What is the Stranger Things monster in season 3?

By Joshua Yehl

Season 3's Stranger Things trailer features super-powerful jokes, teenage anxiety and a first trip to the mall! But what makes people talk, is the evil monster at the end. What is This thing?

Although the trailer does not offer any concrete information, we have some clues to continue.

Dungeons and Dragons

Each season features a particular monster that Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will, naming a dork, are after a D & D monster with similar attributes. Season 1 gave us the Demogorgon, and Season 2, Mind Flayer (and the spin-off of Demogogon, the Demodog). This new beast is different from the others, and Nick Limon, the nerd of D & D resident at IGN, describes it as what could be a Tarrasque.

The Tarrasque is a giant lizard with a lot of spikes and a gaping mouth, a bit like our new sticky friend of the trailer. It's not a match one, but it's in the same stage.

Another candidate is the Gibbering Mouther, who shares certain qualities with the new monster, like his asymmetrical body, his pointed fangs coming out everywhere and his bright colors reminding a very upset stomach returned. Still, of the two, "Tarrasque" certainly sounds cooler, so let's go with that.

Unlimited power

So what can this new creature of Upside Down do? Aside from the ability to get up slowly while pushing all kinds of dreadful excruciating things and giving a bestial roar, we are not sure. However, the trailer has two separate power shots.

The first sees Eleven on a beach watching a sky filled with red lightning – the kind badociated with the great wicked Lovecraftian creature who lives upside down that we know as the Flayer of the Spirit or the monster of the shadow.

The second sees a machine seeming to explode under an electric breath, a machine that fries the soul for who stands nearby.

And if the Tarrasque is a flayer minded minion who has traveled to our world via this machine and can harness the power of electricity? After all, when he appears for the first time in the scene with Jonathan, the lights go out and when he shakes, the lights flash again. Maybe it can absorb and otherwise affect any nearby food source.

There is another shot of energy in a wall that seems to open a portal in the Upside Down. And if the Tarrasque was sent into our world by the Shadow Monster to reopen the door, thus allowing him to invade the Earth?

Oh, Billy

There is a disturbing picture of Billy with an infection spreading his arm that has severe vibrations upside down.

Do not forget that Billy got his neck thrown by Max in Season 2, and that same syringe was used to calm Will, long contaminated by Upside Down. And if Will's blood infected Billy and Billy was hit by the shadow monster? That means Billy could be the Tarrasque.

Of course, this theory is a bit widespread, but what else will we do if we do not read too much in things until Season 3 arrives?

Grow

In addition to being a deadly creature that harbades our protagonists, monsters generally act as a metaphor for the main themes of the season. For example, Dart of Season 2 could be seen as a representation of Dustin reaching the point of his life where he badumes more responsibility, like having a dog for the first time. Or if you really want to read, then it could be seen as an exploration of baduality at the beginning of puberty, while Dustin is curious about this Demodog and sees his body transforming as he grows into something that 'he does not understand.

So what does the Tarrasque represent? As can be seen in the trailer, children have reached the age of adolescence and are facing all the intense feelings and juicy hormones that accompany it. The words "intense" and "juicy" can certainly be used to describe the Tarrasque, so there may be a parallel.

Or maybe it's just a monster who wants to eat people. Who knows? We will have to wait for Netflix's Stranger Things 3 to make its debut on July 4th to find out. For more information on the new trailer, see our breakdown:

Joshua is editor at IGN Comics. If Pokemon, Green Lantern or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you will want to follow it Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.