Duffer Brothers Explain Missing Demogorgons in Stranger Things Finale

The Stranger Things Season 5 finale, titled "The Rightside Up," served as the culmination of a nine-year story arc. In this episode, the heroes engage in a massive conflict against the series' primary villains, Vecna and the Mind Flayer. However, a key element was missing from this confrontation: the series' famous monsters, the demogorgons.

Throughout the show's history, demogorgons and their smaller counterparts, demodogs, have served as major threats. Consequently, viewers expected these creatures to play a significant role in the final showdown. Instead, the battle focused exclusively on the human characters fighting the two main entities controlling the Upside Down. This absence led to immediate speculation regarding the monsters' whereabouts.

Questions arose about whether the creatures were revolting, sleeping on the job, or simply not present. Without the "ant army" assisting their master, the villains appeared to be at a disadvantage. The lack of these iconic beasts prompted the show's creators to address the issue directly.

In an interview, Matt and Ross Duffer provided a detailed explanation for the monsters' absence. The primary reason cited was Vecna's lack of preparation. According to the creators, Vecna was caught completely unawares by the sneak attack launched in The Abyss.

Matt Duffer elaborated on the villain's mindset: "Mainly it’s just that Vecna was not expecting this sneak attack on his home turf. Never in a million years could he even imagine that."

Beyond the element of surprise, the creators argued that Vecna simply did not believe he needed the extra help. He had the Mind Flayer at his disposal, a massive entity capable of inflicting widespread damage. The Duffers felt that relying on such a powerful force was a logical choice for the villain, even if it ultimately proved to be a strategic error.

Matt Duffer stated: "They’re there somewhere. We obviously discussed having a demo battle on top of the Mind Flayer battle, but it felt more right to us that why does he need the demos when the Mind Flayer is this giant thing and can attack them? He doesn’t need his little ant army to attack, he’s going to take care of this himself."

While narrative logic played a role, creative pacing was also a significant factor. The Duffer Brothers admitted to being mindful of what they termed demo fatigue. The show had already featured a dramatic fight against demogorgons earlier in the season, specifically at the end of Volume 1 when Will Byers' powers awakened.

The creators wanted to ensure the finale remained focused on the primary emotional stakes and the main villains. Matt Duffer explained: "I felt like we did everything we wanted to do with them in Sorcerer, and wanting to keep the focus on Vecna and the Mind Flayer, who’s been absent this season."

Additionally, the geography of the setting played a part. The Abyss is described as a "giant, desolate planet." The creators noted that while demo creatures exist there, they are not clustered together in a civilization. Matt Duffer recalled that during Vecna's journey in Season 4, he saw a demo "far in the distance," but they are not hanging out in huts or readily available for a battle.

The absence of the monsters does not mean the creators never intended to include them. Matt Duffer revealed that there was a scrapped idea to feature a massive field of demo eggs in The Abyss. This scene was envisioned as a homage to the film Aliens, where the heroes would encounter eggs and face emerging creatures. However, the idea was ultimately cut to maintain the story's flow.

Matt Duffer noted: "You can’t get all your ideas in there."

Despite fan suggestions that Will could have controlled the demogorgons to turn them against Vecna, the creators stuck with their decision. With the destruction of the Upside Down, the remaining demogorgons are now stranded in The Abyss. The Duffers hope they remain there forever, effectively concluding the monster threat alongside the conclusion of the series.