Jim Hopper's Secret Ending After 'Stranger Things' May Be In… 'Predator'?
Stranger Things (2016) recently enjoyed its series finale, but the characters’ story arcs continue to live on in the form of fan theories. Many viewers weren’t satisfied with the slightly bittersweet ending and the series finale’s ambiguity. Some began theorizing about hidden episodes while others began debating the interpretation of Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) ending. However, many are forgetting an obscure fan theory and Easter egg that teases a secret alternative ending for Jim Hopper (David Harbour).
Hopper is a fan-favourite Stranger Things character whose evolution from a haunted man to hero is quite inspiring. It was nice to see him get his happy ending, but a fan theory questions whether that was truly his ending. Perhaps his ending actually occurs in the Predator franchise.
Jim Hopper’s Name Is A Sneaky ‘Predator’ Easter Egg
As wild as the fan theory sounds, Stranger Things’ Jim Hopper does, indeed, appear to have a connection to Predator (1987). In Predator, Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his team arrive in Central America in search of survivors of a helicopter crash, where they find remnants of the rescue team that went before them. They stumble upon three flayed, gutted corpses. Dutch is able to identify one of the corpses as Captain Jim Hopper, the leader of the rescue team, through his bloodied dog tags.
It’s hard to dismiss the names as a coincidence, especially since the Duffer brothers are big sci-fi fans and inserted plenty of other sci-fi and horror references into Stranger Things. Additionally, Hopper isn’t the only name Stranger Things fans might recognize in Predator. One of the men on Dutch’s team is Rick Hawkins (Shane Black). Hawkins, Indiana, is the fictional setting of Stranger Things. Between Jim Hopper and Hawkins in Stranger Things, it’s hard to believe it’s a coincidence, even if the Duffer brothers haven’t explicitly confirmed it’s an Easter egg.
‘Stranger Things’ Is No Stranger To Homaging '80s Sci-Fi
Stranger Things’ inclusion of a sneaky Predator reference isn’t hard to believe, considering the show is known for paying homage to ‘80s sci-fi. Practically every major sci-fi/horror movie of the ‘80s makes its way into the show. A few other Stranger Things names also seem to be Easter eggs. For example, Mike Wheeler’s (Finn Wolfhard) name was likely inspired by Mikey (Sean Astin) in The Goonies (1985), while Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) appears to be a reference to Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
The show references The Goonies and A Nightmare on Elm Street through more than just names, as Venca’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) psychic powers parallel Freddy Krueger’s (Robert Englund) dream-haunting, and the lead gang’s dynamics are highly reminiscent of The Goonies. Stranger Things also seems to borrow inspiration for the Demogorgon and its unique brand of sci-fi horror from Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) also gets a nod from Eleven and Mike’s relationship, while Gremlins’ (1984) inspiration shines through Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) Dart story in Season 2.
At times, Stranger Things doesn’t even try to hide its references. The Thing (1982) poster appears in the background of Stranger Things’ first episode in the Wheelers’ basement, and Season 2 sees the boys dress up as the iconic Ghostbusters (1984) team. When Stranger Things pays homage to just about every influential and popular sci-fi movie of the ‘80s, it only makes sense that Predator gets a nod, too.
Is Jim Hopper The Same Person In ‘Stranger Things’ And ‘Predator’?
While Stranger Things’ Hopper is a fun reference to Predator, the two Hoppers are not the same person. They’re from completely different universes with different backgrounds. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from theorizing that they could be the same person. Given that Predator takes place in 1987, and Stranger Things ends in 1987, it’s a very tight squeeze timeline-wise, but it could still hypothetically work.
Although Stranger Things never confirms it, many fans believe Hopper is a Vietnam War veteran. He certainly seems to have a special forces background, given his proficiency in combat and weaponry. In Season 2, Eleven also discovers a box labeled “Vietnam” in the crawlspace of Hopper’s cabin. Between his presumed Special Forces connection and the events of Stranger Things, it wouldn’t be surprising if the CIA debriefed him on an odd phenomenon in Central America shortly after the events of Stranger Things Season 5.
Versed in otherworldly things, Hopper is the first choice to lead a rescue team to find out what happened in Central America. Unfortunately, he and his team are ambushed by a Predator. Hopper is the corpse that Dutch and his team find in Predator, marking the end of Hopper’s story. Given that he’s not identifiable by his remains, there’s nothing to really prove the corpse isn’t Jim Hopper from Stranger Things.
It’s a wild and pretty sad alternative ending for Hopper, but it is kind of fun thinking Hopper came up against Vecna and the Yautja during his lifetime. I also like how this fan theory gives Predator’s Hopper a face and imagines a richer backstory for him. He’s not just some corpse, but a man who had defied numerous odds during his life and who died still trying to save the world from otherworldly threats.
