How did Hopper survive the explosion in Stranger Things?

Stranger Things season 4 has officially begun and fans cannot help but start binging away! The finale of season 3 is definitely the most intense ending the show has seen so far, as we were led to believe that our favorite, Jim Hopper (David Harbour), had been killed.

As they desperately try to shut the gate to the Upside Down beneath the Starcourt Mall, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) has to blow up the Russians’ machine. The only thing is, Hop is trapped down there and there’s no way he can get out in time. He looks up to Joyce to signal her to do it anyway, and sacrifices himself for his loved ones and the rest of Hawkins. It’s a heroic and emotional moment, and fans were so upset to think Hop could be gone forever.

Cut to the mid-credits scene of the Stranger Things season 3 finale, however, and it’s hinted that the Russians have an American hostage. By the time the first teaser trailer for season 4 came out, Netflix confirmed that Hopper survived somehow!

Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 4 volume 1.

Now that Stranger Things season 4 volume 1 is out on Netflix, we finally get answers as to how he made it out alive. So how did he survive?

We get to see Hopper out in Russia in the premiere of Stranger Things season 4, and he’s not in great shape. He’s a prisoner doing manual work outside in the snow and is desperately trying to get back home. Because everyone in Hawkins thinks he’s dead, no one’s looking for him. They all think he died in the explosion.

As we find out throughout the new season, Hopper managed to jump out of the way in the explosion and ended up on the floor. It didn’t take long for the Russians to find him and capture him, bringing him back to their country and torturing him for answers. Unfortunately, the way Hop survives the explosion isn’t really exciting at all. He’s not sucked up into the Upside Down or anything supernatural like that. He just… misses the fire!

Throughout the first part of season 4, we get to see Hopper work with a prison guard named Dmitri (Tom Wlaschiha) to try and escape. Their plan doesn’t go exactly as they’d hope, but Hop is still reunited with Joyce in the final episode of volume 1. It’s such a great moment to see them together again!

You can now stream all seven episodes of Stranger Things season 4 part 1 right now on Netflix! Part 2 will be released on July 1, 2022, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend.