These 5 Traits Make Mike the Most Divisive Stranger Things Character
Does Mike deserve to get criticized?
Finn Wolfhard's Mike Wheeler is integral not only within the Stranger Things gang, but for the story as a whole. From Season 1, Mike was shown to be a loyal leader, encouraging his friends to do good things, and an empathetic character, as he was the first to see Eleven as a person.
But as the story progressed, Mike's character has undergone some changes that split the Stranger Things fandom into two camps: some hate him, while others fiercely defend him. Let's delve into the aspects that make Mike so divisive.
5. Rude behavior
In Season 1, Mike was sometimes rude to El, who was trying to socialize for the first time in her life and made some mistakes along the way. But while this behavior was outweighed by his general empathy for her, Mike's actions in Season 3 upset quite a few people.
First, he was too mean to Will, who, after having his childhood taken away, just wanted to spend more time with his friends and play D&D like he used to. Second, Mike was still too controlling with Eleven, who decided to break up with him.
4. Ignoring his friends' feelings
Mike wasn't a good friend in Season 4 either. First, he was too focused on his new 'cool' friend Eddie and did not think about the feelings of Lucas, who still wanted to be friends with the gang. And second, he drifted away from Will again, only corresponding with Eleven, and simply ignored his concerns about it.
3. He's loyal, though
But let's not forget that Mike has never cut himself off from his friends completely and was able to admit his mistakes a number of times. He apologized to Will in the second season, and to El and Will again in Season 4. And of course, we know Mike is always ready to sacrifice himself for his friends.
2. He's just a teenager
But while thinking about all of Mike's mistakes, we must remember that he is still a regular teenager. All in all, he is a vivid and relatable character, and the fact that he can recognize and correct his missteps actually makes him more emotionally mature than some adults.
1. And… he's got too little screen time
Unfortunately, with the introduction of new characters and more global events each season, Mike received less and less screen time. Fans hope that the upcoming Season 5 will reveal more of Mike's story, giving him enough time to prove himself as a worthy and likable character.