Winston Zeddemore

Winston Zeddemore is one of the main characters from the Ghostbuster franchise.

Dr. Winston Zeddemore was the fourth member to join the Ghostbusters. He saw a job advertisement in the wanted ads, and replied. He was not one of the original three Ghostbusters, so in some promotional medias he isn't promoted with the rest. He appears in all major forms of Ghostbusters Franchise, however like Ray and Peter was a guest on Extreme Ghostbusters.

Personality
Out of the four, Winston is perhaps the most conventional. He is the common man of the Ghostbusters. He is a responsible dependable person, however as shown in the jail in Ghostbusters he does think for himself. His Christian background shows sometimes in ethical issues, and may be partly why he is so dependable. Winston takes over the mechanical aspect of Ecto-1, leaving Ray more time to work with Egon and build new equipment.

As a part of his employment interview, he was asked if he believed in many paranormal activities and phenomena, but he said that he'd believe anything as long as there was a steady paycheck involved. He is also a Christian and discussed the apocalypse with Ray and convinced him that judgment day might not be just a myth. According to the official Ghostbusters: The Video Game strategy guide, he is the most spiritual and religious of the Ghostbusters. Additionally, he loves New York city. Winston is something of an everyman who is generally more practical and down-to-earth than his teammates.

Abilities
The main equipment used by the Ghostbusters to capture ghosts is the proton pack: a reportedly unlicensed nuclear accelerator which fires a proton stream that polarizes with the negatively charged energy of a ghost, allowing it to be held in the stream while active. The proton packs' particle throwers were originally portrayed as wands worn on each arm. In current versions, it consists of a hand-held wand (neutrino wand as described and scripted by Aykroyd, also called a proton gun or particle thrower within the franchise) connected to a backpack-sized particle accelerator. The Proton Stream can also fire a hard-hitting boson dart which can be fired alone or collided with the Proton Stream to fire a Boson Collider.

The Slime Blower is seen and developed in the movie Ghostbusters II; this piece of equipment is a metal tank strapped to the back of its user, with an attached sprayer used to project streams of the psychomagnetheric mood slime that has been reinforced with positive emotions so as to neutralize its negatively reinforced counterparts. In Ghostbusters: The Video Game, the slime blower is modified to shoot positively charged slime, and can also shoot slime tethers, the slime tether in turn can be attached to one object, then the other end to another solid surface to pull that heavy object (also used to open heavy doors) which usually would be difficult to move without use of some tremendous amount of force, so the slime tether helps get the job done. The Ghostbusters can also attach one end of a slime tether to a ghost, then attach the other end to a nearby already deployed ghost trap allowing for a quicker trapping of a ghost. A toy slime blower was released with the Kenner Real Ghostbusters toy line. In the Ghostbusters comics, the Ecto-Splat is a flamethrower-like device that fires a hard jet of ectoplasm, which can damage or dissipate ghosts.

The Shock Blaster is the close-range weapon of the Ghostbusters arsenal. It fires a blast of stripped dark matter particles that diffuse quickly when they come in contact with the outside world. The Ghostbusters use the Shock Blaster for fighting close-proximity entities and inhabiting swarmers. The Shock Blaster also fires a Stasis Stream which fires a high-capacity stream that hypobond to ectoplasmic matter. If a Ghostbuster trains the stream on a ghost long enough, he can actually stop it entirely.

The Ghostbusters also use equipment to hunt and find ghosts. The PKE meter is a handheld device that locates and measures psycho-kinetic energy (PKE), which is an environmental byproduct emitted only by ghosts. The device's most prominent feature are winged arms that raise and lower in relation to the amount of PKE detected while a digital display gives an exact reading for the operator. The giga meter is a device similar to the PKE meter featured in Ghostbusters II. As explained by Egon in the original script, the giga meter measures PKE in GeV, or giga-electronvolts. Ecto-Goggles, sometimes known as Spectro-Visors, are a special pair of goggles that visually trace PKE readings. They are particularly useful in helping the wearer see normally invisible ghosts. There is also a Ghost Sniffer only seen used by Venkman in the first movie. A toy Ghost Sniffer was released as part of the Kenner Real Ghostbusters toyline.

In the Ghostbusters fiction, ghosts cannot simply be destroyed. Instead, they become temporarily destabilized. However, from their encounter with the Gray Lady in the first movie, Egon devises several pieces of equipment that are used to trap and contain ghosts.

The trap is a box with a split, hinged lid, remote-controlled by a simple pedal switch, attached to the end of the box by a long cable. When a ghost is brought close to the trap (usually by means of the proton pack), the ghost trap is activated by the foot switch. Its lid then opens, and a force field draws the ghost inside. When the ghost is captured, the trap emits smoke and a strong, bad smell. Characters are advised to refrain from looking directly at the trap when it is activated. The ghost can then be transported to the larger, more permanent containment unit. More than one ghost can be stored in a trap, but a maximum number has never been established, nor for how long a ghost can be held. A captured ghost can be released from the trap by opening it.

