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    Egon Spengler

    Character » Egon Spengler appears in 297 issues.

    Egon Spengler is extremely intelligent but socially cold and awkward. Egon is the key designer of the equipment that makes Ghostbusters'work possible, along with Dr. Stantz.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Egon Spengler last edited by gravenraven on 06/19/23 07:25PM View full history

    History

    Origin

    Egon had an unusual upbringing. His parents discouraged playing with toys, in favor of more academic pursuits. He claims to have had only one toy as a child, a slinky, which he he straightened out. As a result of spending much of his childhood in solitary study, he tends to be awkward in social situations, and once described himself as "always serious".

    University Life

    "Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic?"

    Egon met his fellow Ghostbusters Peter Venkman and Ray Stantz at university and they become close friends, with Ray and Egon stated as playing lots of games with 3 dice together by Venkman. Among the Ghostbusters, Ray is most like Egon in intellect and temperament, and often understands him best. Upon completing their degrees they all get jobs working for the university, in the department or paranormal research. While also studying paranormal literature in their spare time, especially works related to reincarnation and the spirit world. Egon being both the most brilliant mind of the Ghostbusters and the most open to possibilities, (bar the possible exception of Ray) was the always the first choice interviewer to perspective clients and "whack jobs" as Peter calls them, since he would sit and listen to whatever was said, no matter how crazy it may sound. This trait continued when the 3 of them are fired from there positions at the university, and go to work for themselves.

    Ghostbusters

    "I collect spores, molds, and fungus."

    "Ray, this looks extraordinarily bad."

    After using Ray's inheritance money to secure property, the Ghostbusters begin the process of setting up their headquarters and getting the prototype gear ready. After a few weeks the firehouse is up and running, and Ghostbusters hire Winston Zedmore as the fourth Ghostbuster and Janine Melnitz as their receptionist.

    Personality

    While a certified genius, Egon is know to be quite humorous as well, especially in his battles of will with fellow Ghostbuster Peter Venkman, to whom he once commented that women would be more attracted to his epididymitis than his brain. Egon is also prone to odd understatement as well, stating that crossing the stream of the proton packs "would be bad", which he later clarifies to "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light."

    One of Egon's main vices is a major sugar addict. He is often seen snacking on sweet treats and is rewarded by Venkman with some form of tasty snack. Slimer raids Egon's stash on several occasions.

    While usually a calm and quite quiet man of science, Egon has also been shown to occasionally show bursts of anger, including him swearing a couple times in first movie, and even trying to confront and and strike Walter Peck. However, Egon is generally the most level-headed and to-the-point Ghostbuster.

    Skills

    Engineering

    Egon's intellect far surpasses that of a regular university education. He was years ahead of his peers while still a young boy. It is his keen intellect that allows him to analyse a situation & strategise the Ghostbusters way to success.

    • PKE Meter - the first device Egon constructed, a scanner
    • Giga Meter - a more advanced scanner for different readings
    • Muon Trap - co-designed with Ray, the device that traps spirits
    • Proton Pack - co-deigned with Ray, device to pull ghosts into Muon beam
    • Slime Blower - co-designed with Ray, simply blows Mood Slime

    Miscellaneous Inventions

    Non-Ghostbusting inventions include a pop-up tent that fits into a suitcase, powered roller skates that have a force field barrier to protect from flying insects, and an inflatable raft that fits into a pencil case.

    Various Experiments

    Egon has conducted many weird and interesting experiments whilst with the Ghostbusters, including:

    • Trepanation - where he planned to drill into his own head and expand his intellect before being urged not to by Venkman
    • Singing, sleeping with, playing music to and general nurturing of the mood slime to monitor its behavior.
    • Deliberately setting up couples to argue, via leaving them to wait to a steadily increasing heated room.
    • Placing a young girl in a room full of toys and a puppy, then removing the puppy.

    Other Media

    Film

    Ghostbusters (1984)

    Actor Harold Ramis plays Egon Spengler.

    Animated

    The Real Ghostbusters

    "Sometimes I think the universe just waits for me to get cocky."

    "Indeed?"

    As he is in the movies, animated Egon is the brains of the Ghostbusters. He has many times been able to save the day by coming up with ways to defeat the ghost with a different setting on the equipment. He often assumes tactical command of the Ghostbusters while in the field, usually having the best idea of what they're facing. He keeps to himself mostly. A traumatic experience with the Boogieman as a child served as the impetus for him getting involved in researching the paranormal and finding ways to combat it. Blushing, he confessed once that his mother, nicknamed him "Spookums."

    Egon's interest in the supernatural and paranormal began as a result of having been tormented as a young boy by the Boogeyman.

    Egon has on occasion displayed a dry sense of humor. He also has little patience for non-scientific ways of approaching matters and frivolity in general. One of the few times he ever showed genuine terror was shortly after a near-death experience by getting knocked off the World Trade Center, saved only by Winston's masterful control of Ecto-2.

    When believing that his death was imminent in a ploy to stop Ragnarok from occurring, he uttered Janine's name with a slight tone of sorrow and regret. Egon was often the victim of scientific accidents. While trying to bust a Clock Ghost, he was also hit by the Proton Streams. The atomic structure of every molecule in Egon's body was reversed as a result. He began to age in reverse and was in danger of vanishing from existence if the accident hadn't been reenacted in time by midnight.

    Compared to his live action incarnation, RGB Egon is less prone to emotional outbursts and less likely to make a wisecrack. But both are fairly equal in obsessive interests in science and lack of social skills. He was voiced by Maurice LaMarche.

    Video Game

    Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Xbox 360 / PS2 / PS3 / PC)

    Harold Ramis reprises as Egon. In the game, Egon becomes significantly more 'hands-on' during the course of the game. He and Ray instruct the Rookie in the use of the Proton Pack and its eventual PCS upgrades.

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