Every Monster In Netflix’s Stranger Things, Ranked

By now, there are probably only about five people on the planet who have not watched Netflix’s mega-hit series “Stranger Things.” Since its debut in 2016, this imaginative tale about the ongoing battle between a group of kids from Hawkins, Indiana, and dangerous monsters from another dimension has dazzled audiences with its clever blend of dark horror, science fiction, and 1980’s pop culture. Its plucky cast of veterans and young, up-and-comers only adds to the fun. Now, it’s hard not to hop on social media without seeing a post or two on Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Natalie Dyer, or Charlie Heaton, among others, in the large ensemble.

Still, you’re not here for the cast. You wanna talk monsters, and, oh boy, do we have you covered. We’ve ranked every monster in “Stranger Things” from worst to best, mainly just for kicks, but hopefully to stir a healthy debate amongst fans. So, pop in some Eggo Waffles, grab some chocolate pudding, and read!   

Right off the bat (pun intended), we’ll look at the surprisingly formidable Demobats inhabiting the Upside Down. These winged beasts zip around the sky, making creepy sounds as part of a hive mind controlled by the mighty Vecna. They possess a powerful tail used to strangle victims and a wicked set of teeth designed to rip flesh from bone.

First seen circling the Creel House in Season 4, the terrifying rodents certainly left an impression after attacking and nearly killing Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and quickly ascended our list of Monsters That Deserve to Burn in the Depths of Hell when they attacked and quite clearly killed Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn); after the man rocked out to the most epic rendition of Metallica’s “Masters of Puppets” to ever grace the screen.

Still, the Demobats rank lower on the list if only because, well, they’re bats. After Demogorgons, Demodogs, and giant spider monsters, their appearance felt a little too conventional for our liking. As Ace Ventura once said: “Take that, you winged spawn of Satan!”   

Remember when your older sibling used to pin you down and then slowly spit a wad of saliva on your face? Well, that’s kinda what the creepy “Stranger Things” vines do — just with more saliva. While relatively harmless in appearance, these dark, twisted tendrils are found within the Upside Down and seemingly exist to hold Vecna’s victims in place long enough for the big guy to do his worst. 

We see them quite prominently in Season 1, specifically when Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) find Will (Noah Schnapp) strapped to a wall deep within the dark world. They come back with a vengeance in Season 2, trapping Hopper inside a series of tunnels populated by Demodogs, and are very clearly utilized by Vecna in Season 4 whenever he needs someone to listen to one of his long, drawn-out monologues.

Ultimately, though, these vines are relatively harmless. We often see them snag victims only to retreat at the sight of fire. If only our siblings were as easily scared away.

Now we’re talking. The Demodogs, while still akin to the Puddy Patrol in “Power Rangers,” are nonetheless terrifying in their ferocity. Against one, our heroes may have a chance, but get a few of these suckers together, and it’s adiós muchachos. Ostensibly, Demogorgons that have not yet fully matured — think Baby Yoda with more teeth — these sick puppies pack the same punch as their elderly carnivorous brethren with two exceptions: they are smaller and cannot yet walk on two legs. 

No matter. What Demodogs lack in size, they make up for with sheer volume. Like the Demobats, our four-legged baddies attack like wolves and bite like grizzly bears. We witness the extent of their carnage in Season 2 when a pack takes down poor Bob Newby (Sean Astin), quite literally ripping him to shreds, a much better fate than the character initially received.

Uniquely, we also learn Demodogs are capable of more than nonsensical violence. In the same season, Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) captures a pint-sized “Pollywog” he names Dart and raises it as his own. By the time Dart matures into a Demodog, he still holds an affection for his former master and allows Dusting to escape despite instructions from his boss. Moral of the story? When you encounter a potentially dangerous organism, feed it a Baby Ruth bar.

“Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer (aka the Duffer Brothers) love pushing the show’s TV-14 rating, adding as much cursing, violence, and gore into each episode as humanly possible. In Season 3, they definitely toed the line with the Hospital Monster, a grotesque collection of body parts; this monstrosity feels like it was ripped straight out of 1988’s equally nasty, very R-rated “The Blob,” if not John Carpenter’s “The Thing.”

We first lay eyes on this creature in Season 3 when Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) duke it out with a pair of possessed, zombie-like co-workers in a hospital. The young protagonists watch in horror as their attackers dissolve into bloody goo (replete with bones and other fun details) and combine to form a large, nightmare-inducing, multi-limbed, crab-like creature that can slither underneath doors and toss poor Nancy around like a ragged doll. Thankfully, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) arrives just in time to save the day, unaware that this was a mere tease of this particular creature’s power.

