As fans anticipate the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, they can rest assured that at least one main character is likely to be safe after the events of season 4. The popular Netflix sci-fi/horror series was created by the Duffer Brothers and premiered in 2016, quickly attracting record viewership on the streaming platform. However, one season 4 plot development means that some narrative angles are off-limits for Stranger Things season 5.
Although Jim Hopper (David Harbour) seemed to die in a self-sacrificing move to keep a new portal from being opened to the Upside Down at the end of season 3, he appeared alive in a Russian prison in season 4. Many believe this reversal was a mistake and that Jim Hopper should have stayed dead, but it does mean he is unlikely to die again in the next season. After watching Hopper’s loved ones mourn, it wouldn’t make sense for season 5 to do the same thing all over again. While Hopper may not be entirely in the clear, he does seem to be safer than the other characters in Stranger Things.
Hopper's S3 Sacrifice Was So Good, Stranger Things Can't Beat It
One reason Hopper shouldn’t be killed again is that it simply wouldn’t be as good as the first time he “died.” The Hawkins’ Chief of Police infiltrated the Soviet Union’s underground base on a mission to destroy a machine being used to open a gate to the Upside Down, but Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) was forced to initiate the device’s self-destruct program while Hopper was standing next to it. Given Joyce’s relationship with Hopper, this moment is especially devastating. Although new and ing characters have regularly been killed off in Stranger Things, including Eddie’s death in season 4, Hopper was the first main character to die until the reversal brought him back. If Hopper were to die again, the show would have to find an even better send-off for his character, and that would be a difficult, if not impossible task.
Stranger Things 5 Can't Repeat Joyce's Loss Story
Even if the writers manage to find a fitting way to dispatch Hopper’s character in the final season, it would still be cruel to ask Joyce to go through such a major loss, yet again. Season 2 introduced Joyce’s new boyfriend, Bob Newby (Sean Astin), only to kill him off before the end of the season. Joyce then spent much of season 3 grieving Bob’s early departure from Stranger Things, only to then see Hopper die in the season finale. Even though Joyce eventually discovered Hopper was still alive, she was initially forced to repeat the grief process in season 4. If Hopper were to die again in season 5, it would put Joyce in the same loss narrative for the third straight season. After finally allowing the two main characters to it their romantic feelings for each other, it would also be especially cruel to tragically separate Joyce and Hopper yet again. If Hopper is killed off in the final season of Stranger Things, it will likely result in a backlash from viewers.
