Does Hopper get back to Hawkins

James "Jim" Hopper, also known as just Hopper, is a main character in Stranger Things. He is portrayed by David Harbour.

Hopper was Chief of Police in the small, sleepy town of Hawkins, Indiana, where he used to live out a carefree existence, though forever haunted by his troubled past. After an old friend, Joyce Byers, reported that her son, Will, had mysteriously disappeared, Hopper's life became infinitely more complicated. He began to unravel a conspiracy involving the nearby Hawkins National Laboratory, discovering the lab had conducted experiments that accidentally opened a gate to an alternate dimension. During their investigations, Hopper and Joyce met Eleven, the escaped child test subject who unwittingly opened the gate using special psychokinetic abilities. Eventually, Hopper and Joyce were permitted to travel through the gate and search for Will, finding him strung up in the alternate version of the public library; he was unconscious, but alive.

Later that year, Hopper discovered that Eleven, presumed to be deceased, was actually alive, living by herself in the woods. He decided to take her in, providing a home for her in his cabin, and did everything in his power to hide her from the authorities. After local crops began to rot in October 1986, Hopper discovered that mysterious tunnels beneath Hawkins were the source of the decay. Dr. Owens, the new head of Hawkins Lab, reluctantly informed him that the interdimensional gate beneath the facility was actively growing in size, and in turn corrupting the surrounding environment. Later, Hopper and Owens were took off-guard when a pack of murderous creatures hailing from the alternate dimension attacked the laboratory, with Hopper and his allies only narrowly surviving. The immediate threat was neutralized when Eleven, accompanied by Hopper, returned to the laboratory; Eleven sealed the Gate with her special abilities, cutting off the connection to what she called "the Upside Down". In the months that followed, Hawkins Lab was shut down, with Hopper watching as cement filled in the last traces of the Gate. With Owens' help, Hopper was able to officially adopt Eleven, her legal name becoming "Jane Hopper".

In June 1985, Joyce started fretting over magnets failing to stick to her refrigerator; she believed something strange was once again occurring in Hawkins. A skeptical Hopper sought to dismiss her concerns, taking her to the abandoned Hawkins Lab to show her that the nightmare of the Upside Down was "over". However, while searching through the facility, Hopper encountered a mysterious Russian assassin and became engaged in combat. Following this, Hopper and Joyce began investigating a vast conspiracy involving the corrupt mayor, suspicious activity involving the local power grid, and the newly-built Starcourt Mall. After finding the Soviet scientist Dr. Alexei and taking him hostage, the three met with the Russian-speaking journalist Murray Bauman. Through Murray, Alexei told the Americans that a secret base had been built under Starcourt Mall; the base housed an experimental technology which could pry open the already-weakened fabric of reality in Hawkins, Indiana.

After building off what the "Scoops Troop" had learned, Hopper, Joyce and Murray infiltrated the secret base and set out to disable the Soviet machine. However, upon reaching the control room, Hopper was ambushed by the hitman he and Joyce encountered at Hawkins Lab. Though Hopper ultimately overpowered and killed Grigori, Joyce was forced to disable the volatile machine while Hopper stood nearby; while Joyce looked away, Hopper decided to dive for cover as electrical activity flooded the facility. Though he had survived, Hopper was soon captured by the Soviets, and was presumed deceased by the rest of Hawkins. The Soviets tortured him for information, and forced him into servitude at their prison camp in Kamchatka.

By March 1986, Hopper had struck up a complicated friendship with security guard Dmitri Antonov. Hopper decided he would try to break free, and despite some initial hesitance, Dmitri decided to help him. Antonov sent a package containing a hidden message to Joyce, which prompted her and Murray to travel to Russia in an effort to free him. Meanwhile, Hopper and numerous other prisoners were informed they were to fight a captured humanoid predator - a Demogorgon from the Upside Down. Hopper evaded the wrath of the creature; moments later, he was pleasantly surprised to be reunited with Joyce and Murray, who had infiltrated the facility.

Despite escaping to Yuri Ismaylov's safehouse in Kyrzran, the group returned to the prison after learning their allies and loved ones in Hawkins were in danger. They hoped that by destroying swirling particles they had witnessed at the base - a captured fragment of "the Mind Flayer" - they could deal damage to the Upside Down's hive mind, and assist their friends in need. Returning to the prison, Hopper, Joyce and Murray learned the Mind Flayer had escaped its cell and re-animated numerous frozen Demogorgons. The Americans set out to kill the Demogorgons, fighting for their lives while hoping to inflict pain upon the hive mind. After some time, Hopper, Joyce and Murray managed to execute all the creatures, with Dmitri and Yuri arriving by helicopter to take them back to America. Two days later, Hopper and Eleven happily reunited at the old cabin. Moments later, Hopper, Eleven and their allies watched in horror as four newly-opened gates spewed plumes of smoke and the Upside Down's spores across Hawkins.

