 This article is about content that is either unreleased or only out recently that may be seen as a spoiler. This means that there is no spoiler rule in effect. Read the Spoiler Policy. |
Patty Tolan is one of the four Ghostbusters in the 2016 movie.
Personality
She is the practical, street smarts member of the team. She also is a wealth of information on New York city's history.
History
Primary Canon
She being a MTA worker, meets many "characters" in her line of work, but Rowan North takes the cake. One day she noticed him disappear going down the tunnel. While searching for him, she finds a odd sparking device. Then she sees a ghost. She visits the Ghostbusters and asks for their help.
Secondary Canon
IDW Comics
Patty and Holtzmann went to Queens in search of a ghost to trap for study. After spending a great deal of time there, they encountered Ralph and gave chase. Unaware of a portal that was briefly open in a park, they caught up to the ghost and fired. Patty admonished Holtzmann for blowing up another car. Holtzmann insisted the ghost used its psychic powers to do it. Patty was not too pleased to be drenched in ectoplasm after Holtzmann blew the ghost up. Patty called up Abby and informed them they came up short again. Abby told Patty to inform Holtzmann she couldn't blow up anymore ghosts until they trapped at least a Class 5. Patty also informed her Holtzmann blew up more cars. Abby also placed a moratorium on blowing up cars since they were being threatened with the costs.
Abby, Patty, and Holtzmann arrived at the Stryker Beach Golf Course. Holtzmann proposed a $20 bet she could make an elder patron in the corner fall over. Patty advised Holtzmann to let the creepy old men alone. She cut to the chase with an employee and asked where the ghost was because they had a full schedule and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was already backed up. He directed them to the 13th green. Abby reminded everyone they should trap the ghost so they could study it. Patty suspected Abby came along to keep them on task. Abby insisted she came along because she won a coin toss to get out of accounting work. To Abby's dismay, Holtzmann neutralized the ghost with the Ghost Chipper. Patty reminded Abby they had three stops to go and plenty of chances to trap something. They didn't catch anything. Abby was in denial and claimed they did and they should build an observation tank. Patty called her out on taking the cart before the horse.
After two Statues of Liberty and another team of Ghostbusters appeared on the news, the team gathered outside the Firehouse. Patty speculated this was going to like that Star Trek episode with the Mirror Universe and was ready to see goatees and sleeveless shirts. They discovered the layout of the interior was different and their stuff was gone. Patty tried to assuage their concern. Kevin Tanaka greeted them from the office area. Erin demanded to know where Kevin was. Kevin stated he was Kevin. Erin lost her composure and declared Kevin was a chiseled, godlike, specimen of a man and he wasn't. Kevin remarked he did all right. Patty advised Erin to take a breath. Egon Spengler and Kevin Beckman got their attention from atop the stairwell. The two teams gathered on the second floor to figure out what was going on. In order to expedite things, the Interspatial Teleportation Unit was demonstrated. Patty couldn't believe Holtzmann just stuck her head into the open portal. Winston Zeddemore admitted Egon tried to experiment on himself every once in awhile. Patty asked him if he ever felt the need to hide the power tools before he went home for the day. Winston admitted he did more often that she would ever know. Patty wondered what Holtzmann was seeing. Afterward, Ray Stantz and Egon talked out their exploration of the alternate dimensions, their first battle against Gozer, and shared their theory about seeding the subconscious of the Multiverse with the idea of Ghostbusters. Patty recalled the name "Zuul" from EVP detail and asked if that meant her team was going to one day face Gozer. Kylie Griffin believed if it did manifest in their New York, it would only be a weaker echo since a large part of its essence was still imprisoned in the Containment Unit.
As Marine Ecto-8 made its way to Ellis Island, Patty finally realized Winston looked like her Uncle Bill except 30 or so years younger. Ray recalled they've seen familiar people and faces in their exploration of other dimensions. Patty noticed the giant tear in the sky. Ray confirmed it had to do with the dimensional overlap. Patty put on a Proton Pack and noticed it was heavier than her team's. As Patty predicted correctly the entities they had to deal with were a group of Pirate Ghosts based on the island's history of executions. The situation worsened after Holtzmann dispersed several and they formed a powerful single entity. Winston saw the similarity with the Megaspook a few years back but noted Death was the winning factor back then. Patty asked if he had Death on speed dial. Ray and Erin abruptly ran off. Patty was annoyed then got into a thing with Holtzmann that the ghost looked like a Kraken. Patty cited the one in "Clash of the Titans" had legs. Ray and Erin managed to discorporate the entity with the Proton Bazooka then stored it in the Megatrap rigged to explode after it was lowered into the dimensional tear above the island.
