'Stranger Things' Season 4: Top 5 monsters from Dungeons & Dragons that could terrify the town of Hawkins
'Stranger Things' has featured a number of creatures that seemed to be ripped straight from classic Dungeons and Dragons games. While not being 1:1 analogs of their gamebook selves, they're still close enough to count as D&D creatures brought to life. With the Mind Flayer monster dealt with in Season 3 and Season 4 fast approaching, we take a quick look at what other creatures from the 'Monster Manual' could bring the extra fright to 'Stranger Things' Season 4.
1. The Aboleth
Tying in to the mysterious organization that raised Eleven (Mille Bobbie Brown) and their pursuit of knowledge, the Aboleths are ancient creatures that existed even before the coming of the gods, lurking about in the world's primordial ooze. They once ruled the world, before the gods came and took everything from them, but the Aboleths have never forgotten. Aboleths dwell in watery areas and are enemies of any god with enough worshippers to be renowned. Like the Mind Flayer, Aboleths have a certain amount of telepathy and are able to bend people to their will.
2. Beholders
There's only one creature that terrifies adventurers more than the thought of an attacking dragon — a Beholder. Evil, dreaded, powerful creatures from another realm, these floating monstrosities bear tentacles with eyes on them, each of which contains a terrifying power. From instant death to disintegration, the inducement of fear or a straight energy attack, there's seemingly no end to the kind of magic that each eye possesses, and a Beholder has eyes everywhere.
3. Myconids
While far from the most dangerous enemy in the monster manual, these fungal folks are a real threat in large numbers and given the heavily forested area that 'Stranger Things' is set in, it would be easy for them to amass in large numbers from the Upside Down and overwhelm the town. What makes Myconids especially terrifying is their ability to infest corpses with spores, making them mindless, zombie-like servants to these monsters.
4. Umber Hulks
Umber Hulks are large, brutish creatures that burrow deep underground. They have the ability to psychically confuse anyone who comes across them, keeping their existence a secret. They're strong, can dig deep furrows into the earth at a rapid pace and with their ability to mentally scramble the brains of anyone who comes across them, they're a deeply dangerous threat indeed.
5. Yuan-Ti
While there are a lot of good monsters out there, the most terrifying monsters will always be people who are slavishly dedicated to cult-like ideals. 'Stranger Things' is overdue a good cult, and you don't get a lot more dangerous than the Yuan-Ti. These are people who have dedicated themselves to the worship of the reptilian gods and life forms, who attempt to turn their own bodies into snake-like vessels, gaining much power but losing their own humanity in the process.
The 'Monster Manual' is a wealth of creatures that have been plaguing fantasy adventurers for decades and the children on 'Stranger Things' have only really scratched the surface for monsters they can find.
'Stranger Things' Season 4 is expected to return in 2021.