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| This article is about the individual creature being held captive in Kamchatka. For the species, see Demogorgon (species). For other uses, see Demogorgon (disambiguation). |
The "Russian Demogorgon" was a member of a species of humanoid predators originating from the Upside Down. The creature was held captive at a Soviet-run prison camp in Kamchatka, from where it would massacre and feast upon unlucky prisoners forced to fight it in an open arena. It was ultimately executed by the escaped American prisoner Jim Hopper.
History[]
Origin[]
After it was discovered that American scientists had accidentally opened a gate to an alternate dimension in late 1983, the Soviet Union grew intent on creating their own gate, hoping that access to the dimension could give them an advantage in the Cold War.
Soviet scientists developed "the Key", an experimental technology designed to penetrate the space-time barrier and create a gate to the Upside Down. The early efforts to use the technology proved to be extremely hazardous; in one such attempt held at a facility in Kamchatka on June 28, 1984, the volatile machine suffered a grave malfunction upon activation, fatally electrocuting a number of scientists standing nearby.[1][2]
However, according to one account, this attempt to open a gate was nevertheless fruitful from the perspective of Dr. Karine, who narrowly avoided electrocution. Though her colleagues deemed the experiment a failure, Karine found a strange infant creature - a Demogorgon - in the rubble produced by the machine. Karine then proceeded to experiment upon the Demogorgon, feeding it as many people as she could - prisoners and free citizens alike - to strengthen and weaponize the beast.[3]
However, according to Dmitri Antonov, the creature had a different origin, calling it "a monster... from America".[4] If true, this would suggest the Demogorgon was instead extracted via the gate opened at the secret Soviet base located under Starcourt Mall in Hawkins, Indiana, which existed between June 28 and July 4, 1985. A large cage was present within the secret base, tall and wide enough to hold an adult Demogorgon.[2]
Alternatively, the Soviets might have used the Kamchatkan Key to acquire the Demogorgon at a later date, since the Key was said to still be "operational" in March 1986.[5]
The Soviets occasionally executed prisoners by feeding them to the creature, helping it grow stronger in the process. At some point, the Soviets also captured a large number of younger, adolescent Demogorgons, which were paralysed and kept in tanks filled with oxygenized water. A portion of the Mind Flayer's particles were also captured; the particles were encased within a special enclosure, confined in place by electric heaters.[6][5]
1985[]
October[]
Two Red Army soldiers pulled a prisoner out of his cell and fed him to the adult Demogorgon, although they chose against giving up their "American" prisoner - Jim Hopper - to the creature.[7]
1986[]
March[]
Following Hopper's failed escape attempt, guards told Hopper, former guard Dmitri Antonov, Oleg and thirteen other prisoners they would soon fight the creature in an arena-like pit. To his horror, Hopper realised the guards were talking about a Demogorgon. The guards took the prisoners to another room; inside, the men discovered many platters of cooked food and alcoholic beverages. The prisoners eagerly began to feast upon the various platters and dishes, but a cynical Hopper saw the truth of things; he explained their captors wanted them fattened-up before being fed to the Demogorgon. Hopper used the situation to his advantage, however, smuggling a small bottle of vodka out of the banquet room before the guards returned.
Meanwhile, Warden Melnikov led Murray Bauman - disguised as Yuri Ismaylov - to a balcony above the arena pit, wanting to show off the Demogorgon's slaughter to Murray, Joyce Byers and the real Yuri (disguised as Murray). Hopper, Dmitri and the prisoners entered the pit, and grabbed preprepared makeshift weapons in anticipation of the creature's attack. Hopper took the smuggled vodka out of his jacket pocket, pouring it over a spear and set it aflame with a lighter; this alarmed Melnikov, who demanded to know what Hopper was doing. Moments later, Murray dropped his facade and held Melnikov at gunpoint; at the same time, the Demogorgon was unleashed upon the prisoners. The majority of the prisoners were savaged to death within minutes, but Hopper and Dmitri kept the creature at bay with the flaming spear. After knocking Melnikov and various guards unconscious, Murray and Joyce managed to open the gate out of the arena pit, allowing Hopper and Dmitri to escape. Shortly after, Hopper was amazed to find himself reunited with Joyce and Murray.
The group searched for a way out of the base, stumbling upon the paralysed Demodogs and the Soviets’ imprisoned fragment of the Mind Flayer. Despite reaching Yuri's warehouse in Kyrzran, the group decided to return to the camp after hearing that their allies and loved ones in Hawkins were in danger. They hoped that by destroying the fragment of the Mind Flayer, they could deal damage to the Upside Down's hive mind, and assist their friends in need.
Upon Hopper, Joyce and Murray's return, they learned that gunfire shattered the Demodogs' and the Mind Flayer's tanks. The Mind Flayer revived the paralysed Demodogs, which in turn slaughtered the remainder of the base's personnel. They set out to kill the Demogorgons, still hoping to inflict pain upon the hive mind. After chasing Hopper and Joyce around the Soviet base for a lengthy period, the Demogorgons gathered in the same spot, allowing Murray to burn the bulk of the creatures to death with Yuri Ismaylov's flamethrower. The adult Demogorgon survived, but moments later, Hopper used a sword to behead the creature. Hopper, Joyce and Murray were rescued by Yuri and Dmitri Antonov in Yuri's helicopter Katinka. The Demogorgon deaths weakened everything else connected to the hive mind: the Demobats, vines, and even Vecna himself.
Appearance[]
The Soviets' Demogorgon largely resembled the creature that terrorized Hawkins in '83. However, the creature's limbs and heels were of differing size and proportions, and had a slightly lighter skin tone compared to its Western counterpart.[8]
Nature[]
The creature has displayed typical predatory behavior, immediately attacking as soon as it sees its prey.
Abilities[]
The Demogorgon presumably had all the same abilities that are characteristic of its species, such as immense strength and high durability. Interestingly, this Demogorgon didn't seem to have the ability to create gates, as it seemed unable to escape.
Appearances[]
| Season Three appearances | |||
| The Battle of Starcourt | |||
| Season Four appearances | |||
| The Massacre at Hawkins Lab | Papa | The Piggyback | |
Behind the scenes[]
In the November 12, 2022 episode of "VFX Artists React" on the Corridor Crew YouTube channel, Rodeo FX's VFX Supervisor Julien Héry explained that the Demogorgon was almost entirely redesigned, due to the acrobatics and fighting the creature was required to do:
| “ | It’s an iconic character, the Demogorgon, you can’t really touch it, but we actually kind of changed 95% of it. His kind of petal flower mouth, obviously you can’t touch that but we can change everything else. The length of all of his limbs has been changed. In previous seasons it was in the dark, it was not doing that much, but now we want him to run, we want him to jump. How is he going to fight? And we basically changed all the sizes of the limbs and the heels and everything so he could do those actions. We took a lot of references from animals. A gorilla is kind of running on all fours and then rising up for the fighting using their feet or using their hands and so you look at a lot of different creatures to build one.
— Julien Héry[8]
|
” |
Gallery[]
References
- ↑ "Suzie, Do You Copy?"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "E Pluribus Unum"
- ↑ Stranger Things: Kamchatka
- ↑ "The Nina Project"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The official teleplay for "Papa"
- ↑ "Papa"
- ↑ "The Battle of Starcourt"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "VFX Artists React to Bad & Great CGi 87" The Corridor Crew YouTube channel. Nov 12, 2022.
