Sting of Death Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Sting of Death (1966). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
A young blonde woman in a black bikini lies on a dock in Florida, sunbathing and listening to her transistor radio. She turns it off after hearing a news report about unexplained local murders. Then, without warning, a monstrous hand reaches up from the water and grabs her ankle, dragging her under, where she drowns.
Meanwhile, five of six college friends arrive at the home of Dr. Richardson, the father of one of them, Karen Richardson. [Dr. Richardson] is a marine biologist who studies the “evolution of sea life” with his assistant, Dr. John Hoyt. Karen and the others — Louise, Jessica, Donna, and Susan — are staying at Dr. Richardson’s house. They all wonder why Ruth, who had gotten there earlier, hasn’t joined them on the patio for a cold glass of orange drink.
The mood shifts when a pool party brings a group of rowdy college students to the scene. They taunt Egon, the mildly facially disfigured helper who is secretly in love with Karen. Unfortunately for him, Karen has fallen for John. Yet Egon has his own plan for revenge, and he chooses to act on it by transforming himself into a half-man, half-jellyfish monster. From that moment, he begins to pick off the girls one by one: Ruth is killed while sunbathing; Louise is seriously injured in the pool during the party; Donna dies while being chased through a swamp; Jessica is killed during the search for Donna; and Susan is murdered while taking a shower. The chaos spills into the water as many of the other students die when their boat sinks, and the monster is seen attacking a hull cut through with an axe, as a swarm of Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish drifts nearby.
Egon forces Karen to swim to his secret laboratory in an underwater cave. There, he reveals an enormous Portuguese Man O’ War imprisoned in an aquarium that is connected to the device powering his transformation. John fatally injures the now-transformed Egon during a fight and rescues Karen. Just as she and John surface, the laboratory machine explodes, finishing off Egon and his evil alter ego.
Sting of Death Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Sting of Death (1966) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Opening sunbathing victim on the Florida dock
A young blonde woman lies sunbathing on a Florida dock, listening to a transistor radio. She turns it off after hearing a news report about unexplained local murders. Then a monstrous hand rises from the water and drags her under, and she drowns.
Friends arrive at Dr. Richardson's house
Five of six college friends arrive at Dr. Richardson's home, joining Karen and the others. Ruth has not joined them on the patio for a cold glass of orange drink.
Tension rises as Egon is taunted
A poolside scene unfolds as raucous college students taunt Egon, Richardson's mildly disfigured helper who secretly loves Karen. The taunting sparks Egon's resolve to take revenge.
Egon becomes the half-man, half-jellyfish monster
Egon uses his resources to transform himself into a half-man, half-jellyfish creature. The transformation marks the birth of a murderous creature who will target the group.
Ruth is the first victim
Ruth is the first victim, killed by the monster as she suns by the water. Her death shows that the creature is already targeting the group.
Louise attacked in the pool
Louise is seriously injured in the pool during the party, heightening the panic among the guests. The incident signals that the danger has escalated from a single attack to a wider threat.
Donna dies in the swamp
Donna is killed while being chased through a swamp. The monster pursues the group through the estate's grounds, leaving a trail of carnage.
Jessica dies during the Donna search
During the search for Donna, Jessica becomes another victim of the creature. The group's attempts to locate missing friends only deepen the sense of danger.
Susan murdered in the shower
Susan is murdered while showering in the house. The killer uses a vulnerable moment to strike as the group's numbers dwindle.
Boat sinks and jellyfish attack
The monster slashes a hole in the hull with an axe, causing the boat to sink and many students to drown. A school of Portuguese Man O' War jellyfish swarms the water, adding to the carnage.
Karen taken to the underwater laboratory
Egon forces Karen to swim to his secret underwater laboratory, a cave beneath the coast. There, a giant Portuguese Man O' War sits in an aquarium connected to Egon's transformation machine.
Final confrontation and explosion
John fatally injures Egon during a confrontation and rescues Karen. As they surface, the transformation machine explodes, destroying Egon and his evil alter ego.
Sting of Death Characters
Explore all characters from Sting of Death (1966). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Egon (John Vella)
Egon is the mildly disfigured assistant to Dr. Richardson who secretly loves Karen. He engineers a transformation device that turns him into a half-man, half-jellyfish monster to seize control. His killer spree targets the women at the house and party, driven by a dangerous blend of love and rage. He is fatally injured by John Hoyt during the climactic confrontation as the lab's machinery explodes.
Karen Richardson (Valerie Hawkins)
Karen is Dr. Richardson's daughter and the object of Egon's affection, though she becomes involved with John Hoyt. She is drawn into the danger surrounding Egon's experiments and is forced to confront the monster's reach. Karen's survival hinges on John's intervention and the lab's collapse. Her resilience is tested as she navigates love, danger, and a desperate escape.
