Netflix made a bold move with the recent Stranger Things 4 trailer when it revealed the fate of Jim Hopper. The popular Hawkins sheriff appeared to die in the third season finale, but there were enough clues left behind to suggest that might not be the case.

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The trailer put an end to all the speculation by showing Hopper working on a Russian chain gang. Did Netflix make the right move with the big reveal? Below are 5 reasons Hopper's fate should have remained a secret and 5 reasons the spoiler made sense.

Kept Secret: Ratings

Stranger Things Chief Jim Hopper

Okay, let's be clear, the season four premiere would have drawn huge numbers even without a trailer. The fan base for Stranger Things is enormous and will tune in, no matter what. But Netflix has been all about touting their big numbers following anticipated premieres.

Not knowing Hopper's fate would make the first episode a can't miss, must-see event. It's a forgone conclusion the season four premiere will be huge, but imagine what those numbers would have been had Jim Hopper's future been left up in the air.

Right Move: Sigh Of Relief

Jim Hopper and Eleven hug in Stranger Things

The moments leading up to Jim Hopper's apparent death were heartbreaking while the immediate aftermath was almost unwatchable due to the sadness -from the longing gaze between Jim and Joyce to the soul-crushing final moments when Eleven reads the letter.

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Even with the hope that the Hawkins hero was still alive, there was a part of every fan who worried about the alternative. And while fans would have had a year or more to get used to life without Hopper, now, thanks to the big spoiler, they won't have to.

Kept Secret: Keeps People Talking

Grigori Stranger Things season 3

Before the trailer showing Hopper alive, speculation was running rampant about the fate of the noble sheriff. Is Jim dead or alive? That question was a popular topic on social media since the season four finale.

It seems every week there was a new theory about the status of the dancing dad, and regardless of how plausible these theories were, one thing is certain - they were building anticipation. Now, with Jim's fate revealed, Netflix has given fans one less thing to obsess over.

Right Move: Gives Fans Something New To Discuss

As mentioned above, with the status of Jim Hopper now seemingly off the table, viewers have one less thing to babble about. But, when the Mind Flayer closes a door, he opens a portal.

Stranger Things has one of the most rabid fan bases around. They obsess over things the same way Game of Thrones fans do over misplaced coffee cups. Now that the world knows Hopper is alive, the Stranger Things community can concentrate on other pressing matters. Like, what's up with Eleven's powers?

Kept Secret: Robbed Of A Big Moment

Jim Hopper in Stranger Things 2

Seeing Hopper's face for the first time in the season four trailer was a jaw-dropping moment. But the reveal could have been so much bigger had they saved it for the actual show. The moment of Hopper's return would put that particular episode among the show's most memorable.

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The day the trailer released the internet was flooded with spoilers, which undoubtedly lessened the impact for the unfortunate souls who had the moment spoiled. Fans are usually more careful during the actual season, taking extra precautions while online. Had they saved everything for the actual season, viewers would have had less a chance of seeing a spoiler, thus preserving a huge show moment.

Right Move: Storyline Possibilities

The Russian guards in Season 3

Okay, so fans know that Hopper is alive but aren't sure about the logistics of it. How did he escape the explosion? How did he get to Russia? Why is he being held as a prisoner? Why is he being forced to build a railroad with other prisoners? Who are the other prisoners? How will he get home?

Putting Jim Hopper in Russia opens a pandora's box worth of questions and gives a nice call back to the initial Stranger Things season 4 teaser, which featured the ominous tagline, "We're Not In Hawkins Anymore." While it appeared the quote meant something about the upside-down or Joyce leaving town, it also looks like a portion of the fourth season will take us to the Soviet Union.

Kept Secret: Showed Their Hand

Stranger Things season 3 Mind Flayer

When discussing the "death" of Jim Hopper, there was one bit of evidence that stood out above all the rest; one thing keeping fans' hopes alive - they didn't show his actual death.

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When lovable Bob left Stranger Things, there was no doubt about it. Viewers watched in horror as he was torn to pieces by demi-dogs. The same goes for Billy, who was violently killed while he fought the giant monster. But with Hopper, we never saw an actual death and certainly didn't see a body. Did the season four trailer confirm that if the death is not shown then it didn't happen? It sure looks that way. So going forward, fans can assume a character is safe unless killed before their very eyes.

Right Move: Saving Something Big

Showing Jim Hopper alive and well is a huge moment. Moments like that are usually not spoiled in trailers. They are saved for the actual show. The producers over at Netflix could have teased it was Hopper working on that chain gang without actually showing him. That would have created even more buzz than the upcoming season already has.

But Stranger Things went in the opposite direction and spoiled the whole thing. This could mean there are even bigger things to be revealed in season four than the fate of Sheriff Hopper. If the producers were willing to ruin a potentially iconic show moment, it begs the question - what are they protecting?

Kept Secret: Spoiled For New Fans

stranger things eleven

The season four trailer spread like wildfire across the internet. Stranger Things fans everywhere knew that Jim Hopper was alive within hours of its debut. Even non-fans knew that some cop who was supposed to have died is alive.

It's logical to suspect there were many Stranger Things fans out there who were just discovering the show only to have this huge spoiler shoved in their face - even if they didn't know exactly what it meant. Now there will be new fans who finish season three, and just when they are about to begin the grieving process will remember something they read a while back about Jim Hopper being in Russia.

Right Move: Everyone Knew Anyway

Eleven and Jim Hopper in Stranger Things

When it comes right down to it, did fans really believe Jim Hopper was dead? Would the show kill off the third lead (behind Eleven and Joyce) in season three? Of course not. This is Stranger Things, after all, not Game of Thrones.

While it would have been a heroic and earned death for the character, it seems there is much more for the fan-favorite to do while among the living. Never mind the fact that Hopper's death would have left poor Eleven a two-time orphan. She's one tough cookie, but that could be too much for even a superhero like her to overcome.

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