One thing that everyone loves about Stranger Things is the gruff but lovable Sheriff Hopper. Though he started out a non-believer in the first season, he slowly turned into an open-minded, overprotective dad to Eleven and helped save the world (and Hawkins, in particular) from the dangers of the upside-down. Fans will be buzzing theories around about his (hopeful) survival until season 4 hits.
That or fan hearts will just have to break all over again, realizing that he's really gone. Until then, let's look back at this beloved, burly man and some of the stranger things he's done over the seasons. Here are 10 things that make no sense about Hopper.
Took So Long To Realize His Feeling For Joyce
Fans could tell, from the moment they started working together in season 1, that Joyce and Hopper had chemistry. They understood there was a bit too much chaos for them to hit it off then with Will missing, but maybe in-between seasons? Nope, Joyce ended up with the blander (but albeit beloved) Bob Newby.
It threw everyone for a loop, but mostly because Hopper seemed oblivious to the fact a woman he definitely was into was madly in love with someone else. It took all the way until season 3 for him to acknowledge his feelings and try to do anything about it. Between the chemistry years earlier and losing Bob, not only is Hopper slow on the uptake, but he also has terrible timing.
His Shady Parenting of Eleven
Once Eleven comes back from the Upside Down, Hopper slowly lures her to his place with Eggo waffles. When she gets there, Hopper adopts her and starts treating her as his daughter. Unfortunately for both of them, Hopper isn't the best at it (especially when it comes to raising a girl with powers).
He imprisons her indoors, he doesn't let her have friends, and whenever he's upset, he takes to yelling at her instead of trying to communicate. Hopper does deeply care for Eleven, but that doesn't make up for his less-than-desirable parenting tactics. He's lucky Eleven didn't run away forever.
Threatening Mike
In season 3, one of Hopper's biggest stresses is Mike's relationship with his adopted daughter, Eleven. He's not very comfortable with her growing up and takes an unconventional and incorrect route towards dealing with it. Instead of having an open and honest conversation with Eleven, he threatens her boyfriend to decrease the amount of time they spend together. Yeah, yikes.
Worse, his plan only works because Mike is a scared teenage boy. If he was smart, he could've just told Eleven that Hopper threatened him and the father-daughter duo would have been forced to deal with their problems. But seriously, Hopper, threatening teens? Not cool.
Ignoring His Past
A huge part of Hopper's character in season 1 is the traumatic loss of his daughter. Despite his and his wife's best efforts, their daughter lost her life to cancer at a very young age. It broke him and left him a drunk who stumbled back to his home town to avoid his problems.
While it was inspiring to see him move forward with his life, it's a little awkward to see that this life seems totally gone in the next two seasons. He could at least talk to Eleven about his daughter more, or maybe become more open about it all and hang up pictures of her. Remembering lost ones is important. Instead, the show seems to act like moving on is the same as forgetting, and it's not.
Trying To Cage Eleven
For starters, it's never a good idea to keep a young girl isolated. In season 2, he kept her from her friends and all of the outside world. Of course, she'd feel stifled and run away. In season 3, though, he's not much better. She's not allowed to go to many public places and he doesn't encourage her to find more diverse friends. Considering that feeds into his discomfort with her spending all her time with Mike, maybe he should rethink that.
Sure, he just wants to keep her safe from all the spooky governments out there that might want to exploit her. However, Eleven has amazing mind powers. She can protect herself and thinking you can cage her at all is pretty silly. Hopper should've really thought this out more.
Breakfast Sensibilities
While not his greatest senseless crime, seriously, she's going to get so many cavities with this kind of eating regiment. Eggos completely covered in syrup, butter, whipped cream, and even more absurd sweets? Some kids are picky eaters and more power to him, accepting the food she loves. However, he really should introduce a little more variety.
Also, maybe just tone it down on the syrup? Just because she's a mind-bending supergirl doesn't mean her stomach should be pumped with sugar. The guy probably just figured this wasn't his hill to die on, but c'mon, it doesn't even seem like he tried anything else.
Ability To Take On Terminator Man
Fans adore Hopper and he is a great cop. He is far more athletic than the average small-town Sherriff and is really strong and bulky. There's no doubting that.
However, to imply that Hopper can actually do well in a fight against a Russian Terminator-like man? That can be a little hard to believe. Just because he has a mean right hook and determination doesn't make him superhero powerful. The guy's a great cop and everyone loves him, but this just pushed our suspension of disbelief. Terminator man should've knocked him out, easy.
His Idea of A Date
While Hopper can be a sweet guy under all his gruffness, fans were probably pretty surprised to find out what his idea of a first date was. Think Miami Vice style while trying to do classic romance. Considering Hopper and Joyce aren't very classic romance people, it's a really weird choice.
Sure, the guy might have just been nervous and just wanted to do the "ideal" date, but c'mon. This is Hopper. Everyone knows that he's more likely to someone to an off the wall burger joint or maybe even bowling. It's just weird to think his first instinct would be a romantic restaurant and, uh, that outfit. This just wasn't what would make the most sense for him as a character.
Relationship With The Lab
At the end of season 1, Hopper made a deal with Dr. Brenner's lab to keep their secrets and keep an eye out for them, and they'd leave Hawkins and the kids alone. Ultimately they didn't do that, but still. His relationship with the lab is confusing at best.
Sometimes he has connections with them and works with them, others he's fighting them, and most of the time it's like they don't exist in his life at all. It's not the level of interference that fans expected. Stranger Things puts together a great story, but sometimes it really feels like they dropped the ball with their early foreboding governmental/scientific baddies.
What He Does At His Job
As his day job, Hopper is Sheriff. It's how he ended up mixed in with Joyce and Eleven and the other kids in the first place. However, past season 1, Hopper seems to rarely be seen doing any of his actual job. While the supernatural mishaps are important, aren't there other concerns and crimes in Hawkins that he should be attending to?
Wouldn't a Sheriff that keeps going completely AWOL without notice once a year get fired by now? Hopper may be a great help in protecting the kids, but when it comes to doing his real job? Fans are kinda clueless about what he does or if he's even any good at it. Dude really needs to work on taking care of his department.