Stranger Things season 5 is shaping up to be an intense conclusion to the legendary Netflix series, but we don't have to worry about the fate of every character. The first four episodes of Stranger Things' final season have arrived, and it is setting the stage for an epic showdown with Vecna. Of course, with the story coming to an end, the question becomes which of our favorite characters will survive.
There are obviously many predictions for Stranger Things' ending, including the most likely characters to die. Certainly, many possibilities would devastate fans. However, one character who might seem like an obvious choice now appears safer than anyone after watching the first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5.
Stranger Things is not going to kill off Hopper
More than any other character in the first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5, Hopper was constantly thrust into danger where it seemed like he could die at any moment. He has turned from slobbish small-town sheriff to full-blown action hero and is constantly throwing himself into life-threatening situations. The fact that he keeps walking away suggests he will survive the whole series.
In all honesty, Stranger Things has had the opportunity to kill off Hopper several times already, but they don't seem to want to go through with it. Stranger Things season 3 ended with Hopper seemingly dying in the fight with the Russians. He shared an emotional "goodbye" moment with Joyce and had Eleven grieving for him for most of a season.
However, season 4 quickly revealed that Hopper was alive, pleasing fans by bringing back the beloved character, but also negating all of the emotional storytelling caused by his "death". Season 5 has seemingly been trying to set the stage for Hopper's death again, with the loss of his daughter, Sara, once again becoming a big part of his story.
Episode 4 of the final season revealed how far Hopper was willing to go in order to protect his new family, especially Eleven. He revealed that he planned to sacrifice himself to destroy Vecna in military custody. This led to another moment of Hopper saying goodbye to Eleven in an emotional way before the shocking Stranger Things twist revealing that the military had Kali and not Vecna.
This makes for two moments where Hopper and the other characters were saying farewell, thinking they would never see each other again, only to undo that. Having a third moment that would actually lead to Hopper's death would lack the emotional impact that such a death should carry. Saying goodbye to Eleven and once again thinking about his late daughter would have been the time to kill Hopper off. By not going through with it, it feels as though the show has no intention of letting him die.
What Hopper's ending might look like
Hopper's death would not be the right ending for the character. He is a hero and one who is willing to make a sacrifice, but he has done that so often that seeing it once more wouldn't be very exciting. However, Hopper's ending will likely be a bittersweet one.
Stranger Things season 5 is continuously reminding us that Hopper lost his daughter to cancer years ago. His confession that he thought Sara would survive is a devastating one and helps to explain his protective nature towards Eleven. It also might hint at where his arc is going to end.
While the heroes will certainly triumph over Vecna, many theories suggest that some of the heroes will have to stay in the Upside Down. This could lead to Hopper and Eleven being separated again. However, what would make for an emotionally full-circle ending for Hopper is accepting that Eleven is strong enough and knowing that she will be alright without him.
It would certainly be an emotional ending, but one that would be fitting for the character. Death is not an interesting end for Hopper, but seeing him come to terms with the pain of his past would be a great way to close out his story.