Achira is a very dangerous, disease-spreading entity and the first new antagonist to face the Extreme Ghostbusters.
History[]
Primary Canon[]
Extreme Ghostbusters[]
Achira is the demon spawn of Duaka.[1] Her name is derived from the Mesopotamian word, "Achira-Teema," roughly translated to "Destroyer of Civilizations."[2] Achira's function is to spread her disease and decay on cities in order to fulfill the 11th prophecy.[3] Her repeated method of destruction involves taking on a willing host and releasing a plague, which causes victims to grow disgusting blotches on their faces, some form of cross dimensional dermo-transmogrification (informally referred to as ghost zits).[4][5][6] The zits on the peoples faces were her offspring that needed a host to grow in about a day's time. However, historical records, over time, became sketchy and recordings of how Achira destroyed civilizations was lost. About a thousand years ago, she was imprisoned within an underground structure in conjunction with using incantations and talismanic objects. A tablet with a warning about Achira and her offspring was left by the imprisoning structure.[7][8][9]
In 1997, construction on the future site of the Crosstown Subway, disrupted the imprisonment incantation underneath modern day New York City. Achira was the first entity to escape. As the breach widened, an ecto surge caught the attention of Egon Spengler's various instruments. While leaving one Appendage Minion to guard the area, Achira roamed New York in search of a willing host and heard the ultra para-sonic frequency of the Ghost Beacon. She found Kylie Griffin and appeared to her in the form of her Great Grandma Rose, who died about a year ago. Achira then possessed Kylie and began infecting people. Egon went alone in search of Achira but was captured in her tendrils and electrocuted into submission. Achira then infected Egon and moved on.
On the next day and night, during a full moon, she moved throughout the city and infected many people. Achira appeared to Eduardo Rivera as Kylie and flirted with him. However, Roland Jackson and Garrett Miller returned to Ecto-1 and declared she was possessed. They were unsure if shooting Achira would hurt or even kill Kylie or not. Eduardo didn't hesitate and blasted her. Because of the outdated equipment, Achira was wrangled from Kylie but was able to escape confinement from three Proton Streams. While the Ghostbusters modified their equipment, Achira continued to run rampant. She surfaced at the Brooklyn Bridge and summoned her offspring. The Extreme Ghostbusters managed to trap her before she could kill them. Egon took the Trap holding her and placed her into the Containment Unit.
Secondary Canon[]
Insight Editions[]
Achira always chose a willing and healthy host to possess because weak hosts never survived the strain of inhabitation. It looked for those with the desire for revenge but felt powerless to take action then ingratiated its way into the host's life and possessed them. The possessed host was then transmogrified into a horrific form that pleased Achira. It then carried out its purpose. Achira was responsible for spreading some of the most horrific diseases across the world. It was the source of the Black Death epidemic, numerous plagues from Russia to Milan, and was rumored to be the source of the Spanish influenza outbreak of the twentieth century.[10] In the present, Achira appeared in New York City. Winston Zeddemore accurately fired darts filled with concentrated antibiotics into Achira's latest host. Achira was driven out and trapped.
Classification[]
Primary Canon[]
Extreme Ghostbusters[]
Achira is a highly evolved ghost[11] and is a Class 6 S.P.E. when first investigating.[12] He later refers to her as a Symbio-Apparitional Entity or an entity that needs a host.[13] Egon also referred to her as a Self-Replicating Entity.[14]
Secondary Canon[]
Insight Editions[]
Achira is a Class 7 noncorporeal possessor.[15]
Powers[]
Achira has the standard ability to fly. She can shape-shift, possess other beings, and emit flames from her mouth. Achira can only possess a willing host, but it is contingent on her perception of a host being willing or not (i.e., that a host is "willing", even if she deceives them). While connected to Achira, her Appendage Minions could electrocute victims. Only while in possession of a willing host, Achira can infect people.
