Stranger Things 3 will feature a terrifying new monster. But what kind of creature is it, and what kind of danger does it pose? The answer to this mystery can be found in Dungeons & Dragons.
The trailer for Stranger Things’ third season was jam-packed with humor, heart, and horror, and we went deep trying to break down the many secrets it was hiding about what to expect from our summertime return to Hawkins, Indiana. But the biggest mystery of them all might be the show’s new monster. That tentacled, razor-sharp-toothed creature looks deadlier than even the Demogorgon or the Mind Flayer, but is it really more dangerous? In this Nerdist News Edition, Dan Casey rolls a natural 20 and names three possible D&D villains who fit this nightmare’s ghastly profile.
Besides its appearance, the best clue from the trailer for what kind of monster this is comes from the shot of Billy’s infected arm. With the season looking like a clear homage to George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, we expect some kind of zombie-esque invasion. That’s why this might be the Otyugh, an old-school D&D creature who is like a giant Lovecraftian dog. Not only does it have limited telepathy, which could help it communicate with the Mind Flayer of season two, its bite infects its victims with Filth Fever, which acts as a poison.
If Billy’s sickness isn’t connected to this monster, it could be a Gibbering Mouth. Stranger Things 3‘s monster matches the physical description of that Dungeons & Dragons creature, with its multiple mouths, gnarly teeth, and shapeless red appendages.
However, if this isn’t the beast’s final form, but rather a baby version (like when we first met Dart), this could be the iconic D&D creature the Tarrasque. It’s a gigantic monster that turns its victims into a red mist. Its features match the image of the new Stranger Things villain, so if that really is only its birth we’re seeing in the trailer, Hawkins is in for a far bigger, far more dangerous threat than ever before.
Hopefully the kids in town have enough hit points to defeat it.
What D&D monster do you think we’re seeing in Stranger Things 3? Roll into our comments below and let us know.
Featured Image: Netflix
