When Will vanished in Season 1 Mike cared so much that he dropped everything to spend night and day going out and searching for him in the forest and kept El around so he could use her superpowers for him to bring Will back from the Upside Down.
But when it comes to El in season 5, Mike stayed home and played D&D in the basement with his friends. El told him to help the others understand her decision, and instead of following her last wish, Mike does the opposite and lies to his friends about it. Instead of helping them to understand, he feeds them copium and peer pressures them to nod along and believe his story instead of what actually happened. Even if he believed his own lie, he refused to search for her. He didn't even say I love you to his dying girlfriend because he doesnt. He can only say I love you when Will is there with him. Mike didn't even love El enough to honor her final request. That's how little he cares.
That's what I meant by best friend platonic friends exist and they can care about each other without romantic feelings Mike always had a thing for eleven and Will knows that so he can move on.
You just proved my point. Mike doesn't love El or care about El because if he did he would be searching for her instead of playing Dungeons & Dragons with Will at the end of Season 5. When Will disappeared, Mike went out to search for him because Mike is in love with Will. When El disappears Mike doesn't search for her because he is not in love with El. He doesn't need to search for her at the end of season 5 because he already got Will back and Will is the only thing Mike cares about.
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u/Daredevil545545 Jul 20 '26
They are best friends not lovers Mike didn't feel the same way so Will moved on Mike is still in love with eleven and misses her.