Development[]
Fil Barlow and Executive Producer Richard Raynis collaborated on Achira's design. Barlow designed Achira's first stage and Raynis wanted to pull out all of the stops for her second stage. Barlow wanted him to have a chance to draw, as all of his duties would be producing and not utilizing his artistic background, so they both drew ideas together. Achira's face was based off Raynis' first sketch and Barlow designed the snake arms, hair and body. Barlow went on to design Achira's third stage.[16]
Trivia[]
- On Cover B of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4, on the lower level are Achira and her appendage minions.
- Achira appears on the IDW Convention Variant Cover of Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary: Extreme Ghostbusters.
Appearances[]
Primary Canon[]
- "Darkness at Noon, Part 1"
- As the main villain of the episode.
- "Darkness at Noon, Part 2"
- As the main villain of the episode
- She can be also seen in the end credit sequence.
Secondary Canon[]
- Extreme Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Invasion
- A non-canon appearance as the final boss.
- Extreme Ghostbusters: Code Ecto-1
- A non-canon appearance as a boss.
- Insight Editions
- Tobin's Spirit Guide
- Section IV: Gods and Major Demons
- Page 75
- Section IV: Gods and Major Demons
- Tobin's Spirit Guide
Notes[]
- ↑ She was accredited in both episodes Achira appears in.
References[]
- ↑ AchiraAndDuakaReference.jpg
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 8:07-8:14). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "According to ancient texts, her name is derived from the Mesopotamian word, Achira-Teema, which rougly translated means Destroyer of Civilizations."
- ↑ Achira (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 6:46-6:53). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Achira says: "...Have arisen to spread disease and decay upon the populace of this cursed city... and the 11th prophecy shall be fulfilled."
- ↑ Achira (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 13:12-13:15, 13:45-13:47). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Achira says: "A willing host to spread my disease!"
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 18:21-18:24). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "...the result of a cross dimensional dermo-transmogrification."
- ↑ Garrett Miller (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 18:27). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Garrett says: "I think he means Ghost Zits."
- ↑ Kylie Griffin (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 9:35-9:38). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Kylie says: "...an ancient tunnel, may be a thousand years old."
- ↑ Kylie Griffin (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 10:14-10:20). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Kylie says: "But certain cultures had knowledge of incantations and talismanic objects that could work in conjunction with an imprisoning structure."
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 12:08-12:10). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "It's her offspring that will ultimately destroy the world."
- ↑ Narrator (2016). Insight Editions- "Tobin's Spirit Guide" (2016) (Book p.75). Paragraph reads: "It was the source of the infamous Black Death epidemic, numerous plagues from Russia to Milan, and, it's rumored, the Spanish influenza outbreak of the twentieth century."
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 12:13-12:17). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "Achira is one of the most highly evolved ghosts I've ever come across."
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 16:01-16:04). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "A Class 6 S.P.E. somewhere in the immediate vicinity."
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 4:02-4:10). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "I've been analyzing P.K.E. readings of the ghost that attacked me... and it appears that we're dealing with a Symbio-Apparitional Entity. In other words, it needs a host."
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Darkness at Noon, Part 2 (1997) (DVD ts. 12:11-12:12). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "Apparently, she's a Self-Replicating Entity."
- ↑ Narrator (2016). Insight Editions- "Tobin's Spirit Guide" (2016) (Book p.75). Paragraph reads: "CLASS VII. NONCORPOREAL POSSESSOR."
- ↑ Fil Barlow deviantArt "XGB Ep01 Achira Stage 2" 10/15/13 Fil Barlow says: "This ghost design came from a collaboration with Executive Producer Richard Raynis, I had designed Achira's first stage and he wanted to pull out all of the stops for her second stage. I wanted him to have a chance to draw, as all of his duties were taking him further from his artistic origins, so I handed him a pencil and we drew ideas together, Achira's face was based off his first sketch which I traced and used here, then I designed the snake arms, hair and body. I went on to design the Achira's third stage on my own."