#the smalltown boy conspiracy

[bylerspookie]

Mike is lonely and idk why but the Duffers really want to get this point across to us

Okay, so, a while ago I made a post talking about the smalltown boy theory and some song lyrics that back the theory up- while I was making the analysis I realized that literally every song connects, I obviously couldn't do every song in st/in their playlists, but from the songs I already did I started noticing how much they all connect to the point where I got carried away and had to stop myself- I had to focus on the smalltown boy theory.

BUT, something that's been bugging me for a while is why in almost every song related to Mike (even slightly) it talks about him being lonely? I can't think of any references in the show where he straight up talks about being lonely (I think it's time for a rewatch) EXCEPT for:

"I just felt so alone-" (talking to possessed Will about the day they became friends, according to Mike, the best thing he'd ever done.)

but seriously guys, what on earth does this mean?? because LOOK

and there's more than this too!! like, are you KIDDING ME??

It's very VERY clear that he is lonely, especially concerning his mental health [ :( ], but why are the Duffers so eager to get this point across to us??

#byler #mike wheeler #stranger things #will byers #byler nation #byler is real #byler is endgame #byler is canon #smalltown boy conspiracy

[lvmity]

#mike wheeler is gay tag #smalltown boy conspiracy #fabis stuff #byler

[booksandpaperss]

oh to have been a byler during the pre s4 smalltown Boy conspiracy. the fun I could’ve had. the level of insane I would’ve been

#in a alternate timeline I was the biggest smalltown Boy conspiracy enthusiast #byler #mike wheeler

[paladinsbrainrot]

We are gathered here today to mourn the death of Smalltown Boy.

Please pay your respects in the comments.

(It's like I can still hear the lyrics 😭)

#stranger things #stranger things 4 #mine #ally talks #byler #mike wheeler #smalltown boy #smalltown boy conspiracy

[bylrlvr]

i remember when this picture came out in a magazine before s4 did, and we all thought that this was definitely going to be a scene where the party gets questioned by the police for the disappearance of mike (bc he secretly ran off to california). help i really took this as a w for the smalltown boy conspiracy theory.

#and karen and ted were also at the center of the scene beside the police so like. i really thought that #smalltown boy conspiracy you will always be famous #byler

[freedemon]

fanon smalltown boy mike, season 1 mike and season 2 mike are the only mike wheelers i will accept

#mike wheeler hate club #mike wheeler is gay #smalltown boy conspiracy #Smalltown Boy #Byler

[itkeskelen]

Just saw this Finnish lesbian film in the theaters that took place in 1986, AND THEY HAD SMALLTOWN BOY ON THEIR SOUNDTRACK. TWICE.

#byler #the smalltown boy conspiracy theory #smalltown boy #stranger things #mike wheeler

[autistic-robin]

#byler #byler tumblr #mike wheeler is gay #smalltown boy conspiracy #st4

[these-jd-characters-are-the-same]

small-town boy is Mihaly pre-transition

(Submitted by Anonymous!)

#same character conspiracy #just dance #just dance 2024 #just dance 2023 edition #just dance 2022 #jd mihaly #smalltown boy

[elkdiaries]

just dance supports the gay mike wheeler agenda confirmed

#kidding #its ironic though #smalltown boy conspiracy #byler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #mike wheeler is gay #mike wheeler

[bylerspookie]

something something about Mike leaving Hawkins and Will having an internal conflict on whether he should stay or go

(I uses colors to show which lyrics relate to eachother, except for like, at the end the colors kind of mix up, I ran out of colours, anyway you'll figure it out)

Smalltown Boy: (associated with Mike)

run away, turn away

alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face

mother will never understand why you had to leave

but the answers you seek will never be found at home

the love that you need will never be found at home

pushed around and kicked around, always a lonely boy (we know that Mike is bullied, and it's hinted that Mike is depressed and lonely, most of the time in his basement)

but you never cried to them, just to your soul

cry boy, cry

Should I Stay or Should I Go: (associated with Will)

darling, you got to let me know

should I stay or should I go? (notice how Mike's song is about leaving, whilst Will's is a question, "should I leave too?")

