Fans are speculating that the season 1 finale of the new Disney+ showThe Mandaloriancontained an obvious reference to one of the most iconic monsters inDungeons & Dragonshistory. That meansThe Mandalorianis one of a couple of recent franchises that have taken a leaf from theD&Dbooks to explore the concept of a Mind Flayer.
Mandalorianfans who also watched the latest season ofStranger Thingsrecalled the show’s big badalsobeing dubbed a “Mind Flayer,” although that reference toD&Dwas even more overt. Mike and his friends, being avid players, gave the big bad its name after directly comparing it toDungeons & Dragons’famous monster.
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InDungeons & Dragons, Mind Flayers (or Ilithid, as they can also be called) are a fearsome race of intelligent creatures with spindly bodies, a face full of tentacles, and strong psychic powers; not only do entire colonies of them remain connected through a hive mind run by the Elder Brain, but they’re also known for devouring the brains of people they encounter. Unsurprisingly, the advanced psychic powers and ability to control large numbers of people by removing their brains and leaving them husks has leadD&D’s Mind Flayersto develop ambitions of world domination–something that the kids ofStranger Thingsremembered when naming their own psychic monster. Therefore, when former Rebel trooper Cara Dune (Gina Carano) began talking about the Mind Flayers that the Empire uses during interrogation, fans immediately made the connection.
Of course, inStar WarsandThe Mandalorian’slore, Mind Flayers aren’t an exact replica of theD&Dbeast. Dune’s reference was seemingly referring to a mechanical device or perhaps a robot of some kind, though as the name “Mind Flayer” would suggest, it still has the ability to get inside the heads of the Empire’s captives–whether that ability is purely psychic or also a physical invasion remains to be seen.Rogue Onehas already introduced viewers to Bor Gullet, a member of the Marian race; like Ilithid, Marians have purple skin, tentacles, and the ability to forcibly extract information from people, so Dune could also have been referring to Marians under the Empire’s command when she talked about Mind Flayers.
Interestingly, the upcomingD&D-based gameBaldur’s Gate 3also appears to be using Mind Flayers as its primary monster, so 2020 could be quite the lucrative year for this monster. And fans of any of these franchiseswillhave to wait since it’ll be later in 2020 before eitherThe Mandalorian,Stranger ThingsorBaldur’s Gate 3returns. After Cara Dune’s reference, however, there’s a good chance thatThe Mandalorianwill eventually give a face to whatever its version of the Mind Flayer really is.
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