SPOILERS! Why Eleven Didn't Call Hopper 'Dad' In That Emotional 'Stranger Things' S5 Scene

WARNING: SPOILERS for Stranger Things season five, Vol.1

With the vast majority of fans having already finished watching the first four episodes of Stranger Things fifth and final season, attention has turned to discussing and analysing the content of those four episodes, and, of course, speculating and theorising on what's to come in the three episodes comprising Vol.2, arriving at Christmas, and the movie length grand finale at New Year.

Understandably, most of the discussion has centred around Will Byers' newfound powers and connection to the Upside Down's hive mind, and Max and Holly's plan to escape from the mind of Henry Creel/Vecna. However, one other scene has left some fans puzzled.

Hopper's almost sacrifice

Hopper and El spend most of Vol. 1 in the Upside Down, attempting to track down Vecna in the hope that this will lead them to the kidnapped Holly. The pair's quest eventually leads them to the Military Base within the Upside Down, where thanks to a strong presence of sonic devices that can disable Eleven and anyone with similar powers, they believe the army has Henry Creel/Vecna held captive.

Unbeknownst to Eleven until they have successfully breached the base, Hopper is wearing an explosive vest and plans to sacrifice himself to destroy Vecna and keep El from having to fight. In the moments prior to his intended sacrifice, Hopper tells El how proud of her he is, and even refers to her by her little-used true name, Jane. However, when desperately calling after him as he departs, Eleven only refers to him as Hopper, or Hop.

Thankfully, Hopper did not need to blow himself up, as it turns out the military were not holding Henry hostage, but Eleven's 'sister, Eight/Kali, who had escaped from the lab sometime before the Massacre.

However, given the intense emotion of the scene, some fans have been left wondering why Eleven did not call Hopper 'Dad' during what could have been their last moments together. After all, that is clearly the role he occupies in her life, he is her adoptive father on paper, and when other characters refer to Hopper as Eleven's Dad when speaking to her, she doesn't correct them. She even calls him her Dad in relation to her 'Hero' project in season four.

Looking at the evidence, her reluctance becomes a little easier to understand.

Eleven has had bad experiences with past Father Figures

Eleven never knew her biological Father, mentioned briefly in expanded universe content. The only true Father figure she had known prior to Hopper was Dr. Martin Brenner, usually referred to as 'Papa' by Eleven and the other children kept inside the Hawkins Lab. Brenner is ruthless, ambitious, and often cruel. When El's biological Mother, Terry Ives, from whom she was abducted at birth, attempted to break into the lab and retrieve her daughter, it was Brenner who ordered the electroshock therapy that caused Terry permanent brain damage.

In the years following Henry Creel's massacre of the children at Hawkins Lab, Eleven was left as Brenner's only remaining test subject. He made himself her only source of attention and affection, and if she failed or refused to complete a task in training, Brenner would punish Eleven by leaving her isolated for extended periods of time. In season four, when Eleven wishes to leave the Nina Project and return to help her friends in Hawkins, Brenner sedates and fits her with a shock collar, because he, selfishly, wants to continue to study and push the limits of her powers.

Now, it's likely that 'Papa' did love Eleven on some level.. He ultimately died for her, after all. But that does not excuse his abusive behaviour.

El does not want to associate Hopper with Brenner

One of the earliest obstacles in the development of Eleven and Hopper's familial relationship is Eleven learning that 'Papa' and Hopper are not the same. Early in season two, she even accuses him of being like 'Papa', not understanding that, unlike Brenner, the boundaries Hopper places on El are not there to control her, but to protect her. El does eventually reach this understanding, and even though she does not always agree with Hopper's decisions, she knows he has her best interests at heart. Perhaps more importantly, she knows Hop's love does not come with a price tag. She will not lose it if she does something wrong.

He is her Dad in all but name.. but for El, that name is a loaded one. 'Dad' and 'Papa' may technically be different words, but they mean the same thing. Eleven likely doesn't want to associate Hopper and Brenner as the same, because she now knows for absolute certain that they are not.

And in the end, it's kind of irrelevant. Hopper knows who Eleven is to him, and who he is to her. The title doesn't matter. The love is there no matter what El decides to call him. Hopefully, that love will get them through the remainder of the series in one piece.