Stranger Things Season 4 Set Photo May Reveal Fate of Key Character

Late last month, Netflix confirmed the upcoming fourth season of its hit show, Stranger Things. Many fans are eager to see more of the kids from Hawkins and get one very big question answered: Is Chief Jim Hopper alive? David Harbour‘s character appeared to have died in the show’s third season, but fans of the series aren’t buying that he’s gone for good. According to TV Guide, a fan recently snapped a photo of the Stranger Things set and shared it to r/StrangerThings, a subreddit dedicated to the series. The image includes a car that could hint at Hopper’s return.

“Filming has begun in Rome, GA,” u/ChihuahuawithBoombox wrote.

As you can see, the photo includes Hop’s 1980 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. While this isn’t definitive proof of Harbour’s return, it’s certainly another in a long line of clues that suggest the character is not actually dead.

In addition to the set clue, there were also hints of Hopper’s fate at the end of season three. First and foremost, we didn’t see a body, which is pretty much the number one rule of television deaths. Second, the season’s post-credits scene saw a Russian soldier being told to feed a prisoner to their Demogorgon, but is ordered to spare “the American.” Some fans believe Harbour has been sending subtle hints on Instagram that Hop is the American. You can learn about the potential hidden meaning behind his profile photos here.

The earlier teasers for the show also hint that the season will take place in the Upside Down, which makes us wonder if Hopper got trapped in the alternate dimension that exists in parallel to the human world.

According to TV Guide, Netflix “unsurprisingly” did not respond to their request for comment on the subject.

Do you think Hop’s car is a sign of his return? Tell us in the comments!

Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Dacre Montgomery (Billy Hargrove), Maya Hawke (Robin), and Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair).

The first three seasons of Stranger Things are now streaming on Netflix.