Vinz Clortho the Keymaster of Gozer was a demi-god and loyal minion who obeys The Destructor, and possessed Louis Tully in Ghostbusters. Vinz is assumed to be male because it is known as the Keymaster, and possessed a male host instead of a female host. Also, it has noticeably longer horns than Zuul, the Gatekeeper, who is believed to be female. Vinz Clortho was worshipped by the Sumerians and Hittites in 6000 BC, alongside Zuul and their master.
History
Vinz Clortho manifested on Earth in 1984, after Zuul, on the roof of 55 Central Park West as a large horned beast with vicious red eyes known as a Terror Dog. He emerged from Louis Tully's closet during a party he was holding for his clients. Vinz then, in Terror Dog form, chased Louis out of the building and cornered him at the Tavern on the Green in Central Park where he attacked and possessed Louis.
While possessing Louis' body, Vinz was able to speak, but not coherently and was in a disoriented state. He took on the identity of The Keymaster and immediately sought out Zuul the Gatekeeper, another minion of Gozer who had possessed the body of Dana Barrett, Louis' neighbor and not so secret crush. In search of The Gatekeeper, he was arrested by the police for harassing random people (including a coachman at whom he growled with red eyes ablaze). The police were concerned with placing him in regular lock up and Bellevue Hospital refused to take in Vinz. The police released him into the custody of Egon Spengler and Janine Melnitz. Egon performed a scan of Vinz's brainwaves which revealed an image of the demonic Terror Dog's head on a screen hooked up to the device. While in Egon's custody the possessed Louis revealed his identity along with Gozer's plan.
The next day, Walter Peck arrived and shut down the Containment Unit. Amid the confusion, Vinz managed to escape, wandering aimlessly around the chaos until arriving back at the Shandor Building to find The Gatekeeper, with whom he shared a passionate kiss at Dana Barrett's apartment. They ascended a secret stairwell leading up to the roof where some time later, they were finally able to mate, opening the gateway to an alternate dimension through which their master, Gozer would enter with the intent of destroying the world. Upon completion of the opening of the gateway Vinz, along with Zuul, transformed into their true demonic Terror Dog forms.
After Gozer was defeated by the Ghostbusters, Vinz disappears from this dimension and Louis Tully is transformed back into a human being, having no recollection of the events that took place since his and Dana's demonic possession.
Personality
Unlike the more seductive and tempered Zuul, Vinz was more dim-witted. For example, he confused the Gatekeeper with a horse while attempting to identify its partner. Vinz also repeats human behaviors and speech to mimic humans in close proximity, such as Egon. Also, while Zuul secretively ambushed her host Dana in her apartment, Vinz recklessly attacked Louis in full view of others at a party, before chasing him out of the building and through an active street.
Appearances
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
- Ongoing Series
- Volume 2
- Issue #15
- Dramatis Personae - Louis Tully
- Page 2
- In a flashback only
- Page 9
- Keymaster mentioned by Kylie Griffin [1]
- Issue #16
- Mentioned in Story So Far
- Issue #15
- Volume 2
Trivia
- In a deleted scene from the first movie, Louis suggests remembering having had sex with Dana Barrett while they were both under possession, to which Dana, unknowingly, believes untrue.
- In the Legion miniseries, the Keymaster Cologne is named after him.
- Vinz Clortho is referenced in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) in an audio recording found during the Museum of (Super)Natural History Level. [2]
- On page 17 and 19 of Ghostbusters Issue #3, Vinz is referenced by Idulnas and in the Spates Catalog entry for Idulnas. It is said Idulnas' power surpassed that of Vinz Clortho.
- On Cover RI of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #10, Vinz appears as part of a recreation of the "Then Die!" scene in the first movie.
Quotes
- "I am Vinz, Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer...Volguus Zildrohoar, Lord of the Seboullia. are you the Gatekeeper?"
- "You will perish in flame! Soon as I find the Gatekeeper."
- "Gozer the Traveller, he will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldronaii, the Traveller came as a large and moving Torb! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex Supplicants they chose a new form for him... that of a Giant Sloar! many Shubs and Zulls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day I can tell you."
References
- ↑ Kylie Griffin (2014). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #15" (2014) (Comic p.9). Kylie says: "He couldn't enter this dimension without followers paving the way, without securing a Keymaster and a Gatekeeper, without having a form chosen for him."
- ↑ World of Gozer Audio Displays; Board of Trustees area (2009). Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) - Museum of (Super)Natural History Level (2009) (Video Game). Terminal Reality. Audio Display says: "Gozer the Destroyer became Gozer the Traveler, voyaging to multiple worlds and conquering them. In a key aspect of the legend, Gozer allowed one hero from each world to choose its own Destructor Form. Gozer would then manifest in the chosen form to destroy and conquer that world. Gozer gained access to each world via the coupling of two demigod ambassadors, a Keymaster and a Gatekeeper. History only reveals the names of two of these minions, Vinz Clortho and Zuul. It is believed there are many others. Gozer the Destroyer--"
Gallery
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
