The Duffer brothers have referenced Dungeons &amp; Dragons several times in Stranger Things. Here are the most notable mentions.

3 Elements in &#8216;Stranger Things&#8217; Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons &#038; Dragons

Stranger Things is chock full of 80s references from Stephen King, Aliens, Larry
Cohen, and most notably, Dungeons & Dragons. The game plays a big role in the
lives of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will, as they bond over it and find clues
about the Upside Down from it. In fact, most of the Upside Down monsters are a
direct reference to the game. But these monsters, although inspired by the game,
are starkly different from the show’s reincarnations. 


VECNA FROM STRANGER THINGS SEASON 4

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

The show’s season 4 teased its latest villain, Vecna
[https://netflixjunkie.com/riveting-stranger-things-fan-theory-bridges-creel-house-to-vecna-the-grandfathers-clock-has-more-to-do-in-season-4/]
in the trailer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQEondeGvKo&t=4s]. Vecna was a
mage that turned into a lich after turning to dark arts and became a god. In
D&D, Vecna appears as a skeleton wearing jewels, a crown, and holding a book. He
has one eye.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

However, the Stranger Things [https://netflixjunkie.com/tag/stranger-things/]
incarnation takes a humanoid form that has arms shooting out its back. He isn’t
missing an eye.


THE MIND FLAYER 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

The Mind Flayer terrorized the gang in season 3. In the show, it gets a more
gruesome representation consisting of writhing limbs and a fanged mouth. While
D&D’s Mind Flayer is a squid-faced creature. Despite the difference in their
forms, they both can enslave other creatures and manipulate them to do their
bidding. 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

ALSO READ: “I like to set big goals for myself”: Stranger Things Star Millie
Bobby Brown Walks Us Through Her Empowering Directorial Debut and Future
Aspirations
[https://netflixjunkie.com/i-like-to-set-big-goals-for-myself-stranger-things-star-millie-bobby-brown-walks-us-through-her-empowering-directorial-debut-and-future-aspirations/]


THE DEMOGORGON

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

The Demogorgon that attacked Will in season 1, and remained a threat throughout,
doesn’t have the lamprey-like fanged mouth in D&D. In the game, the monster is
bigger than humans, has a forked tail, tentacles, and two heads. 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]


ADDITIONAL D&D REFERENCES IN STRANGER THINGS

As mentioned earlier, Lucas, Will, Dustin, and Mike are major fans of the game.
They are seen playing the game on the show several times. In one such episode,
Lucas defeats Thessalhydra in the game. But the actual game monster has eight
heads instead of the seven that Lucas chopped off.

Additionally, the kids’ conversation about “weird flowers in the cave, lost
knight, and the proud princess” are further references to the game. Weird
flowers are the vines of the Upside Down, and it is likely, Bob Newby, Joyce’s
dead love interest, is The Lost Knight. And the creators may even be referring
to Max or even Eleven as The Proud Princess. Max was indeed too proud to hang
out with the gang in season 2.

Did you come across any more D&D references in the series? Comment them below.

ALSO READ: ‘Stranger Things’: Steve Harrington’s Character Development is Filled
with Loopholes Throughout the Series
[https://netflixjunkie.com/stranger-things-steve-harringtons-character-development-is-filled-with-loopholes-throughout-the-series/]

Srabani Biswas

Comment

3 Elements in &#8216;Stranger Things&#8217; Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons &#038; Dragons - Netflix Junkie

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Srabani Biswas is a writer at Netflix Junkie. She is a sociology graduate from Lady Brabourne College. Previously, she has contributed to Sports India Show and The Sports Room as a sports writer, and interned at Ripples Learning. A daydreamer, a dancer, and a lover of dogs, she enjoys quiet evenings with her laptop and a cozy blanket. With so much to do and so little time, she is constantly worried about her growing pile of unread books and unwatched shows on Netflix. Her favourites include Stranger, Vincenzo, Hello! My twenties,  Emily in Paris, Never Have I Ever, Peaky Blinders, Stranger Things, Reply 1997 and Sex Education.

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3 Elements in &#8216;Stranger Things&#8217; Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons &#038; Dragons - netflix-junkie

