If there’s an official couple to come out of Stranger Things, it has to be the pairing of Mike and Eleven. Despite several other romances, this is the one fans have taken a liking towards the most. Season 1 had shown the beginning of their attraction, and the third season took this further by bringing in a genuine romance.
However, several problems have also been seen in recent times, which have thrown into doubt the strength of their relationship. On the other hand, these two have gotten through moments where their lives were on the line, something that can’t be overlooked either. It’s worth checking out where they shine and fail as a couple.
10 Break-Up: Eleven Explores Who She Is Without Mike
The best and worst thing about Stranger Things 2 was the separation of Mike and Eleven. It was bad because fans didn’t get to see the two interact, but good because it gave Eleven an arc of her own without Mike. The problem with their relationship is that it takes up most of Eleven’s characterization.
She’s not her own person when around Mike, as her dominant trait becomes her interactions with him. Their break-up can influence her to search for things that make her realize who she truly is, not who she wants to be when with Mike.
9 Best: The Extreme Lengths Mike Goes To Save Her
Mike ranks high in terms of likability for Stranger Things characters because of his self-sacrificing nature, especially when it comes to Eleven. It’s not just tied to their romance, but how he feels about Eleven in general. In Season 1, Mike was prepared to face fatal scenarios if it meant keeping her safe.
This is the kind of protection -- both emotional and literal -- that Eleven craved when she didn’t know who she was. Had she not experienced Mike’s kindness, Eleven wouldn’t have known what it was like to experience love.
8 Break-Up: Mike Made Eleven Be Disrespectful Of Hopper
Despite his likability, Mike is considered to be a bad boyfriend by some due to him being ignorant of anyone else other than Eleven’s feelings. This extended toward Jim Hopper as well, whom Mike didn’t give the respect for being Eleven’s father.
Rather than appreciate what Jim did for her, Mike disrespected his rules and liked to make out with Eleven constantly while Jim was still in the house. He also encouraged Eleven to disrespect him by making fun of Hopper in front of her. This was a horrible influence, which could have gotten worse had Jim not put Mike in his place.
7 Best: They Bring The Best Out Of Each Other
One of the things to remember from the first episode is the fact that Eleven has little to no personality. Due to her captivity, she had no idea what it was like to be a person, being unable to speak as well. It was Mike who brought out her inner personality, something that blossomed into love.
This is doubly prominent when considering how Mike’s friends wanted to get rid of her, but it was his belief in Eleven that encouraged her to find joy in life. To her credit, she also brought out the brave side of Mike, who learned to stand up for himself and face threats even if they seemed too daunting.
6 Break-Up: Mike Tends To Be Too Possessive
Mike’s protectiveness of Eleven can take unhealthy forms as he was shown to become possessive of her in Season 3. This led to him not only ignoring his own friends but also prevented Eleven from making new relationships independent of Mike.
All they did was spend time together in her room, depriving Eleven of normal teenage girl activities which she clearly later enjoyed with Max. It did her very good to be free of him for a while, as Eleven learned more about her likes and dislikes, making the possibility of her life post-breakup much better.
5 Best: Mike Loves Eleven With Or Without Her Powers
The main intrigue viewers feel toward Eleven is with her powers, along with a lot of the characters who associate her with this aspect. Mike, however, doesn’t care about this, as his interest in Eleven isn’t attached to what supernatural abilities she has.
She, in turn, has been shown to appreciate how Mike isn’t scared of her, despite Eleven having used her powers for aggressive reasons in front of him. Where most people would have shunned her or taken advantage of her abilities, Mike has displayed his love for Eleven purely on an emotional level.
4 Break-Up: Eleven Very Casually Dumped Him
Eleven can find herself on the list of bad girlfriends due to how quickly she came to a conclusion about Mike. While he did avoid her, it had to do with Jim’s threats which are understandable considering Mike’s size and Hopper’s scary threat.
And yet, an enraged Eleven didn’t give Mike any opportunity to explain himself, even siding with Jim’s approach. She very casually dumped Mike, which wasn’t a very good indication for the strength of their relationship if they were prone to break-up over rather trivial matters.
3 Best: Their Friendship Is Always An Important Factor
The best quote to come out of Stranger Things is the one about friendship. This was the basis that Eleven shaped herself around, trusting Mike’s claim of being honest with each other at all times. It also highlights how their friendship definitely came first.
At the heart of a good relationship, there always needs to be friendship, and these two definitely do possess that. It allows Eleven and Mike to see what the other feels, which has worked splendidly so far seeing as they’ve always managed to raise the other’s spirits whenever either of them is down.
2 Break-Up: They Don't Communicate As Much As A Couple
As much as it was obvious that Eleven and Mike were experiencing their new love, it was also noticeable how they weren’t actually talking. Continuous kissing aside, viewers mainly saw the duo largely ignore their friends and not really communicate.
This makes it seem as if they might be better off as friends, seeing as the two would have many heart-to-heart moments when they weren’t together. It appears as if they knew more about each other before than they did after getting together.
1 Best: They're Happiest When Together
No matter what arguments might be made of their potential incompatibility, the fact of the matter is that both characters have been happiest when together. A lot of the wholesome moments in Stranger Things involve these two, with all of them making it clear how much they want to be with each other.
Despite the arguments or annoyances, one can be certain that Mike and Eleven will still find each other because they know that’s how they’re supposed to be. Their constant melancholy when apart in Season 2 was proof the two can’t be very happy when the other’s away. It’s just one of those things where two people need to be around to feel fulfilled.
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