The Stuff vs. The Blob: Which Gooey Horror Reigns Supreme?

When it comes to horror movie monsters, few are as terrifyingly unstoppable as The Stuff from the 1985 film of the same name and The Blob, the ever-growing, all-consuming mass from multiple film adaptations (1958, 1988). Both are amorphous, seemingly indestructible, and have an insatiable hunger. But if these two gooey nightmares were to face off, which one would reign supreme? Let’s break it down.

The Stuff: The Invasive Mind-Control Substance

Origin: Unlike The Blob, which is an alien organism, The Stuff is an addictive, sentient, and seemingly extraterrestrial substance marketed as a dessert in the 1985 film. It functions as both a parasite and a mind-controlling entity.

Strengths:

1. Mind Control & Possession – The Stuff infects its victims by being consumed. Once inside a host, it takes over their mind and body, turning them into willing drones who spread it further.
2. Regeneration & Division – The Stuff can regenerate and spread rapidly, growing from small portions into massive quantities.
3. Intelligence & Strategy – Unlike The Blob, which operates purely on instinct, The Stuff displays intelligence, manipulating humans into distributing it through mass marketing and corporate control.
4. Seemingly Indestructible – The Stuff can withstand extreme conditions and is difficult to eradicate entirely.
5. Unnoticed Infiltration – Unlike The Blob, which visibly devours everything in its path, The Stuff spreads quietly, infecting people before anyone realizes the danger.

Weaknesses:

1. Fire & Extreme Cold – Similar to The Blob, The Stuff appears to be vulnerable to fire and extreme cold, which can slow or destroy portions of it.
2. Dependence on Hosts – While The Stuff can exist outside of a host, it thrives best when inside living creatures, meaning that without hosts, its expansion slows.
3. Exposed to Human Resistance – Unlike The Blob, which simply devours humans, The Stuff is susceptible to being outed by whistleblowers who expose its danger (as seen in the film).

The Blob: The Unstoppable Mass of Consumption

Origin: The Blob originates from space (in both the 1958 and 1988 versions) and crashes on Earth as a small, gelatinous organism. It feeds on organic matter, growing larger with each victim.

Strengths:

1. Pure Consumption – The Blob dissolves and absorbs everything organic it touches, increasing in size with every kill.
2. Extreme Durability – Unlike The Stuff, which needs to spread covertly, The Blob is a nearly indestructible organism, resistant to most conventional weapons.
3. No Need for Hosts – The Blob doesn’t rely on mind control or manipulation. It simply eats everything in its path.
4. Rapid Growth – The more it consumes, the bigger and faster it gets. The Blob starts small but can quickly reach the size of a building if unchecked.
5. Resistant to Many Attacks – The Blob is immune to bullets, explosions, and most conventional attacks.

Weaknesses:

1. Extreme Cold – The Blob can be frozen, which is how it's stopped in both the 1958 and 1988 films. However, this is only a temporary measure.
2. Lack of Intelligence – While incredibly dangerous, The Blob operates on pure instinct, with no sign of intelligence or strategic thinking.

The Battle: Which Monster Wins?

Scenario 1: Direct Confrontation

If The Blob and The Stuff were to engage in a direct fight, the outcome would be uncertain. The Blob’s method of attack—dissolving and consuming organic matter—might have little effect on The Stuff, which is already an amorphous, semi-liquid entity. However, The Blob could potentially consume large quantities of The Stuff before realizing it isn’t digestible.

Meanwhile, The Stuff doesn’t have the same physical means to fight back. It would attempt to invade and control The Blob, but since The Blob lacks a nervous system, brain, or traditional host structure, it’s unclear whether The Stuff’s mind-controlling abilities would have any effect.

Winner: The Blob (Slight Advantage)

Even if The Stuff isn’t digestible, The Blob can absorb and smother anything in its way, eventually covering and containing The Stuff. Since The Stuff doesn’t appear to consume inorganic matter the way The Blob does, it wouldn’t have an easy way to break down The Blob’s mass.

Scenario 2: A Battle for Earth

If this were a competition to see which entity would take over the planet first, The Stuff would have a clear advantage. While The Blob is incredibly destructive, it grows at a slower pace compared to The Stuff’s ability to spread through mass marketing and human consumption. The Stuff could infest billions of people in a short period of time, whereas The Blob would need to consume them physically one by one.

Winner: The Stuff (In Terms of Global Domination)

Through sheer numbers and infiltration, The Stuff would likely win in a long-term scenario where the goal is planetary takeover. While The Blob is an unstoppable predator, The Stuff's ability to manipulate human society makes it a more insidious and far-reaching threat.

Scenario 3: Environmental Factor

• If they were frozen: Both are vulnerable to extreme cold, meaning that humanity’s best bet would be to freeze both threats before either could claim dominance.
• If they were set on fire: Fire could potentially weaken both entities, but The Stuff’s regenerative abilities might allow it to return, whereas The Blob—depending on the version—might burn away more easily.

Final Verdict: Who Wins?

• In a head-to-head physical battle: The Blob takes the win by sheer force and absorption. The Stuff likely wouldn’t be able to harm The Blob in a direct fight.
• In a race for world domination: The Stuff wins. It spreads too quickly and insidiously for The Blob to compete.
• In terms of long-term survival: The Blob, while easier to contain, has fewer vulnerabilities and isn’t reliant on human behavior for growth.

Overall Winner: The Blob (Slightly)

While The Stuff might take over more of humanity in a shorter time, The Blob is ultimately the more formidable, physically unstoppable entity. If both were unleashed on the world, humanity’s best hope would be to find a way to freeze them both before either could achieve total domination.

Final Thoughts

This is one of the most interesting monster matchups in horror history. The Stuff and The Blob are both nightmarish in their own right—one using subtle infiltration and the other relying on raw consumption. In the end, while The Stuff might take over society, The Blob is the more physically dominant force. If there was ever a sequel combining these two legendary horror icons, it would be a fight for the ages.