if you say that you are mine

I'll be here 'till the end of time (when Labyrinth gate and 20 gate meet @connect-dots7 )

It's always tease, tease, tease (MHMMMMM)

you're happy when I'm on my knees

this indecision's bugging me (esta indecisión me molesta)

if you don't want me, set me free (si no me quieres, librarme)

Always Something There To Remind Me: (associated with Mike)

I was born to love you, and I will never be free (there's too much for this to just be a coincidence guys)

California Dreamin': (associated with Mike and Will)

I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)

if I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)

stopped into a church

I passed along the way

well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees) (I'M GIGGLING RN BECAUSE THEY SO OBVIOUSLY DID THIS ON PURPOSE)

and I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray) (Mike always weirdly being associated with religion mhmmm)

you know the preacher likes the cold (preacher like the cold) (woah there now)

he knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay) (OH MY GOD)

Heroes: (associated with Mike and Will)

'cause we're lovers, and that is a fact (lovers lake lovers lake lovers lake lovers lake)

yes we 're lovers, and that is that

we could steal time just for one day (STEAL TIME??? 20 GATE/LABYRINTH GATE - MIKE WHEELER YOU ARE NEVER GONNA BEAT THE TIME ALLEGATIONS)

I, I wish you could swim (lovers lake lovers lake lovers lake lovers lake)

like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim

I, I can remember (I remember)

standing, by the wall (by the wall)

and the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads) (the guns = electricity I don't make the rules, Alexa play "Are 'Friends' Electric?" from Mike Wheeler's Basement Beats)

and we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)

and the shame, was on the other side (the upside down and the real world is mentioned as "the other side" in the show all the time, maybe they kiss in the upside down with everyone else on the other side, therefore the shame would be on the other side? idk)

maybe we're lying, then you better not stay (LITERALLY SCREAMING)

When It's Cold I'd Like To Die:

where were you when I was lonesome? (THIS IS SO MIKE GUYS, "always a lonely boy")

locked away with freezing cold (HELLO)

I don't wanna swim the ocean (lovers lake lovers lake lovers- okay I'll stop)

I don't wanna fight the tide

I don't wanna swim forever

when it's cold I'd like to die

I don't wanna swim forever

I don't wanna fight the tide

I don't wanna swim the ocean

when it's cold I'd like to die

Are 'Friends' Electric? : (associated with Mike)

It's cold outside (I'm tired guys there's actually too much, I think I might stop here because literally every song connects I swear)

so now I'm alone (Mike, how lonely are you? No, seriously, is he okay? {He isn't} Even in "Tarzan Boy" it says "on my own like Tarzan boy" something isn't right here)

now I can think for myself

and things that I just don't understand

like a white lie that night (a white lie that night? maybe it's referring to the monologue when he says "I love you", I don't think so, that's a very big lie lol. I think this is referring to the "El commissioned the painting" from Will. Mike definitely knows that something is up, especially with his facial expressions in that scene, I've already made a post about this)

or a sly touch at times

I don't think it meant anything to you

so I open the door (there is too much references to "opening doors" with Mike, I'm not even joking, if I talk about it now this post will be too long)

It's the 'friend' that I'd left in the hallway

so I found out your reason for the phone calls and smiles

and it hurts and I'm lonely (MIKE???)

and I should never have tried

and I missed you tonight

So it's time to leave (smalltown boy theory is bound to happen guys what)