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Stranger Things is chock full of 80s references from Stephen King, Aliens, Larry Cohen, and most notably, Dungeons &amp; Dragons. The game plays a big role in the lives of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will, as they bond over it and find clues about the Upside Down from it. In fact, most of the Upside Down monsters are a direct reference to the game. But these monsters, although inspired by the game, are starkly different from the show&#8217;s reincarnations. 
<h2>Vecna from Stranger Things season 4</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30144 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/strangerthings-vecna-1650308622394.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/strangerthings-vecna-1650308622394.jpg 1280w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/strangerthings-vecna-1650308622394-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/strangerthings-vecna-1650308622394-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/strangerthings-vecna-1650308622394-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />
The show&#8217;s season 4 teased its latest villain, <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/riveting-stranger-things-fan-theory-bridges-creel-house-to-vecna-the-grandfathers-clock-has-more-to-do-in-season-4/">Vecna</a> in the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQEondeGvKo&amp;t=4s" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> trailer</a>. Vecna was a mage that turned into a lich after turning to dark arts and became a god. In D&amp;D, Vecna appears as a skeleton wearing jewels, a crown, and holding a book. He has one eye. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30149 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DFRv2_LARGE-1-e1644173476252.jpg" alt="" width="1458" height="1065" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DFRv2_LARGE-1-e1644173476252.jpg 1458w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DFRv2_LARGE-1-e1644173476252-300x219.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DFRv2_LARGE-1-e1644173476252-1024x748.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DFRv2_LARGE-1-e1644173476252-768x561.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1458px) 100vw, 1458px" />
However, the <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/tag/stranger-things/">Stranger Things</a> incarnation takes a humanoid form that has arms shooting out its back. He isn&#8217;t missing an eye.
<h2>The Mind Flayer </h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30148 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-scaled.webp" alt="" width="2560" height="1253" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-scaled.webp 2560w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-300x147.webp 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-1024x501.webp 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-768x376.webp 768w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-1536x752.webp 1536w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stranger-things-mind-flayer-1562864952-2048x1002.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
The Mind Flayer terrorized the gang in season 3. In the show, it gets a more gruesome representation consisting of writhing limbs and a fanged mouth. While D&amp;D&#8217;s Mind Flayer is a squid-faced creature. Despite the difference in their forms, they both can enslave other creatures and manipulate them to do their bidding. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30147 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mind-flayer-DnD.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="600" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mind-flayer-DnD.webp 1200w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mind-flayer-DnD-300x150.webp 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mind-flayer-DnD-1024x512.webp 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mind-flayer-DnD-768x384.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
ALSO READ:<a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/i-like-to-set-big-goals-for-myself-stranger-things-star-millie-bobby-brown-walks-us-through-her-empowering-directorial-debut-and-future-aspirations/"> “I like to set big goals for myself”: Stranger Things Star Millie Bobby Brown Walks Us Through Her Empowering Directorial Debut and Future Aspirations</a>
<h2>The Demogorgon</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30146 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E2FC778F-E707-4016-8DB5-C51FAF983DBE.jpeg" alt="" width="1439" height="732" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E2FC778F-E707-4016-8DB5-C51FAF983DBE.jpeg 1439w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E2FC778F-E707-4016-8DB5-C51FAF983DBE-300x153.jpeg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E2FC778F-E707-4016-8DB5-C51FAF983DBE-1024x521.jpeg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E2FC778F-E707-4016-8DB5-C51FAF983DBE-768x391.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, 1439px" />
The Demogorgon that attacked Will in season 1, and remained a threat throughout, doesn&#8217;t have the lamprey-like fanged mouth in D&amp;D. In the game, the monster is bigger than humans, has a forked tail, tentacles, and two heads. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30145 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920.jpg 1920w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/btwf9v0i-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />
<h2>Additional D&amp;D references in Stranger Things</h2>
As mentioned earlier, Lucas, Will, Dustin, and Mike are major fans of the game. They are seen playing the game on the show several times. In one such episode, Lucas defeats Thessalhydra in the game. But the actual game monster has eight heads instead of the seven that Lucas chopped off. 
Additionally, the kids&#8217; conversation about &#8220;weird flowers in the cave, lost knight, and the proud princess&#8221; are further references to the game. Weird flowers are the vines of the Upside Down, and it is likely, Bob Newby, Joyce&#8217;s dead love interest, is The Lost Knight. And the creators may even be referring to Max or even Eleven as The Proud Princess. Max was indeed too proud to hang out with the gang in season 2.
Did you come across any more D&amp;D references in the series? Comment them below.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/stranger-things-steve-harringtons-character-development-is-filled-with-loopholes-throughout-the-series/">‘Stranger Things’: Steve Harrington’s Character Development is Filled with Loopholes Throughout the Series</a>

“I like to set big goals for myself”: Stranger Things Star Millie Bobby Brown
Walks Us Through Her Empowering Directorial Debut and Future Aspirations

‘Stranger Things’: Steve Harrington’s Character Development is Filled with
Loopholes Throughout the Series

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https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/vecna-1.png

The Duffer brothers have referenced Dungeons & Dragons several times in Stranger Things. Here are the most notable mentions.

3 Elements in 'Stranger Things' Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons - Netflix Junkie

Srabani Biswas is a writer at Netflix Junkie. She is a sociology graduate from Lady Brabourne College. Previously, she has contributed to Sports India Show and The Sports Room as a sports writer, and interned at Ripples Learning. A daydreamer, a dancer, and a lover of dogs, she enjoys quiet evenings with her laptop and a cozy blanket. With so much to do and so little time, she is constantly worried about her growing pile of unread books and unwatched shows on Netflix. Her favourites include Stranger, Vincenzo, Hello! My twenties, Emily in Paris, Never Have I Ever, Peaky Blinders, Stranger Things, Reply 1997 and Sex Education.

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0411d75f5c4b6571929279a073b0a09c?s=96&d=mm&r=g

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3 Elements in &#039;Stranger Things&#039; Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons &amp; Dragons - Netflix Junkie

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3 Elements in ‘Stranger Things’ Taken From and Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons

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