Enjoy a Walk Down Wesen Lane with 7 of the Most Fascinating Monsters in Grimm

As Halloween slowly creeps into our minds and hearts, one of the great binge watches to get into the spirit is the fantasy mystery series Grimm (now streaming on Peacock!). It ran for six seasons on NBC and whole-heartedly embraced creatures and monsters. It starred David Giuntoli as Portland Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt, who discovers way late in life that he comes from a long line of supernatural guardians called Grimms (yes, a play on the famous Grimms' Fairy Tales). He and his kind are meant to monitor and maintain the balance between the human world and the Wesen, or mythological creatures who exist on the fringes of our world. Keeping them apart is Nick's goal with the help of his generational powers, but that's often easier said than done. While many Wesen are harmless and actually integrate well into the human world, there are just as many bent on making mischief... or a lot worse. 

One of the delights of Grimm is that every episode is essentially a loving celebration of exceptional makeup effects with the series investing in mostly practical effects to bring their weekly Wesen to life. During the run of the series, 132 different Wesen species were featured, each with their own name and specific characteristics based on their distinction as a Blutbaden, Fuchsbaus, or hybrids called Hexenbiest (half human/half Wesen). 

RELATED: It's a great time to revisit the NBC series 'Grimm,' now streaming on Peacock

Since Grimm was a series that celebrated magical creatures in its own unique way, being able to distinguish the different Wesen by sight became a test for true fans, or Grimmsters. Whether you loved the show and are ready for a walk down Wesen Lane, or even if you're a newbie to the world, SYFY WIRE figured it was time to celebrate some of the best representations of magical creatures featured on the show. 

The Most Fascinating Creatures on NBC's Grimm

Anubus

Going back to the origins of Wesen, in ancient Egypt they were worshiped as gods. Hence the mix of human and animal features. The creatures look very similar to the dog-like depictions inside tombs, with their pointy ears and tenacious focus on their prey. An Anubus Wesen first appeared in the Grimm episode "Once We Were Gods."

Cracher-Mortel

Have you seen a pufferfish? Now imagine a human with a pufferfish for a head and you get a Cracher-Mortel. These guys have the extra special talent of spitting a goo that puts you into a trance-like state. Truly nightmare fuel. First appearance: "The Waking Dead."

El Cucuy

Not every Wesen is terrifying, but the El Cucuy is. Let's call these guys the Dexter's of Wesen because they specifically go after those who do harm to others. You definitely don't want to run into one of them in an alley, but if you do... maybe you're asking for it. First appearance: "El Cucuy."

Excandesco

The firebugs of the Wesen, Excandesco are the inspiration for the incendiary Phoenix birds. These Wesen can burn their prey just from their hands, or get very dramatic and take on an entirely flaming body. Sure, that's handy when starting a log in the fireplace, but bad in all other instances. First appearance: "Trial By Fire."

Glühenvolk

If you mixed Jambi the Genie with Megamind and a Grey alien, you kinda get a Glühenvolk. As you might imagine, humans are attracted to them for their glowing skin. First appearance: "Endangered."

Krampus

You didn't know the Krampus monster was a Wesen? Another reason to watch Grimm, as there was a whole episode revisiting the Krampus mythology and how it likes to give the naughty what they deserve during the holiday season. First appearance: "Twelve Days of Krampus."

Vibora Dorada

A Wesen based in the lore of the Aztec, Vibora Dorada can shapeshift its appearance from a human to a snake-like creature that emits a nasty neurotoxin. First appearance: one of the darker Grimm episodes, "Silence of the Slams."

All six seasons of Grimm are available to stream on Peacock now.