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The Particle Thrower[1] (also known as a Proton Blaster, Proton Gun or Neutrona Wand) is the blaster component that is connected by a hose to the Proton Pack.

History[]

The Real Ghostbusters[]

The Particle Thrower is used to fire Proton Streams at ghosts so as to hold them in place to trap them, if necessary. They work off positive energy.[2] Proton blasters can also destroy ghosts if they can't be trapped, but they need to be at full power in order to destroy or hold onto powerful ghosts and demons. Though Proton blasters are often used to get ghosts near the Ghost Traps, they are not always needed to trap ghosts. The Particle Throwers could be modified to extract a possessing entity from its host by adjusting one for the possessor's exact frequency and the host's electro-metabolic frequency.[3] However, such an attempt comes with risk to the host's life.[4]

Over the years, there have been temporary modifications on the Particle Throwers. In order to properly disrupt the molecular density of the ion field of dreams and nightmares, created by Sandman's powerful sleep dust, the Ghostbusters adjusted the polarization setting on the Particle Throwers.[5][6][7] To capture the Winged Puma, the polarity on the throwers were reversed to negative.[8] To reverse the effects of the Doomsday Door, the Ghostbusters set the throwers to Full Dispersion Mode Wide Angle then fired into the Power Flow Core. The core super charged their equipment. They switched to Capture Mode and the charged streams yanked all the released ghosts and energy back to the core. [9][10][11] When part of the team was buried under snow, the throwers were set to a low frequency with a wide dispersion. Once melted, Egon advised Ray not to talk because he was still partially neutronized and could possibly evaporate.[12]

During a chase of a Winged Bullfrog ghost in Ecto-1, Winston Zeddemore took aim at it. Winston's thrower was modified with a sniper scope. In order to deal with a gigantic Slimer, the Ghostbusters mounted Particle Throwers on helicopters, provided by the Mayor Lenny. They fired controlled bursts at Slimer to neutralize his excess slimic energy. The throwers were attuned to people's bioelectric fields during the Ghostbusters' stint as the Crimebusters.[13] When prompted, Ray attuned his thrower so that the particle beams simulated the spectrum of sunlight and thus, disintegrate Vampires.[14] Without the knowledge of Egon and Ray, Peter reversed the polarity on his thrower in order to defeat the Imps. However, all it did was merge the Imps into a giant demon. The throwers also proved useless against a different type of Imps after they took on powerful forms.[15] Janine later used the reversed thrower to defeat the The Deadly Three, who stole a Proton Pack.[16]

In order to deal with and damage Necksa, Peter connected a heat lamp and generator to his Particle Thrower. It was then used to emit microwave particles to fry Necksa with. However, once Necksa departed, the contraption blew up.[17] While in Boo York, the input-output chambers of the throwers were reversed and emitted streams of ghostly wisps.[18] Against Orlox, the Ghostbusters were forced to switch to full neutrona with maser assist.[19] When spiritual essence leaked out of a faulty Trap and infected many things, including the Containment Unit, the easy solution was to just blast them. Rather than risk creating a hole in the hull and letting all entities go, Egon Spengler made a quick modification to this thrower that would allow him to safely remove the ill effect of the essence from the Containment Unit.[20] The modified thrower resembled a rifle and was a success. Egon once used a thrower for a Proton Electroencephalograph to test Slimer's reactions with non-lethal Proton Streams. Against the Vampiric Alien Ghost, Winston and Peter switched their thrower to Max Boost.[21] However, they could only use it for 20 seconds or their packs would blow up.[22]

The Particle Thrower had a method of last resort built in. Once the Proton Pack was armed to maximum force, the safety would be removed and then a destruct sequence could be triggered to overload the Proton Pack. The Ghostbusters were forced to use this when Jeremy proved too powerful to be stopped by conventional means. Luckily, Jeremy was convinced to undo the damage he caused and the overload was aborted.

