Stranger Things season 4 will delve further into Jim Hopper’s backstory, says actor David Harbour who plays the chief’s role. Previously, Harbour has already said that the upcoming season is his most favorite yet because of his character’s overall development. Presumably, that means breaking out of Russian prison camp where he’s last seen in and making it back to Hawkins.
Hopper was pictured as a force to be reckoned with all throughout the show’s current run. He’s the chief of their town and has since protected Eleven and her friends from the miseries of Upside Down. Despite that, not much has been said about his past.
Stranger Things only revealed to viewers that Hopper’s daughter Sara died, leading to his divorce with wife Diane. Hopper struggled after and as a result, became dependent on alcohol. However, that plot was eventually pushed aside to give way for the main story’s supernatural elements to unfold. This time, more about his character’s past will be revealed in the upcoming season.
In an interview with People, Harbour said, “You really do get to see a lot of his backstory of who he was as a warrior in a sense and sort of the mistakes he made in the past come back to visit him.” Fans may witness Hopper finally dealing with traumas from his past, as Harbour adds his character “just sort of unfolds.”
What else can we expect from Stranger Things season 4?
Harbour also shared that the other characters on the show will receive a similar attention to details. Their stories will “get elaborated [on] and reveal different aspects of themselves.” This applies especially to his young co-stars, who have visibly grown up throughout the progression of the show.
Watching the cast grow up over the years puts Harbour in a soft spot. He claims it is “very moving, especially when you play a character like my character.”
“It really rattles around in your heart, just these ideas of the passage of time and just the fact that the beautiful thing that people are as children, just don’t get to remain,” he said. “The world affects us, the world changes us. We grow, we develop and those beautiful eyes of a child sort of become something different as we age.”
“So it’s very moving just to watch them grow up and especially to be like an avuncular father figure on the show and be so protective of those kids,” the actor added. “To watch them grow up I get a degree of pride and also fear for all of them.”
We certainly can’t wait for the changes and progress each character will bring to view come next season. Stranger Things season 4 has yet to announce a final release date, but previous seasons can be streamed via Netflix.