David Harbour is excellent in this series and I, for one, am glad he is not really dead. Teasing us with the loss of a major character is OK, but actually killing such an integral player like Hopper would have been a mistake IMHO.
Season 4 should be fun.
Wrong forum. Sorry. Mods please move.
Done.
I’d actually completely forgotten he’d died until you mentioned it here. Even after seeing the teaser the other day.
It was pretty clear he wasn’t dead, when the Russians mentioned they had an American prisoner at the end of season 3. Who else would it be? (Of course, there’s also the rule that a major character is never really dead unless you see the body - and sometimes even if you do.:)) Also all the tear-jerking when everyone talked about his loss.
I edited the title to indicate that there are spoilers for those who haven’t seen season 3.
There was a good bit of fan speculation at the time that it was Eleven’s father (I personally think that would have been a better idea).
more specifically - they mentioned “The American” - which is how they reffered to him several times in season three - it was far too specific in context and yet just deniable enough had he not been able to return.
Yeah, I thought The American being Hopper was a misdirect, and it’d turn out to be Papa. That would explain how the Russians were able to replicate the gate, and it would let somebody say upon rescuing Hopper from the Upside Down that they left the door open three inches.
Both theories are kaput now, I guess. 
Even before the mention of “The American” post-credits, I was pretty convinced Hopper was coming back since they spent the last seven minutes of the show on a monologue of him in flashback talking about his feelings for Eleven, and of Eleven and Joyce dealing with their feelings toward him. All of that would have been too maudlin if he were really gone for good.
Hopper is a good counterweight to the kids. His solid character I think is essential in grounding the show amidst the youths, the supernatural, the villains and Joyce. I don’t think Stranger Things could work without him.
I agree, though it does get annoying that there really are no stakes to main characters. I am rather interested if they finally make a step out of their small town Setting. But realistically speaking the will probably get him back via Upside Down shortcut and be back in town, as that is where everything happens all the time (and fans hated the trip to NY with a vengeance)
The trip to New York deserves to be hated with a vengeance.
Especially since it was Chicago?
(or did I miss it?)
Yes, it was Chicago. But it could have been any generic city with dull characters and Umbrella Acadamy multi-power heroes and villains. There are more than enough comic book movies and tv shows.
You mean Dr. Brenner (who hasn’t been established as being Eleven’s actual father)? I hadn’t heard such speculation, but it wouldn’t make sense for the Russians to be keeping such a valuable prisoner in a cell and considering using him as demogorgon chow.
Yes, Matthew Modine, the person Eleven refers to as Papa.
1980s Russians were, in the American consciousness, comic-book evil people.
The speculation I remember was that it was Eleven’s biological father, whoever that was, not “Papa”. But, since it now appears it was Hooper all along, it’s moot.
Haven’t seen that speculation before this thread. It would be an interesting turn of events, but that would make the backstory even more Firestarter than it already is.
YES! Can’t wait for this!! Which reminds me: “Mornings are for contemplation and coffee”.