Every Stranger Things fan the world over was devastated when Season 3 saw Hopper make the ultimate sacrifice so that Joyce could shut down the machine that the Russians had built to open yet another door to the Upside Down in Hawkins. The gruff bear of a police chief had become a true father to Eleven, a father figure to Joyce's kids, and now he was the hero the town needed once again...without most of them knowing exactly how difficult it was for him. But, did any of us really think he was dead?
If you, like me, figured that there were multiple possibilities that could see Hopper show up in Stranger Things Season 4, you're in luck! We've finally been given a taste of what happened to him and how he's going to reappear when the new season starts up. Take a look!
OMGOMGOMG! Hopper is alive and in Russia and doing hard labor because he's probably a prisoner! Put it all in my brain now, please! This 50 second video, which appeared like beautiful sci-fi magic on the Stranger Things YouTube page isn't filled with the standard cagey teases that we have been known to get from the hit show about kids and (two) of their parents saving the world from multidimensional creatures year after year. Oh, no, they just go ahead and show us Hopper working his freezing butt off in the wilds of Russia as he helps to construct a railroad line.
I have. So. Many. Questions! Now, we knew from the Season 3 finale post-credits scene (man, I looooove a good post-credits scene) that there's a Russian prison (Or, experimental facility?) with at least one Demogorgon and one American. But, now that we know Hopper is absolutely in Russia, does this mean that he is the American who wasn't taken down to meet his fate at the hands, claws and teeth (so many teeth...) of that prisoner Demogorgon?
My initial thought upon watching the scene, since we had a confirmed American and Upside Down monster in one spot, was that the American would end up being Brenner, Eleven's evil sorta dad / torturer who disappeared (along with the Demogorgon) at the end of Season 1. Why else would we not have seen him for a whole two seasons? Being trapped in a Russian prison in the 1980s is as good of an excuse as any for disappearing without a trace, right?
Even though it's very good to see that Hopper is alive, the conditions under which we see him lead to another obvious question: How the hell are Joyce, Eleven and the gang back in Hawkins going to get Hopper back? Will it be up to Hopper to try and get back to his family and friends and try to stop the ever-present Upside Down / Russian threat?
Might Eleven, who was last seen not only moving away from Hawkins with Joyce and her family, but without her powers, try to regain her gifts and see if she can make contact with Hopper? That girl has been through too much to believe that he's dead without actually seeing it for herself. Also, just how much of Russia and Hopper, and the super dangerous Upside Down for that matter, will we be seeing in the new season?
OK, fine. When I said that knowing Hopper is alive led to one obvious question, I should have said it led to four obvious questions. But, believe me when I say I've got more, and I'm sure that a good Stranger Things fan like you has plenty more questions, too.
We still don't know exactly when Stranger Things Season 4 will debut, but if they're already releasing a scene this big, it must be soon, right? Some theories say that clues point to a premiere as soon as April, and if that's true we'll be getting a lot more Stranger Things updates before long.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest on Stranger Things Season 4, and to fill your eyes with wonderful televised entertainment in the meantime, check out our 2020 winter / spring premiere guide and Netflix release schedule!
