Ogra and Gorgo settle on the Irish Sea floor to sleep. The British government builds powerful electric generators that send a charge through the sea. This drives the beasts west to an area near New York City, where they feed on cod and settle down to rest once more. Their mass interferes with an undersea communications cable, causing disruptions to Euro-American telephone service.
Merril Hyde, a troubleshooter for International Communications, is sent to investigate the problem. Diving, Hyde finds Gorgo tangled in the cable. He cuts it in a couple of spots, and Gorgo frees himself. Then, Gorgo follows Hyde to the surface and chases his boat, Trouble III, although it’s not clear he means any harm. Hyde and his assistant, Dink evade the beast by burning oil. The smoke drives Gorgo back.
Hyde reports the incident, and the military begins watching the New York coast. An Air Force observation plane spots Gorgo and radios his location to base. A fighter pilot hears the broadcast and attacks the creature. Leaping high out of the water, Gorgo catches the plane, although the pilot bails out in time.
The Trouble III returns to the scene, Hyde using a flame thrower in an attempt to drive Gorgo back to sea. Diving beneath the boat, he surfaces, capsizing it. The two men find themselves treading water. Gorgo’s attention is drawn to an approaching naval cruiser. The men swim as far away as they can, anticipating what happens next.
A moment later, the ship begins firing on Gorgo. He submerges again, heading for shore. A Coast Guard helicopter pilot spots him and radios a warning to the New York City. Gorgo arrives as car, truck and busloads of people are being evacuated. He tears through buildings and power lines, with one observer commenting that 500,000 volts "doesn’t seem to bother him at all."
Meanwhile, on the ocean floor, Ogra wakes up and begins searching for her offspring.
On shore, Hyde (who was pulled from the drink by a coast guard cutter) hits upon an idea, which is implemented by the National Guard. A big sandpit near the city is mined along the edges by the troops. Using smoke, they steer Gorgo toward it. When he reaches the edge, the first mines are discharged, sending him toppling into the pit. Further explosions cave the sides in, burying the beast up to his neck. Many tons of earth immobilize Gorgo, leaving only his head free. The monster gives vent to a mighty roar which "terrified everyone from Bridgeport, Connecticut to South Philadelphia."
Sixty miles out to sea, Ogra hears her son’s roar and heads in that direction. Even while Hyde is debating with the military over whether Gorgo should be killed (He reminds them of what Ogra did to London) Ogra is closing the distance. An air force fighter plane pilot sees her and radios for instructions. He is told to refrain from attacking, since he would just irritate her. The National Guard attempts to stop her with tanks, but she waltzes right through.
At the order of National Guard General Otis Cleek (Who came up with that name? ), the buildings in Ogra’s immediate path are set afire. (Oh, that makes sense- burn the city down to save it! Like George Carlin said, military intelligence is an oxymoron.) This only diverts her in the direction of Idlewild Airport. Then it is decided to drop a hydrogen bomb on her. (See last parenthetical note!) The populace is evacuated into bomb shelters. An hour after the order is given, the bomb is dropped.
As the smoke from the blast clears, we see Ogra striding out of it unharmed, but very angry. She takes out her wrath on the Queensborough Bridge, United Nations Building, Grand Central Station and finally, the Empire State Building, demolishing them all. (Didn’t that nuke already do that?!)
Hyde has another idea. He persuades the General to accompany him back to the spot where Gorgo is trapped. The monstrous cub has quited down. Hyde gets an oil-soaked rag on the end of a pole and lights it. He waves the torch in Gorgo’s face, intending to scare it into breaking free so they can use smoke to drive it back to sea and hope Ogra will follow. He almost does not survive the success of his own plan, barely escaping Gorgo’s claws when the beast does break free.
Mother and son monster do reunite, but it’s not certain if they will head to sea. Hyde (who else?) suggests removing the explosives from artillery shells and filling them with nerve gas. Each of the monsters is shot with a drugged shell. Being smaller, Gorgo collapses. Ogra is wobbling on her feet, but picks her child up and staggers into the ocean.
"She’ll die at the bottom," Cleek predicts confidently. "Man will never be terrified by either of them again."
Right!
Special Thanks to Peter B. Hull for the Review and the Cover-Scan!!!
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