“It’s the Demogorgon”, said the boys, scared and prepared, for the adventures that lie ahead in the world of Stranger Things.
Highlights
- Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on D&D or Brian Lumley’s “Demogorgon”?
- What’s a Demogorgon as per Greek Mythology?
- Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on Brian Lumley’s novel “Demogorgon”?
- Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on Dungeons & Dragons.
However, weather Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on D&D or Brian Lumley’s 1987 novel “Demogorgon” is still a conflict.

Since the release of Stranger Things to its third season, it has been a total tribute to the 80s and 90s. From the Never-Ending Story song that concluded the third season to the Halloween costumes for our Will, Mike and Dustin. Everything about it was nostalgic for the ones who lived in those times.
However, the biggest nostalgia that the show keeps calling back to is the Dungeons & Dragons game. There are a thousand references of D&D very neatly sprinkled around the world of Stranger Things. It’s also firmly said that the Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on Dungeons & Dragons, the popular board game from the 80s and 90s.
Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on D&D or Brian Lumley’s “Demogorgon”?
We all loved playing Dungeons & Dragons as a kid, we lived in that world. And just when the world was fading from our memories, Netflix released Stranger Things. It proved to be one of the best shows for the lovers of D&D and those who were missing their 80s and 90s life, it revived the memories of all those years.
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The show Stranger Things revolves around a bunch of kids, a town named Hawkins, and a monster Mind Flayer. However, the centre of most of the discussions has been the monsters identified as Demogorgon by the kids. What’s interesting about the Demogorgon in Stranger Things that it is claimed to be based on, or inspired by, either Dungeons & Dragons or Brian Lumley’s novel “Demogorgon”.
What’s a Demogorgon as per Greek Mythology?
In Stranger Things, Demogorgon is the first monster our young heroes fought. It was described as a monster from Upside Down that feeds on anything and everything living. In Stranger Things 1, we saw one Demogorgon, but in the later seasons, we saw an entire army of Demogorgon appearing.
However, before Stranger Things, the novel “Demogorgon”, and the game D&D, the origins of Demogorgon are deep buried in the Greek mythology. In mythology, Demogorgon is a deity or demon, associated with the underworld and envisaged as a powerful primordial being, whose very name had been taboo. However, the Demogorgon from Stranger Things seems to be based on some very recent adaptations of the demon from myths.
Is Demogorgon in Stranger Things based on Brian Lumley’s novel “Demogorgon”?
It’s claimed that the Demogorgon in Stranger Things are based on the Brain Lumley’s famous novel named “Demogorgon”. Though the Demogorgon name of the novel itself seems to inspire the Demogorgon from Stranger Things, there are a couple of other things to be highlighted as well. The novel describes Demogorgon as “It walks the earth in the guise of a man, but it is not a man; it is the very essence of Evil”.
This definition stands true to the Demogorgon in Stranger Things. The Demogorgon in Stranger Things is not only the monsters but also the human hosts of Mind Flayer, displaying similar nature as Demogorgon. Though D&D predates the Novel, and thus gets more credit for the Demogorgon, Brian Lumley has another novel “The Burrowers Beneath” predating D&D.
This novel deals with similar world and demons, and have a cover that seems to have strongly inspired the main cover poster of Stranger Things.
Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on Dungeons & Dragons.
The similarities between Brian Lumley’s “Demogorgon” and Demogorgon from Stranger Things are a few. However, entire Stranger Things seems to be deriving inspiration from Dungeons and Dragons.
All the characters, their roles and responsibilities in the show seem to be straight out of the characters of D&D. Even the powers of Eleven seems to imitate the Wizard from D&D. Demogorgon in Stranger Things is also inspired by the most powerful monster by the same name in D&D.
Also, the kids gave the monster in Stranger Things the name of Demogorgon just because of the influence of Dungeons and Dragons on them. Many theories have claimed that Stranger Things have used the inspiration from D&D to frame the plot of the season and also the storylines and characteristics of the characters.
Also, the show began with the young heroes playing Dungeons & Dragons in the basement of Mike’s house, and they keep going back to the memories of their D&D meetups throughout the show.
So, if everything in Stranger Things seems to be inspired by D&D, then there should be no doubt that the Demogorgon in Stranger Things is based on Dungeons & Dragons.
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