Stegon | Monster Profile

Monster Name: Stegon

Monster Appearances: Return of Ultraman, Redman

Stegon is an ancient dinosaur related to the Stegosaurus, with a body that looks almost like a pile of walking fossils. Stegon walks on four legs and has the ability to burrow underground. Its body constantly secretes a powerful acid capable of dissolving organic matter strong enough to be lethal to humans. Stegon can also spray a mist from its mouth that can extinguish fires or act as a smokescreen. Its durability is no joke either: Stegon’s hide is tough enough to withstand Ultraman’s Specium Ray.

The first modern-day Stegon was discovered at a construction site. Workers believed they had uncovered a set of fossils, so they invited a nearby school class to dig around for educational purposes. Eventually, the crew grew frustrated with the “fossils” and decided to blow them up with dynamite. The explosion acted like a jumpstart to Stegon’s heart, waking it from its deep hibernation. Once revived, Stegon began attacking the crew, forcing Ultraman Jack to intervene.

During the battle, the schoolchildren begged Ultraman Jack to spare the creature’s life. Instead of killing it, Jack used his paralysis beam and carried Stegon into space—transforming it into a star constellation. How exactly turning a monster into a constellation works (or whether Stegon still has any form of consciousness out there) is unclear, but it was certainly a more merciful outcome than death. Stegon later appeared in several episodes of Redman, and I’ll cover those appearances as I revisit them.