STRANGER THINGS has been the addiction of every sci-fi/horror fan for the past couple of weeks, myself included.

The NETFLIX show oozes an unabashedly nostalgic feel of our favorite 80s horror and science fiction classics — from E.T. to POLTERGEIST to THE GOONIES — but also has some fantastic elements that give it a very unique and otherworldly feel. What I’m talking about, of course, is the monster from the Upside Down.

But all good ideas come from some spark of inspiration. So where did the writers of STRANGER THINGS come up with the concept for the monster? It may very well have been from the SCP (Secure-Contain-Protect) Foundation.

What is the SCP Foundation, you ask? According to their Wikipedia listing, it is “a fictional organization responsible for containing entities, locations, and objects that violate natural law (referred to as SCPs).” So in other words, a government facility that contains cool — or scary as hell — paranormal things. (Think CABIN IN THE WOODS.)

[You can read more on the SCP Foundation here, from our very own Gregory Burkart.]

Curiously, one specific SCP happens to act a lot like the “Demogorgon” in STRANGER THINGS. And it’s ugly as hell, too. I’m talking about SCP-106.

Nicknamed the “Old Man,” SCP-106 is classified as a “Keter,” an object or entity that requires extensive containment procedures and which poses a large-scale threat to human life. Though it looks nothing like our monster in STRANGER THINGS, SCP-106’s abilities are uncannily parallel.

Corrosion: SCP-106 is covered in corrosive mucus. Everything SCP-106 touches physically breaks down and either rusts, cracks, or decays, and is replaced by a black mucus-like substance similar to that of the mucus on SCP-106’s body.

The first thing that comes to mind is the wall corroding when the “Demogorgon” shows itself for the first time in Joyce’s home. The wall seems to dissolve around the monster as he slowly climbs out of it.

The portal to the “Upside Down” is also covered in a thick mucus similar to SCP-106’s, and we clearly see that when Nancy comes back through the tree portal.

Phasing: SCP-106 is capable of passing through solid matter. This thing can climb through walls and pretty much anything else it wants to (except its containment cell, which is made out of 40 layers of lead-lined steel).

This is exactly like the monster in STRANGER THINGS. We see the “Demogorgon” entering through walls and ceilings, pushing its ugly head and long taloned fingers forward until it breaks the barrier between universes. The only difference is this monster cannot be contained. Only killed.

The “Pocket Dimension”: SCP-106 can vanish inside solid matter and enter into a pocket dimension, or a dimension that exists within the bounds of another dimension. This pocket is comprised mainly of halls and rooms. SCP-106 uses this dimension to move through walls and trap prey (whose ages are between 10 and 25 years old).

This, ladies and gents, is also known as the “Upside Down.” In STRANGER THINGS, it is described as a parallel universe. Although this universe is almost identical to ours instead of halls and rooms, it still bears striking similarities to how SCP-106 uses the pocket dimension. It seems the “Demogorgon” only comes to our universe when it wants to take someone. And don’t forget the age bracket of choice. Will was 12 and Barbara was around 17…

What attracts the “Demogorgon” to the world of STRANGER THINGS is blood. Similarly, to recapture SCP-106, the SCP Foundation uses human bait. Between the ages of 10 and 25, they break one of their bones, their screams luring 106 back into containment.

The similarities between SCP-106 and STRANGER THINGS’ “Demogorgon” are undeniable. You know, minus the whole “Old Man” thing SCP-106 has going on. If you need further convincing, check out SCP-096.

Long arms and legs. Skinny body. Now if it only had no face…

What other SCP-inspired monsters do you think we’ll see next season? I’m good with any as long as it’s not SCP-173…