Stranger Things
season 5 gets a new tease from Hopper actor David Harbour, who promises “very direct” action. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the hit Netflix series returned for its fourth installment in 2022 after premiering back in 2016. The season 4 finale sees Hawkins become ground zero for an Upside Down incursion into the real world, setting up an intense Stranger Things season 5 for Harbour’s Hawkins Police Chief, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and the rest of the gang, with the upcoming episodes confirmed to serve as the final outing for the series.
In a recent interview with GQ, Harbour is asked whether filming as Hopper for Stranger Things season 5 was less physically brutal than previous outings, with seasons 3 and 4 having really put the character through it. The actor makes a face, with the publication interpretting it in a way that suggests audiences should brace themselves. As Harbour explains:
“We shot a lot of nights, and there is a lot of action, and we’re fighting evil in a very direct way. Hopper is a man of action – there’s a lot of running around.”
What This Means For Stranger Things Season 5
Will Hopper Make It Out Alive?
After a death fake out at the end of season 3, the Stranger Things season 4 finale features Harbour in a position of relative strength. Though Hawkins is in major danger, with Vecna still alive somewhere in the Upside Down, Harbour’s character is reunited with Eleven and looks far healthier and happier after escaping the frigid Soviet prison where he spent much of season 4. Season 4 gave Hopper several major action sequences, with one pitting him against a Demogorgon in a bloody prison brawl, and Harbour’s comments suggest the character’s time fighting Upside Down monsters isn’t over just yet.
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As season 5 is the final season, it’s likely that not everyone in the large Stranger Things cast of characters will be surviving, especially with teases that the Mind Flayer is still out there. Hopper’s heavy involvement in the action puts him at risk once more, and it’s possible that, after the season 3 finale, he will experience a more permanent death. Hopper is a beloved character, however, and his previous death fake out may actually give him a degree of safety in season 5 as the creators put other figures at risk instead.
Our Take On Harbour’s Stranger Things Season 5 Tease
Hopper Being Back In Hawkins Is A Promising Sign
Hopper has emerged as a major Stranger Things favorite since season 1, with the character not afraid to get his hands dirty to protect the people he cares about, while also having a tender underside. Hopper becoming a father figure to Eleven has been one of the most touching aspects of the show, especially given the lasting pain from his daughter’s death. With Vecna still alive and poised for a comeback, Eleven will be in great danger, and it will be exciting to see Hopper back on American soil, fighting to keep her safe once more.
Though Eleven’s powers seemingly make her the only person who can take Vecna one-on-one, season 4 did an effective job of making other characters crucial to bringing him down. After spending season 3 geographically very separated from what felt like the main storyline, Hopper can bring his expertise and his physical power to the table in Stranger Things season 5, setting up an action-packed story to come.
Source:GQ
Stranger Things
8/10
- Release Date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Showrunner
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
- Directors
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
- Writers
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Paul Dichter, Kate Trefry