Five Fast Facts About Jim Hopper on Stranger Things

Stranger Things would be nothing without Jim Hopper. Not only is he the Chief of Police in Hawkins, Indiana, he’s also a surrogate father to basically all the children on the show. He saves them from scary monsters, and he feeds them waffles when they’re hungry.

From his tragic past to his new daughter, here are five fast facts you need to know about Hopper (David Harbour).

Lost His Daughter
Hopper tragically lost his daughter to cancer when she was just a little girl. This death completely turned his world upside down and is one of the main reasons he was so determined to find Will Byers when he went missing.

Divorced
Following the death of his daughter, Hopper and his wife, Diane, got a divorce. The loss of their child was too much for them to handle and their relationship just wasn’t working.

Lazy on the Job
Because he’s lost a daughter and is no longer married, Hopper was initially very depressed. He had no interest in being a good Chief of Police. He drank a lot, he smoked a lot, and he doesn’t take anything very seriously. That is until he’s forced to find Will and his fatherly instincts kick in.

Adopted Daughter
Hopper becomes very close to Eleven when he meets her back in Season 1 and manages to keep her safe from the people who want to take her away. He ends up loving her like a daughter and he decides to adopt her officially at the end of Season 2.

Close With Joyce
Joyce Byers, Will’s mother, went to high school with Hopper and they used to be close friends. They end up reconnecting when Will goes missing and it’s clear they have a connection. Though they haven’t acted on it yet, there’s a chance these two could end up together!