Starve This Sin,” lol.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

Weeeeell, all of my TURN fics are going to be underappreciated, because I rolled up in here 3 years after the show’s cancellation lol. And couple that with the fact I ship rarepairs? Yeah. Nobody’s reading my stuff except for a very precious few (and I appreciate each and every one of them!). 💖🥰🤗

Most fun story to write?

Probably The World is Made Wrong. Back in 2017, I self-pubbed a book, and for whatever reason, I decided to resurrect one of the side characters (who was coincidentally my favorite character) and make her a main in the TURN universe. Her personality is exactly the same, but now instead of a gothic heroine, she’s from a rich Tory family in the 18th century. My chapter word counts used to average about 1-2k, but with this fic, I’m churning out chapters averaging 3-4k, sometimes even spilling into 5k territory. I’ve been pretty inspired since I wrote 23k (the additional 4k I’m speaking of hasn’t been published yet) in one month!

Most unintentionally telling story?

Like, symbolically? I never go into my writing with a plan, so happy accidents do occur...but I’m not so sure that’s happened this year.

Biggest disappointment?

How dead the TURN fandom is lol. I mean, the fanfiction tag is actually super active (it often has several updates per day), which I find amazing, but the actual interaction itself is reflective of a dead fandom.

Biggest surprise:

My inspiration! Just judging by my past fic writing behavior, if a fandom is dead/doesn’t seem receptive of my works, I tend to duck out pretty quickly since it doesn’t feel worth the energy. But for the TURN fandom, I honestly haven’t been bothered. More interaction would obviously be wonderful/welcome, but for once I’m doing this for ME, and I think that’s important. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!! 😛

I tag @niksnarration @missjewel @bundyshoes @i-find-the-beauty-in-chaos @fandomsbyladymelodrama @simplykayley @rey-of-luke @ohbillyboi and whoever else wants to do this! If any of you haven’t completed fics this year, don’t feel bad -- 2020 was rough. 😓

#mine #...i don't remember if i have a tag for this kind of thing??? lol #fanfiction #fanfic #thanks for tagging me ladytp! :)

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bundyshoes · 4 years

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Tagged by @i-find-the-beauty-in-chaos 💕💕💕

Rules: Tag 9 people who you want to know better/catch up with and then answer these questions.

3 ships (pickin my current ones):

-Billy/El (stranger things)

-Mike/Max (stranger things)

-Jareth/Sarah (labyrinth)

Last song:

Moon Rider (OTR remix) — Jai Wolf (feat Wrabel)

Last movie:

The Swan Princess (1994) agsbsnfmf 💕

Currently reading:

The Shining by Stephen King

Currently watching:

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Flavor of Love and SVU lol

Currently consuming:

as much of my fav fiction as i can, the scent of my new candles, and my favorite soft drink and water 💕

Currently craving:

Chinese food, always

Tagging:

@abbas-ragamuffin @musicboxmemories @caseycrumb @fangirl-potential @ohbillyboi @assortedfruitsnacks212 @baltaks and anyone else who wants to do it 💕

#bundylife

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assortedfruitsnacks212 · 3 years

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✨ Favorite trope: the bad boy who becomes a hero ✨

+ bonus b/w version--

(ohbillyboy is my IG watermark, I was just too lazy to change it)

Follow my Stranger Things theory blaaahhgg: @strangerthings4theories

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove art #billy hargrove fanart #assortedfruitsnacks212 #stranger things #stranger things art #stranger things fanart #ohbillyboy

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assortedfruitsnacks212 · 3 years

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Okay, I've been thinking and - hear me out - what if we forgive him for his crimes because - no seriously, hear me out - because he's so damn pretty

#billy hargrove #stranger things #billy hargrove edit #assortedfruitsnacks212 #ohbillyboy #yes i will probably draw this eventually #fuckin art burnout ugggh

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assortedfruitsnacks212 · 3 years

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Look at this ruin and my two guilty hands. All of my mess belongs to me. There is nothing left for anyone to pick at. --Lora Mathis

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove edits #stranger things #stranger things edits #ohbillyboy #assortedfruitsnacks212

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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Stranger Things Is Asking You To Sympathize With Billy Hargrove

An argument in pictures.

When we find out his father's abusing him:

When he's confused and terrified by his encounter with the Upside Down:

When he's suffering at the pool:

When the Mind Flayer forces him to kidnap Heather:

When he's so terrorized by being locked in the sauna that he regresses to a childlike state:

When we see his pain in the Void:

When we find out he tried, and failed, to protect his mom:

When THIS SCENE happens:

Every time his pain flashes out to slap us in the face:

The Duffers are not interested in punishing him. They want you to want him to find redemption and healing.

