Stranger Things Season 4's First Teaser Reveals a Surprising Return

You can’t keep this American hero down. Netflix has released the first look at the fourth season of Stranger Things, bringing us to Russia (with love) as the international showdown over control of the Upside Down escalates. And there’s someone you might recognize working on the rail line.

The first teaser for Stranger Things 4 brings us to a remote forest in Russia where a bunch of guards are supervising some prisoners building a railway. We pass by several of these folks and zoom in on a special guest. Head shaven and overworked, but still standing strong, is the one and only Sheriff Hopper (David Harbour).

The third season of Stranger Things ended with Hopper seemingly sacrificing himself so Joyce (Winona Ryder) and the others escape. After Joyce and her family leave Hawkins, seemingly for good, we even see Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) reading a touching letter that her adoptive father had written about feelings, boundaries, and love. This gave a sense of finality to Hopper’s story... or did it?

A final teaser scene showed some guards in a Russian prison executing inmates by feeding them to a Demogorgon, with one exception: The American. This led to all sorts of theories about who was in that cell and whether it was Sheriff Hopper. The answer seemed to be pretty obvious, and I guess Netflix didn’t want to waste any time teasing out the reveal. Sheriff Hopper is alive. It’s unclear what else Russia has planned following their now-failed attempt to control the Upside Down through a decoy mall, but it can’t be good.

Stranger Things 4 is currently filming and no release date has been announced.

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