The Enigma of From's Monsters
Understanding what the monsters are in From is critical to unraveling the MGM+ series’ mystery, as the cryptic entities are central to the underlying themes of the hit MGM+ show. The unknown elements of the monster in any supernatural story like From must be well constructed and meaningful, as they are usually the prime metaphor for the horror story's theme. This makes examining From’s monsters all the more engaging after audiences were left with questions in seasons 1 and 2, as it was still unknown exactly what the monsters are.
The Smiley Creature cut open in From
From centers on a mysterious and nameless town in the U.S. and the people who become trapped within it. The first season introduces audiences to this town via the Matthews, a family who stumble into the town and meet its leader, Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau), who does his best to protect the people from the monsters who stalk the town at night. Keeping the monsters at bay is a challenge for the cast of From in seasons 1 and 2, however, as the monsters can disguise themselves as humans. Unraveling what the monsters in From are is one of the show's biggest mysteries, and there have already been some key details revealed.
Boyd looks on with the towns people in From
Deciphering the Origin of the Monsters
The Monsters From From Might Be Fae
Grandmother monster attacks in From
The townspeople still haven't quite figured out what the monsters in From are, though they have figured out some key details that could provide clues to the creature's origins. In addition to the monster being held at bay by the talismans, the townspeople have also discovered that they only come out to hunt at night. They are intelligent and sometimes know far more about their prey than they should.
The kids on stones in From
While the monsters in From also appear human, the creatures reveal their monstrosity right before they kill someone, and "sleep" in subterranean dungeons far below the town. As for their origins, Boyd and the townspeople have been able to deduce very little, save for the From creature’s connection to a mysterious, circular symbol with lines within it, and the fact that they seem to kill for sport and not sustenance.
A monster roars in From
The creatures’ uncannily human demeanor, monstrous transformation, and need to be let in make them seem somewhat like vampires. However, these same rules could also apply to some kind of fae creatures, where humans are seen as playthings and rules and deals are paramount. The magical elements of the town, including the faraway tree, the hallucinations and visions many residents have experienced, and Boyd’s blood curse also hint at a more supernatural answer than vampires, with the creatures potentially being demons or devils.
Jade, Father Khatri, and Ellis walking in the rain in From.
Unveiling the Nocturnal Habits
Why From's Monsters Only Kill Humans At Night
Jim and Tabitha in a truck in From.
Some of the rules the monsters in From follow offer several clues to their true identity, many of which have not yet been revealed. One of these rules is that the monsters only come out at night and typically enter the town from the woods. From a production standpoint, the creatures likely only come from the town at night because this creates a better rhythm for tension and release, and helps give the characters a framework to solve the mystery so that all their time isn’t taken up by hiding from the monsters. As well as this, tying the monsters to nighttime and the primordial woods plays on deeply archetypal human fears, adding to the creatures’ menace.
Victor and Julie in a small room in From.
Narratively, the fact that the monsters of From arrive at night does add weight to the theory that the monsters are vampiric, even if they do not burn to ash in sunlight or are inhibited by running water. However, the town does mysteriously lack any version of the holy bible, which also could suggest that the monsters are vampiric or demonic. As another option, if Jim Matthews’ (Eion Bailey) theory is correct that the townspeople are being experimented on for fun, the nighttime release of the monsters could be part of the experiment, or perhaps the monsters have been modified to be hurt by sunlight on purpose.
The Boy in White waving in From.
The Enigmatic Symbol and the Boy in White
What The Mysterious Symbol Means In From
Along with the creatures and the strange isolation of the town in From, there's an odd symbol that recurs in the show several times. It looks something like a circle with several lines intersecting inside it and has appeared in the dungeons where the creatures sleep and in journals uncovered by the townspeople. While some of the cast are working to decode this symbol, it could be a critical clue, perhaps the sign of an occult society that is trapping the townspeople, or a strange logo of the entity experimenting on the cast.
Who Is The Boy In White & Why Does He Help From's Characters?
Finally, one of the most compelling mysteries of From is the Boy in White who ushers Victor (Scott McCord) to safety. However, while he’s been a benign presence so far, the Boy in White still looks scary, making it possible that he’s not as good as he seems. This uncertainty about what kind of forces are at work in the town continues with some of the voices that seem to want to help.