Why else do you think they made you look right in his goddamn eyes

#billy hargrove is an abuse victim and he deserves better from y'all #billy hargrove #stranger things #billy hargrove is alive #stranger things theory #stranger things analysis #ohbillyboy

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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The Lifeguard And The Rip Current: Our First BIG HINT That Billy Is Alive

IMPORTANT: If you haven’t read my post “The First Rule of Analyzing Stranger Things: The Upside Down Is Symbolized By Water,” please read it before you continue. Thanks!

Billy has just come fresh from the water, beaming with pride. “Did you see that?” he brags to his mom. “That wave was at least seven feet!” When she says they have to leave, he begs for ten more minutes. Reluctantly, she agrees.

As he grabs his surfboard and runs back to the water, his mom calls, "Billy?”

He pauses. Instinctively, we feel that whatever she says next is significant.

“Watch out for rip currents!" she finishes.

"I know!" he answers cheerfully.

Then he hurries to the water, gets on his board, and swims away.

Weird exchange, isn’t it?

Everything in film has meaning. To tell a story using film, you can only use sight and sound. That means sets (especially location shoots, like a beach), costumes, dialogue, etc., are all chosen deliberately. If chosen well, they will clarify the story instead of muddying the waters. In other words, if Billy's mom goes out of her way to mention rip currents, you better sit up and pay attention.

Okay, so what does it mean? Why did the writers include this moment?

To find the answer, we must define what a rip current is.

The graphic says, “Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore. They can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea.”

Interesting. So they’re currents of water with a violent pull. Dare I say it, they could even sweep your feet out from under you.

Now where have we seen that in Stranger Things? (Skip to 1:30 in the video below.)

youtube

Yep. I’m saying what you think I’m saying.

When Billy catches the railing, the floor in front of him even looks like water. Study the screenshot below carefully--

See what I mean? The floor is ocean blue, and the dust patterns look like ripples. This is a purposeful design choice with an undeniable meaning.

The Upside Down is the ocean. The Mind Flayer and His servants are the rip current.

This revelation puts a whole new spin on victims of the Upside Down. Not only can we describe them as drowning victims; we can also say they drowned because a rip current swept them out to sea.

Alright then! Keep the metaphor going. Suppose a rip current swept you out to sea. What would increase your chances of survival?

You’re a strong swimmer, and you've learned how to handle rip currents. You know to stay calm and swim parallel to shore until you’ve escaped the current’s pull.

A lifeguard saw you and is coming to rescue you.

A lifeguard.

Okay. Let’s take it slow... BREATHE... and unpack what this means.

If any victim of the Upside Down can escape it on his own, it’s Billy. In fact, the Duffers have already foreshadowed that he will.

1) Billy knows how to deal with rip currents. What does he say when his mom warns him on the beach? “I know!” He doesn’t even sound worried. He sounds cheerful and confident, like escaping rip currents is second nature to him.

And that makes perfect sense. He grew up beside the ocean. He’s probably known about rip currents since he was old enough to swim.

We can’t say that for someone like Barb. She’s probably lived in Hawkins her entire life - as far away from the ocean as you can get. We don’t even see her swim in the Harringtons’ pool in S1. Does she know how? We never find out.

2) Like I mentioned above, Billy is a lifeguard. A lifeguard’s job is to save others from drowning. In the symbolic structure of Stranger Things, where ‘drowning’ means ‘dying in the Upside Down,’ that translates to: Billy will save others from the Upside Down.

3) Billy is so good at swimming that he teaches others how. When he’s flirting with Karen in S3, we find out he gives swimming lessons at the pool. It’s his side job in addition to being a lifeguard. In the symbolic structure of Stranger Things, that translates to: Billy will not only save others from the Upside Down; he will also teach them how to save themselves.

4) Billy is a surfer. He’s learned how to ride the waves... and symbolically tame them. Even when he falls in the water, it’s nothing to be afraid of. He just gets back on his surfboard and tries again.

No other character understands water like Billy. We could even say water is his element. It’s so central to his being that the Duffers chose to represent his mind as a beach.

The message is clear--

Billy will ultimately survive his encounter with the Upside Down. In future seasons, he will even tame it.

»»————-　✼　————-««

P.S. The strategy for escaping rip currents foreshadows how Billy will ‘return to shore’: “Swim out of the current in a direction parallel to the shoreline.”

