Fans of the global Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things were left with one burning question after the climactic final season: where were all the Demogorgons? The iconic creatures, a staple of the series since its inception, were conspicuously absent from the ultimate showdown in The Abyss, Vecna's home dimension. Now, series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have provided the definitive explanation.
The Missing Monsters of The Abyss
In the fifth and final season, viewers saw the Demogorgons return to form, snatching children, terrorising military units, and nearly defeating the Wheeler parents. This set an expectation for a grand, creature-filled finale when the core group launched their daring ambush on Vecna within The Abyss itself. This desolate dimension is the origin point for the Mind Flayer, Demogorgons, demodogs, and demobats.
Yet, during the entire sequence, not a single Demogorgon appeared to defend their master or attack the heroes. The battle focused solely on Vecna and the colossal Mind Flayer, leaving many to wonder about the fate of the show's original monstrous antagonists.
Creative Decisions and 'Demo Fatigue'
In a detailed interview with TheWrap, the Duffer brothers clarified their creative rationale. Matt Duffer stated that a key factor was Vecna's own arrogance and surprise. "Mainly it's just that Vecna was not expecting this sneak attack on his home turf," he explained. "Never in a million years could he even imagine that."
The brothers confirmed the creatures were theoretically present in the vast landscape but argued that their inclusion wasn't necessary for the narrative. "We obviously discussed having a demo battle on top of the Mind Flayer battle," Matt continued, "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."
They also cited 'demo fatigue' as a consideration, especially after delivering a major Demogorgon moment with Will Byers in Volume 1. "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," Matt added.
Scrapped Ideas and a Lonely Planet
The duo also revealed intriguing concepts that were ultimately cut from the final episodes. They had initially planned a sequence inspired by the film Aliens, where the group would discover a giant field of demo eggs. The scene would have seen the creatures hatching en masse, but as Matt noted, "you can't get all your ideas in there."
They further elaborated on the nature of The Abyss, describing it as a giant, desolate planet without a centralized monster civilization. Matt referenced a Season 4 scene where Henry Creel (Vecna) is seen wandering and spots a lone Demogorgon in the far distance. "It's not like they're hanging out in little huts," he quipped. "There's not like a giant civilisation of demos up there."
This revelation from the showrunners provides closure on one of the final season's biggest mysteries, highlighting the deliberate choice to centre the ultimate conflict on the humanoid villain Vecna and his cosmic puppet master, the Mind Flayer, rather than the franchise's earlier iconic monsters.
