(First Aired: September 11, 1966)
Screenplay by: Masahiro Yamada
Directed by: Samaji Nonagase
A typhoon strikes the Izu Peninsula and all Science Patrol can do is simply wait for it to pass. They are informed by the visiting Hoshino, who has returned from a trip to the Tokyo Flood Center, that several small towns and the Takahara Boy Scout Camp have all been damaged in typhoon by the resulting deluges. A few hours later, the typhoon has passed and everybody in Izu Peninsula is hard at work rebuilding. None are more industrious than the boys at Takahara Boy Scout Camp. However, Takeshi and Toshio, the camp counselors, have discovered that the typhoon has swept Takahara’s supply cabin away. So, the scoutmaster sends them off on their bikes to the nearest town to get food. Unfortunately, the bridge to the nearest town has been destroyed too, so the boys will have to take the long route.
At the uranium mining village of Unari, the locals have been unable to fix much due to tremors caused by something moving about below the town. The cause is soon revealed when a monster bursts from the ground. They recognize it from local tall tales as the uranium-eating Gabora, a stout reptilian quadruped with an armored cone encasing its small head, which had been awakened by the typhoon. Science Patrol is quickly contacted, but Gabora has already wrecked Unari and is making its way to nearby Abe, another uranium mining town. Science Patrol believes Gabora intends to feed off the town’s uranium storages, which could cause uranium leakage to irradiate the whole region. With no time to waste, Science Patrol and Hoshino drive off. Meanwhile, Toshio and Takeshi are now forced to walk alongside their bikes as the road has become too steep and rough.
At Abe, Muramatsu informs the mayor and the JSDF that Gabora’s radioactive nature means fighting it is too risky, so their only choice is to lead the monster elsewhere. The JSDF and Science Patrol later gather to form a blockade of flamethrower tanks at the encroaching Gabora to drive it off. It works, but now Gabora is heading towards Takahara Boy Scout Camp. Hayata suggests that they should tie some uranium to a helicopter and bait Gabora into the mountains. With no other ideas, the plan is agreed upon by the team. Meanwhile with Toshio and Takeshi, the latter has slipped on a loose slope and sprained his ankle, leaving Toshio to carry him around.
Back with Science Patrol, a uranium capsule has now been attached to a small helicopter, leaving Hayata to pilot it. As he takes off to the sky, Hayata soon finds that Hoshino and Fuji have snuck onto the helicopter under a tarp. He lets them stay as Gabora comes into sight. Gabora smells the uranium and follows Hayata’s helicopter. Soon, Gabora has reached the mountains and Hayata is instructed by Muramatsu to go in a bit further before dropping the capsule and letting Gabora be. However, he also needs to be careful of any people in the area lest they be irradiated by Gabora’s meal and presence. Meanwhile, Takeshi and Toshio are in the area, and their bikes have broken down, leaving them unable to carry the supplies; that is if they ever get them. The two boys’ problems are furthered when they spot Gabora lumbering through the area in pursuit of the helicopter's bait.
Up in the sky, Hayata, Fuji, and Hoshino have spotted Toshio and Takeshi. They’ll need to get down to contact and escort them, which is made risky by Gabora opening its head cone apart like a flower to reveal its face and try shoot the helicopter with atomic breath. Hayata lets Fuji and Hoshino rescue the boys while he continues to distract Gabora. Hayata soon leads Gabora a good distance away, but when he tries to drop the capsule, he finds its release switch has been broken! Gabora than rears up and swats the helicopter, sending the aircraft to a fiery crashlanding. Fortunately, Hayata jumps out of the helicopter in time. He then retrieves his fallen Beta Capsule and becomes Ultraman! Ultraman and Gabora fight each other, and the hero soon emerges victorious by ripping off Gabora’s cone petals, fatally wounding the monster. Science Patrol and the boys all gather back together, where they are all relieved to find Hayata is alive. They then take Toshio and Takeshi to get food for Takahara Boy Scout Camp. Upon arriving at camp, Science Patrol, Hoshino, Toshio, and Takeshi are greeted by excited children and their grateful scoutmaster. Science Patrol and Hoshino soon say their goodbyes and leave the waving boy scouts behind.
Tropes:
- Finishing Move: Averted, as Ultraman simply pummels Gabora to death instead of using his ray attacks like the Specium Beam or the Ultra Slash, likely because blowing up a monster that feeds on uranium might have disastrous results.
- Nuclear Mutant: Gabora, a monster that feeds on uranium and can shoot a radioactive beam. Preventing a nuclear disaster due to the monster's feeding habits is what drives the plot of this episode.
- Remember the New Guy?: Everyone treats Gabora as a familiar monster, even though this episode is its debut in the franchise. This is most likely because Pagos was originally meant to appear in this episode, but Gabora was created as a Suspiciously Similar Substitute due to issues with reverting the modified Baragon suit from Neronga to Pagos.
