Stranger Things left Chief Hopper stuck in Russia at the end of the third season, but one good thing to come from season 4’s endless filming delays is an effective way out of this dead-end plot. Debuting in 2016, Stranger Things became a huge hit with audiences shortly after the Duffer Brothers helmed series arrived on Netflix. It is easy to see why the show, with its combination of horror, sci-fi, comedy and ‘80s nostalgia, is so beloved by viewers.

However, the show’s three seasons have not been free from occasional plot holes, and season 3 saw Stranger Things mount its worst subplot yet in the illogical story of the Hawkins Post. Another plot issue created by the third season was the fate of Hopper, the hard-drinking antihero of the show. In a classic fake-out death, the closing moments of season 3 saw Hopper heroically sacrifice himself to save the lives of Eleven and Mike, his love interest Joyce, and the rest of the gang.

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However, the first teaser for Stranger Things season 4 - cheekily titled “From Russia With Love” - soon surprised few viewers by proving what many suspected, namely that Hopper was actually alive (if teleported to a Russian gulag). The question of how Hopper will escape Russia and be reunited with the rest of the cast is tough to answer, but fortunately, the show’s numerous filming delays could let it pull off a between-seasons time jump that ages up the characters, making his absence meaningful without keeping the cast split up for too much screen time.

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The “From Russia With Love” teaser was released shortly before the global COVID-19 pandemic hit and led to a widespread shutdown of most television production worldwide, and although Stranger Things season 4 is filming, the gap between series had been widened considerably by the delay. Fortunately, this could be somewhat good news, as the addition of a time jump between seasons would give Hopper’s "death" real emotional weight without requiring the cast to be split up for much of the story. After the season 3 devolution of Hopper, many viewers are eager to see him redeemed. No one wants Hopper exiled in the snowy wastelands of Siberia for too long, but at the same time, returning him to Hawkins immediately would undermine the poignancy of Stranger Things’ season 3 ending.

However, adding a time jump now that the production has dragged on for over two years and the young cast has visibly aged, would allow Stranger Things to imply Hopper’s absence has been significant, thus making his return more meaningful. The return of the Byers family to Hawkins could similarly be improved by the addition of a jump between seasons, as their absence onscreen would mean the cast’s chemistry will be unrecognizably altered, but their immediate return would render their tearful goodbyes at the close of season 3 overblown. By implying a chunk of time has passed and characters have moved on, Stranger Things can make Hopper’s fate more tragic and the return of the Byers moving in one fell swoop (as well as explaining why the young teens of season 3 now look old enough to vote).

More: Why Stranger Things New Set Photos Are Good News For Season 4