Extreme Ghostbusters[]

In Extreme Ghostbusters, Egon and his students updated the blaster and then used the term Proton Gun. It works a bit differently as it needs an independent form of energy from a Proton Cannister to work. Much like Crossing the Streams, a method of last (and dangerous) resort could be initiated by setting the throwers to maximum pulse.[23][24] A Surge Inhibitor was placed into the thrower to keep the power output of the Proton Stream stable, thus preventing it from inducing a surge during use and literally melting. [25][26]

The setting of maximum dilation was used by the Extreme Ghostbusters against Le Maison as midnight approached.[27] When the team attempted to capture ghosts, which were later revealed to be component's of Piper's psychokinetic core, they changed the Injection Ratio dial to override the flux arrestor and then switched to maximum pulse.[28] When that plan failed, the polarity was reversed by firing then turning the Proton Cannister counter clockwise. The combination of reversed polarity, the override, and maximum pulse caused the Proton Packs and throwers to short out almost immediately.[29][30]

During specific cases, the Particle Thrower was given an upgrade. When Piper's emanations were resisting the Proton Streams, Egon thought the ghosts were building up an immunity and created a Proton -Diffusion Booster.[31] Against the Harasvelg, a Diffusion Filter was added in order to cut through precipitation influenced by the entity.[32] To nullify the power of The Dragon's Eyes, the throwers were adjusted to a setting of 13.5 Gigacycles, slightly out of phase with the light waves used to generate the 15 Flaming Circles.[33][34] Against Ravana, the team had to adjust their throwers to modulate in sync with the entity's shirting P.K.E. frequency in order for them to confine it.[35]

When faced with at least 50 Trolls, the Ghostbusters reversed the flow on the throwers.[36] The resulting stream forced the Trolls shot with it to fuse back into one entity. Against a Class 4 Feeder, the ecto-tropic particle filter has to be kicked in first then the main circuit re-calibrated.[37] To effectively defeat the Ecto-Clone's, Ray helped create the Fusion Blast Adapter. The Adapters looked like a special attachment that fits onto the tip of the gun. However, against a giant entity like S.I.D.N.E.E., they were still ineffective.

Toys[]

In merchandising, the Proton Gun was called a Plasma Blaster.

Trivia[]

  • In the March 26, 1986 final draft of "The Spirit of Aunt Lois", Egon was scripted to instruct everyone to set the Proton Streams to Close Range Proximity Cushion to reduce the amount of damage done to Aunt Lois' House.[38]
  • In "Deadcon 1," Ray asked Egon about a Particle Throwing Tank he was working on.[39] However, Egon never answered.
  • In "Spacebusters," they used the throwers on decreased power output to weld.[40]
  • On page seven of Ghostbusters Issue #1, the thrower with scope used in "Take Two" appears on the shelf.
  • On page 26 of Ghostbusters Issue #11, the Particle Thrower visually resembles the Real Ghostbusters version.
  • On page 12 of Ghostbusters Issue #15, the generator from "The Devil in the Deep" makes a non-canon cameo among the Traps and Megatrap.
  • On the subscription cover of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16, a Particle Thrower makes a non-canon cameo held by Ray.
  • On page six of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #18, the generator Peter used in "The Devil in the Deep" makes a non-canon cameo.
  • On page one of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #19, the schematic of the Particle Thrower used by the Extreme Ghostbusters from "A Temporary Insanity" makes a non-canon cameo on the computer screen behind Egon.
  • On page 20 of Ghostbusters International #7, the Proton Shotgun from "Loose Screws" makes a non-canon cameo in panel 3 on the right.
  • On page 4 of Ghostbusters International #8, the Proton Shotgun from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Loose Screws" appears once more.
  • On page 7 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #5, in panel 2, the shot of the the thrower being activated is a nod to the first Intro and some early episodes of The Real Ghostbusters.
  • On page 21 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #5, the memo reveals Garrett's wheelchair is modified to compensate for the thrust of the Proton Stream.[41]
  • On page 7 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #6, in panel 3, Roland's stream is colored like at the end of "Darkness at Noon, Part 2" and at higher power like in "The Pied Piper of Manhattan".
  • On page 14 of 35th Anniversary: Ghostbusters, in panel 2, the generator from "The Devil in the Deep" makes a non-canon cameo behind Janine.
  • The thrower appears on all 3 covers of 35th Anniversary: The Real Ghostbusters.
  • The thrower appears on all three covers of Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary: Extreme Ghostbusters.
  • On January 31, 2023, a new gear shell was added in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed for the Particle Thrower based on the version seen on The Real Ghostbusters.
  • On April 20, 2023, a new gear shell was added in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed for the Particle Thrower based on the version seen on Extreme Ghostbusters.

