The Unfortunate Problem With Stranger Things' Jim Hopper

Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper, portrayed by David Harbour, is without a doubt one of the fan favorite characters on Stranger Things. So much so, that Stranger Things creators, The Duffer Brothers, decided to bring the Jim Hopper back in Season 4, even after his on screen death in Season 3. With this one decision, Stranger Things revealed a major flaw with it's handling of fan favorite characters.

#strangerthings #jimhopper #nerdstalgic

[trinaq]

While I'm delighted that Hopper was brought back, it just becomes more apparent that the Duffers are reluctant to actually kill off any main characters, deciding on the more expendable secondary characters, who've usually been introduced that Season.

[thrbrandao]

His ankle being f*cked was a plot point totally forgotten during the season, and it bothered me a little bit. He is basically invincible, but not in a believable way

[yetsumari]

If you’re not going to kill a character they need to be able to continue to change. Hopper is a fully realized character, or was treated as such, this is typically when a character will die because there is nothing more to do with them.

[Raggart]

In my opinion, the real problem with Hopper was that the great character growth he experienced in seasons 1 and (mostly) 2 was squandered in season 3.

From a sad, lonely and selfish kind-of-asshole, he was becoming a respectable, involved, mature friend and father... Until season 3, where he reverted to being a typical self-centered, clueless "Hero from the 80s".

By season 4, he was already an action hero, and that kind of character NEVER dies.

[trinaq]

In retrospect, it was obvious that Hopper wasn't really dead, since with all of the other characters who died, namely Bob, Barb and Alexei, they took the time to show their dead bodies. It also makes Hopper's sacrifice seem less meaningful, if we know he'll survive anyway.

[army]

Considering how the previous season ended, there was no doubt in my mind that Hopper had survived, so I can't say I was disappointed at all to see him come back. You could certainly argue that it would have been a more interesting narrative if he'd actually sacrificed his life at the end of season 3, but as the audience we were only given a few minutes to think he had actually died before they teased that he hadn't; that's not much time to get very invested in a new, Hopper-less timeline.

[bloodyneptune]

I feel like they wouldn't have introduced the Russian angle if its not going to play a part in the finale, especially the bit of the Mind Flyer that as far as we know is still out there. I think that's going to be important, and there needed to be some of the Party there to connect it.

[GothPaoki]

Hopper not dying was entirely predictable.


The real problem the show has is when it tries to present us deaths like that of Billy's as influential and emotional which comes like really fk cringe.

Here's this secondary character, he's been a jackass literally his entire presence in the show but on literally his last scene you the audience are supposed to care he died despite having seen no redeeming qualities or connection to other characters even his sister whom he hates and vice versa but now we'll make her cry to make this emotional so whatever audience i bet you're really down to tears by that. This whole effort is so weird.

[kevinfrank]

I loved everything with Hopper in Season 4. I thought this was gonna be how they turned him into an abusive screaming pshycopath in Season 3

[kjhgk]

"Somehow, Hopper returned."

[EntrEsprit]

Watch how in season 5 they are going to kill off Eleven and/or a character fans really care about, like Steve, after all the complaints about plot armor as well as because of this being the final season, and everyone is going to be shocked, even though they shouldn't, this is predictable at this point

[AReaderOfHorror]

S3 Jim Hopper bugged the hell out of me bc S1&2 Hop was this caring, compassionate, deceptively soft guy. And then there's Jim 3 where he's this borderline psychotic, jealous, and possessive. Like, dude was on that full "1 Bad Day" track

[professorbaxtercarelessdre]

honestly strangers things season 4 disappointed me in many ways, and this was one, also focusing so much on letting Max die, then basically retconning it, and the whole bullying and amnesia stuff with L, alot of it just felt like they were throwing darts hoping something would stick, but that's just me

[Jarno_Live]

I watch stranger things and stil didn’t understand why people think Jim really died there. I saw it and thought right that minute sure……. See you back in the next season. I was still sad but it was clear for me he wasn’t dead. Don’t get me wrong I really like Jim and I am happy he isn’t dead. But what surprised me is that people really though he was dead. Come guys we didn’t see a body. Why the fuck do you think he is dead.

[jackcarlos]

I totally agree for the first half of the season, it was slow and kind of disconnected. But it got so intense and epic-Hopper-ness throughout the season, I kind of loved it in the end.

[PerpetualJoy]

I dont think hopper surviving diminishes his sacrifice. I mean... You certainly wouldnt say that about anyone in any real life situation where they sacrifice their safety to save someone.

[VitalyClarX]

I liked having him back because his storyline was way more interesting than the other ones xd

[ji]

I think it’s believable. He already accepted his death with that sacrifice. At this point nothing scares him

[dylanatkins]

I'm still glad that he came back because he carried season 4 for me but I just wish they made more of an effort with his character in season 3

[ryanmckenzie]

Complete hot take here, but I actually like that they kept Hopper for a few reasons. On a larger level, I feel like there's a lot of talk about "hesitancy to kill off main characters" like it's a bad thing. At the end of the day, we love great stories because they have great characters. A writer SHOULD be hesitant to kill them off, especially in a series. It worked in Game of Thrones as a form of narrative subversion, but when we kill off characters just to tug at heartstrings and meet what's become a general expectation, I feel like it's bad storytelling and makes the series less entertaining than it could be.

I'm thinking Hopper's conversion into something of an action hero does play an important part in his character arc, because in season 1, he basically had nothing to live for and was numbing himself with pills and alcohol. Now, through his growth in seasons 2 and 3, he has purpose in protecting his loved ones, and he's willing to unflinchingly endure extreme hardship and torture for that purpose. Again, complete hot take. There's undoubtedly a lot of holes in my argument, but there's my general feeling on it!