Contents

• 1 History
• 2 Personality and traits
• 3 Abilities
• 4 Equipment
• 5 Relationships
  • 5.1 Familial
  • 5.2 Non-Familial
• 6 Appearances
  • 6.1 Video games
• 7 Family tree
• 8 Memorable Quotes
• 9 Gallery
• 10 Trivia
• 11 References

History

• Main article: Jim Hopper/History

Personality and traits

Sometime after reaching the age of 18, Hopper was drafted into the US Army Chemical Corps through a letter of induction to fight in the Vietnam War. He was exposed to dangerous chemicals like Agent Orange, an herbicide that was used to damage vegetation that the NVA and Viet Cong were using for cover. Alongside his friends who served, they all tried to return to their normal lives after the war, but their exposure to Agent Orange led to numerous health complications for their spouses and as a result, they could not safely have healthy children. Hopper's wife, Diane, was able to luckily give birth to their daughter, Sara. However, this would be short-lived as Sara developed cancer at a young age. The loss of his daughter and family life left Hopper emotionally reserved and cynical. To manage his pain, he regularly drank alcohol, smoked several cigarettes a day and developed an addiction to anti-anxiety drugs. Instead of making real connections with people, he slept around with several women who he never contacted again.

Despite being the Police Chief, he didn't care about his job, as he regularly slept in and showed up late and had an overall laid-back attitude in the office even before the Byers case and had an indifference to the cases brought to his attention. Only when Will Byers went missing and it turned out to be a government cover-up did he start caring about doing his job properly, as he had a personal interest in the case.

After discovering Eleven and taking her in to his cabin as her new home, Hopper grew to be highly sympathetic and responsible, which was why they quickly formed a father-daughter bond. To ensure her safety as well as fear for losing her like his daughter, Hopper placed tripwires around their location and had no other choice but to prohibit Eleven from leaving the cabin at all. His care for her was so fierce that one day, he got mad at her for putting herself in jeopardy, an act he regretted. He later acknowledged this and asked her forgiveness. His sense of duty also didn't waiver during their time together, as he would often go to check out Will's condition and help him out as well as scrutinizing the reason behind the abnormal incidents of Hawkins.

Hopper's empathy for Eleven was the reason why, with the help of Dr. Owens he later took her as his adopted daughter. He also grew overprotective of Eleven and began believing Mike Wheeler to be a bad influence on her, as he did not want Eleven to grow up so quickly. Hopper began to develop romantic feelings for Joyce, but had trouble confessing them for her, despite asking her out on a date. Yet, Hopper was willing to risk his life to protect Joyce and the kids in order to turn off the key that was opening a portal to the Upside Down.

After eight months of being imprisoned in Russia, Hopper was desperate to escape where he formed an alliance with corrupt prison guard Dmitri Antonov. Hopper's time in prison also caused him to reflect on his actions and his relationships with those closest to him such as Sara, Joyce, and Eleven. When discovering a Demogorgon to be kept in the prison he was being held at, Hopper was determined to fight it in order to survive and escape. When reunited with Joyce, Hopper was able to make amends and begin a romantic relationship with her as they attempted to leave Russia. However, when discovering the Party to be in danger, Hopper was willing to return to the Russian prison where he was kept and kill the Demogorgons inhabiting there, in order to save the kids. After successfully killing the Demogorgons and returning to the United States, Hopper was happily reunited with Eleven and officially started sealing his romance with Joyce.

Abilities

Hopper fights against Grigori.