Appearances[]

Secondary Canon[]

IDW Comics

References[]

  1. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Deadcon 1" (1987) (DVD ts. 05:07-05:08). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Particle Throwers."
  2. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Look Homeward, Ray" (1986) (DVD ts. 16:40-16:41). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "It works on positive energy."
  3. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" (1986) (DVD ts. 19:25-19:33). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "If we set one thrower at Wat's exact frequency... and the other at the electro-metabolic frequency of Peter... we should be able to pull them apart."
  4. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" (1986) (DVD ts. 19:35-19:39). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "But if we mess up, Peter may go all to pieces... literally."
  5. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:39-04:40). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Can we change polarization?"
  6. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:40-04:41). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Might help."
  7. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream" (1986) (DVD ts. 11:45-11:46). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "It disrupts their molecular density."
  8. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Look Homeward, Ray" (1986) (DVD ts. 20:05-20:07). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Now if I can just reverse the polarity."
  9. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Knock, Knock" (1987) (DVD ts. 16:11-16:20). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "So we have to cast directly into the center of the power flow and hope it's enough to super charge the equipment."
  10. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Knock, Knock" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:40-18:43). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Full dispersion mode! Wide angle!"
  11. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Knock, Knock" (1987) (DVD ts. 19:27-19:34). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Okay! Another second! Now, activate capture mode! Pull them in!"
  12. Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Cold Cash and Hot Water" (1986) (DVD ts. 05:45-05:49, 06:00-06:03). Time Life Entertainment.
  13. Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghost Busted" (1986) Time Life Entertainment.
  14. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "No One Comes to Lupusville" (1986) (DVD ts. 16:46-16:51). Time Life Entertainment.
  15. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Joke's on Ray" (1988) (DVD ts. 18:26-18:29). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Peter, our throwers are useless against them."
  16. "Janine's Day Off"
  17. "The Devil in the Deep"
  18. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Flip Side" (1988) (DVD ts. 08:09-08:12). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "The input-output chambers are reversed!"
  19. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Surely You Joust" (1989) (DVD ts. 10:39-10:41). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Full netronas. Mazer assist!"
  20. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Loose Screws" (1989) (DVD ts. 22:21-22:26). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "But perhaps there is a thrower modification to extract the harmful effects without breaching the Containment."
  21. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Spacebusters" (1990) (DVD ts. 19:25-19:26). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Go to max boost!"
  22. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Spacebusters" (1990) (DVD ts. 19:35-19:40). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Remember, only 20 seconds of boost before the pack blows."
  23. Roland Jackson (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Mole People (1997) (DVD ts. 17:25-17:29). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "They're a whole lot bigger than they used to be. Switch to maximum pulse!"
  24. Eduardo Rivera (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Mole People (1997) (DVD ts. 17:30-17:31). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Eduardo says: "Egon said that's dangerous!"
  25. Egon Spengler (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Sphinx (1997) (DVD ts. 12:00-12:04). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "Just take out the Surge Inhibitor. It'll more than double the firepower."
