Original Ghost Trap

The Ghost Trap is a portable containment device used by the Ghostbusters to capture and temporarily store hostile or free-roaming paranormal entities. It serves as the final step in most field operations, allowing ghosts to be safely immobilised and removed from the environment.

Development and Purpose

The Ghost Trap was developed alongside the Proton Pack as part of Dr Egon Spengler’s early containment strategy. While the Proton Pack restrains an entity, the trap provides a controlled means of capture without causing permanent harm.

Early encounters demonstrated that ghosts could be manipulated by energy fields. The trap was designed to exploit this, creating a focused containment zone capable of pulling an entity inside once it was weakened or immobilised.

Design and Core Components

The Ghost Trap is a compact, rectangular unit built for rapid deployment in unpredictable environments. Its low-profile design allows it to be placed on the ground directly beneath a restrained entity.

Key components include:

• Foot-activated release mechanism
• High-intensity containment field generator
• Magnetic sealing doors
• Internal energy dampening systems

When activated, the trap’s doors open outward, generating a powerful capture field that draws the entity inside before sealing shut.

Operational Use

During an active capture, the trap must be carefully positioned beneath the target. Timing and coordination between Ghostbusters is critical, as premature activation or poor placement can result in escape.

Once sealed, the Ghost Trap remains locked until manually released into the Ghostbusters’ containment unit. The internal field keeps the entity stabilised but under constant pressure.

Risks and Safety Warnings

Despite its size, the Ghost Trap contains enormous energy. Mishandling can cause serious injury or uncontrolled release.

Documented hazards include:

• Unintended discharge if dropped or damaged
• Partial containment leading to entity escape
• Severe electromagnetic interference
• Psychological stress from proximity to contained entities

For this reason, operators are trained to avoid standing directly over an active trap and to maintain a safe distance during activation.

Containment Unit Integration

The Ghost Trap is not intended for long-term storage. Captured entities must be transferred to the main containment unit as soon as possible.

Failure to do so can result in internal pressure build-up, increasing the risk of trap malfunction or breach.

Evolution and Variants

Over time, the Ghost Trap design was refined to improve durability, sealing strength, and ease of use. While the exterior remained largely unchanged, internal components were upgraded as knowledge of paranormal containment advanced.

Despite these refinements, the fundamental operation of the Ghost Trap has remained consistent since its first deployment in 1984.

Current Status

• Classification: Portable paranormal containment device
• Operational risk: High
• Deployment requirement: Trained operator only

The Ghost Trap represents the Ghostbusters’ commitment to controlled resolution rather than destruction. It embodies the principle that even dangerous entities can be contained safely when knowledge, teamwork, and precision are applied.