your thoughts on mike this season?

I really enjoy him this season. He doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but I understand it. The California crew are on the back burner right now. They’re trying to find eleven, and that’s it for right now. The other three plot lines are a lot more impactful and focused on for good reason. I think the California crew’s story is like the exhale of each episode. We’re able to laugh and take a break from the more threatening and serious moments. But I do think the crew will have bigger roles in the next volume, and things will get more riled up soon for them.

Because of this, we don’t see Mike as much. But he IS still there. During the first few episodes, I was a bit concerned. Episode one was fine, he reminded me a lot of season 1 Mike. Episode two was where things shifted. The tension between him, el, and Will was interesting to me. I was kind of worried they would keep him how he was at the start of season 3. But after thinking on it, I think Mike just doesn’t know how to deal with confrontation and stressful situations.

In the first two seasons, trauma was still fresh to him. His reactions were natural and fearsome. He went through a lot, we cannot deny that. I think the more seasons that go on, the more frustrated he’s becoming to even the smallest inconveniences. When trauma is dumped onto someone repeatedly like what was happening to Mike in season 1 and 2, it would make sense that they would lash out or seem selfish during less intense events. Such as the skating rink incident. I think Mike is trying to keep himself happy and carefree, and when he isn’t in control of that, he may react distastefully. He may not be aware of this in the moment, but we have seen that he regrets those moments, and does try to make an effort to fix it. When he’s talking to El in her room, he is making an effort to stop thinking of himself, and start thinking of el. To try and talk her through her feelings and possibly make her feel better.

This of course leads to the whole “I love you” situation, which is a whole other thing I could get into.

But this scene forward, Mike shifts again. He begins to put others before him again. He becomes sort of a protector towards El and Will. Mike really reminds me of how he was in s1 and 2 during this season. He is shown to be a leader, and is hell bent on saving El.

His relationship with Will is also wildly important this season. In s3, they seemed to have a severe falling out. Mike had his reasons, Will had his reasons, but Mike could have handled their disagreement better. Mike wasn’t really himself last season. I think he was trying to be someone he wasn’t. The cool boyfriend who is too old for kiddy games like D n’ D. The teen angst was REAL last season for him, and I think he was trying to distract himself from dealing with his trauma by drowning in love. And this effected multiple of his relationships that season.

But what’s Mike doing for the entirety of episode 1 of season 4? Panicking about the hellfire campaign! He seemed to have discarded the “cool boyfriend” persona he tried to play as from last season and engaged in activities he enjoys again. (Not saying he didn’t enjoy spending time with El! I just think some time to themselves is equally as important, and there wasn’t a balance there).

In a way, he matured by becoming immature again… if that makes sense. Indulging in fantasy games that he was “too grown up” for last season. Perhaps it’s even healing his inner child. A heavy childhood, at that. He just realized it too late after Will moved away.

That’s all that’s on my mind right now. This probably just sounds like me rambling and it’s incoherent, but I really did want to share my thoughts on Mike this season. I cant wait to see where he goes in volume 2. I’m excited! I think his role will play a bigger part real soon.