Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Jim Hopper (David Harbour) have been fan favorites since the early days of Stranger Things. With each passing season of the hit show, it seems that their fan base grows more substantial, with more and more viewers wanting the two to finally get together romantically. So when they finally shared their first kiss in Vol. 2 of the show’s fourth season, fans of the couple were overjoyed. Headed into Season 5, it seems as though the couple is on the rightful and long-awaited road to established romance. Though Stranger Things is known for mixing things up and doing the unexpected, Joyce and Hopper are the one constant the show has always teased, and it’s time they get their much-deserved happily ever after together.
Joyce and Hopper Have Been Through A Lot Together
As noted in the season-two episode “Trick or Treat, Freak,” Joyce and Hopper have a history dating all the way back to their high-school years, in which they would share cigarettes between periods. That’s the most we know about that period of their lives, aside from some creative non-canon suggestions from Harbour and Ryder themselves, but that simple fact still manages to make their arc throughout the show feel even more impactful.
Throughout the first season, their relationship is a bit more tense, due to the years Hopper had been away and the natural waves of life that had taken them in different directions. But he was willing to help her find her son. And though he was skeptical at first, he still listened to her when she explained that Will (Noah Schnapp) was still alive and talking to her through her Christmas lights. It was the start of one of the best duos in the show, and the level of trust and understanding that they have in one another became a beautiful thing to see unfold.
Season 2 was a bit rockier for them. It’s revealed that not only has Hopper taken in Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and become more reclusive and reserved as a result, but Joyce has gotten into a relationship with Bob Newby (Sean Astin), effectively blocking any potential romantic moments between her and Hopper. But Bob being in the way of potential romance did give Joyce and Hopper more room to expand on their friendship, and it’s arguably the best season for them growth-wise. All the progress made between them in Season 1 is doubled here, and Hopper sort of becomes an honorary member of the Byers clan — even coming to Will’s doctor's appointments to be a rock for both him and Joyce. The connection the two grow over the season cumulates in their final scene of the season, in which Hopper gives her some helpful advice about mourning over a shared cigarette — a sweet callback to their history.
In Season 3, they’re both single and Hopper is clearly crushing, something made vehemently clear when he asks her out to dinner and becomes brutish and angry after she stands him up. It’s perhaps the most couple-like "Jopper" has been up to this point — teaming up to take down a Russian government agency while bickering like an old married couple the entire time. But while the angst between them is heavy, the season puts their relationship in a new light. From Hopper opening up to Joyce about his struggles with Eleven growing up to her asking him to dinner in the season’s finale — this time being crystal clear that it’s a date -- finally it looks like romance may be blossoming. The two are lost in translation for the majority of the season, but in the moments where they’re raw with one another and let their guards down, there’s very clearly a deep relationship forming. Previously, it was just a situation of right person/wrong time. The two were not in a place to be romantic; Joyce was still mourning Bob, and Hopper was too high up on himself to truly treat her right. It’s what makes those final scenes between them in Season 3 feel so special, and the ultimate choice Joyce makes to sacrifice him all the more gut-wrenching.
"Jopper" as an Established Couple
After Season 3, Hopper’s fate was sort of left up in the air. It was hinted that he was still alive, but, of course, that wasn’t to be revealed until the show’s fourth season finally dropped on Netflix. Even though Joyce and Hopper share only a single scene in Vol. 1 (and Joyce was majorly sidelined) the season actually develops them quite well off-screen. Joyce is reeling from the guilt of “killing” Hopper. Meanwhile, he’s imprisoned in Russia trying to find a way home. He has a monologue that pulls at the heartstrings in which he explains that he feels like he’s a curse and that he hurts everyone he loves — including Joyce. So when she shows up to save him, having gone through all that she did, the look on his face says everything. It’s both poignant and emotional, and a pivotal moment in the grand scheme of Joyce and Hopper's arc.
After all they had been through up until this point, it was a breath of relief to see them finally share their first kiss — and a very steamy one at that. They slip easily into a couple-like dynamic, and the shared trauma of losing one another is prominent and something that’s briefly but importantly explored in Vol.2. Of course, with everything going on, there wasn’t a lot of time to hash out the finer points of the relationship, but the moments of deep talking the two share is essential for them to move forward. With Joyce reassuring Hopper that she would save him again, even after all she went through to do so, to him promising her that he’ll make it out safe, it's enough to make Jopper fans melt.
Will Joyce and Hopper Get Their Happily Ever After?
After four seasons of build-up, it seems like Joyce and Hopper are finally on the fast track to a well-deserved, endgame romance. Their connection has been a constant throughout the show’s run, a beautifully done slow-burn and a masterclass in character building. There’s always been a sense of vulnerability the two share that they don’t have with anyone else — a comfort and ability to tell each other anything without fear or judgment. But they’re also not afraid to call each other out on things when need be -- an added layer of complexity that isn’t always shown in fictional couples.
Their relationship, both platonic and romantic, has only seemed to grow stronger over the seasons, so it seems only natural for that familiarity and long-buried love to come to fruition in Season 5. And with the Duffers revealing that Season 5 will be more in line with Season 1 in terms of tone, it seems like a strong possibility. After all they’ve faced together and every obstacle they’ve overcome, their happy ending is long overdue and more than deserved.