Just found this term funny. Copy-pasted from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_monkeys_(popular_psychology)
Flying monkeys or apaths,[1] is a term used in popular psychology mainly in the context of narcissistic abuse.[2] They are people who act on behalf of a narcissist to a third party, usually for an abusive purpose (e.g smear campaign).[3][4] The phrase has also been used to refer to people who act on behalf of a psychopath, for a similar purpose.[5][6] The term is not formally used in medical practice or teaching.
Abuse by proxy (or proxy abuse) is a closely related or synonymous concept.[3][7] The term is from the flying monkeys used by the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film Wizard of Oz to carry out evil deeds on her behalf.[6][8]
Identity
Flying monkeys can be anyone who believes the narcissist's fake persona including the narcissist's spouse, child, friend, sibling or cousin.[2][9]According to popular psychology author Angela Atkinson, flying monkeys are usually unwittingly manipulated people who believe the smears about the victim although they may be another narcissist working in tandem.[4]
According to narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) author Sam Vaknin, and other writers, proxy abusers can come from a number of sources:[3][7][10]
the abuser's associates
the victim's associates – manipulated to side with the abuser
authority and institutional figures – manipulated to side with the abuser.
Tactics
The flying monkey does the narcissist’s bidding to inflict additional torment on the target.[3][8][10] It may consist of spying, spreading gossip, threatening, painting the narcissist as the victim (victim playing) and the target as the perpetrator (victim blaming).[3][8] Despite this, the narcissist does not hesitate to make flying monkeys his or her scapegoats when and if needed.[9][11]
The flying monkeys may make it seem like the narcissist is not really involved, and they likely have no idea that they are being used.[3][8][11]Multiple flying monkeys act as a mobbing force against a victim.[3][12] In divorce conflicts, the children can be used by one party as a weapon against the other party.[7][13]
Motivation
Motives behind the narcissist's support group can be multiple. Service providers may be seduced by the narcissist's charm into taking a one-sided perspective.[14] Family members may in good faith attempt to sort out the "problematic one".[15][16] The codependent may seek to participate in the narcissist's omnipotence, or use them as sanction for their own aggressive instincts.[17] Alternatively, others may simply be swept up by force of personality to define the situation along the narcissist's own lines.[10][18]
