15 Small Details You Only Notice Rewatching Stranger Things
5. Hopper Was Destined To Become Eleven's Protector
Jim Hopper's moody disposition and reluctant hero approach quickly transformed him into a fan-favourite character, but if you look back on how his Stranger Things journey began, you'll see that he wasn't always an action hero with internet meme potential.
Hopper undoubtedly had the most tragic backstory on the show because of the heartbreaking loss of his daughter Sara, and that made him a very tragic character during the first season. However, Will Byers' disappearance and the subsequent discovery of Dr. Brenner's experiments at the Department of Energy gave him a new purpose in life - one that eventually led to him crossing paths with Eleven.
Before Will's disappearance, Hopper struggled with all aspects of life as he never truly got over his daughter's death. It could have ended up going the same way afterwards if he hadn't found Eleven in the woods and agreed to protect her. And this, in an unexpected way, gave him another chance to become the father he always wanted to be.