Branching off from the Hospital Monster, we have Billy Hargrove and the Flayed. No, that’s not a new rock band. Rather, it refers to the army collected by a possessed Billy (Dacre Montgomery), formerly the abusive stepbrother of Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), in Season 2. Billy is attacked and turned by the Mind Flayer early on, who then uses him to recruit others for his cause. We say “recruit” loosely because, well, he forces them into submission. Once turned, the Mind Flayer likewise controls these walking dead, making it hard to distinguish friend from foe.

We get a taste of its power when Billy and his recently turned co-worker, Heather Holloway (Francesca Reale), attack and bring her unsuspecting parents before the Mind Flayer. Later, Nancy’s former bosses (Jake Busey and Michael Park) attack her at a hospital, only to dissolve and create the aforementioned Hospital Monster. Moments later, their remains slither toward their master, and they join with dozens of other Hawkins residents to form The Spider Monster. 

The Demogorgon, the original “Stranger Things” beast, still carries plenty of heft despite its numerous diminutive imitations. The novelty of seeing its flower-like head burst open to reveal an impressive collection of sharp teeth may have dulled over the years, but don’t let that distract from its terrifying presence in Season 1. The bit where a full-grown Demogorgon emerged from Joyce’s wall was straight out of a nightmare — specifically, “A Nightmare On Elm Street” — and among the series’ most memorable moments. 

Season 4, likewise, shows off some solid Demogorgon action — in Russia, no less! Hopper, trapped in a Russian prison, is forced to battle one of the slimy baddies with his fellow prisoners, a scene that ranks high on our list of the most brutal moments in “Stranger Things.” Later, he dices another to bits with a massive, Conan-like sword in perhaps the entire show’s coolest (and geekiest) scene. 

Our only issue at this point is that we’ve seen a few too many Demogorgons. Granted, most are typically Dort-sized, but even the adults haven’t proven too difficult for our heroes to defeat. Plus, if you’re a 10-foot monster with razor-sharp claws and teeth, how can you let a tiny fire-tipped spear scare you?  

After three seasons, “Stranger Things” finally spilled the beans on its big bad. As it turns out, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower, using murderous methods to get into character), or “Patient 001,” was behind the scenes pulling the strings all along. He’s the Thanos of this universe, or its Blofeld. And like those two villains, you must wiggle around some thick plot contrivances to make sense of his actions, specifically regarding the first three seasons.

No matter. Vecna rules the roost like a cross between Freddy Krueger and Pennywise the Clown, terrifying his victims before consuming their essence. Visually, he’s spectacular to behold, entangled in tendrils, his skull practically bursting through the skin. When he talks, his voice is deep, guttural, and ominous. Honestly, he’s terrifying.

Unfortunately, he talks way too much. Like, to the point where you no longer fear him. He probably would’ve won the Season 4 battle if he didn’t spend so much time laying out his plan like a melodramatic “Scooby Doo” villain. Yet, despite his flaws, Vecna remains appealing, mainly due to his personal connection with Eleven. We cannot wait to see what he has in store for our gang in Season 5.

Hopefully, this time he quits playing with his food. 

Impressively designed, Season 3’s final boss, The Spider Monster, is a wonder to behold, a glorious demonstration of CGI done effectively. Essentially a much larger version of the Hospital Monster, this goo-drenched beast, comprised of Hawkins corpses, stands 30 feet tall, crushes cars like soda cans, and smashes through glass ceilings — not once, but twice! — like Batman. It’s an unstoppable force and one of the main reasons Season 3 stands out from the pack. 

On the negative side, the Spider Monster is dumb as a rock. Much of its screen time is spent walking through the Starcourt Mall food court looking for Eleven and her friends. Except, it’s lured by loud noises — a popped balloon, for example — and all but neutralized by fireworks bought from a grocery store. Remarkably, this massive creature manages to roam all over town without being spotted by anyone besides our heroes, but that’s crossing into nit-picky territory.

Overall, though, the moment this guy showed up was the moment “Stranger Things” shifted gears and really pushed the proverbial pedal to the medal.

Finally, as much as we appreciate every creature in “Stranger Things,” none are as frightening as the Mind Flayer/Shadow Monster. Towering above all like the king of darkness, this mysterious being seems to hold all the secrets to the Upside Down. From what we gather, it materialized when Vecna arrived and is now seemingly controlled by the demonic overlord, designed to appear as a monstrous spider.

Still, we don’t know much about the Mind Flayer and its ties to Vecna, which makes it unique compared to others on this list. What does it want? Does it carry an allegiance to anyone? Can anyone, like, say, Eleven, control it? Can it ever truly be destroyed? Does it merely take on the inward feelings of its minions? Does it have emotions, or is it nothing more than a power to be wielded by the most powerful individual? 

We can’t shake the feeling that the battle for the world will come down to Eleven and Vecna putting aside their differences to stop the Mind Flayer or Eleven teaming up with the Mind Flayer to stop Vecna. Either way sounds rad. Season 5 can’t get here soon enough.