Demogorgon (species)

This article is about the species. For the individual creature, see The Demogorgon.

Spoiler Warning! This article or section reveals details from the third season. Read at your own discretion...

Demogorgon (species)
Related species	Vines The Mind Flayer
Notable specimens	Demogorgon of 1983 D'Artagnan Russian Demogorgon
Habitat	The Upside Down The Hawkins tunnel system
Also known as	Monster Demogorgon Pollywog Demodog

Demogorgons are predatory creatures originating from the Upside Down. All Demogorgons encountered thus far obey the Mind Flayer, and make up part of his hive mind. Under his influence, Demogorgons are murderous, violent and have limited intelligence.

In 1983, a fully grown Demogorgon set foot in Hawkins, Indiana after a gateway to the Upside Down was accidentally opened. This Demogorgon was eventually defeated and destroyed, but not before it could inflict damage upon the human world. Will Byers, a rescued victim of the Demogorgon, became a vessel for the Mind Flayer. Somehow, Will's possession allowed the Mind Flayer to unleash a swarm of adolescent Demogorgons upon Hawkins.

Etymology

Demogorgons have not been given an official name or scientific title. However, Eleven and her friends used the nickname "Demogorgon" in reference to the original monster from 1983, after a monster featured in Dungeons & Dragons.

Life cycle

See also: D'Artagnan

All stages of the Demogorgon life cycle, minus the initial larval form. (Note: Mike is included for scaling purposes.)

The life cycle of a Demogorgon seems to have six distinct stages and is similar in some ways to that of several Earth amphibian species.

In the only cases of Demogorgon reproduction observed, the cycle began with the deposition of eggs or larvae within a host by a tentacle within the Upside Down. The slug-like larvae later were vomited up by the host, and subsequently escaped into the wild. After this, the larvae underwent a period of rapid metamorphosis, molting through each phase of their development until emerging as an adult. The process takes place over the span of a week. A Demogorgon's life cycle was best illustrated by Dart, a Demogorgon which Dustin temporarily kept as a pet.

Stage One: Slug

Larval Demogorgons are roughly the same shape and size as the standard garden slug, but they differ in terms of coloring. Larval Demogorgons are generally dark green, with bright yellow spots.

The larvae inhabited the bodies of the original Demogorgon's victims:

• Will Byers: Will was found in the Upside Down with a tendril extending down his throat following his capture by the original Demogorgon (see Stage Six below). A month after returning home, Will coughed up a larva and washed it down his bathroom sink drain. It is probable that the tendril 'impregnated' Will, so to speak.
• Barbara Holland: While immersed in the Void, Eleven scoured the Upside Down to find Will and Barbara. She discovered Barb's corpse and saw a larva slither out of Barb's mouth and across her face.

Barb's larva

Will's larva

Stage Two: Pollywog

After an unknown amount of time, a larval Demogorgon would molt to the next stage of its life cycle, sometimes referred to as a “pollywog” due to the resemblance to the larval stage of amphibians. The pollywogs are small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, and their translucent skin is colored yellow-green. They possess a pair of forelimbs with small claw-like hands, a mouth, and a lizard-like tail. They are incredibly sensitive to heat; even direct exposure to the light of a table lamp is enough to cause a pollywog extreme discomfort. During this stage, they appear to be opportunistic feeders, as Dart was found foraging for food in a trashcan and ate a candy bar it received from Dustin.

Dart at Stage Two

Stage Three: Frogogorgon

Unlike other stages, the third stage of the cycle is not entered by the creature molting. Instead, this stage is signaled by the pollywog's skin taking on a dark green color, as well as an increase in body mass. The pollywog will then sprout a pair of hind legs, becoming quadrupedal. Small, sharp teeth begin growing in the creature's mouth.

Dart at Stage Three

Stage Four: Catogorgon

Once the pollywog has eaten a sufficient amount of food, it molts, growing a little larger than a standard house cat. It is in this stage that the juvenile Demogorgon develops the signature “petal mouth” that the species is best known for. In addition, the juvenile becomes carnivorous. Its skin takes on a darker color and is resistant enough to heat that it is able to walk in direct sunlight with no injury.

Dart at Stage Four

Dart at Stage Four with an open mouth

Stage Five: Demodog

Upon molting to the penultimate stage of their life cycle, the adolescent Demogorgon develops to a much larger version of their previous form, which Dustin referred to as a “Demodog”. Now roughly the size of a large dog, the Demodog is strong enough to tackle a grown human. They are proficient in digging tunnels and are able to climb steep precipices. While a Demodog is not invulnerable to gunfire, its skin is thick enough to resist several gunshots.

Dart at Stage Five

A Stage Five Demogorgon at the Hawkins junkyard

A Stage Five Demogorgon near the Gate

Stage Six: Demogorgon

See Also: The Demogorgon

After molting for presumably a final time, the Demogorgon emerges as an adult. Adult Demogorgons are bipedal and reach a height of approximately 6 - 10 ft. They possess immense strength, being able to knock a door off its hinges and pin down an adult human with ease. Their sense of smell is exceptionally potent, being able to detect a small amount of blood even while in another dimension. Their skin has grown durable enough to withstand gunfire and numerous attacks dealt with a spiked object. One of the few things shown to cause a Demogorgon any type of significant harm was being burned, but even then the creature was able to escape fairly easily and did not seem to be hindered by its injuries.

The Demogorgon that plagued Hawkins in 1983 could open inter-dimensional portals and appeared to possess limited telekinetic ability. It is unknown if all adult members of the species possess these abilities, or if they were somehow exclusive to that individual. It is also unclear whether or not this individual was under the control of the Mind Flayer. Another Demogorgon was kept in a Soviet gulag in 1985, in order to devour political prisoners.

Stage Six

A close-up of a Stage Six Demogorgon

A Stage Six Demogorgon in Russia

Known Individuals

• The Demogorgon
• Slug like creature
• D'Artagnan
• Fridge Demodog
• Russian Demogorgon

Behind the scenes

The Duffer brothers wanted to use practical horror elements and a person in a suit that could interact with the actors in real-time for creating the monster of Season 1 and so, the adult Demogorgon was shot via motion capture practically with performer Mark Steger on the creature's suit. However, for creating all the other Demogorgon stages in Season 2, the visual effects team used CG.

Trivia

• A Demodog previously killed by Eleven was put into the Byers' fridge by Dustin and Steve. While not confirmed, the Duffer Brothers have hinted at the possibility of it playing a role in the third season. This turned out not to be the case however, as it wasn't mentioned in the third season.
• A Stage Six Demogorgon was shown to be alive at the very last scene of "The Battle of Starcourt", dubbed the "Russian Demogorgon".
  • The Russian Demogorgon has been nicknamed the "White Demogorgon" by some fans due to it being cleaner and the color is more noticeable than with the first Demogorgon.