The Ecto-Containment Unit, also referred to as the Containment System, is the large facility in the basement of the Ghostbusters' headquarters. It was developed after Dr. Spengler and Dr. Stantz made their first actual contact in the basement of the New York Public Library with the ghost of its librarian Eleanor Twitty, who is referred by them as the Gray Lady. Data from that experience indicates they could capture and hold ghosts indefinitely. This idea makes the Ghostbuster business possible. All captured ghosts are stored in the containment unit. The unit itself utilizes a high-voltage grid of lasers to do its job. Turning off the protection grid without following proper procedures will result in a catastrophic and explosive release of all ectoplasmic entities and psycho-kinetic energy stored in the unit. The containment unit has an easy-access slot, where the ghost can be transferred from the trap into the unit's containment field.

Trivia

 * According to Making Ghostbusters, the character's original name was Ramsey.
 * In the IDW Comics canon, Ramsey is Winston's middle name.
 * In the first script Ghost Smashers, Dan Aykroyd wrote the character Ramsey with Eddie Murphy in mind.
 * The original concept for Winston was younger and hipper. The crew thought of a young black comedian like Eddie Murphy for the role. At one point, Gregory Hines was talked to, but the directors later decided that the crew needed a "straight man," and decided casting a fourth comedian to the film would put too much comedic light in the film.
 * Until the final shooting draft, Winston had been seen in the script as a security man for the company.
 * In all drafts but the final, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was conjured up by Winston.
 * Winston would have revealed he roasted Stay Puft Marshmallows at his grandfather's smokehouse in North Carolina when he was a child.
 * In the August 5, 1983 Draft, Winston was going to be one of the original Ghostbusters, but it was decided to have him join later to show they needed help to deal with the rising number of spooks thanks to Gozer's impending arrival.
 * In the August 5, 1983 Draft, Winston's resume was more detailed.
 * In the service for five years
 * Air Force Police Captain assigned to administer perimeter security at Reese Strategic Air Command base
 * Designed electronic barrier systems for Sentry Alarms
 * Ended up as V.P. Tactics and Training at Pacific Headquarters until the offices were closed down.
 * 15th Degree Black Belt in Wing Chun Boxing
 * A qualified award-winning weapons handler
 * In the August 5, 1983 Draft, Winston was slimed by Slimer instead of Peter Venkman.
 * At one point in the Dan Aykroyd-Harold Ramis collaborations, Winston had too many good lines so they began shifting Winston's attitude to Peter's.
 * The scene in Ghostbusters Chapter 20: Keymaster where Ray and Winston are in Ecto-1 talking about end of the world was used to audition actors for the role of Winston.
 * In the Ghostbusters: The Supernatural Spectacular, Winston Zeddemore was in Strategic Air Command, ECM school, is a black belt in karate, and is a small-arms expert. The Zeddemore's are a strict Baptist family. Winston was in the Air Force. He has younger sisters and brothers but the exact number is not specified.
 * Mentioned in the novelization, Winston's mother is named Lucille, whom he was living with after his stint in the Air Force for a month's time, when the "help wanted" ad for the Ghostbusters came to his attention.
 * In the Ghostbusters II August 5, 1988 draft, Winston's social security number was revealed to be 322-36-7366.
 * In Ghostbusters II, Winston’s mustache was shaved off, resembling his animated counterpart.
 * In the Ghostbusters II August 5, 1988 draft, Winston mentioned he was working at an airline before coming back to work with the Ghostbusters.
 * In the Ghostbusters II deleted scene, Driving Miss Liberty, prior to the Ghostbusters utilizing the Statue of Liberty, Winston never visited it despite living in New York his whole life.
 * In the February 27, 1989 version of the Ghostbusters II script, during the epilogue scene, Winston alludes his ancestors arrived in America against their will on a slave ship that landed at Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.
 * According to the Legion miniseries, Winston has a fear of clowns.
 * In The Zeddemore Factor, Winston's first bust was at the Natural History Museum against Pterosaur Ghostswhere he forgot to turn on his pack and got slimed.
 * According to the Ghost Busted (manga) from Tokyopop, Winston is said to have been in the Marines, rather than the Air Force. He still retains his old Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), M249 Light Machine Gun, and keeps it in full working order in case of an emergency that the regular Ghostbusting equipment might not be suited for arises.
 * In Ghostbusters: The Video Game, it is revealed by Winston himself that he has some degree of experience in paranormal affairs. He put himself through college working as a fortune teller on Coney Island. He claims to have "Worn a red velvet cape; it was plush."
 * Also revealed in Ghostbusters: The Video Game is the fact Winston earned or attempted to earn a Ph.D. During their investigation at The Museum of Natural History, Winston comments "Ah, the Egypt exhibit. I practically lived here while I was working on my doctorate." Whether this occurred prior to the events in the movies, or between then and the video game, is not made clear.
 * After the Museum of (Super)Natural History Level (realistic version) level, one of the messages left on the Ghostbusters' answering machine is from Winston's Uncle Raymond who's coming to visit soon.[37]