You see it meant everything to me

Open the Door:

come on with a gun

come on with a heart attack (YOU'RE THE HEART)

come on suicide

yeah, just like you a trap

save a blue face for me (let me remind you, "alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face")

turn around and take it off

save a new place for me

yeah, just where the flowers drop (we literally see a hill full of flowers in the last episode where Mike probably handpicked his flowers and the flowers literally drop representing milevens drop)

love that was new to you

you open up the door

I fall in love with these

I crawl out on the floor (CRAWL???? CRAWLLLLL????? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN GUYS WHAT DOES THIS MEAN HELLO SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE I'M GONNA SOB)

here's all the colors together so you can see the similarities better:

Staying/Going:

run away, turn away (smalltown boy)

Should I stay or should I go? (Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

He knows I'm gonna stay (California Dreamin')

Maybe we're lying, then you better not stay (Heroes)

So it's time to leave (Are 'Friends' Electric?)

(Bonus) You won't miss home (Tarzan Boy)

Lyrics about being alone/being bullied:

alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face (Smalltown Boy)

pushed around and kicked around, always a lonely boy (Smalltown Boy)

It's always tease, tease, tease (Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

where were you when I was lonesome? (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

so now I'm alone (Are 'Friends' Electric?)

(Bonus) On my own, like Tarzan boy (Tarzan Boy)

and it hurts and I'm lonely (Are 'Friends' Electric?)

Save a blue face for me (Open the Door)

Lyrics referring to time:

I'll be here 'till the end of time (Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

we could steal time just for one day (Heroes)

I don't wanna swim forever (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

(Bonus) Just a little more time is all we're asking for (Never Surrender)

Knees (??) (more religious imagry?? idk)

you're happy when I'm on my knees (Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

well, I got down on my knees (California Dreamin')

Freedom:

if you don't want me, set me free (Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

I was born to love you, and I will never be free (Always Something There To Remind Me)

Cold/Water:

I'd be safe and warm (California Dreamin')

you know the preacher likes the cold (California Dreamin')

I, I wish you could swim (Heroes)

like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim (Heroes)

locked away with freezing cold (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

I don't wanna swim the ocean (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

I don't wanna fight the tide (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

When It's Cold I'd Like To Die (When It's Cold I'd Like To Die)

It's cold outside (Are 'Friends' Electric)

(Bonus) And when the night is cold and dark (Never Surrender)

Opening doors (only two songs that I can think of, but a lot of imagry with Mike and doors in the actual series):

so I open the door (Are 'Friends' Electric)

you open up the door (Open the Door)

(interesting, because "Open the Door" plays during a scene that is about Will and his future romantic arc - "I'm not gonna fall in love." The song associated with Will says "YOU open up the door" and the song associated with Mike says "I open the door)

#music analysis 🎶 #byler #byler analysis #byler theory #stranger things analysis #stranger things #mike wheeler #will byers #byler is real #byler is canon #byler is endgame #byler nation #mike wheeler is gay #smalltown boy conspiracy

[lvmity]

anyone else waking up early tomorrow morning to leave with everything they own in a little black case? no? just me? ok

#fabis stuff #smalltown boy conspiracy #mike whee #whee whee #yes #byler

[super-nova5045]

SMALLTOWN BOY CONSPIRACY FR BEING REVIVED??? LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOO

#smalltown boy #smalltown boy conspiracy #mike wheeler #byler

[redshoes-blues]

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be so sad if the original Mike and Will playlists around also deleted because I listen to them often (especially Mike’s) and also small town boy conspiracy… BUT

imagine the possibility of analyzing two entirely new playlists for our boys omg

#byler #stranger things #will byers #mike wheeler #byler is endgame #playlistgate #smalltown boy conspiracy #genuinely sad Jonathan’s is gone though :(

[dumblesbiansworld]

I wanna have the Smalltown Boy scenario so badly

#byler #stranger things #mike wheeler #stranger thing 4 #will byers #lgbtq #please duffers make it happen #it would be so cool #byler tumblr #mike wheeler is gay #smalltown boy conspiracy #smalltown boy #st4 theory

[tsugarubecker]

TIL there’s a 9 min version yessss

#byler #byler tumblr #rip smalltown boy conspiracy #smalltown boy #bronski beat #Spotify