Flying monkeys are the enablers of the narcissist, the ones who aid and abet their toxic behavior and do their bidding.
The term, as you’ve no doubt realized, is derived from “The Wizard of Oz” where the wicked witch employs the flying monkeys to help her do her dirty work. Flying monkeys may be fully aware of who and what the narcissist is, or they may be in the dark and unwittingly caught in the narcissist’s web, believing the narcissist’s version of reality.
Flying monkeys may choose to engage in the smear campaign the narcissist has launched against their victim, spreading malicious gossip. They may pressure the victim to comply with the narcissist’s demands. They may even pose as a trusted friend and confidant to the victim only to betray their confidences and turn on them at a later time. (This one hurts—a lot.)
Dealing with flying monkeys means first recognizing who they are, erecting firm boundaries with them, not trusting them with information, and going no contact with them as well as with the narcissist.
Like attracts like, actions speak louder than words. As the saying goes, “Show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” When flying monkeys show you who they are, believe them. Then let them fly right back to the narcissist, right back to where they belong.