Dear Billy

So after Billy died, Max basically pretended to be happy around her friends and family because she didn’t want to let anybody in and also because she kinda felt like she didn’t deserve to be sad. She was probably giving a lot of energy to helping El get over Hop’s death, because El didn’t really know how to deal with it. Then at some point after the summer or during the school year she started showing signs of depression and signs that she was actually struggling. That’s when she started seeing Mrs. Kelly. Running up that hill came out August 5 1985 so she probably started listening to it at the beginning of the school year. The reason she listens to this song is probably because of the lyrics: “If I only could, i’d make a deal with God, and i’d get him to swap our places.” This refers to her wishing something would happen to her, instead of Billy (as we learned in the Piggyback). She felt a strong sense of survivor’s guilt because she didn’t save him. She felt that she could have done more to save him, but him abusing her held her back. This made her think that she was a horrible person and made her have suicidal thoughts. We also know that she broke up with Lucas and “disappeared” to everyone. However, in that face of all this, she didn’t give in to Vecna. She ran out of his lair. Why? Because in that moment, she saw her friends screaming her name, and she remembered her relationships with El and Lucas and Dustin and Mike and she found something to live for. This is the tragedy in episode nine because after having her brother die, being abused, and surviving Vecna one time, she dies. But it get worse; as El brings her back to life she falls into a coma and they don’t know if she’ll wake.

All of this is so sad. She basically my favorite character and I hope she survives 😭

Tell me, did I miss anything? Did I get anything wrong? What are your guys’ thoughts?

Here’s my second Fanart, again sorry for the hands. I’ll try to do your other ideas next days.

And here’s the reference photo

I am puzzled by how the scumbag would be a mess after losing his punching bag, since when the poor fellow was alive, he was negative and destructive. I mean can't he live without venting out his "masculine" rage? Why would he take all of it out on poor Susan? Did he even really love her? And why would he want to use poor Billy as his chewtoy in the first place if he cannot live without him? I am so cross and at the same so baffled with that prick. Billy, Max and Susan deserved better. I mean why can't he stay for the woman she married? I just am so confused. If I had my way, it would not be pretty (PG-13 regulations forbid me from elaborating on this). Overall, I am so speechless at how he could even go unpunished. Because now that he has ditched the remaining 2 (Susan and Max), one can wonder how many more lives is he going to ruin and how many more families is he going to destroy just because of his anger and "masculinity" issues. Admins, I hope I am not violating guidelines but I need to let all of this out. I am sorry but I am at a huge loss of what to do and say. I am not mad (crazy) and I have every right to feel outraged by such things. If anything like this happened to someone you know, wouldn't you feel outraged or shocked? I know that I should be focusing on our heroes, but I am starting to feel even sadder for poor Max. Max could only take so much. She had to suffer at the hands of Billy who had to suffer at the hands of the scumbag. Yes, I am addressing the root cause of all of this. Max did not deserve to lose her sight and her consciousness because of all of this. And I feel that Susan was dumb enought to replace Sam with a scumbag, I mean what does she see in the scumbag that she does not see in Sam? Once again, I apologize if I have gone too far but I cannot take this anymore.

It's my favorite ship and they are my favorite characters.

How does it look? Oh, and please forgive me on the reflections. It's glass so u know how that goes.

Hey Zoomers, I have a theory about Max.

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️

This theory may contain mentions of PTSD. Veiwer discretion is advised.

I theorize that Max has PTSD. We know she has it because she's experiencing symptoms of post-truamatic stress disorder.

Here's all the following symptoms on a screenshot I took on my phone. According to Google, these are all the symptoms:

Max is experiencing psychological and behavioral symptoms of PTSD. This is very evident in the episode Dear Billy. Her behavioral symptoms include hostility and social isolation. Her psychological symptoms include flashbacks, anxiety, fear and mistrust, which are very common symptoms in people with post-truamatic stress disorder.

Throughout Dear Billy, Max closed herself off and isolated herself from her friends and boyfriend, Lucas. He was worried about Max and her mental health, telling Max that he didn't need another letter from her, reminding Max that her friends were always there for her no matter what, but Max brushed off his concerns. This indicated that Max was being somewhat hostile and showing isolative behavior towards Lucas. This is one sign that she has PTSD.

Another sign she was showing symptoms of post-truamatic stress disorder during the episode was when she felt guilty about Billy's death and blamed herself for it.

Max also began to mistrust her friends and push them away. Not only was she pushing away her friends, but it was also the other way around. She began to push herself away from her friends and distance herself from them, going back to the isolation part.

The final and most scariest part about this theory is that Max is having nightmares, fear, flashbacks and could even be reliving the trauma. This is very common in people with the disorder. Flashbacks are the most common thing in people with PTSD. Since Max witnessed a traumatic event, which was seeing Billy die, she could be having nightmares, could be triggered by the mention of Billy, the events of The Battle of Starcourt Mall or a location reminding her of the traumatic event and could be having flashbacks, she does have PTSD. Therefore, I theorize that Max has PTSD.

Remember, if you or someone you care about is struggling, please get help. It'll save someone's life.

The frame came in the mail yesterday and then I put the poster in. Now I just gotta hang it on my wall and that’s gonna be a pain.

I left my phone unattended to do something for like 10 seconds at school, and then some people were scrolling through my stuff and found this picture. Cue the Stranger Things stigma . . .

Also, I’ve been a bit busy with school and stuff, so I’m not on here as much, and also Cobra Kai season 5 dropped today which I’m excited to watch (good show btw if u don’t watch it).

So this came in the mail. Only problem is I don’t have anything to hang it.

I just watched the scene where Max sat in front of Billy's grave and read the letter. It almost made me cry and break down for Max. My heart sank and shattered for Max. She read this to the person who hurt her, the person who was cruel to her for so long, the person who sacrificed himself to protect her and her friends, the person whom she wanted to die and the person eventually ended up dying. Max secretly wanted Billy to die, but in reality, although Billy was very cruel to her, she didn't want him to die. As I watched the scene and I typed this discussion, I nearly broke down in tears because I feel so bad for Max.

I read that Sadie mentioned a production error on the episode, Dear Billy, in which the tombstone reads Billy on the trailer but William on the actual episode.

Does this mean the name shown on the episode was a mistake?

Do you agree?

What has so far been your favorite episode of Stranger Things?

Mine is either Dear Billy (with my favorite scene at the end of the episode) in Season 4 and The Battle Of Starcourt in Season 3.

If my memory serves me correctly, Max did mention in her letter that the scumbag could not stand living without Billy. But I am also curious why, if he abused him while he was alive?

And sometimes, I would wonder why he would fight Susan, the woman he loves, over his death and then abandon the two (Susan and Max) over his son's (more like favorite punching bag's) death.