• Expert Combatant: As an Army veteran and the present Police Chief, Hopper is highly trained in both boxing and kickboxing hand-to-hand combat. He beat up David O'Bannon, defeated laboratory security guards, he was able to easily fight against and knock out a Russian spy, and even hold his own against Grigori and managed to win the fight in the end, though with extreme effort.
• Expert Marksman: As an Army veteran and the present Police Chief, Hopper is noteworthy for his experience with a variety of firearms, ranging from handguns, shotguns and rifles. While he mostly carried his revolver around with him during investigations and settling minor disputes, he was shown to be remarkably proficient in handling rifles and shotguns when he fought side by side with Eleven and protected her from the Demodogs by shooting a substantial number of them without much difficulty, and later when he shot Russians while holding a rifle with one hand. Hopper is also skilled in throwing weapons, as he accurately threw a spear into a Demogorgon's mouth in "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab." When Murray Bauman gave him a pistol in "Papa," he executed a Demodog with a single round.
• Peak Human Condition: Thanks to years of combat experience in Vietnam and gruelling training in a Russian prison he got back into peak shape allowing himself high tolerance toward painful infections shown when a prisoner used a sledgehammer to swing at his feet in order to loose his chains which he barely flinched on furthermore adapts to walking in extremely cold environments with his bare feet. His speed even aids him into running or dodging attacks, his strength is able to physically fight a Demogorgon and kill it with a sword.
• Survival Instincts: Hopper's basic surviving skills helped him considerably when he was trapped in the tunnels corrupted by the Upside Down, such as, placing cigars for leaving a trail to follow, cutting off a part of his shirt to cover his face, and crafting a makeshift torch from a branch. Being a natural survivalist, he escaped terrifying and supernatural locations known as the Upside Down, endured inhuman cruelty in a Russian prison and has even fought Demogorgons with melee weapons.
• Skilled Craftsman: His military life led him to be familiarized with some crafting skills too, as displayed in "The Pollywog" when he constructed trip-wires around Eleven's location. During his imprisonment, rips off a piece of his jacket to rap around a spear and dunks liquor on it to use as a torch against a Demogorgan.
• Multilingualism: Hopper also had some knowledge regarding radio operation and its mechanisms, as he taught Eleven how to communicate over the radio using Morse code during their time together, as well as was very quick to infer the Morse Codes the then possessed Will was trying to signal. Hopper later learned some Russian when he was imprisoned.

Equipment

• Smith & Wesson Model 66: Hopper carried a revolver as his service sidearm, as seen in "The Flea and the Acrobat." He replaced it with a different model revolver after he lost it, but resumed carrying it in "The Case of the Missing Lifeguard," "The Sauna Test" and "The Flayed," but it was taken by Grigori.
• Colt Python: Hopper began using a new revolver, as seen in "MADMAX." He later gave it to Sam Owens in "The Gate."
• Tokarev TT-33: Hopper took a suppressed pistol from a Russian soldier in "The Bite."
• Heckler & Koch MP5K: Hopper used a sub machine gun while rescuing Will in the end of "Upside Down."

• Bushmaster HBAR Carbine: Hopper used a rifle against Demodogs in "The Mind Flayer" and brought it to Hawkins National Laboratory in "The Gate."
• Mossberg 144 LS: Hopper gave Will's rifle to Nancy in "The Mind Flayer."
• AKMSU: Hopper obtained a rifle to kill Russians in "The Battle of Starcourt."
• AKM: Hopper took another rifle from Yuri Ismaylov's stockpile in "The Piggyback."
• Ithaca 37: Hopper brought a shotgun to Hawkins National Laboratory in "The Gate."
• Remington 870: Hopper had another shotgun in his shed in "The Bite."
• ROKS-2 Flamethrower: Hopper used a flamethrower against the Demogorgons in "The Piggyback."
• Sword: Hopper used a sword to kill a Demogorgon in "The Piggyback."

Relationships

Familial

Sara Hopper

Sara was born in April of 1971, and was the apple of Jim's eye. The two would often read together, study science, and play in the park. One day, however, Sara began to hyperventilate in the park while she and Jim were playing, and was soon diagnosed with cancer. While undergoing chemotherapy, Jim often laid in her hospital bed and happily read to her, but would often sit alone in the stairwells of the hospital crying hysterically. By the end, Sara could not be saved and sadly passed on, right in front of her devastated parents. Hopper mentioned to Joyce that his mind would distort him from reality and cause him to see and hear Sara, until he had to make the decision to pack the memories away, or else he would "fall down a hole [he] couldn't get out of". Despite this, one thing Hopper kept was the memory of Sara alive, taping an old drawing in his trailer, mentioning her fascination of science to others, and wore her old blue hair tie around his wrist. When Hopper is skeptic of Joyce hearing Will's voice on the phone, she berates him and angrily asks if he wouldn't know his own daughter's voice, surprising him and soon giving him motivation to find Will, not wanting to lose another child.

After adopting Eleven, Hopper sees a lot of Sara in her. When driving to Hawkins Lab to close the Gate, Hopper explains to El what a black hole is and that Sara had a picture book about it that she loved. El asks who Sara is, causing Hopper to say that she's "his little girl". When El asks where is she, Hopper states that "the black hole got her", and that he's afraid that it'll take her away to, which causes Hopper to apologize for being so strict on her. A month later, when Hopper allows El to attend the Snow Ball with the Party, he gifts her with Sara's hair tie.