More on that soon~~

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove is alive #billy hargrove meta #stranger things theory #stranger things analysis #stranger things meta #stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things 3 #stranger things 4 #ohbillyboy #billy is alive meta #film analysis

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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Those blue eyes held more darkness than any brown eyes I had ever seen before.

#billy hargrove #stranger things #stranger things 3 #ohbillyboy #billy hargrove edit #edits

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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Billy Is Going To Find The Byers

IMPORTANT: If you haven’t read my post “The Demogorgon Is Billy’s Dark Reflection,” please check it out, as it goes hand in hand with this one. Thanks :D

A few months ago, we all got our first look at some of the new characters for S4. I checked them out with great interest.

“Lt. Colonel Sullivan... military dude in Hawkins... cool, makes sense. Victor Creel... ooooooh, played by Robert Englund, betcha he’s gonna be one of El’s predecessors. Eddie Munson... damn, he’s super sus. Argyle... Jonathan’s new bff, who delivers pizza for--”

I stopped.

And freaked. OUT.

Argyle delivers pizza for Surfer Boy Pizza.

Surfer Boy Pizza.

SURFER BOY PIZZA.

A whole constellation of dots connected, and I knew IMMEDIATELY where this is heading. Let’s walk through it step by step... starting with the inception of Stranger Things itself.

The Duffers love the movie Jaws, to the point that they give it pride of place in their list of inspirations. Hell, Stranger Things probably wouldn’t have existed without it. Initially, as a homage to the movie, the show was set in a Long Island beach town called Montauk. The setting didn’t change until the Duffers began pre-production:

They began by scouting locations on the northern tip of Long Island, but the community - so integral to the script - didn’t look as they had imagined, and its distance from New York City made the idea of anchoring the production there unfeasible. A new approach was required. (Worlds Turned Upside Down, p 25)

After that, they rewrote the script to take place in Indiana, and “Hawkins was born.”

Still, you can tell their love for Jaws lingered. Hopper’s truck looks like Martin Brody’s:

Meanwhile, the Demogorgon was inspired by the shark, and the show isn’t shy about that fact. In S1, when Nancy explains her theory for what the Demogorgon is, she likens its bloodlust to that of a shark:

In the final episode, when Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve are hiding from the Demogorgon in Will’s room, the Jaws poster hangs prominently in the left side of the frame:

Furthermore, the Demogorgon’s behavior emulates that of the shark. Like Nancy points out, it hunts alone, emerging from the Upside Down (*COUGHTHEOCEANCOUGH*) to pick people off one by one. And though we don’t see its full form until the end, its presence haunts us throughout, infusing the story with dread.

Okay! So the Duffers originally set Stranger Things in a beach town, and the Demogorgon was inspired by the Jaws shark. Cool. What does this mean for us?

Everything.

Think about it. The Byers have moved to a new town. We aren’t sure where they went, but in S2 Bob suggested Maine. Maine is on the East Coast, not far from Long Island.

And as you can see, it has hundreds of miles of beaches.

If the Duffers have any sense, they wouldn’t drop the Byers in another town like Hawkins. That would be redundant and hella boring. Instead, they would seize the opportunity to explore a new setting with a different feel. Not an inland town surrounded by woods and farmland, but... oh, idk... a beach town.

On top of that, the Byers’ move gives the Duffers the perfect opportunity to return to the show’s roots. Finally, they can bring Montauk to life.

If that’s what they’ve done, and the Byers have moved to a beach town, we’re headed for prime Billy territory.

Billy OWNS the beach. In the context of the show, we get our first glimpse of a beach in his mind, for God’s sake. And he’s deeply connected to water as an element. He’s a surfer, lifeguard, swim instructor... need I say more?

He’s also likened to the Demogorgon - the monster inspired by the shark in Jaws.

I’ve already discussed the similarities between Billy and the Demogorgon. Those were fresh on my mind when I read Runaway Max for the first time. So, when I read this paragraph where Max describes the Camaro, I freaked out (I do that a lot):

Once, for two weeks back in April, I thought that Camaro was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. It had a long, hungry body like a shark, all sleek painted panels and sharp angles. It was the kind of car you could rob a bank in. (pp 12-13)

It’s a motherf***ing equation, y’all. Billy (by way of his Camaro) = the Demogorgon = the shark in Jaws.

And the Byers have just moved to a town where the local pizza place is called Surfer Boy Pizza.

A name like that doesn’t make sense unless they really are in a beach town.

Hence why I completely lost my shit when I read about Argyle. When you take all the evidence together, it looks like the Duffers have set up a situation where, figuratively, our heroes will think they see a shark in the water (aka the Demogorgon).