Dr. John Hoyt (Joe Morrison)
John Hoyt is Dr. Richardson's assistant and Karen's love interest. He becomes the pragmatic protector who confronts Egon and fights to rescue Karen. In the final confrontation, Hoyt fatally injures Egon and helps Karen escape as the laboratory explodes. He embodies rational, action-driven heroism in the face of monstrous science.
Dr. Richardson (Jack Nagle)
Dr. Richardson is a marine biologist studying the evolution of sea life and the host of the group at his home. He oversees the scientific experiments that blur the line between science and danger. His role anchors the night’s social gathering and the subsequent catastrophe tied to his lab's ambitions.
Louise (Sandy Lee Kane)
Louise is one of the college friends staying at the house. She participates in the pool party and becomes entangled in the escalating terror as the monster's rampage begins. Louise's arc is short, serving as one of the early victims that signals the danger lurking beneath the surface.
Jessica (Deanna Lund)
Jessica is part of the group of friends at the Richardson residence. She is involved in the search for Donna and becomes one of the victims of Egon's murderous spree. Jessica's arc contributes to the escalating tension and fear as the group grapples with the monster.
Donna (Lois Etelman)
Donna is another member of the college group who participates in the party and falls prey to the monster's attack during the pursuit through a swamp. Her fate adds to the sense of danger and the film's body count. Donna's role underscores the peril faced by the young women in the story.
Susan (Blanche Devreaux)
Susan is part of the group of friends staying at the house and is killed during the sequence of murders. Her character helps illustrate the widening impact of Egon's rampage beyond the initial targets. Susan's demise reinforces the peril and urgency that culminate in the final confrontation.
Sting of Death Settings
Learn where and when Sting of Death (1966) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Florida coast, Dr. Richardson's home, Underwater cave laboratory
The story unfolds along Florida's sunlit coast, moving from a private residence to a marine biology setup. Dr. Richardson's home serves as a social hub for the students, while the adjacent underwater lab becomes the ominous heart of the plot. An underwater cave connected to the lab houses the machine that transforms Egon into his sea-monster form, making the location itself a driver of danger.
Sting of Death Themes
Discover the main themes in Sting of Death (1966). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Science & Transformation
Unchecked scientific ambition drives the central horror of the film. A machine linked to an aquarium becomes the means by which a man can morph into a half-man, half-jellyfish creature. The transformation shifts the tone from social gathering to survival as the monster emerges from the lab.
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Obsession & Murder
Egon's unrequited love for Karen fuels violent actions and a fatal escalation of events. His jealousy manifests as a spree of killings targeting the women around him. The violence culminates in a direct confrontation with John Hoyt, who aims to protect Karen.
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Sea & Nature's Fury
The ocean and its creatures act as a constant threat, from drowning on a dock to a pool attack and the menace of jellyfish. The underwater lab ties human experimentation to the sea's unpredictable power. Nature's danger amplifies the film's horror as lives are claimed by water and its denizens.
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Survival & Confrontation
Characters must endure a chain of deadly attacks, including a sinking boat and a swamp chase. The final showdown occurs in the underwater lab when the monster is defeated as the machine explodes. Karen's escape with John marks a fragile victory amid significant loss.
Sting of Death Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Sting of Death (1966). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
The sun‑blazed wetlands of the Florida Everglades provide a lush backdrop for a carefree getaway that quickly turns uncanny. A group of biology students arrives to unwind, hoping the humid air and winding waterways will offer a perfect escape from lecture halls. Their host, a seasoned marine researcher, opens his secluded homestead to the party, while a surprise cameo from the legendary crooner Neil Sedaka adds a touch of nostalgic charm to the otherwise natural setting. The film drifts between the lazy rhythm of a tropical vacation and a creeping sense that something in the water is far from ordinary.
Among the friends, Dr. Richardson – the marine biologist who invites them – presides over the gathering with a quiet confidence that masks a deeper fascination with sea life. His daughter, Karen Richardson, arrives with her close‑knit circle: the vibrant Louise, the thoughtful Jessica, the pragmatic Donna, and the introspective Susan. Their dynamic is a blend of youthful exuberance and subtle romantic tension, especially as John Hoyt, the research assistant, finds himself at the center of a budding connection. Meanwhile, the enigmatic Egon, a shy helper who harbors a secret affection for Karen, watches from the periphery, his unease hinting at troubles beneath the surface.
As night falls and the swamp’s nocturnal chorus rises, the group discovers that the Everglades guard more than just alligators and mosquitoes. Whispers of a mysterious, mutated creature—part jellyfish, part man—begin to thread through the humid air, turning the idyllic retreat into a tense game of cat and mouse. The atmosphere tightens, blending eerie suspense with the raw beauty of the wetlands, leaving the students to confront a primal fear that threatens to drown their vacation in terror.
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