Films: Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact (2001)

Alias: None

Type: Alien

Location: Eldritch location/Civilized Area

Height/Weight: 50 meters and 35,000 metric tons.

Affiliation: Neutral

Summary: The saga of Ultraman is back! And we got ourselves not only a new Ultra, but a revamp of a classic foe just in time for the franchise's 35th anniversary. It is one of the most iconic beasts to clash with the Tokusatsu superhero. The Baltan.

History: For those who don't know, the Baltan are a race of insectoid humanoids who came to Earth after their planet got destroyed by warfare. In this interpretation, it's a bit sadder. Basical is the last surviving adult Baltan, and has been using his dead planet as an ark for all of the Baltan children. He found Earth via television broadcasts, and was astounded at how mankind's tendency for destruction was pushing them on the same path that killed the Baltanians in the first place. Thus, he set out to destroy humnanity to prevent Earth's demise and make way for his people. However, the legendary Ultraman Cosmos was there to stop him.

Notable Kills: Nothing special.

Final Fate: After a long battle in which he only gains the upper hand for a bit after turning into Neo-Baltan, Basical becomes overcome with grief-stricken tears upon realizing that he only made the people's future worse by attacking Earth instead of negotiating with it more. He allows himself to die after getting beaten by Cosmos, though the Ultraman allows the Baltan children to carry him off for a proper funeral. At the very least, the children bear no ill will toward us, and encourage our own children to never lose sight of all that is good so that we don't end up like the Baltan race.

Powers/Abilities: Basical, like all other Baltan, can grow or shrink in size, as well as duplicate himself to confuse opponents. He can also possess other kaiju, as he did with the dragon Don Ron, and shoot lighting or ice from his pincers. He can also summon homing blades from the ground and fly. As Neo-Baltan, his right hand becomes a sword that can shoot smaller homing swords, his left hand becomes a lightning whip, and his shoulders can fire needle-like projectiles.

Weakness: Beings of equal or greater power.

Scariness Factor: 4-Basical doesn't always have the greatest digital effects going for him, but he's by far the most intimidating incarnation of Baltan to date. With a menagerie of powers and a positively wicked powered-up form, he could have easily wiped the floor with anyone other than Ultraman. However, it's all ultimately one Hell of a tragedy. For in the end, all Basical wanted was a home for hundreds of children, and his brash decision making ruined all of it (and he knew it too late). Had the Baltan children been not so quick to forgive us, our tears would be great as well.

Trivia: -This film was meant as a prequel to the "Ultraman Cosmos" series.

-Ironically, this film's director, Toshihiro Iijima, also did the episode of the original series that introduced Baltan in the first place.