Diane

Diane is Hopper's ex-wife and Sara's mother. The two married in 1972, and birthed a child they both loved dearly. But upon Sara's diagnosis of cancer and ultimate death, Diane and Jim divorced in 1979, causing Jim to move back to his hometown in Hawkins, Indiana, while Diane met a man named Bill and had another child. In “The Flea and the Acrobat”, Hopper calls her after ripping his trailer apart. It's hinted that Hopper has called her in hopes of getting her back previously, as Diane annoyingly states that she's told him not to call. Hopper simply tells her that he doesn't regret any of their marriage. Diane then asks if he's been drinking, to which Jim initially says no, but soon tells the truth that he has. Diane tearfully tells him she can't do this right now, and Jim simply tells her to say hello to her husband Bill for him before cutting her off by hanging up. As he prepares to leave, Diane attempts to call back, only for Jim to rip the cord out of the socket.

Eleven

After her defeat of the Demogorgon in 1983, it is revealed that Eleven is alive and comes back through a Gate to escape the school. Hiding in the woods, Hopper had been leaving eggos for her in a lock box until she one day arrives during one of his drops. Hiding her for almost a year in his grandfather's old cabin, for what he believed to be her own safety, the two form a father-daughter bond.

While Hopper thoroughly cared for Eleven, his decision to prohibit her from leaving the cabin ultimately infuriates her as she became enraged for being continued to be promised to see Mike, even though it had been almost a year. They argue one night which causes Eleven to shatter all the windows. The next day, she leaves the cabin to visit her mother. Hopper, who was taken to Hawkins Lab for his injuries, regretted his actions and apologized Eleven for his misbehavior and admitted that he only wanted to protect her, though unaware that she already left.

After passing through many hardship and challenges, they reunite again to forgive each other and finally close the Mind Flayer's Gate together. At the end of the events of Season 2, Hopper adopts Eleven officially as his daughter "Jane".

In 1985, Hopper is very jealous and protective over Eleven due to the events of their past year and a half of living together. Eleven and Mike are now a couple with Mike frequently visiting the cabin to spend time with her, much to Hopper's annoyance. Also, whilst he now allows Eleven to leave the cabin, Hopper gave her a set of rules to stick to, including a curfew, and doesn't allow her to visit places with too many people, such as the Starcourt Mall.

Hopper's irritation at how much time Eleven is spending with Mike, who he thinks is bad for her, causes him to try and have a heart-to-heart with the two of them. When this fails due to Mike acting obnoxious, Hopper forces him to intentionally avoid Eleven with false excuses because he believes it's in her best interest. Following the final battle against the Spider Monster, Eleven came across Joyce, whose grief on her face informed Eleven that Hopper had apparently died while closing the Gate to the Upside Down opened by the Russians, Before leaving Hawkins with the Byers family, El received a last letter from Hopper, who made clear that he missed spending time with his adopted daughter due to her spending more time with Mike but also told that he knew Eleven was growing older and more mature and she was more than capable of making her own choices. He ended the letter with a final request-- keep the door open three inches.

Unbeknownst to El, Hopper had actually been taken to the prison of Kamchatka in Russia, where he spent the next eight months of his life. He eventually found an ally, who sent Joyce and Murray Bauman a letter to meet with him in exchange for Hopper's freedom. Once Vecna had been temporarily defeated, Hopper and Joyce finally returned to the U. S. A. and Eleven tearfully reunited with her adoptive father, telling him that she never stopped believing that he was alive.

Non-Familial

Joyce Byers

Hopper and Joyce have known each other since high school. They were fairly close, often skipping class to smoke together, even being caught by a teacher on at least one occasion. Their friendship continued well into adulthood, and remained even after Hopper returned to Hawkins after living in another city for several years. Hopper aids Joyce in looking for her son, Will, in the Upside Down and together they managed to revive him through CPR. They became closer when Hopper began to accompany Will during his appointments in Hawkins lab and Hopper carried Will to safety when Demodogs attacked the institution.

In 1985, Hopper confessed to Joyce how uncomfortable he was towards Eleven's relationship with Mike, though Joyce did not see a problem in that all, believing it to be simply part of becoming a teenager. She attempted to help him create a speech with the intention of creating "limits" between El and Mike but he was unable to perform it well. Instead, he resorted to threatening Mike, who became scared and agreed to stay away from Eleven, leaving Hopper glad. Hopper invited Joyce to dinner at Enzo's but she never came to show up, hurting Hopper's feelings.

