I take it you haven't finished season 3 yet. I won't spoil it for you. But I think Hopper should've just chilled out; of all the kids you don't need to watch over, anyone who tried messing with Eleven would regret it. Mike certainly isn't someone he needs to worry about. I would've told them to spend some time over at Mike's house instead of always coming back to his. The plan was for El to start school in September, getting her out and about over the summer would seem like the logical way to prepare her for that.

I can understand Hopper not wanting her to spend all her time with Mike. Hanging out with Max was a good thing, she needs to learn how to be a normal teenage girl and do normal teenage stuff beyond just kissing her boyfriend. Maybe some remedial geography lessons too - not knowing where (or what) Illinois is when you live in Indiana is ... hard to explain.

@chrisjdel said:

I take it you haven't finished season 3 yet. I won't spoil it for you. But I think Hopper should've just chilled out; of all the kids you don't need to watch over, anyone who tried messing with Eleven would regret it. Mike certainly isn't someone he needs to worry about. I would've told them to spend some time over at Mike's house instead of always coming back to his. The plan was for El to start school in September, getting her out and about over the summer would seem like the logical way to prepare her for that.

I can understand Hopper not wanting her to spend all her time with Mike. Hanging out with Max was a good thing, she needs to learn how to be a normal teenage girl and do normal teenage stuff beyond just kissing her boyfriend. Maybe some remedial geography lessons too - not knowing where (or what) Illinois is when you live in Indiana is ... hard to explain.

No just on ep 2... I like to take it slow!

You mention school. If she is that uneducated in this world I wonder what type of school he will send her too. Then again she is extra smart. Maybe spending the summer also brushing up on what a girl her age ought to know by school year would be wise as well.

I look forward to the rest. Hopper was great in previous seasons but now he's obviously insecure, and maybe neurotic, about losing Elevens affections instead of realizing what she and Mike are doing is natural.

@Oldnewbie said:

You mention school. If she is that uneducated in this world I wonder what type of school he will send her too. Then again she is extra smart. Maybe spending the summer also brushing up on what a girl her age ought to know by school year would be wise as well.

I look forward to the rest. Hopper was great in previous seasons but now he's obviously insecure, and maybe neurotic, about losing Elevens affections instead of realizing what she and Mike are doing is natural.

The Illinois reference won't make sense to you for a few more episodes then, if you're only on Ep 2.

From what we saw of her time at Hawkins Lab there are certain things, like math, she's probably up with the class on. Brenner wouldn't have wasted his time teaching literature or history though - and making her curious about the lives of normal people, or exposing her to ideas about democracy and individual rights, definitely things to be avoided. She's had a year of being out of school at Dr. Owens' suggestion. Reading up during that time would have been a good idea. Like you said she's a quick learner.

Hopper seems like one of those people who shines in a crisis. When the ѕhit hits the fan he's the guy you want by your side. But in his personal life, he doesn't always manage things well. And I think to some extent he took on the responsibility of looking after Eleven as a sort of redemption. He failed his own daughter, by not failing El maybe he can atone for it. Yes his daughter had cancer. It wasn't really his fault - but human beings aren't always logical about these things, and parents often blame themselves even when there isn't a damn thing they could've done. We know he had a really hard time and retreated into a bottle after his daughter's death which cost him his marriage. And he's overcompensating now because of all that.