The Demogorgon in Stranger Things appears as season 1’s big bad and makes subsequent appearances in later seasons, but there are details even eagle-eyed viewers may have missed. In Stranger Things, the town of Hawkins, Indiana becomes the site of an interdimensional breach. Through this breach comes all sorts of monsters, some more dangerous than others. One of the first that arrives is the Demogorgon, an upright, bipedal monster with a head like a drooping flower. However, when the Demogorgon comes across prey, its petals unfold to reveal a gaping maw filled with razor-sharp teeth.

The Demogorgon is so named because the gang sees a resemblance between the monster and a creature from their Dungeons & Dragons game. It is a major threat to the gang and the people of Hawkins, and Barb’s controversial Stranger Things death at the hands of the Demogorgon became a sticking point for many fans. There are multiple Demogorgons in Stranger Things though the most familiar one is the menace that Eleven fights and destroys in the season 1 finale. There is more to the Demogorgon in Stranger Things than some may realize and there are subtle details about the monster that make it a unique creature.

The Demogorgon Has Telekinetic Abilities

With so many monsters in Stranger Things, it’s easy to forget the smaller details about the Demogorgon in season 1. One aspect of the creature that might have slipped audiences’ minds is that in Stranger Things season 1, episode 1 “Chapter One: The Vanishing Of Will Byers”, the Demogorgon displayed telekinetic powers. The monster somehow unlocks the chain on the door of Will’s house when it could have easily smashed through it. Later in the season, the Demogorgon consistently shows its physical strength, so that it opened the door without any damage is a sign it contains some level of telekinesis. This makes sense, considering how it’s connected to Eleven.

The Demogorgon Has The Ability To Self-Regenerate

The Demogorgon of Dungeons & Dragons is particularly susceptible to fire. However, the actual Demogorgon in Stranger Things seems to not only survive fire but can also resist bullets. Furthermore, the creature has the ability to heal itself when hurt or wounded. Unless the Demogorgon receives a catastrophic amount of damage, like the Russian one in season 4 when it’s burned and decapitated, it will return. That’s why, in the Stranger Things season 1 finale, Eleven must use the full capacity of her powers to obliterate the creature. Even then, Eleven herself is cast into the Upside Down, illustrating the hardiness of the monster.

The Demogorgon’s Physical Appearance In Dungeons & Dragons Is Much Different

The Demogorgon monster in Dungeons & Dragons is not physically similar to the creature in Stranger Things. The physical description of the D&D Demogorgon is that of two baboon heads attached to a body that is part reptile and part bird. Its limbs are clawed and tentacular, and its tail splits into pronged forks. The reason the gang chooses to call the monster a Demogorgon in Stranger Things is because that is the monster they are currently fighting in the game. Their similarities stem from their size, strength, and the danger each poses to their respective opponents.

Will’s Interaction With The Demogorgon Is Foreshadowed

Moments before Will Byers walks outside and encounters the Demogorgon of Stranger Things for the first time, the gang is in the middle of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The last section of the game is read by dungeon master Mike, “Something is coming, something hungry for blood. A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness. It is almost here.” The Demogorgon appears and Will cast a fireball, needing a 13, but he rolls a seven. Will says, “The Demogorgon, it got me.” Later, when Will is inside the shed, he locks the door, but the Demogorgon appears behind him, just as was foretold.

The Demogorgon Has Extremely Heightened Senses

Once the connection between the real world and the Upside Down was opened, the Demogorgon in Stranger Things found itself a new feeding ground. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting world, this meant that everyone was fair game. The Demogorgon doesn’t appear to have any eyes or any external sensory organs that can be physically seen, yet it appears to have a keen sense of its surroundings anyway. The Demogorgon has some form of heightened senses that allows it to hear and smell when others are nearby. IEven the scent of the tiniest amount of blood is enough to attract the Demogorgon across dimensions.

The Demogorgon’s Lifecycle Is Shown Throughout Stranger Things

The Stranger Things gang definitely didn’t think they’d be learning about the lifecycle of the Demogorgon, but they can tick it off the study guide. The Demogorgon in Stranger Things has six stages of life. It starts out as a larva, shown coughed up by Will at the end of season 1. This slug turns into a pollywog, a name given by Dustin when he discovers the “cute” creature. The pollywog continues to grow until it has four limbs and resembles a frog, for which it’s called a “Frogorgon”; this is stage 3.

The last three stages of the Demogorgon in Stranger Things, are much more dangerous than the first three. After the frog, the petal mouth is formed and the Demogorgon increases in size until it becomes the aptly named Catogorgon. It’s in this form, its hunger flesh becomes more readily apparent. Stage 5 is even larger: the Demodog seen in season 2. Finally, from the Demodog emerges the fully-fledged monster of The Upside Down, the Demogorgon, stage 6.

Demogorgons Do Not Like Water

When Barb was taken by the Demogorgon from the pool, she woke up in The Upside Down, in a creepy version of the pool she was just in. One of the differences in this parallel world is that the pool has no water in it. In fact, the Demogorgons in Stranger Things have never been shown interacting with water. In Stranger Things season 2, episode 8 “Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”, Bob uses the sprinkler system to distract the Demodogs inside the Hawkins Laboratory. There could be a connection between Eleven being immersed in water when she first contacted the Demogorgon and why it seems to be averse to it.

The Absence Of The Demogorgon After Stranger Things Season 1

The Demogorgon in Stranger Things season 1 was a big reason the series was an instant hit upon premiere, as it was an unusual and terrifying monster with an instantly recognizable design. After its destruction at the end of season 1, greater foes came to the fore. It made one appearance at the end of season 3 as a final twist, and in season 4, Hopper and Joyce have to fight off that same monster before escaping Russia. Dustin at one point refers to the Demogorgan as, “The Mind Flayer’s foot soldier”, which would explain why it has a reduced role as its master becomes a bigger threat to Hawkins.

There Are Similarities Between The Demogorgon & The Other Monsters Of The Upside Down

The creatures of the Upside Down in Stranger Things possess some similarities pointing to their shared place of origin. The Demogorgon in Stranger Things season 1 is at one point nearly dispatched by fire, while bullets and other weapons have less of an impact. In season 2, Will is under the possession of the Mind Flayer and in this state, he says he likes it cold. In season 3, they use fireworks to dispatch the Mind Flayer. Finally, in season 4, the gang uses Molotov cocktails to defeat Vecna. Each of the creatures from the Upside Down shares similar appearances, but their weakness to fire is a clear throughline.

The Demogorgon Can Affect Lights In The Real World

Joyce Byers is the first to realize that whenever the Demogorgon in Stranger Things is around, the lights start to go haywire. When the Demogorgon takes Will from the shed, the lightbulb blows its fuse due to the portal’s energy surge. While Will is also able to use the lights when he’s trapped in the Upside Down, the Demogorgon’s presence sets them off in a way that gives characters in the real world an idea of where it is. Flickering lights in season 1 can mean two things: Will is trying to communicate with his friends and family or the Demogorgon is nearby and poised to burst through dimensions.