diff --git a/data/spawn_stages.json b/data/spawn_stages.json
index fc4350e..45066d6 100644
--- a/data/spawn_stages.json
+++ b/data/spawn_stages.json
@@ -1,26 +1,28 @@
 [
   {
-	"time_start": 0,
-	"time_end": 60,
-	"entries": [
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0, "count_at_end": 15, "min_interval": 0.5 }
-	]
+    "time_start": 0,
+    "time_end": 60,
+    "elite_enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn",
+    "entries": [
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0, "count_at_end": 15, "min_interval": 0.5 }
+    ]
   },
   {
-	"time_start": 60,
-	"time_end": 180,
-	"entries": [
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn",      "count_at_start": 15, "count_at_end": 40, "min_interval": 0.3 },
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/blue_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0,  "count_at_end": 10, "min_interval": 0.8 }
-	]
+    "time_start": 60,
+    "time_end": 180,
+    "elite_enemy": "res://scenes/blue_slime.tscn",
+    "entries": [
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn",      "count_at_start": 15, "count_at_end": 40, "min_interval": 0.3 },
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/blue_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0,  "count_at_end": 10, "min_interval": 0.8 }
+    ]
   },
   {
-	"time_start": 180,
-	"time_end": -1,
-	"entries": [
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn",      "count_at_start": 40, "count_at_end": 100, "min_interval": 0.2 },
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/blue_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 10, "count_at_end": 60,  "min_interval": 0.5 },
-	  { "enemy": "res://scenes/fire_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0,  "count_at_end": 40,  "min_interval": 0.6 }
-	]
+    "time_start": 180,
+    "time_end": -1,
+    "entries": [
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/slime.tscn",      "count_at_start": 40, "count_at_end": 100, "min_interval": 0.2 },
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/blue_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 10, "count_at_end": 60,  "min_interval": 0.5 },
+      { "enemy": "res://scenes/fire_slime.tscn", "count_at_start": 0,  "count_at_end": 40,  "min_interval": 0.6 }
+    ]
   }
 ]
diff --git a/scripts/SpawnStage.gd b/scripts/SpawnStage.gd
index 186b8f7..5ac3e26 100644
--- a/scripts/SpawnStage.gd
+++ b/scripts/SpawnStage.gd
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@ extends Resource
 class_name SpawnStage
 
 @export var time_start: float = 0.0
-@export var time_end: float = -1.0  # -1 = forever
+@export var time_end: float = -1.0
+@export var elite_enemy: PackedScene = null
 @export var entries: Array[StageEntry]
diff --git a/scripts/spawn_control.gd b/scripts/spawn_control.gd
index 2f0330b..762c687 100644
--- a/scripts/spawn_control.gd
+++ b/scripts/spawn_control.gd
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ var elapsed_time: float = 0.0
 
 const STAGES_JSON = "res://data/spawn_stages.json"
 
-var stages: Array[SpawnStage] = []
+const ELITE_HP_MULT  := 10
+const ELITE_SPD_MULT := 0.25
+const ELITE_SCALE    := 3.0
 
-# _state keys: Vector2i(stage_idx, entry_idx)
-# values: { "timer": float, "alive": int }
+var stages: Array[SpawnStage] = []
 var _state: Dictionary = {}
+var current_stage_idx: int = -1
 
 func _ready() -> void:
 	var camera: Camera2D = get_parent().get_node("Camera2D")
@@ -44,6 +46,8 @@ func _load_stages(path: String) -> void:
 		var stage = SpawnStage.new()
 		stage.time_start = float(sd["time_start"])
 		stage.time_end = float(sd["time_end"])
+		if sd.has("elite_enemy"):
+			stage.elite_enemy = load(sd["elite_enemy"])
 		for ed in sd["entries"]:
 			var entry = StageEntry.new()
 			entry.enemy = load(ed["enemy"])
@@ -72,9 +76,31 @@ func get_spawn_position() -> Vector2:
 		spawn_y = randf_range(up_right.y, down_right.y)
 	return Vector2(spawn_x, spawn_y)
 
+func _active_stage_idx() -> int:
+	for si in stages.size():
+		var s: SpawnStage = stages[si]
+		if elapsed_time >= s.time_start and (s.time_end == -1.0 or elapsed_time < s.time_end):
+			return si
+	return stages.size() - 1
+
+func _spawn_elite(scene: PackedScene) -> void:
+	var enemy = scene.instantiate()
+	enemy.global_position = get_spawn_position()
+	add_child(enemy)
+	enemy.scale  = Vector2(ELITE_SCALE, ELITE_SCALE)
+	enemy.max_hp = enemy.max_hp * ELITE_HP_MULT
+	enemy.hp     = enemy.max_hp
+	enemy.speed  *= ELITE_SPD_MULT
+
 func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	elapsed_time += delta
 
+	var new_idx := _active_stage_idx()
+	if new_idx != current_stage_idx:
+		if current_stage_idx >= 0 and stages[current_stage_idx].elite_enemy != null:
+			_spawn_elite(stages[current_stage_idx].elite_enemy)
+		current_stage_idx = new_idx
+
 	for si in stages.size():
 		var stage: SpawnStage = stages[si]
 		if elapsed_time < stage.time_start: