Creature Commandos has taken a bold approach with its interpretation of Eric Frankenstein (voiced by David Harbour), transforming the traditionally complex antihero into an unambiguous monster. Episode 5 of the DC Studios series cements Eric’s villainous nature through a devastating flashback sequence that proves his capacity for cruelty extends far beyond his obsessive hounding of The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma). Until this point, some fans still could hope for Eric to have some sort of redemption before the series finale. Now, it’s clear that there’s no salvation for Frankenstein’s monster, a creature who’s fundamentally unable to value human life.
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After the Bride discovers Eric near the bloody corpse of Dr. Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Peter Serafinowicz), she sets their house on fire before escaping. Eric is caught by the flames and forced to race to the nearby river to survive. Episode 5 of Creature Commandos‘ pivotal flashback sequence introduces us to Bogdana (voiced by Irina Maleeva), a blind elderly woman who discovers a severely injured Eric at a river’s edge.
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The relationship that develops between them initially offers hope for Eric’s humanity. Bogdana’s unconditional acceptance and maternal care give Eric the genuine connection he’s supposedly been seeking. Furthermore, her blindness allows her to see past his monstrous exterior, teaching the monster that beauty is beyond what the eyes can see. However, the episode subverts this potential redemption arc in the most brutal way possible.
When Bogdana expresses her fear of being alone after Eric decides to resume his pursuit of The Bride, his response reveals the true depths of his twisted worldview. Rather than staying with her or helping her find companionship, Eric murders her, justifying it as an act of mercy – after all, in death, she’ll never be alone again. This moment crystallizes Eric’s fundamental inability to understand genuine human connection, revealing how he warps concepts of love and care into tools of destruction.
Eric Frankenstein’s Pattern of Possession and Control
Episode 5 of Creature Commandos connects Eric’s treatment of Bogdana to his centuries-long pursuit of The Bride, demonstrating how his actions consistently stem from a twisted sense of entitlement and ownership. Since murdering his creator, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, in a jealous rage, Eric has chased The Bride across time, convinced that she belongs to him by right of creation. Each time The Bride attempts to build a new life, Eric’s obsession leads him to destroy it, all while maintaining the delusion that they are destined to be together.
This pattern of toxic behavior also extends to his current alliance with Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). After initially attacking Flag with the mistaken belief that he had a relationship with The Bride, Eric quickly decides to declare Flag his “best friend” once he realizes Flag can lead him to his target. This rapid shift from violence to proclaimed friendship demonstrates Eric’s manipulative nature and his ability to form superficial connections solely to serve his self-centered goals.
In addition, Eric’s claim that he’s joining Flag’s investigation to prove himself a hero to The Bride reveals the depths of his self-deception. Even as Flag lies critically wounded from an encounter with Clayface (voiced by Alan Tudyk), Eric’s only concern is extracting information about The Bride’s whereabouts. This scene, juxtaposed with his murder of Bogdana, underlines how Eric’s proclamations of love and friendship are merely facades hiding his fundamental selfishness.
What makes Eric Frankenstein such a compelling villain in Creature Commandos is how the series maintains elements of his tragic origin while refusing to use them as excuses for his actions. His loneliness is real, but the show demonstrates how he’s responded to these circumstances with escalating cruelty rather than growth or self-reflection. His justification for killing Bogdana mirrors his rationalization for pursuing The Bride: in both cases, he sees his acts of violation and violence as expressions of kindness.
By positioning Eric Frankenstein as an unambiguous villain, Creature Commandos is setting up fascinating possibilities for the broader DCU. Unlike many comic book villains who operate on a grand scale from the start, Eric’s horror lies in the personal nature of his crimes and his ability to justify them through a depraved moral framework. While the Commandos fight to prevent a potential future apocalypse, Eric represents a more intimate kind of monster, one who destroys lives while genuinely believing he’s acting out of love.
New episodes of Creature Commandos hit MAX every Thursday until January 9, 2025.
