Stranger Things season 4 is the most anticipated Netflix show right now. The next installment of the popular Duffer Brothers TV series is currently filming, but aside from some leaked on-set footage, little is known about what the upcoming season will entail. Fans and critics alike tried to tease out every little detail of the show's cast when the opportunity presented itself, and one of the show's main stars explained what her character's season 4 journey might entail in a recent interview. . David Harbour, who plays Detective Jim Hopper on Stranger Things, recently spoke with Collider ahead of the release of Marvel's Black Widow (Harbour plays Red Guardian in the upcoming film) and was asked about Stranger Things season 4. While Harbor couldn't reveal anything significant, he did hint at what fans can expect from Hopper's story arc in season 4, surprisingly likening the character's "rebirth" to that of a particular Lord of the Rings character. . "I think I say that about a lot of seasons, but it's my favorite season, in the sense that it's at its purest, it's the most vulnerable," Harbor revealed. “He was, as we've seen, he's in this Russian prison, so we have to reinvent him somehow. "He can be reborn from what he's become, and we've always planned this near-resurrection of you, Gandalf dies, Galdalf the Gray reappears, and I'm really interested in his revival. Lots of threads in his life that have just been mentioned and that we see many more."
Analysis: We can see more of Hopper's backstory in Stranger Things season 4
(Image credit: Netflix)
Spoilers for seasons 1, 2, and 3 of Stranger Things follow.
Fans are already familiar with Hopper's backstory on Stranger Things. We know that he had a daughter (Sara) who died of cancer five years before the events of Stranger Things season 1. We also know that he was married, and after Sara died, he and his wife Diane divorced, Hopper returned to Hawkins and became dependent on alcohol and prescription drugs to deal with his grief. However, there are still some gaps in Hopper's story that the public doesn't know about. Since we don't know much else about the Hawkins Police Chief (he served in Vietnam and was close to Joyce Hopper in high school), we probably know more about his history on Stranger. Things season 4. Harbor says we'll see Hopper at his "most vulnerable" in season 4. Of course he's in uncharted territory in a Russian prison, while being halfway across the world from his family and friends, so Harbor's comments may tease something entirely different about his story in the upcoming season. However, we suspect Harbor isn't using the word "vulnerable" lightly here. In that sense, we can certainly see him having flashbacks to his life with Diane and Sara (as well as possible flashbacks to the events of Seasons 1, 2, and 3 in dream form). He even could discuss these matters in private with any inmate he befriends, as long as someone is willing to listen. Regardless of Harbor's comments, we'll be seeing a different side of Hopper in season 4, one that's less “act first, think later” and perhaps more emotional, sensitive, or potentially out of his depth. Harbor has shown that he also has this side in his acting history, so it will be interesting to see him explore this aspect of Hopper's character in more depth in Stranger Things season 4.