In the fifth episode of the season, "The Nina Project," David Harbour's character was given a monologue that filled most of the gaps in Hopper's story.
Hopper was a decorated U.S. soldier in the Vietnam War, with the unpopular conflict being notable for drafting an abundance of young men in the 1960s and early 1970s. Harbour explained that he had been waiting years to deliver Hopper's emotional monologue about his "cursed" past, with the details revealing why he needs Joyce and Eleven in his life, but also why he is hesitant to return to them.
Hopper is unable to come to terms with his daughter's death as he tells Mr. Clarke that she lives with her mom. The deaths and illnesses of many of his friends and their children, some of whom were stillborn, were caused by the health effects of mixing Agent Orange. Hopper is drafted into the war by the U.S. government in order to prove to his father that he is a better person than he thinks.
The series waited until Hopper's most desperate hour in a Russian prison to finally give Harbour his big monologue scene. This is where Hopper ends his story in season 1 because he is still processing his daughter's death and divorce from Diane, who had by then remarried and had another baby. Some of Hopper's background has already been revealed in the official book of the show, but many of the secrets have yet to be revealed in the series. Hopper is now a hero to many of the characters of the show after being brought back to life by Joyce and Eleven.
Hopper gained a lot of experience investigating crimes in New York before moving back to the town where nothing happens. Hopper is a much more involved character as the show progresses, as he finds the capacity to love and open his heart again, even though he still believes he is cursed. Hopper claims he was happy to go and prove himself to his father, but his opinion would change when he realized what he was actually being sent to do. While Sara was born healthy, she developed cancer as a result of Hopper's exposure to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War, which left many of his fellow soldiers' children stillborn or living with birth defects.
One of the most controversial aspects of the Vietnam War was the use of Agent Orange by the United States.
The first three seasons only gave a small glimpse into Jim Hopper's life before the first season of Stranger Things, with the biggest reveal of his daughter's death explaining much of his skepticism early on. Jim Hopper and his fellow soldiers who made it back home alive would soon discover the lasting effects of exposure to Agent Orange, a substance they had been making with only kitchen gloves as protective gear. David Harbour's character feels guilty about her death because he knew having a child would cause health problems, but did so anyway.
Hopper moved to New York City when he was sent off to Vietnam, but he didn't always live in Hawkins. As a kid, Hopper was sent to Vietnam to mix Agent Orange with other soldiers, which they were told was harmless. After coming home from Vietnam, Hopper, Sara, and Diane moved to New York City, where he became a homicide detective. Hopper's own father hadn't been attentive or kind to him when he was growing up, which may be why he became such a devoted father to his daughters.
Jim Hopper was raised in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, like many of the other characters in the show. Hopper mentioned that he hadn't been stood up on a date since the ninth grade in a scene from the show. Hopper explained in the fourth season of Stranger Things that he was drafted into the Vietnam War at the age of 18.