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Poltergeists[1] are a type of creature that are most known for causing mischief. They can be minions of more powerful ghosts or entities. In general, Poltergeists are a type of ghost that enjoy causing confusion and chaos.

History[]

Poltergeists from "Slimer, Come Home"[]

Poltergeists are mischievous spirits that are often seen in groups and are often capable of escaping sight. They are relatively harmless, but can use objects to hurt people.[2] These types of Poltergeists become weaker as they roam farther from their point of origin, unless they have an energy source.[3][4][5][6] They plague the Ghostbusters for three nights in a row until they are all devoured by their master, Ghash.[7][8] [9] [10] All of the Poltergeists' individual frequencies merged and Ghash absorbed them.[11] They were able to pull Slimer away and trapped Ghash. However, the Trap was never meant to house that many ghosts at once. They hurried to the Containment Unit and deposited him in time.

Poltergeists from "Cry Uncle"[]

A second type of Poltergeists later plague Central Park. This type has a unique ability to remain invisible to the naked eye and rarely show themselves.[12] Ray Stantz describes them as having a childlike sense of humor and that they like to throw things.[13][14][15] The team attempts to use this case to convince Cyrus Spengler they need Egon Spengler but their efforts are in vain because Cyrus doesn't go with them on the bust. Regardless, the team captures all four Poltergeists.

Other Types[]

There are many more types of Poltergeists, including a Type R-12 Poltergeist and a Type T-17. The R-12 is also known as a Screaming Willie.[16] The T-17 has tentacles.[17]

Method of Capture[]

Since Poltergeists are a kind of ghost, standard ghostbusting equipment works on them. After Ghash, having already absorbed his minions, was trapped, the Ghostbusters had to quickly dump the trap into the Containment Unit. Otherwise, the trap would have overloaded from containing too many ghosts at once.[18]

The second type of Poltergeists can be seen with Ecto-Visors outfitted with polarized lens. The lens allow the visors to accept Poltergeist frequencies and sight the entities.[19] Then, they can easily be zapped, trapped, and contained like any other ghost.

Appearances[]

The Real Ghostbusters

Trivia[]

  • Poltergeists tend to appear when someone has a lot of mental stress, and stay only until that stress is broken, or it will just go away in a couple of weeks or so.[21]
  • The word "Poltergeist" is sometimes used as just a synonym for ghost.[22]
  • Poltergeist is German for "noisy ghost."[23]

References[]

  1. Janine Melnitz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:01-12:04). Time Life Entertainment. Janine says: "No, Poltergeists in Central Park."
  2. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 03:14-03:18). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Now remember -- poltergeists can't actually hurt you."
  3. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 01:20-01:25). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Why would poltergeists go after random targets? I thought they usually hang out in one place. Don't they get weaker the further they go?"
  4. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 01:29-01:33). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "They shouldn't have the energy for roving attacks -- unless they have some source --"
  5. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:43-04:46). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "But poltergeists are supposed to get weaker the farther they get from home."
  6. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:47-04:53). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Unless they were drawing on some other source of energy or the big one was feeding on all the energy from the small ones."
  7. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 01:11-01:13). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Three nights in a row -- it has to be the same group."
  8. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:55-04:59). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Like hooking more and more batteries to the same line. With that sort of power, they could go anywhere they want."
  9. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 11:11-11:19). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Let me get this straight -- every time a ghost joins them, their power increases. They draw on its energy and become more dangerous."
  10. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 11:21-11:35). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "If I'm right, then even one more ghost might make all the difference. They'd steal its energy, becoming unbeatable -- and terribly, horribly evil."
  11. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 17:25-17:32). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "The individual frequencies are merging. All the small ghosts in there are being absorbed into one big ectoplasmic mess."
  12. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:55-12:57). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "They rarely show themselves."
  13. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:19-12:23). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "The thing about Poltergeists you have to remember is they have a childlike sense of humor."
  14. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:26-12:31). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Well, like moving candles. Spinning pictures on the wall. Y'know, that kind of stuff."
  15. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:45-12:47). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Oh, and they like to throw things, too."
  16. Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Hanging By a Thread" (1987) (DVD ts. 06:22-06:25). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Type R-12 Poltergeist. In the vernacular, a Screaming Willie."
  17. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Hanging By a Thread" (1987) (DVD ts. 06:29-06:30). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "The T-17 has tentacles."
  18. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer, Come Home" (1986) (DVD ts. 20:47-20:53). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "There are too many ghosts in the Trap. It wasn't made to hold that many. It could overload at any second!"
  19. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Cry Uncle" (1987) (DVD ts. 15:38-15:43). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "I polarized the lenses of the goggles to accept Poltergeist frequencies."
  20. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Slimer's Curse" (1989) (DVD ts. 09:00-09:03). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Gremlins and Poltergeists popping up all over the city..."
  21. Poltergeist from Wikipedia
  22. Poltergeist from Wikipedia
  23. Poltergeist from Wikipedia

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