If you’re anything like myself then you’ve always dreamed of being slimed. As a boy I rolled around in any stick, semi-viscous substance I could get my roll into, said “I don’t know” to questions I knew the answers to, and taunted every spook, spectre, or ghost that came my way. But what are the side effects and consequences of being slimed? Is it just wacky fun or something more sinister?
With being slimed by a ghost there are two different scenarios to consider: either you are being run over by a ghost or run through by a ghost. In the original Ghostbusters, we never actual see the details of Peter Venkman’s sliming incident. Peter screams, Slimer charges, Ray runs and discoverers Venkman sprawled on the ground. And his very survival could depend on how he was slimed.
Slimer Knocks Over Peter Venkman
This is the most basic of the sliming techniques. A ghost takes a solid corporeal form, and literally barrels over you. The slime simply wipes off the ghost and onto the ghostbuster as it passes by. It’s like getting tackled, but gooier, or a little more like wiping snot on passerby. Side effects are minimum: expect some light bruising, swelling, and redness around the slimed area, and you should be back on your feet within minutes.
Slimer is Inside of Peter Venkman
This form of sliming is a little less predictable. The ghost phases through your body, so its molecules pass through your molecules and commingle with those molecules… a supernatural fiesta if you will. Unfortunately, we know from the puddle on the wall that a slimer leaves a trail of slime residue in its wake, this means it’s leaving slime inside you. You’re not only covered in slime on the outside, but your internal organs are covered in slime as well. So far, it’s hard to tell what the effects of slime is on the human body. If ectoplasm is anything like regular human plasma though, the side effects could be the same as getting a bad blood transfusion. A severe hemolytic reaction could occur causing red blood cells to start to clump together with ghost blood cells and clog the arteries of your heart. Internal sliming side effects can cause heart attack, stroke, or death. At the very least, internal sliming would be the equivalent of injecting yourself with HI-C Ecto Cooler, which could cause a rapid heart rate and headaches.
Since, Peter Venkman didn’t suffer a heart attack or any STD’s (Spiritually Transmitted Diseases), we can assume none of the ectoplasm got into his blood stream. The fact that he was laying on his back suggests being knocked over, but his attitude suggests something more went on… giggity.
However, it brings up the question if ghosts are so deadly then why aren’t they phasing through everyone. Well, not every ghosts leaves ectoplasm trails. It could also be an ability unique to a focused, non-terminal, repeating phantasm or a class 5 full roaming vapor.
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So, in the case of Peter being slimed, the non-corporeal ghost zooms toward Peter, manifests itself physically and attacks, passing through Peter in the process and knocking him over. ONly the non-physical aspect of the ghost passes through, which would leave Peter unharmed. The ectoplasm, though, since it only exists in the physical plane, cannot pass through, and thus covers Peter (and the wall when Ray chased him).
A ghost that manifest within a person would likely just possess them, and thus, not create any ectoplasm as a by-product.
At least that’s what THIS geek thinks.