However, he quickly pulled himself together from that blow and aided Joyce in discovering the Russians' plan to open a Gate to the Upside Down. Throughout the trip, they argued and made snarky comments about one another until Murray Bauman stepped in and asked them to just admit the feelings they had from one another. Hopper, Joyce and Murray infiltrated the Russians' base of operations and succeeded in destroying the machine that was opening the Gate, only for Hopper to be caught in the explosion, leaving Joyce in deep grief and with the thought that he had died. Shortly afterwards, Joyce took Eleven in and she moved the two of them, Will and Jonathan out of Hawkins.

Eight months later, Joyce came across a letter from "Enzo," revealing that Hopper had survived. She and Murray decided to travel to Kamchatka to rescue him and after several obstacles, they managed to reunite with one another. Joyce was horrified by the scars Hopper had acquired but he assured her that he "needed to lose weight anyway" and revealed how he had been imagining his romantic dinner with her before the two finally gave into their feelings for one another and made out for the first time.

Joyce was concerned when Hopper proposed being the bait to the Demogorgon in prison, only for him to reassure her that he would not die. Joyce saved Hopper from being mauled by a "Demodog" by tasering it to death and witnessed Hopper fighting the Demogorgon, with the creature ending up being decapitated once and for all.

Bob Newby

While Bob and Hopper knew each other since high school and were friends from then, Hopper always trifled Bob for his passive nature, calling him "Bob the Brain". However, Jim developed a sense of respect for Bob when he put himself in danger in order to help the group escape from the lab, which ultimately leads to Bob's tragic demise.

Mike Wheeler

Hopper and Mike did not get off to a good start. When questioning Mike on Will's whereabouts, Hopper ordered Mike and his friends to not go searching for Will, but Mike secretly disobeyed him and started searching for Will. When Hopper realized that Mike was in danger for sheltering Eleven, he did not hesitate to find him and come to his rescue at the junkyard. When interrogated by Martin Brenner, Hopper was forced to reveal Mike and the rest of the kids' location, which he regretted.

In 1984, Hopper still showed some care for Mike as he asked Eleven if she wanted him to check on Mike, which she refused. However, when Mike found out that Hopper had been hiding Eleven for nearly an entire year, he became furious with Hopper, blaming him for hiding her as he tried to justify his actions. When Mike took all of his anger out, Hopper stopped and comforted a sobbing Mike, apologizing to him as he realized how wrong he was to keep Eleven hidden.

However, in 1985, Hopper and Mike weren't on good terms again, especially when Hopper was irritated with how much time his adopted daughter, Eleven, spends being with Mike. Eventually, it boils over when Mike becomes too arrogant and Hopper forces Mike to be distant to Eleven, resulting in Eleven not hanging out with Mike, and eventually breaking up, much to Hopper's joy. Despite their differences, Hopper still wants Mike safe, telling him to be careful before the final attack, hinting he does care for Mike and is starting to support his relationship with El.

Mike was devastated upon learning of Hopper's apparent death while closing the Gate to the Upside Down but the police chief had actually survived the explosion and became a prisoner in the prison of Kamchatka for the next eight months. Once Hopper was rescued, he reunited with both Eleven and Mike, telling the latter that he had grown, before they embrace, revealing that despite their past disagreements, they cared for each other.

Callahan & Powell

Hopper had two police officers who were loyal enough to work with him Phil Callahan and Calvin Powell. Hopper was often annoyed with their antics and foolishness, but still allowed them to help him investigate the disappearance of Will Byers and the rotting of the pumpkin fields. Both Callahan and Powell respect Hopper and follow his orders, and even worry about his well-being.

Murray Bauman

Hopper was friends and acquaintances with Murray Bauman, although the two were sometimes annoyed with each other. In 1984, as Murray investigated the disappearance of Barbara Holland, he tried to explain his clues and theories about a girl with psychic powers and how there could be Russians in Hawkins. However, Hopper, knowing the truth about Eleven and what really happened to Barbara, dismissed Murray's claims and told him to go home.

In 1985, Hopper sought Murray's help when he and Joyce captured Russian scientist Alexei, as Hopper knew that Murray knows how to speak in Russian. Through Alexei, Murray, Joyce and Hopper realized that the Russians had been opening a Gate to the Upside Down and rushed to meet with the members of the Party to come up with a plan to destroy the Gate. Murray was saddened when Hopper chose to stay behind to ensure the Gate was closed and was apparently vaporized.

In the next year, Murray accepted joining Joyce in her trip to Kamchatka to rescue Hopper from prison after she received a letter revealing Hopper's survival. Once they reunited, Murray showed disapproval towards Hopper's plan to return to prison and kill the Demogorgon, believing it to be suicide. However, Murray ultimately agreed and used a flamethrower to weaken the Demogorgon long enough for Hopper to slice one of its arms and then its head.

