Hedorah, the Smog Monster

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Toho character
Hedorah
Species	Pollution spawned Alien
Length	Aquatic form 20 metres Land form 30 metres Flying form 40 metres Final form 60-120 metres
Weight	Final form 48,000-70,000 tons
Air speed	Mach 1
Major enemies	Godzilla
Allies	Ebirah
First appearance	Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Created by	Yoshimitsu Banno
Portrayed by	Shōwa series Kenpachiro Satsuma Millenium series Toshihiro Ogura

Hedorah (ヘドラ, Hedora^?), also known as the Smog Monster, is a fictional creature from the 1971 film Godzilla vs. Hedorah (titled Godzilla vs the Smog Monster in the U.S.). The monster was named for hedoro (ヘドロ, hedoro^?), the Japanese word for sludge, vomit, slime or chemical ooze.

[edit] Description

Hedorah is a monster from outer space who fed on pollution. In its first form, it resembled a tadpole. In its second form, it resembled a quadrupedal reptile. Its third form was like a flying saucer, and its final form took on a humanoid shape.

Hedorah's transformations are thought to be the inspiration for Destoroyah, who also went through transformations, of which he has four.

Hedorah's species can reproduce asexually, can combine with and separate from other members of its species, and does not need oxygen to survive.

[edit] Powers and Abilities

Hedorah possesses many special abilities. Hedorah's primary form of attack was by spurting globs of its own corrosive sludge at its opponent. It also has a red laser beam that it shoots from its eye. In its third form it was able to fly, and spread a mist of sulphuric acid as it went along. Its final form is a bipedal creature, and it could revert back to its flying form at will.

Hedorah's defensive capabilities include immunity to Godzilla's atomic breath, and a body so amorphous that conventional weapons would pass straight through it.

[edit] Godzilla vs Hedorah

Hedorah was an alien life form that landed on Earth and began feeding on pollution. Hedorah's actions soon gained the attention of Godzilla, who attacked the Smog Monster as he was feeding off of a smokestack. At the time, Hedorah was still in a young form, and was easily trounced by Godzilla. The two creatures had a series of battles across Japan, and Hedorah continued to grow bigger and stronger, and achieved a flying saucer-like form, allowing him to fly and spread sulfuric acid mist across Japan while destroying many factories. Hedorah and Godzilla had a final showdown near Mt. Fuji, in which Hedorah achieved his final form, a bipedal, humanoid pile of sludge. Thanks to his acidic, poisonous body, as well as his lethal eye bolts, Hedorah very nearly put an end to Godzilla in their struggle. However, mankind had built a pair of gigantic electrodes near the warring kaiju, planning to use the electrodes to dry Hedorah out. During a period of the fight where Godzilla was knocked out, Hedorah was lured between the electrodes. Unfortunately, a fuse was blown, and the electrodes were useless.

Thankfully, the big lizard quickly came to the rescue again, using his ray to re-energize the electrodes. Badly dehydrated by their electricity, Hedorah tried to escape, but thanks to Godzilla's newfound power of flight, (by firing his atomic ray continuously at the ground) was returned to the electrodes and was dried out completely. Sensing that there was still wet sludge within Hedorah's dried out husk, Godzilla proceeded to rip out Hedorah's innards, then used the electrodes to fry them. Godzilla had finally slain the hellacious Smog Monster.

The Hedorahs killed thousands of people, including crewmen aboard several oil tankers, about 40 people the first time he went on land, 1600 people when it was first scattered its acidic mist through the air, and a large group of partying youths at the top of Mt. Fuji. Also, over 3,000,000 people were wounded or killed by Hedorah's smog.

[edit] Final Wars

Hedorah grappled with Godzilla for a short time again in Godzilla: Final Wars (this picture is a deleted scene, yet Hedorah was still in the movie).

Hedorah later returned, albeit briefly, in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Hedorah, along with Ebirah, is seen being blasted out of Tokyo Harbor by Godzilla and crashing into a building, with Ebirah's claw piercing Hedorah's eyes. The two are then blasted by Godzilla's atomic ray, and may have been destroyed. It is unknown if Hedorah had been involved in the Xilians' invasion, or if he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. During the end credits a few deleted scenes were shown, one of which was Hedorah using his sulfuric acid mist emitted from his body (see right for example) while walking down a deserted, destroyed city.

[edit] Appearances in other media

• Hedorah appears as a villain in the 1988 Nintendo game Godzilla: Monster of the Monsters, as well as the sequel, War of the Monsters. Hedorah was an enemy in the Godzilla Game Boy title as well, and was unique because Godzilla's blows couldn't hurt him.

• Hedorah also makes a cameo appearance in the video game Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, where it randomly appears in disc form and slows the energy recovery. It can be killed, though this is difficult.

• Hedorah is the name of a British indie guitar band from Reading (UK).

• Hedorah makes an appearance on the cover to Frank Zappa's album "Sleep Dirt".

• An unstopable hedorah like monster appears in the powerpuff girls. He is made of slime instead of pollution. He is looking for his cat, and like hedorah, a cat is stuck in his own body. That cat is this monster's cat, yet the cat hates him.

• A Creature From Godzilla the Series named the P.E.M.C is very close to Hedorah apart from being orange

[edit] links

• [1]www.hedorahshrine.piczo.com

[edit] Filmography

• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
• Godzilla 3D to the MAX ? (2007) (as Deathla)