But they’ll find out it’s not a shark. It’s a surfer boy coming back to shore.

Hints and leaks have confirmed this idea so far. The Stranger Things social media accounts teased the following exchange last year:

“What if it’s the Demogorgon?” “It’s not the Demogorgon.”

Just a couple weeks ago, we got our first photo of the Surfer Boy Pizza delivery truck (credit: strangerinsidebr on IG). And the writing on the side is telling.

The writing in the center doesn’t say, “Surfer Boy Pizza delivered hot to your door.” It says, “Surfer Boy delivered hot to your door.” The ‘pizza’ is way off to the side.

They’re making a joke, guys. A fuckin joke.

“Surfer boy delivered HOT to your door ;)”

Jokes aside, the potential for Billy’s intro scene is so CLEAR and VIVID that I took a stab at sketching out how it could happen. Obviously I don’t think it has to happen this way; the writers have plenty of wiggle room. But it illustrates the kind of scene I have in mind:

Episode 3: “The Survivor”

All this time, hints have been building that Billy is still alive. Creepy things keep happening that remind us of Will trying to communicate from the Upside Down in S1 (flickering lights, people feeling "haunted" by his "ghost," etc). At the end of the episode, a thunderstorm rolls into the Byers' beach town. Will and El are together at home, probably alone. As it's raining and thundering, strange things begin to happen that frighten them. They get a creepy phone call; the power goes out, but only at their house; etc. Remembering that horrific night three years ago, Will races to the window to look out. El follows him. Through the rain, they see a form swaying toward the house. Terrified, Will wants to leave, but El stops him. "But El, what if it's the Demogorgon?" "It's not the Demogorgon." They back away from the door and wait. To their shock, the chain unlocks by itself. The door opens, and their visitor walks in, looking like a drowned cat with a nosebleed. Billy.

God, I’m freaking out again just writing all this out lololol. I need to go lie down.

BILLY’S COMING BACK, BITCHES.

Peace. ✌️

»»————-　✼　————-««

The “Billy Is Alive” Meta Series (So Far)

Billy Is Not a ‘B’ Character In Stranger Things

The First Rule of Analyzing Stranger Things: The Upside Down Is Symbolized By Water

The Lifeguard And The Rip Current: Our First Big Hint That Billy Is Alive

Why Haven’t We Seen Dacre On Set?

The Demogorgon Is Billy’s Dark Reflection

Frequently Asked Questions

For updates, follow the hashtag #billy is alive meta

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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Billy Is Not A ‘B’ Character In Stranger Things

Yeah, his name starts with a ‘B’. That’s not what I mean.

Everyone’s noticed an interesting trend in Stranger Things: if your name starts with a ‘B’, you’re probably going to die. First it was Barb. Then it was Bob. Then it was Billy. So, like Barb and Bob, Billy’s probably gonna stay dead. Right?

Not so fast. I’m a writer, fam. I’ve studied storytelling my whole life. And when you line up all the characters who have died so far (excluding the ‘bad guys’ and bit players), I can immediately tell you one of these characters is not like the others.

In fact, I can tell you Billy is not the ‘B’ character of S3. Alexei is. The Duffers just slid over to the ‘A’ to throw us off.

It all comes down to the weight each character is assigned. Are they a protagonist central to the story? A secondary character designed to comment on or reveal things about the protagonist(s)? Or are they just an extra, designed to fulfill a specific role in a smattering of scenes?

You don’t have to scratch your head over this. If you know storytelling mechanics, sorting characters is pretty easy (usually).

Let’s try it out...

One Of These Characters Is Not Like The Others

>>Barb, Bob, and Alexei have an arc spanning only one season. The Duffers never intended to let them survive for two. When they die, they leave no loose threads behind them except for other characters' grief and remorse. (And in Barb's case, a deep sense of injustice - which Nancy resolves in S2.)

>>Billy’s already had an arc spanning two seasons. When he dies, he leaves a TON of loose threads. He never:

made up for bullying Max

made up for hurting El (Starcourt was a good start, but not enough)

apologized to Lucas

apologized to Steve

stood up to his father and broke his hold over him

had a fulfilling friendship/relationship with anyone

grieved his mother (if she’s dead), found her again (if she’s alive), or otherwise came to terms with her memory

reclaimed the sweet, happy boy we saw on the beach

healed from the abuse he suffered throughout his life

hit back at the Mind Flayer, made Him regret possessing him, and emerged victorious

If he’s dead for good, this is disastrous storytelling. A good writer would never dream of cutting a character’s arc so short. It makes people (and other writers) grumpy.