Larry Kline

The connection with his boss, Larry Kline hasn't been known too well in 1983 and 1984. However, Hopper was manipulated by him, and felt threatened due to being fired. When a protest group came over to the Town Hall to yell at Kline for building the Starcourt Mall - which caused them to lose their jobs - Kline said to Hopper that he had to arrest these people, claiming none of the people were given permission to protest. Hopper later noticed that Kline was in cahoots with a man in black, and thought it would be good to point out all the other sneaky things his boss did. Kline says he also knows Hopper did sneaky things too, and threatens to ruin his life by calling Tom Holloway who ran the newspaper. He also scoffs at Hopper to show he didn't care about the "dead daughter story" and tries to leave the office, before Hopper throws the man into the door, breaking his nose. Hopper threatens to break his boss's finger, until he hears that the visiting criminal came from Starcourt Mall. Hopper, Kline, and Joyce head to Kline's mansion, and Hopper teases Kline for being so wealthy, by asking him if he shot the zebra, which made the rug, before nearly exclaiming, "No shit" when he is told it is not real. Kline later corporates with Hopper before being released, though choosing his safety over Hopper's, when Grigori threatens him.

Alexei

Hopper met and discovered Alexei when investigating the Hess Farm. When Grigori arrived and tried to kill Hopper and Joyce, Hopper decided to kidnap Alexei so he could reveal the Russians' plan. Hopper was quite hostile towards Alexei for most of their time together, often manhandling him and occasionally physically assaulting him, as well as mockingly referring to him as "Smirnoff" rather than his actual name. Hopper would also avoid trying to talk to Alexei until they reached the residence of Murray Bauman, often berating Joyce for trying to communicate with him despite the language barrier. Eventually the tension between Alexei and Hopper ended with Hopper beating Alexei up after he refused to help them over his Slurpee being a different flavor than what he asked for. After this interaction, Alexei was much more cooperative with Hopper and didn't try and provoke him again. After Alexei was killed at the Fun Fair, Hopper realized his death when asking Joyce where he was and looked depressed, despite being hostile towards him.

Grigori

Jim Hopper and Grigori were enemies. Hopper first noticed him at Town Hall while waiting to be met by Mayor Kline. They engaged in combat with each other on multiple occasions, with Grigori gaining the upper hand most of time. After his first fight with Grigori, Hopper realized that his attacker was drove a motorcycle which matched Grigori's appearance who he saw earlier at Town Hall. This caused Hopper to investigate Grigori's identity. When confronting him again at the Hess Farm, Hopper threatened to shoot Grigori, but the Russian hitman did not believe Hopper would do it as he was a policeman. However, Hopper proved him wrong, but Grigori managed to dodge Hopper's gunshot and fought him.

Later, Hopper shot Grigori multiple times in a fight at the Fun Fair, but Grigori survived. When Hopper and Joyce tried to shut off the Key to the Upside Down at Starcourt Mall, Grigori intervened. Grigori knocked out Joyce and then went after Hopper, with the two engaging in a full out brawl. Both got close to the gateway machine, with Grigori seemingly on the verge of killing Hopper. However, Hopper was able to recover, stabbing Grigori's injured shoulder with his thumb. When Grigori tried to retaliate, Hopper told him he would "see him in hell" before he threw Grigori into the machine, ripping him to shreds and killing him, thus avenging Alexei.

Dmitri Antonov

While working as a guard in Kamchatka, Dmitri took note of Hopper's high profile as an American prisoner and offered to help him escape in exchange for payment. Desperate to leave, Hopper agreed. The first step in their loose alliance included Dmitri contacting Joyce by sending her a package with a letter and a doll informing her that Hopper was alive. Making contact with him through a payphone, Joyce was told to travel to Alaska with several tens of thousands in cash to meet a man named Yuri, who would fly her to Russia and retrieve Hopper. Eventually finding an opportunity, Hopper blows up several guards and escapes on a snowmobile to the rendezvous point. When Joyce and Murray arrive in Alaska, they are unexpectedly drugged and brought along as prisoners by Yuri, who has also informed the warden of the prison of Dmitri's treason, completely deviating from the plan to maximize profits for himself.

