Is 'Stranger Things 5' Finale Shaped By 'Jim Hopper's' Fear Of Losing 'Eleven'? Here's What We Know

As Stranger Things heads into the ultimate finale, things between 'Jim Hopper' and 'Eleven' seem a little salty and ready to implode, after 'Hopper's' attempted suicidal sacrifice in Season 5 Volume I. Though he claimed it was just a "failsafe", 'Eleven' was not convinced, and her distrust has lingered into the next round of episodes. While the tension carries forward into Volume II, let's see if 'Hopper's' fear of losing 'Eleven' and the growing tension will impact the upcoming finale.

Will 'Jim Hopper's' fear of losing 'Eleven' shape the finale?

There have been several fan theories about how the Stranger Things finale might go. From one of the main characters sacrificing themselves to 'Vecna', straight up having a change of heart, we have more stories lined up than we can count. Amid that, the Duffer Brothers have hinted that the father-daughter tension will impact the finale. Especially after 'Eight' tried to convince 'Eleven' to participate in a plan that might lead to her demise. Matt Duffer, in a chat with PEOPLE, was quoted as saying:

"It's just a dynamic that we really wanted to explore, which is this dynamic of a parent and their child, who's actually no longer really a child anymore, is actually a young adult, becoming an adult — and how do you deal with that? How do you deal with letting them go, giving them independence, when, especially Hopper, feels protective of her?"

The Duffer Brothers reflect on 'Jim Hopper's' protectiveness over 'Eleven'

In the same conversation, Matt Duffer reflected on why 'Hopper' was so protective of 'Eleven'. He revealed that most of his concerns stem from his past of losing his daughter, 'Sarah', years earlier to cancer. Matt added that 'Hopper' is "more protective than most parents because of his history," and the tricky dynamic between a parent and child is "really a big part, I think, of everyone's journey in transitioning from childhood or young adulthood to adulthood." 

Ross Duffer also reflected on the same and revealed that 'Hopper' is driven by grief and "he had to confront it again as he was going to save Will in season 1, and then he had to confront it again over the various seasons as he sort of adopted Eleven as his own daughter." However, now his "greatest fear" was that 'Eleven' won't be able to have a happy life and would die at the end of all this, and with the plot of the current episodes, "it seems to be a possibility," given the suicide pact she makes with 'Eight'.

What happens to 'Eleven' in Stranger Things Season 5 Volume II Episode 7?

At the end of episode 7, the gang heads into the 'Upside Down' world to begin "Operation Beanstalk", their plan to defeat 'Vecna' before he brings the Abyss to the land of the living. In the ending scene, we see 'Eight' tell 'Eleven' that they should not leave with the others and instead must stay behind so that "when the Upside Down vanishes, so will we." While 'Eleven' hesitates at first, she gives a subtle nod as the scene ends. 

Talking about the same, Ross Duffer told PEOPLE that 'Hopper's' fear "is what we really explore moving into the finale." As 'Eleven's' father figure even told 'Joyce' that he can work on things with her, but only after "he makes sure she (Eleven) gets out of this alive." He even expressed his dismay over 'Kali'/'Eight' and stated:

"That Kali makes one false move, I swear to god, I'm gonna kill her. I'm gonna kill her. I will not hesitate. Anything happens to El in that tank, I am pulling her out. I can't lose her, Joyce."

What are your thoughts on the Duffer Brothers' revelations about the Stranger Things finale?

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