 * At the start of the Return to the Sedgewick Level (realistic version) level, Winston reveals he pays $2000 a month for a 600 square feet walk-up (an apartment with no elevator).
 * On Page Nine of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Official Game Guide of the Realistic Version and Four of the Stylized Version, Winston's Caution Box notes he is an ex-Marine.
 * In the IDW Comics, Winston does not have a doctorate. This is the first instance of the ongoing series establishing it is in a continuity separate to the prime universe (the two movies and Ghostbusters: The Video Game).
 * In the IDW Comics, Winston won a trophy for baseball.
 * On his Ghostbusters: The Board Game character card, Winston's employee ID # is listed as 111 75 0306.
 * In Ghostbusters International #3, page 6, Janine revealed the last time open interviews were held, Winston was the only applicant who showed up.
 * On the Dramatis Personae page of Ghostbusters International #9, Winston's bio mentions his love of baseball.
 * In Ghostbusters International #9, page 4, Winston admitted to Melanie he's been nervous about going underground since the encounter with the Ghost Train during the Vigo incident of 1989.[43]
 * On the Regular Cover of Ghostbusters Annual 2017, Winston is drawn as he appeared in Ghostbusters II without the mustache.
 * On Page 7 of Ghostbusters Annual 2017:
 * In panel 2, Winston mentions he was left out of the last book about the Ghostbusters -- making light of Winston's omission from several movie posters and the like over the decades.
 * In panel 2, the books in Winston's backpack are about Egyptology - a nod to his doctorate in that field in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions).
 * Winston is wearing his staple T-shirt inspired by the Forces of Good from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Night Game"
 * In panel 2, Winston is eating a slice of blueberry pie. Incidentally, blueberry fudge cake is a favorite of Winston's animated counterpart.
 * On Page 8 of Ghostbusters Annual 2017, in panel 3, Erik notes the fans have asked - a nod to a long standing mystery of where Winston went after he appeared at the beginning of the court case in Ghostbusters II.
 * On page 2 of Ghostbusters: Funko Universe, Winston wears his green collar shirt seen in Volume 1 of the ongoing series.
 * Winston appears on Cover B and C of Ghostbusters 101 #6.
 * Page 18 of Ghostbusters 101 #6:
 * The second image is from the 2016 movie, Chapter 3, when they see Gertrude Aldridge in the Aldridge Mansion Museum. Winston appears in place of Abby holding their P.K.E. Meter.
 * The eighth image is from Ghostbusters II, Chapter 24 "A Harbor Chick", when the team looks out from the head of the Statue of Liberty. Holtzmann, Patty, and Abby appear in place of Peter, Winston, and Ray.
 * The tenth image is from Ghostbusters II, Chapter 28 "World is Safe Again", of the 'cleaned' Vigo portrait. Patty appears in place of Winston.
 * In the Dramatis Personae of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1, Winston's bio now mentions he has an honorary doctorate was in parapsychology and he's almost done with his law studies in night school. The "soft spot for kids" is nod to helping out Alan Crendall in Volume 1 Issue #1.
 * On page 12 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1, Winston is wearing a two tone striped T-shirt commonly worn by the animated Winston on The Real Ghostbusters.
 * On page 2 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2, Winston and Leonardo teleport into the Turtle Lair from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987 animated series. Leonardo's look is based on that series' design.
 * On page 3 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2:
 * In panel 3, Leonardo and Winston run from the boulder from Indiana Jones' "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and appear in the art style is based on Tin Tin.
 * In panel 5, Leonardo and Winston are on the run from Galaga and Galaxian, both classic Namco arcade games.
 * On page 15 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2, in the battle world, Winston now has two Proton Pistols instead of one.
 * On page 16 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2, Winston alludes to seeing the first Terminator movie then never liking robots after it.
 * On page 17 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2, Winston mentions Bond Girls, the title for the actress who stars in a given 007 movie.
 * On page 19 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #3, Winston reveals he took boxing in his childhood.
 * On page 11 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #4, Peter referred to meeting classmates from Winston's law studies at night school and joked Michelangelo would hardly stand out among them.
 * On page 27 of Ghostbusters Annual 2018:
 * In panel 2, Winston's mechanic suit is visually based on his animated counterpart's uniform.
 * He used this suit in Volume 1 #13.
 * In panel 4, in Winston's locker are:
 * A baseball cap with the logo of Good's Baseball Team from "Night Game".
 * A baseball and catcher's mitt, a nod to his love of the sport.
 * Winston was mentioned in Tiamat's bio in the 34th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on June 14, 2018.
 * Winston was mentioned in the Fire Goblin's bio in the 44th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on July 18, 2018.
 * On Cover A of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #5, Winston is featured.
 * On August 7, 2018, Tom Waltz posted Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card #49, Winston Zeddemore.
 * It mentions Winston's honorary doctorate in Parapsychology but also reveals his Juris Doctor is in progress and he has a Bachelor of the Arts degree.
 * On Cover RI of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #7, Winston is featured.