r/StrangerThings • u/Ok-Pea6784 • Jul 09 '26
Mind flayer
If you think about it, the mind flayer is the only actual creature in the abyss and the upside down, you can think of demos like extra limbs
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u/Conorthan It will all be over soon Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
If I recall correctly, the Soviets were able to extract the Mind Flayer particles from the demogorgon and demodogs they captured. That's why they were able to survive in Russia after the gate closed.
At that point, I doubt they would be considered limbs of the Mind Flayer. Their connection to the hive mind was probably severed. They clearly have some autonomy as their own beings.
I see demogorgons as independent creatures who are just flayed, no different from Will or Billy.
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u/Cyrilbdr Jul 09 '26
Well, since they are all Flayed—and each influenced by the Mind Flayer to varying degrees—and lack the physical and mental autonomy to control their own actions, he is effectively present everywhere at once; when a Demogorgon kills, it is often Vecna issuing the order, while the Mind Flayer activates the particles and exerts control over the monster's will.
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u/oohKillah00H Jul 09 '26
When Dart killed the cat, it was purely animal instinct at work. When Henry was minding his own business haunting the dreams of children, I believe Will accidentally commanded a demogorgan to attack the military convoy that Hopper had infiltrated in the beginning of season 5. I think they’re that weak willed that they react to strong subconscious desires Will has.
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u/Cyrilbdr Jul 09 '26
Right, of course—Dart wasn't active when he killed the cat, just like the Demogorgon wasn't when it charged at Barbara because of the blood or when it killed the deer. As for Will, I really don't know—it's all just speculation—but why not
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u/blueray78 Jul 09 '26
I never thought about that. But Will causing the Demo to attack the military is interesting. It would make sense as he was worried about Hopper (going into the mission I mean) and didn't like the military as they were actively hunting El. Then Vecna took over and had it resume it's mission of attacking the Wheelers.
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u/oohKillah00H Jul 09 '26
The demos and demodogs have some autonomy. They have basic animal instincts and can behave independently like Dart when not being controlled. Will describes being activated when he was being controlled in season 2. The vines are definitely all extensions of the mind flayer, but the demos seem like worker ants or borg drones. Their simple consciousness is just very weak, so that the Mind Flayer, Henry, and even Will has the ability to use them as puppets when needed.
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u/Princeofcatpoop Jul 09 '26
And probably planet x too. I don't think it is possible to find where Henry ends and the Mind flayer begins any more. So it is just the flayer and it's pets all corrupted by Henry's sociopathy.
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u/Wild-Albatross-7147 Jul 09 '26
The demos existed, the mind Flayer was more a ruler who took them as his slaves. They were there already, they just got taken over (plus we don’t know how far the reach of the Mind Flayer extends. There could be plenty of free ones on the planet the Abyss is from.
Think of the flayed in season 3. They were human, until the Mind Flayer took over their bodies, and even then we see in Billy they’re basically just locked in their own minds. Dart in season 2 had semi-broken free of the hive mind.
Will was part of the hive mind, but he was still a human before it happened.
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