Patty was excited about going out on a call to Woodlawn Cemetery. Peter didn't know much about it. Patty told him to respect the history. A blue flash knocked them off their feet. The ghost of Herman Melville ran past them. She instantly recognized him. Peter recognized the last name but couldn't figure out what he did. The Moby Dick Ghost arrived and slimed them. Patty couldn't believe he didn't know who Melville was and exclaimed Melville wrote "Moby Dick" but he thought that was John Bonham. Peter, Winston, and Patty were unable to wrangle the ghost but Holtzmann reappeared and lured it into an ambush. She remotely activated several Traps. Patty oversaw a group of 101 Cadets outside of Central Park and briefed them about Ley Lines. She joined the standby teams on rooftop in case the ghost had to be "guided" into the mobile trap. Once the ghost was captured, they prepared to Cross the Streams on the breach it came through to seal it and split their dimensions. Patty warned Erin if it didn't work and they all got atomized, she would not hear the end of it from her. Two weeks after everything was restored to normal, Peter and Ray visited their dimension to rebuild their Containment Unit.
At the Yorkville Brownstone case, Patty felt like she should have recognized the address. The Ghostbusters were surprised by the sudden manifestation of the Timothy Ghost. Erin realized it was just a tiny ghost child. Patty got wound up and asked her if she ever saw any horror movie. Abby pointed out it was just a Class 3 and a child. Patty went on a rant about children in creepy fiction and listed several movies. Erin noticed the ghost had a hoop and stick. Holtzmann antagonized it by stating its mom was definitely dead. Timothy transmogrified and attacked them. Erin panicked when the hoop touched her. They took cover by some furniture and used the "Hi-Lo" maneuver to trap the ghost. Erin scolded Holtzmann for forgetting Patty's side always went high. Erin agreed with Patty that all the creepiest ghosts were kids. She tried using "no kidding" as a pun but as Patty pointed out, she put too much emphasis on it. Back at the Firehouse, Patty found an entry about the Brownstone and declared it to Erin and Holtzmann in the lab. Patty told them about it was one the big haunted sites of New York and a mad scientist named Doctor Kruger lived there in the 1900s conducting fear experiments on people. Erin wanted Abby to hear it, too. Holtzmann tried to put a diode on Patty but she refused and held her back with one hand. Patty continued about how the brownstone was sealed after Kruger died and was only sold and reopened decades later then there were consistent reports of paranormal activity in many forms. They realized Abby was possessed again. At their behest, Holtzmann grabbed her De-Possessor and went on about explaining it. They yelled at her to just use it. Kruger was pulled out of Abby but he attacked and drained them of energy. They fell to the floor with their energy drained. Holtzmann tried using her Ghost Zamboni but they watched as Kruger burst through the upper floors and escaped into the city. Patty hoped Erin used her powers of mindless paperwork to set up insurance for that very instance. They ran to the roof. Patty realized the zamboni was just a bigger version of the Ghost Chipper.
Patty became annoyed with Abby's desire to go out and fight Kruger again. Patty wanted to focus on research, inventing a new weapon, and coming up with a plan but she was voted down. Holtzmann needed direct exposure to Kruger to figure out a weapon that would be effective against him even though they would get their butts kicked again. They departed for the Empire State Building. Observing the emanations swirling around the building, Patty hated being right. Holtzmann tried putting her spin on the St. Crispin's Day Speech but Patty wasn't having any of it. The Ghostbusters attacked Kruger at full power but he resisted and sent them into the Nightmare-Scape. Patty was left behind in a hallway by the other Ghostbusters and was overwhelmed by hordes of creepy dolls.
40 minutes after their defeat at the hands of Kruger, Erin broke the silence inside Betty's Diner and spoke up but Patty got irritated and confirmed it was too soon. Erin agreed what they experienced was awful but refused to give up and took solace they got away. Abby disagreed and pointed out they didn't know anything. Erin was sure they would figure it out. Holtzmann clarified Kruger let them go because they had nothing to offer and were unimpressive. She left the diner sullen. Erin found her in the alley and admitted she was more afraid to see Holtzmann unwilling to overcome a challenge than her fear of bees. Holtzmann started laughing. Patty and Abby joined them. Holtzmann continued to laugh at Erin's expense. She clarified she was laughing at her fear, not her, but the others weren't catching on. Holtzmann clarified someone's fear was dumb to someone else and the reason they lost was the specificity. She theorized it could free them, too, and was ready to get back to work. Abby decided they had to go back to the brownstone and find out more about Kruger and his ability. Patty thought it was a bad idea and griped she was going to get murdered by an old-timey ghost.
