*Spoiler Alert Ahead*
There might be a future for Jim Hopper in Stranger Things.
In Season 3’s closing episodes, we see Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) make their way below Starcourt Mall to try to shut down the Russian particle accelerator that’s keeping the entrance open between our dimension and the Upside Down. During that moment, Hopper also seems to sacrifice himself in order to close the gate—a pretty sad way to end the season.
In a new interview with EW, Harbour and the Duffer Brothers discussed Hopper’s death. While they weren’t able to reveal much, Harbour does tease that that isn’t the end of Chief Hopper.
“What can I tell you? What can’t I tell you? I mean I don’t really know but we will have to see together,” Harbour says. “It’s a pretty serious situation that he gets himself into there at the end and it’s a pretty moving arc in terms of the way this all plays out. So I think we’ll sort of leave it at that and see if there is a life beyond, but I’m not sure yet.”
The Duffer Brothers also commented on the post-credits scene, which divulges two things: that the Russians have a Demogorgon and that they’re holding an American hostage in a jail cell. It’s a purposefully open-ended conclusion, which allows fans to ruminate on what might happen next.
“Assuming there’s a season 4, obviously the question of who that American is in that cell and then also what they’re doing with the Demogorgon, that is a tease,” Ross Duffer said. “We try to tee up some Season 4.”
“You definitely should not assume anything,” Matt Duffer added. “The line that Russian guard said is purposely intended to spark debate. We need people to ask the very questions that you’re asking.”