Now an inmate in the prison he once guarded, Dmitri and Hopper are forced to work together to find a new means of escape. The two are eventually selected alongside many other prisoners to take part in a battle against the prison's captured Demogorgon. Hopper, believing his time is running short, vents to Dmitri, explaining that he believes he himself is a curse to everybody he loves and that he believes he indirectly caused the death of his own daughter despite knowing the risks. Dmitri shares that he is as well a father. The night before the Demogorgon battle, during the group's final meal, Dmitri motivates the rest of the group to stick together during the battle in order to defeat the monster. The following day, as the battle commences, Dmitri and Hopper are the only surviving prisoners, having worked together to escape the cage and eventually join Murray and Joyce in beginning a siege on the prison.

Appearances

Video games

Family tree

note: family trees are only visible on desktop.

Memorable Quotes

• "Mornings are for coffee and contemplation."
• "You wanna know the worst thing that’s ever happened here in the four years I’ve been working here? You wanna know the worst thing, was when an owl attacked Eleanor Gillespie's head because it thought that her hair was a nest."
• "Bike like this is like a Cadillac to these kids."
• "You know what I would give? For a chance? You know what I would give?"
• "I know you do experiments on kidnapped little kids, whose parents' brains you've turned to mush. And I know you went a little too far this time and you messed up in a big way."
• "Listen, you know what? I liked your alien theory a lot better. And you want my advice? Why don't you stop bleeding those people dry and go home? All right? Go home!"
• "Now this, this is music."
• "Maybe when this is all said and done, maybe you could help her out too, you know? Maybe you could help her lead, like, a normal life. One where she's not poked and prodded and treated like some kind of lab rat, you know?"
• "Hey! Three inch minimum! Leave the door open three inches!"
• "Maybe I’ll just kill Mike. I’m the chief of police, I could cover it up."
• "No, I don't think so. It's your grandma."
• "Nothing! There's nothing wrong with Nana!"
• "What is up with you and noises?"
• "So you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don't let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from them, and when life hurts you, because it will, remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you're out of that cave. But please, if you don't mind, for the sake of your poor, old dad, keep the door open three inches."
• "She's not my woman."
• "The last time I was with El, she wanted just about nothing to do with me ... I think it must be hardwired into us to reject our fathers."
• "I was wrong this whole time. I wasn't cursed. I am the curse."
• "I thought I was put here to pay for what I've done, but I might've been put here for some other reason. Maybe I can, maybe I can still help El, even if it's the last thing I do."
• "Who needs imagination?"
• "Yeah. I kind of stole your look, kid."
• "You're not the only one who didn't stop believing."
• "You've grown."

Gallery

Trivia

• The name "Gillespie" (from Hopper's quote about the owl) could be a possible reference to the famous Silent Hill franchise (a series that largely focuses on many things - among which: deformed human-like creatures, other worlds and dimensions, as well as a town seemingly in the middle of nowhere and in which strange things happen. Also, the plot in the first game revolved around a father trying to find his missing daughter - as opposed to a mother looking for her missing son).
• In the 1987 movie Predator, the first man ever killed by a Predator was named Jim Hopper.
• The pills Hopper takes in the beginning of the series are Tuinal, a popular sedative/anti-anxiety drug that was discontinued in 1991.[2]
• The blue bracelets around his right wrist are his daughter's hair ribbons--every time he wakes, he looks at them before he does anything else.[3] After adopting Eleven as his daughter, he passes the bracelets to her, as seen during the Snow Ball.[4]
• When Hopper approaches the guard at the morgue, the guard is reading Cujo by Stephen King. Hopper's line "That's a nasty mutt" is a reference to the book being about a rabid dog.
• Hopper drinks Schlitz beer. [5]
• He takes his coffee black.
• Not only does he rearrange Powell's cards when he arrives at the station, he has a box of gambling chips on his kitchen table; leading the audience to believe he may have an affection for gambling.
• The typewriter in the first scene between Hopper and Joyce is an IBM Selectric III.
• The truck he drives is a Chevrolet K5 Blazer.[6] [7]
• His license plate number is 98Y5, with the state shield displayed next to the number. [8]
• His Character and look is based on Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones and Han Solo.
• Jim Hopper and Mike Wheeler are the only characters to appear in all episodes of season 1, season 2, and season 3.
• Hopper enjoys the holiday movie, It's A Wonderful Life.[9]
• In the news report shown in "The Battle of Starcourt", a newspaper is shown which states that Jim was a decorated Vietnam veteran.
• He was thought to have been dead in "The Battle of Starcourt", until it was revealed he was alive in The Hellfire Club.
  • When the credits temporarily stopped to show the Russian prison, it was implied that Hopper was may be alive, as the Russian guard said "Not the American."
• Jim Hopper has only been absent in one episode, "The Hellfire Club".
• Jim Hopper when he was in the army was likely stationed in Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri since he mentioned he was in the Chemical Corps.
• When he was in Kamchatka Prison, his uniform nametag just said "Американец", Russian for "American".
• During the 8 months as a prisoner in Russia, Hopper did learn to speak basic Russian.

