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| “ | The mind and the soul are illusions, side effects of a soup of neurotransmitters, hormones, chemical reactions and nerve impulses. All of that happening right now, inside our skulls making us who we are. Making us dream. Making us believe. | ” |
Johnathan Saint, better known as Saint John, was the primary antagonist of the novel Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town.
Saint John was the first test subject of Project MKUltra. Traumatized by the events of the Vietnam War, Saint John returned to New York City where he joined the Rookwood Institute. He was inspired by the sociological reintegration methodology of Lisa Sargeson. Overtime, he established the Vipers, a cult organization that operated in the city and became its leader.
Saint John was the prime architect of The Day of the Serpent, the blackout incident of New York City in July 13, 1977. After a brief fight between him and Jim Hopper, Saint John was gravely wounded and bled to death.[1]
History[]
Background[]
1977[]
to be added
Personality and Traits[]
Initially a reluctant soldier, Saint John participated in the Project MKUltra during the Vietnam War in order to making himself a better combatant. Out of his sense of duty, he collaborated with the investigators in refining the experimentation. Nevertheless, after the war, the CIA tried to cover it up and pressurized him into keeping it a secret, defining his witnessed events as a post-trauma. After returning home from the Vietnam War, Saint John grew delusional as he was left alone with nobody to believe him.
However, as time went on, Saint John became highly manipulative and ruthless and formed his own cult organization, the Vipers. Through sheer will and fear, he successfully convinced a lot of individuals, especially people who served in the Vietnam war into joining his cult organization.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Psychic Persuasion - It is presumed that Saint John possessed the ability to psychically coerce subjects' in performing different actions, via verbal commands. It is for this reason that he had easily persuaded Lisa Sargeson into committing suicide for his ritual sacrifice. However, this ability seemed to have a limited extent as Hopper unknowingly resisted it.
Victims[]
As part of the dark blessing of The Day of the Serpent, Saint John was to perform five ritual sacrifices. However, his plan never came to fruition as he was eventually defeated by Hopper.
- Jonathan Schnetzer
- Sam Barrett
- Jacob Hoeler
- Lisa Sargeson
Relationships[]
Non-Familial[]
Jim Hopper
- Saint John had a great deal of respect for Jim Hopper, primarily because both of them served in the Vietnam War. In the short time they knew each other, he often saw Hopper as his friend and also entrusted him to devise a strategy to capturing Lisa Sargeson.
- Upon learning Hopper's defect and true allegiance to the NYPD and federal authorities, Saint John ordered the Vipers to capture him alive. However, during the time when Hopper was his prisoner, Saint John acknowledged that they could have made a great partnership. He also shared the truth about his painful experiences in the experimentation launched by the CIA during the war and how devastated he was when nobody believed him after his return.
Memorable Quotes[]
- "They say the eyes are the windows to a man's soul."
- "The darkness has come! The Day of the Serpent has dawned!"
- "Sometimes good men.. good men do bad things. Sometimes.. good men.. have.. no choice."
Trivia[]
- A real-life electricity blackout occurred in New York City on July 13, 1977, the same day Saint John conducted the city-wide blackout in the novel.