  26. Roland Jackson (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Sphinx (1997) (DVD ts. 12:05-12:08). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "Didn't you put that inhibitor in there for a reason?"
  27. Roland Jackson (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- Home is Where the Horror Is (1997) (DVD ts. 18:15-18:16). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "Blasters at maximum dilation!"
  28. Roland Jackson (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Pied Piper of Manhattan (1997) (DVD ts. 3:58-4:01). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "Override the flux arrestor and adjust the maximum pulse."
  29. Roland Jackson (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Pied Piper of Manhattan (1997) (DVD ts. 4:20-4:24). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "Just one. Reverse polarity."
  30. Eduardo Rivera (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Pied Piper of Manhattan (1997) (DVD ts. 4:27-4:29). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Eduardo says: "Isn't that supposed to be dangerous?"
  31. Roland Jackson (2009). Extreme Ghostbusters- The Pied Piper of Manhattan (1997) (DVD ts. 8:40-8:44). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "Everybody got their Proton-Diffusion Boosters locked in?"
  32. Egon Spengler (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Bird of Prey (1997) (DVD ts. 12:27-12:34). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "The new Diffusion Filter should allow the Proton Beams to cut through any type of precipitation the Harasvelg throws at you."
  33. Kylie Griffin (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Eyes of a Dragon (1997) (DVD ts. 17:08-17:17). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Kylie says: "Are you saying that if we set our Proton Streams a half cycle out of phase with his light waves, the two will cancel each other out, shutting off his powers?"
  34. Egon Spengler (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Eyes of a Dragon (1997) (DVD ts. 17:42-17:51). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "Set your Proton Packs to fire at 13.5 Gigacycles. That should nullify the power of the gems and prevent him from creating anymore of those rings."
  35. Roland Jackson (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Glutton for Punishment (1997) (DVD ts. 15:55-16:01). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "If we modify the Proton Packs to modulate in sync with Ravana's shifting P.K.E. frequency, we just might have a chance."
  36. Roland Jackson (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Rage (1997) (DVD ts. 18:39-18:48). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland says: "We can reconfigure the energy flow of the Proton Packs. If we reverse the flow, it may act as a magnet and fuse their cells back together!"
  37. Ray Stantz (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Back in the Saddle, Part 1 (1997) (DVD ts. 08:46-08:53, 08:55-09:00, 10:22-10:27). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Ray says: "Wait! If it's a Class 4 Feeder, you don't want to blast it without kicking in the ecto-tropic particle filter...Open the access panel, then you want to reset the compression...After you kicked in the ecto-tropic filter, did you remember to recalibrate the main circuit?"
  38. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume One Disc Five, "The Spirit of Aunt Lois" Script p. 29. CPT Holdings, Inc. Egon says: "Set your streams for close Range Proximity Cushion. We'll do less damage to the house that way."
  39. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Deadcon 1 " (1986) (DVD ts. 05:17-05:20). Time Life Entertainment.
  40. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Spacebusters" (1990) (DVD ts. 12:50-12:55). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "If we decrease the power output on our throwers, we may be able to weld it shut."
  41. 68-E Memo (2018). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #5" (2018) (Comic p.21). 68-E Memo reads: "GARRETT MILLER is a paraplegic athlete and thrill-seeker who uses a modified wheelchair to compensate for the thrust of a particle stream."

Gallery[]

The Real Ghostbusters Pilot Design[]

The Real Ghostbusters Design[]

The Real Ghostbusters Collages[]

The Real Ghostbusters Secondary Canon Images[]

The Real Ghostbusters Tertiary Canon Images[]

The Real Ghostbusters Behind the Scenes Images[]

Extreme Ghostbusters Design[]

Extreme Ghostbusters Collages[]

Extreme Ghostbusters Secondary Canon Images[]

Extreme Ghostbusters Tertiary Canon Images[]

Extreme Ghostbusters Behind The Scenes Images[]

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