References

1. ↑ Basic math and attention to detail from information revealed in Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town yields his age. Hopper was 35 years old during his time in New York in July 1977. So he had to be born between August 1941 and July 1942.
2. ↑ "Montauk Pilot"
3. ↑ "Interview: Actor David Harbour Embraces ‘Stranger Things’"The Young Folks. August 3, 2016.
4. ↑ "12 Clever Details You Might've Missed in Stranger Things Season 2"Dorkly
5. ↑ Screenshot from The Vanishing of Will Byers
6. ↑ "Screenshot"
7. ↑ "Screenshot"
8. ↑ "Screenshot"
9. ↑ Stranger Things Winter Special One-Shot

Will Byers • Eleven • Dustin Henderson • Max Mayfield • Lucas Sinclair • Mike Wheeler

Robin Buckley • Jonathan Byers • Billy Hargrove • Steve Harrington • Eddie Munson • Nancy Wheeler

Joyce Byers • Jim Hopper • Erica Sinclair • Karen Wheeler • Bob Newby

Fred Benson • Jason Carver • Chrissy Cunningham • Tommy Hagan • Barbara Holland • Heather Holloway • Ms. Kelley • Patrick McKinney • Carol Perkins

Phil Callahan • Glenn Daniels • Florence • Calvin Powell

Scott Clarke • Victor Creel • James Dante • Doris Driscoll • Benny Hammond • Neil Hargrove • Susan Hargrove • Claudia Henderson • Janet Holloway • Tom Holloway • Larry Kline • Bruce Lowe • Wayne Munson • Troy Walsh • Holly Wheeler • Ted Wheeler

Andy • Chance • Freak 1 • Gareth • Jeff • Nicole • Tammy Thompson • Tina • Vickie

Stacey Albright • Russell Coleman • Alice Creel • Virginia Creel • Laura Cunningham • Phillip Cunningham • Earl • Five • Four • Gary • Marsha Holland • Mr. Holland • Keith • Marissa • Eugene McCorkle • Donald Melvald • David O'Bannon • Charles Sinclair • Sue Sinclair • Six • Ten • Three • Mrs. Walsh • Brenda Wood • Merrill Wright

Argyle • Murray Bauman

Angela • Axel • Suzie Bingham • Lonnie Byers • Dottie • Funshine • Becky Ives • Terry Ives • Mick • Kali Prasad

Eden Bingham • Mr. Bingham • Bingham Siblings • Cynthia • Diane • Anthony Hatch • Sara Hopper • Jake • Billy's mother • Cathy Owens

Martin Brenner • Sam Owens
Ray Carroll • Dr. Ellis • Connie Frazier • Agent Harmon • Nerdy Tech • Ellen Stinson • Agent Repairman • Elevator Scientist • Lead Scientist • Hawkins Head of Security • Shepard • Agent Wallace

Jack Sullivan

Alexei • Dmitri Antonov • Grigori • Yuri Ismaylov • Ivan • Oleg • Ozerov • Russian Agent • Russian Scientist • Stepanov • Warden Melnikov • Dr. Zharkov

Henry Creel / Vecna • The Mind Flayer • The Demogorgon • D'Artagnan • Demobats • Demogorgon (species) • The Flayed • Hospital Monster • Russian Demogorgon • The Spider Monster • Vines

the UPSIDE DOWN

Locations

The Upside Down • Creel House • Curse gates • Gates • Hawkins • Hawkins National Laboratory • Lover's Lake • Public Library • Hawkins Middle School • Hawkins Tunnel System • Mothergate • Trailer Park

Entities

D'Artagnan • Demobats • The Demogorgon • Demogorgon (species) • The Flayed • Flesh Thralls • Hospital Monster • The Mind Flayer • Russian Demogorgon • The Spider Monster • Hawkins Tunnel System • Vecna • Vines

The Flayed

Billy Hargrove • Heather Holloway • Bruce Lowe • Tom Holloway • Janet Holloway • Doris Driscoll

Visitors

Robin Buckley • Joyce Byers • Will Byers • Eleven • Steve Harrington • Dustin Henderson • Barbara Holland • Jim Hopper • Max Mayfield • Eddie Munson • Bob Newby • Shepard • Lucas Sinclair • Mike Wheeler • Nancy Wheeler

Does Hopper come back to Hawkins?

What episode does Hopper get back?

Does Hopper make it back to El?

Is Hopper rescued in season 4?