Mike and Will's friendship was one of the very first introduced to us in Stranger Things. For the most part, the driving force of the story was Mike trying to find his missing friend. Until other hurdles - like Eleven, Hawkins Lab and The Demogorgon - demanded more of Mike's attention.
Season 2 was able to recapture some of the magic in Mike and Will's friendship - plus we finally got to see how Will plays in the dynamics of their friend group. But season 3 put a lot of strain on these two "best friends", prompting the question are Mike and Will really friends?
Growing Up, Growing Apart
Will and Mike met on the first day of kindergarten, quickly becoming best friends. And that's how things stayed, their friendship going relatively untested until Will's disappearance. Unfortunately, even after they defeated The Demogorgon Will and Mike's lives weren't able to fully return to normal.
Everything surrounding The Demogorgon and The Upside Down has caused a negative impact on Will and Mike's friendship. But the sad truth is that not all childhood friendships survive to adulthood or even adolescence in some cases. And in Will and Mike's case, they may be naturally growing apart.
Different Maturity Levels
Everyone grows and matures at their own pace, and the transition from child to teenager is never easy. But between Will and Mike, it appears Mike may be maturing faster than his childhood buddy. Now that he's hit adolescence, Mike is more interested in dating and making-out than playing Dungeons & Dragons in his parent's basement. He's no longer the boy who placed "emotional value" on his toys.
And no one can really blame Will for wanting to remain in the stasis of childhood, having fun and playing games. In a way, his experience with The Upside Down and his trauma has robbed him of his childhood, so it's only natural he would want to recapture that sense innocence and safety he had before.
Different Values
By the summer of 1985, Will and Mike are already on different levels when it comes to maturity and how they want to spend their time. Their different values have created an underlying tension in their friendship. In season 3, their frustration with each other festers below the surface until it blows up as their huge fight outside Mike's house.
It's normal for friends to fight. And a healthy friendship is marked by one where two people can see the other person's perspective, and everyone works together to come to a compromise. Will and Mike are still young, and unable to rationally communicate their feelings of diffuse the argument effectively. Their one fight may be a red flag for a toxic pattern that could develop if they're not on the same page.
Mike Cares More About Eleven
Sometimes, friendships can be tested when one person feels like they're losing their friend to a new relationship. Getting a boyfriend or girlfriend - especially at Will and Mike's age - can seem like a big deal. In season 3, Mike's world definitely revolves around Eleven. He is always looking for ways to spend alone time from her - cutting out his friends, and isolating her from anyone but him.
But Mike's fixation and investment in Eleven go to the very beginning. At one point, Mike and Lucas got into a huge fight because Mike was more concerned about Eleven and her safety than trying to find Will. It's hard being friends with someone when they choose their partner over you.
Will Can't Empathize With Mike
When Eleven dumps Mike, he is understandably down in the dumps and heartbroken. Mike is able to turn to his other friend Lucas, who was also dumped by his girlfriend Max, for support. Because Lucas gets - being broken up with is a shared experience between the pair, and they can understand each other's pain.
Will, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care about - or understand - Mike's hurt. Instead of comforting his friend, Will pushes for the boys to play the Dungeons & Dragons campaign he's set up. At that moment, Will cared more about his wants than his friend's need for emotional support.
Mike Has Control Issues
Mike has always been the "leader" of the group, or the one who calls the shots. He starts as the Dungeon Master for their campaign, he makes the decisions for the group when it comes to finding Will, and saving Eleven. In season two, he snaps at Will how Max is ruining the group's Halloween. He even says "You should have checked with me first," and that seems to be his attitude with all his relationships: "What I say goes."
Unlike Lucas and Dustin, Will is less likely to stand up for himself when Mike gets too domineering. Even before all the drama with The Demogorgon, there are hints to a power imbalance between Will and Mike, which makes for an unhealthy friendship.
Ability to Apologize
Perhaps the best part about Mike growing and maturing faster than Will is that he is now able to recognize when he is at fault. Despite all the drama and in-fighting, Mike is able to offer a sincere apology to both Will and Eleven for his bad behavior towards them.
But the same can't be said for Will or Eleven, both of whom are emotionally stunted by their trauma.
Shared Trauma
On that note, even though all the characters in Stranger Things have had some part to play in taking down The Demogorgon, Mind Flayer or dismantling Hawkins Lab, that doesn't mean all their experiences and trauma are equal.
Will and Eleven have a lot more in common and a better understanding of their mutual connections to the Mind Flayer. They get each other in a way that Mike will never truly understand, which only creates another imbalance in their relationships.
Will Doesn't Always Trust Mike
Will and Mike have very contrasting relationships with their mothers. While Mike is often moody, combative and secretive with his parents - which is normal for a boy his age - Will is yet to fly away from the metaphorical nest. Will is still emotionally dependant on Joyce, often choosing to confide in her instead of his friends, which isn't the norm for most young teenagers.
That's not to say Will doesn't have his moments of opening up to Mike. But it's definitely not the same trust or willingness to be vulnerable he shares with his mother.
Moving Away
At the end of season 3, the Byers family and Eleven move away from Hawkins. Some distance and a fresh start definitely are what's best for all of them, but it does mean Mike loses the two most important people in his life. As we saw with Dustin's long-distance relationship with Suzie, maintaining interstate friendships and relationships wasn't easy in the 1980s. Writing letters and phone calls is an option, but given Mike's tendency to focus solely on Eleven it's a worry that he may let his friendship with Will totally fall to the wayside.
It's safe to assume that season 4 will be reuniting the characters in some way, but we don't know how much time has elapsed between the seasons, or how this distance will impact Mike's relationships.