>>Barb, Bob, and Alexei have a handful of narrative functions. They’re intended to show us more about specific characters, or redirect the plot at specific, identifiable points.

Barb is Nancy’s best friend. Her death was designed to propel Nancy’s coming of age journey. In S1, it shows Nancy how selfish she’s been and brings her and Jonathan together. In S2, it leads her to reject Steve because he doesn’t understand how desperately she needs justice for Barb. When Nancy secures this justice, Barb’s role in the story is complete.

Bob is Joyce’s boyfriend. His relationship with her shows us Joyce is holding herself back and not pursuing the man she really wants (Hopper). Throughout S2, he helps Joyce and the kids solve puzzles crucial to the plot. Then he helps them escape the lab and dies a hero. With that, his role in the story is complete.

Alexei is an expert on the Russians’ “key” machine. His primary role is to give Hopper, Joyce, and Murray the info they need to shut it down. Along the way, he provides comic relief, helps Murray overcome his hatred of Russians, and shows us Russians and Americans can coexist peacefully. Finally, his death demonstrates the lethal threat posed by Grigori. After that, his role in the story is complete.

>>In terms of narrative structure, Billy is a heavyweight. While I can rattle off just a handful of functions for Barb, Bob, and Alexei, I can’t do the same for Billy. Yes, in S2 he operated at ‘B’ character level. But in S3 he broke out and took control of the narrative. The entire plot of S3 hinges on his possession by the Mind Flayer. Without him, the story simply would not happen.

In addition, Billy is not defined by a single relationship. Just now, I summed up Barb, Bob, and Alexei like this: Barb is Nancy’s best friend. Bob is Joyce’s boyfriend. Alexei is an expert on the “key” machine. You can’t do that for Billy. He sits in the middle of a whole constellation of relationships! He is:

an antagonist to Lucas

Max’s step brother and the “monster” she defeats/tames

Steve’s rival for the kingship of Hawkins High

Karen’s (eventually rejected) love interest

Neil’s terrorized son

his mother’s sweet little boy who lost his way

El’s opposite and equal, the yin to her yang

Will’s older “twin” - in Will’s words, “a new me” (it’s no accident they share the same name)

This is just with the main cast so far. He interacts with a slew of minor characters as well, such as Tommy H. and the Holloways. And you can bet he’ll develop relationships with the rest of the main cast. The potential is incredible! Among other things:

Hopper will see himself in Billy and become the positive father figure Billy needs.

Joyce will see Will in Billy and become the protective mother figure he needs.

Jonathan will resent Billy’s presence and hold a grudge. Over time, he’ll learn that monsters can change.

It’s a lot, okay? And it’s not an accident. This kind of narrative pull only happens by design.

Other characters who have the same pull include Hopper, Will, and El.

Billy is not a secondary character. He is a main character, the kind you can point to and say “yes, this show is about him.” That’s why, when an article I read recently said “we haven’t had a REAL major character death yet (Billy doesn’t count),” I laughed.

It’s true. We haven’t had a REAL major character death yet. But only because Billy ain’t gonna stay dead.

Peace. ✌️

»»————-　✼　————-««

P.S. If you want to figure out who’s a ‘B’ character like Barb, Bob, and Alexei, use this handy-dandy checklist:

has a name that starts with A, B, possibly C (Barb, Bob, Alexei, Argyle...)

is a sweet, adorable character that makes you like them (to make their death more painful)

can be defined by a single relationship

has a handful of narrative functions

For these reasons, Argyle is at the top of my list for S4. He's already been introduced as "Jonathan's new best friend" - an eerie parallel to Nancy and Barb.

#billy hargrove #stranger things #stranger things theory #film analysis #stranger things 4 #stranger things 3 #stranger things 2 #barbara holland #stranger things alexei #bob newby #billy hargrove is alive #stranger things meta #stranger things analysis #ohbillyboy #billy is alive meta

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assortedfruitsnacks212 · 3 years

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Y'all want Billy with eyeliner? 'Cause I got some Billy with eyeliner

#i did in fact hand-paint these on a lark 😂#billy hargrove #billy hargrove edits #stranger things #stranger things edits #ohbillyboy #assortedfruitsnacks212

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strangerthings4theories · 3 years

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The Look™

#we're going to ignore the fact that he's looking at karen #billy hargrove #stranger things #stranger things 3 #ohbillyboy #billy hargrove edit #stranger things edit #edits #julia's edits

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