Stranger Things Season 4 trailer finally reveals how Hopper survived

Take yourself back to July 4, 2019. You skipped your uncle’s backyard BBQ and DIY fireworks show so you could binge Stranger Things Season 3. Then, at some point late that night, tragedy struck when Sherrif Hopper (David Harbour) sacrificed himself to stop the Russians from blasting open a portal to the Upside Down beneath a mall in middle America.

In a season finale full of uncertainty, one thing seemed clear: Hopper was dead. Or was he?

A post-credits scene revealed a mysterious “American” locked up in a Siberian prison cell where Soviets experimented on Demogorgons. Later, Netflix released early footage of a bald Hopper chained to fellow prisoners in the Russian tundra. Clearly, Hopper survived, but how? Thanks to the first official Stranger Things Season 4 trailer, we finally know the answer.

Stranger Things Season 4 trailer solves a Season 3 mystery

The new trailer picks up right where Season 3 left off. We’re back in the basement of Starcourt Mall, but the explosion has completely destroyed the giant drill the Soviets were using. The camera slowly pans across the wreckage before eventually revealing a bright orange line ripping through the wall.

The meaning seems clear. Before the device was destroyed, it managed to briefly open up a portal to the Upside Down. This gave Hopper a chance to escape the blast by jumping into what could have been an even greater inter-dimensional danger.

We still don’t know how Hopper survived the Upside Down or why he ended up in Russia, but those details will likely be revealed in Stranger Things Season 4. In the meantime, at least we know how he managed to avoid getting blown to bits at the end of Season 3.

Stranger Things Season 4 official synopsis

Looking for more details on Stranger Things Season 4? Here’s the official synopsis for the new season, which will be shown in two parts on Netflix this year:

“It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time — and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.”

Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1 arrives May 27 on Netflix.