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Banshees[1] are female spirits in Irish and Scottish folklore who are known for bizarre screams and are known to appear at people's houses when a member of a family will die. At least one Banshee appeared in both The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters.

History[]

IDW Comic Series[]

A woman named Una O'Neill offended Aibell by breaking the heart of a boy under her protection. Aibell condemned her to life. As part of the curse, Aibell sent one of her Banshees to keep Una alive every year by filling her with more time and more pain.[2][3] As a result, she lived for over 500 years. Una became a friend of Walter Peck's family at some point. Eventually, she wanted to pass on and asked Peck's help. Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, and Kylie Griffin were brought in. While Peter and Kylie went to look for Aibell, Winston voiced his concern with helping Una die then a the Banshee arrived. Almost an hour later, the Banshee as finally trapped by Peck, Ray, and Winston. As Peck gloated, three more Banshees arrived. Aibell agreed to abandon her claim on Una in exchange for a favor. Peter agreed before Kylie could stop him. Aibell teleported them to Una's property then ripped the Trap holding the one Banshee in half, releasing it.

Notable Banshees[]

In The Real Ghostbusters[]

The episode Banshee Bake a Cherry Pie? has a banshee named Shanna O'Callahan.

In Extreme Ghostbusters[]

There is a Banshee whose sister is a siren. Banshee used her sister to feed on people's youth, but the two of them were trapped by the Ghostbusters. Because of the family connection they share, it can be concluded that sirens are also a type of banshee. They first appeared in the episode Sonic Youth and made an appearance inside the Containment Unit in the episode Slimer's Sacrifice.

In IDW Comics[]

Aibell, a faerie goddess, and some of her horde of Banshees appeared near Killaloe, Ireland.

Also See[]

Trivia[]

  • In Dan Aykroyd's original script for a second movie, Ghostbusters: The Seed, the Ghostbusters would have encountered a "Banshee-like entity" from legend while in Scotland.[4]
  • On page 13 of Ghostbusters Issue #12, Ray Stantz is reminded of a Banshee when Winston Zeddemore suggests Dante Barnes gives off low frequency vibrations before he starts to manifest.
  • In Irish mythology, Fairies and Banshees were related terms. A female fairy were called ben-side or banshee which loosely translated to "A woman from fairy hills." Fairy hills in turn were ruled by banshees or fairy queens. The three most well known were Aine, Clidna and Aibell.
  • Aibell is a Fairy queen/goddess from Irish mythology. She was the guardian goddess of Dalassians, Fairy Queen of Thomond, and presided over North Munster, said to dwell in a silent glen at Craig Liath, the "Grey Rock," two miles north of Killaloe. It was said if you heard her harp, you would not live much longer.
  • In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, after the Act 7 cinematic, Ray talks about an old case involving the Black Eyed Banshee. A family was tormented by the entity in their Tudor house in Garden City. They had to wear earplugs to minimize the damage from the Banshee's howl and Egon created special visors to nullify its ability to entrance victims through direct eye contact.[5]

Appearances[]

The Real Ghostbusters

Extreme Ghostbusters

IDW Comics

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed

  • Mentioned by Ray Stantz after Act 7.

References[]

  1. Una O'Neill (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #7" (2016) (Comic p.5). Una O'Neill says: "You see there's a Banshee..."
  2. Una O'Neill (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #7" (2016) (Comic p.5). Una O'Neill says: "The Banshee's been sent to keep me in the land of the living."
  3. Una O'Neill (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #7" (2016) (Comic p.5). Una O'Neill says: "Each and every year, one of Aibell's banshees comes to fill me with more time and more pain on her behalf."
  4. "Dan Aykroyd interview with Bill Murphy re John Belushi afterlife communication plus cryptids & UFOs" (Ghostbusters Fan Fest 2019) 13:07-13:14 6/12/2019 psiResearch YouTube Dan Aykroyd says: "And meet a kind of banshee-like entity that comes from legend that would be quite frightening."
  5. Ray Stantz; After Act 7 cutscene concludes, talk to Ray in Ray's Occult (2023). Ghostbusters: Spirits UnleashedRay's Occult Books (2023) (PS4/PS5/PC/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/Nintendo Switch). Illfonic. Ray Stantz says: "So were out on a job, investigating an alleged presence tormenting the family living in this Tudor out in Garden City. Old houses like that come with baggage, and sometimes coexistence with the living is impossible. Anyway, that's when we encountered the Black Eyed Banshee. A tough job that required a few workarounds. A howl so deafening we needed to wear earplugs, and still, I had a ringing in my ear for two week afterwards. One accidental second of eye contact with her black void pupils and you'd fall under her spell immediately. So Egon created visors for us."
  6. Winston Zeddemore (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 #12" (2012) (Comic p.13). Winston says: "So, maybe it gives off low-frequency vibrations before it starts to manifest--"
  7. Ray Stantz (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 #12" (2012) (Comic p.13). Ray says: "--Like a Banshee would! Of course!"
  8. Egon Spengler (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #6" (2016) (Comic p.9). Egon Spengler says: "The Banshee is a sign of coming misfortune, as La Llorona often is."
  9. Narrator (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #8" (2016) (Comic What Came Before! page). Narrator says: "There were banshees, sure, and Peter made a deal with a faerie."
  10. Walter Peck (2018). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #1" (2018) (Comic p.12). Walter Peck says: "And I also know getting killed by a Banshee is a little bit more than just unfortunate - don't you think?"

Gallery[]

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