Abby, Erin, and Patty searched for the entrance to an underground lab using the brownstone's schematics but discovered it was sealed up. Abby came out of nowhere with an axe and started chopping away at the wall. Patty brought up the current owners but Abby replied they could bill her. She warned the others there were ghosts bound to the lab but didn't think they would attack unless they disturbed something. Patty took a book off the third shelf of a case and discovered it was a journal. Erin riled up several of Kruger's Victims. Patty knew one had to be right behind her. Patty retreated past Erin and Abby. They opened fire and she trapped them. Patty told Erin and Abby to shut up 50 times on the way back as she read the journal. Back at the Firehouse, Patty eventually exited Ecto-1 and declared she knew what Kruger's plan was and it was very bad.
Trivia
- The role of Patty was originally written with Melissa McCarthy in mind. [1]
- Patty Tolan's name was a direct nod to McCarthy's Irish ethnicity. [2]
- Patty Tolan was always meant to the fourth character, a breath of fresh energy, and a powerhouse. [3]
- In Ghostbusters International #3, on page 6, in panel 5, Patty makes a non-canon cameo as one of the applicants outside.
- On page 19 of Ghostbusters 101 #2, Patty is wearing her baseball jacket and New York shirt from Chapter 16 of the 2016 movie.
- On page 7 of Ghostbusters 101 #3, Patty is in her civies from Chapter 12 from the 2016 movie.
- On page 9 of Ghostbusters 101 #3, Patty reveals she used to work for a moving company. [4]
- In panel 4, Patty's gold vanity necklace is visible.
- On page 5 of Ghostbusters 101 #4, Patty's knowledge of New York's history comes into play with Ellis Island.
- Patty appears on Cover B of Ghostbusters 101 #6.
- On page 18 of Ghostbusters 101 #6:
- The first image is from the first movie, Chapter 3 "Get Her!", when the Library ghost roars at them. Erin and Patty appear in place of Peter and Egon.
- The fifth image is from Ghostbusters II, Chapter 8 "Down the Shaft", when Ray is first lowered above the River of Slime. Patty appears in place of Ray.
- The sixth image is from the 2016 movie, Chapter 9, during the Stonebrook Theatre bust when Mayhem is on Patty's shoulders. Peter appears in place of Patty
- The eighth image is from Ghostbusters II, Chapter 24 "A Harbor Chick", when the team looks out from the head of the Statue of Liberty. Holtzmann, Patty, and Abby appear in place of Peter, Winston, and Ray.
- The tenth image is from Ghostbusters II, Chapter 28 "World is Safe Again", of the 'cleaned' Vigo portrait. Patty appears in place of Winston.
- On page 19 of Ghostbusters 101 #6, Patty is wearing her shirt from the 2016 movie, Chapter 16, when the team celebrated in the Jacob Wirth Co. Restaurant.
- On page 1 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #1, Patty's bio in panel 2 mentions possessed mannequins, a nod to the Mayhem bust in the 2016 movie.
- On page 3 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #1, Patty mentions several horror movies: "Children of the Corn" (1984), "The Ring" (2002), "Village of the Damned" (1960 and 1995), "The Shining" (1980), "The Exorcist" (1973), and "Rosemary's Baby" (1968).
- On Cover A of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #3, Patty is wearing her outfit from the start of Chapter 07 of the 2016 movie.
- On page 10 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #3, Patty says, "Into the breach with us" - a nod to Shakespeare's Henry V.
- On page 14 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #3, Patty alludes to President Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick foreign policy.
- On April 5, 2018, Tom Waltz posted Virtual Trading Card 14 of 50, Patty Tolan. It revealed she has a Bachelor of the Arts in History. [5]
Quotes
Appearances
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
- Ghostbusters 101
- Ghostbusters: Answer The Call
References
- ↑ Empire Online "Ghostbusters - trailer breakdown with Paul Feig" 3/9/16 Paul Feig says: "Actually, when Katie and I wrote the script, we had written the role with Melissa in mind, but then I thought I've seen Melissa play a brash, larger than life character. She's done it in my movies before."
- ↑ LA Times "Upset about an all-female 'Ghostbusters'? Screenwriter Katie Dippold makes no apologies" 4/24/16 Katie Dippold says: "Dippold said she originally pictured McCarthy for that role and gave the character an Irish name in a nod to the actress' ethnicity."
- ↑ LA Times "Upset about an all-female 'Ghostbusters'? Screenwriter Katie Dippold makes no apologies" 4/24/16 Katie Dippold says: "To me that fourth character would be this breath of fresh energy, this powerhouse. I think some people think we wrote this character for a black actress. No, we wrote what we thought was a good character and then cast the best person to play her."
- ↑ Patty Tolan (2017). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters 101 #3" (2017) (Comic p.9). Patty Tolan says: "But did your work for a moving company? No? I did."
- ↑ TomWaltz Tweet 4/5/18
Gallery
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
Behind the Scenes
