Fans are still reeling from the latest season of Stranger Things and the chaos that was wrecked upon Hawkins once again, thanks to the Upside Down. Netflix has yet to reveal any secrets about the final season, but they have finally released the blooper reel from season 4.
The Upside Down has been responsible for the creatures that have tried to kill Eleven and the Hawkins gang several times over. Some are clearly more powerful than others, with some even possessing their own psychokinetic abilities to rival those of Eleven’s.
D’Artagnan / Demodog
D’Artagnan, also known as Dart, was a creature from the Upside Down that Dustin temporarily kept as a pet. D’Artagnan was also the young version of what later became known as Demodogs, the same species as the Demogorgons.
D’Artagnan himself wasn’t as dangerous as some of the other Upside Down creatures. He did end up eating Dustin’s cat, Mews. However, later in the series, when the group is in danger and being attacked by fellow Demodogs, Dart refuses to attack Dustin, saving his life. He never got a chance to grow into his powers as he was instantly killed by The Flayer after this, but for the time he was alive, he posed the least threat to the Hawkins gang.
Hospital Monster
Another monster created due to remains of The Flayed and The Mind Flayer, The Hospital Monster was made up of entirely human bones and cartilage. It was able to reform and reshift to fit under doorways and through windows, making it difficult to outrun.
While Eleven wasn’t able to kill it, she was able to beat it up well enough that it had no choice but to escape through the sewers, eventually being re-absorbed into The Mind Flayer and its various forms.
Demobats
Demobats are associated directly with Vecna, thought to be a creation of his own using the powers and resources at his disposal in the Upside Down. They’re flying creatures, controlled by Vecna, that hunt and stalk their prey.
Although Steve Harrington was able to fight off a few of the Demobats, they eventually swarm and kill Eddie Munson, showing their power lies in numbers. While they may not be the most powerful on their own, when they attack together, they’re incredibly challenging foes.
The Flayed
Similar to other creatures from the Upside Down, The Flayed got their power from The Mind Flayer. The Flayed refers to the men, women, children, and animals of Hawkins who were possessed in the summer of 1985. They eventually took over Billy Hargrove, possessing him as one of their own.
While they were incredibly powerful and able to entrap almost anyone they set their mind on, most of this power came from The Mind Flayer. They were eventually melted down, and their bodies were used for other creatures, particularly The Spider-Monster.
The Spider-Monster
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Made from melted remains of The Flayed and serving as a physical body for The Mind Flayer, The Spider-Monster was created to kill Eleven and her friends and take over Hawkins. Most of The Spider-Monster’s power comes from The Mind Flayer, making him incredibly strong and difficult to beat.
In the end, it was Billy Hargrove’s sacrifice that allowed Eleven and her friends to escape. Eleven closed the gate that gave The Spider-Monster its power from The Mind Flayer, killing it instantly.
Demogorgons
Demogorgons are thought to be one of the first species to escape the Upside Down and appear in Hawkins. They’re controlled by The Mind Flayer and act purely on impulse and violence.
They have different stages of their life cycle and are thought to be violent at all stages, although Dart was an exception partly because he trusted Dustin. When they reach their full form, they become murderous and crave human flesh. They’re powerful enough to kill almost anyone in their way, only Eleven and her psychokinetic abilities were able to stop them in the first series. Since then, it’s been revealed that they have a few weaknesses, such as fire, but they’ve also gained several other strengths, including limited psychokinetic abilities and portal-opening skills.
The Mind Flayer
Having a large spanning history and no real origin date, The Mind Flayer has taken many forms in the past. When it was first discovered by Henry Creel in 1979, it resembled a storm-like organism with living parts but no real consciousness.
Creel then embodied The Mind Flayer to try and take over Hawkins in 1984, his first victim being Will Byers. Although The Mind Flayer may not have control over its own entity, when someone takes it over, like Henry Creel, it becomes virtually unstoppable. It is able to control most of the Upside Down creatures and create an army, showcasing its power.
Vecna
Vecna, aka Henry Creel, is undeniably the most powerful creature to come from the Upside Down. Although technically, he originated in Hawkins as a human. After realizing he had psychokinetic abilities, he was taken by Dr. Brenner to Hawkins laboratory, where he became known as 001, the first human test subject of the trials.
Vecna was sent through a gate to the Upside Down by a young Eleven, where he took control of all the creatures, including The Mind Flayer, to carry out his bidding. Despite all the Hawkins gang’s best efforts, they are unable to stop his reign of destruction, and the future of Vecna’s powers and plans are left unknown until the final season airs.
