The banished Dragon Elder who plants Dark Gems in Spyro: A Hero’s Tail is Red.
Red is the principal antagonist of A Hero’s Tail and a former Dragon Elder who was banished from the Dragon Realms. Seeking power and revenge, he scatters Dark Gems across the world. These gems drain light and life from their surroundings, transforming peaceful areas into dangerous environments filled with corrupted creatures and deadly plants.
Spyro’s main quest is therefore not simply to defeat a villain in a single arena. He must explore the realms, destroy the Dark Gems and restore the land before confronting Red. The game also lets Spyro collect Light Gems, which are used to activate inventions and open certain routes and doors.
Red is easy to confuse with other named dragons in the series. Ignitus, Cyril and Terrador are Dragon Elders in The Legend of Spyro continuity, but they are not the Dark Gem planter in A Hero’s Tail. Red’s role is specific to this 2004 console adventure, whose developer was Eurocom Entertainment Software.