‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 has seen Jim Hopper, played by David Harbour, in the USSR, trying to get back, while withstanding interrogation and a deathmatch against a Demogorgon. His initial plan to escape the prison work camp failed when Yuri, the pilot smuggler, sold him out. In the course of the season, Joyce and Murray go to help Hopper, and they realize that Hawkins is in danger.
Before returning, the group tries to access the Upside Down opening the prison scientists have been studying. Accompanied by Enzo, the prison guard who tried to help Hopper, they realize that the way back is to return to the prison. However, when they last fled, the Demogorgon had been let loose, wreaking havoc.
Armed with a flamethrower and guns, they return, to hear ominous sounds of gunfire and screams, indicating that the Upside Down have the upper hand against the Soviet soldiers. Once inside, Hopper lures a Demodog to give him chase and is saved by Joyce and an electric prod.
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The two lead the Demodogs and the Demogorgon into the pit where Hopper first faced off against the Demogorgon, along with other prisoners. This pit, used by the Soviets to let prisoners try and fight the creature, is designed to keep things in. Once the trap is set, Murray unleashes a powerful blast from his flamethrower, reminiscent of how Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, wielded this dangerous weapon to take out a member of Charles Manson’s clan.
However, Murray only half-completes the job, since the Demogorgon survives the fire. Hopper tries shooting at it but doesn’t make much of an impact. With his and Joyce’s backs against the wall – literally – Hopper picks up a sword and almost transforms into a gladiator.
The Hawkins sheriff has come a long way, and he takes a run at the creature, ducking and cutting one of its arms off, before turning around to behead it in a clean strike.
With a shaved head, bruises on his back, and having lost much of his weight, several fans feel that Hopper’s only grown more attractive. The kiss with Joyce would suggest Winona Ryder’s character certainly feels the same.
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Several fans took to Twitter to praise Hopper’s moment of cool heroism, with one saying, “there’s something so beautiful about watching Jim hopper fight a Demogorgon with a badass sword”.
Another fan commented, “That’s a yes from me.”
Yuri, in the meantime, manages to fix the helicopter and is ready to airlift them, along with Enzo. They make it back to Hawkins, and Eleven once again confirms what fans have known all along – Hopper’s look is indeed “bitchin”.