No, Ghostfreak is Not Currently in the Omnitrix
As an avid gamer and Ben 10 fanatic myself, I get asked often by readers and fellow players: is the creepy Ectonurite menace Ghostfreak still trapped inside the Omnitrix? After thorough franchise research and deep lore analysis, the clear answer is no. Here‘s the full ghost story.
A Brief History of Ghostfreak and the Omnitrix
For those unfamiliar with Ben 10‘s vast alien catalog, let me provide some quick context on Ghostfreak and his tortured past with the iconic Omnitrix device.
This ghoulish alien is an Ectonurite named Zs‘Skayr from the planet Anur Phaetos. As this data table shows, he‘s an empty husk of an alien when first transformed, relying on a second skin layer to protect his fragile true form:
| Attribute | Without Skin | With Skin |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Weak | Strong |
| Speed | Slow | Fast |
| Durability | Extremely Vulnerable | Invincible |
Back when Ben first discovered the Omnitrix as a kid, Ghostfreak‘s DNA was accidentally loaded into the device alongside the 10 original aliens. This trapped the villainous Zs‘Skayr inside against his will, allowing Ben to transform into a more powerful hooded version of Ghostfreak.
This arrangement lasted for years in-game until the infamous Ghostfreaked Out episode of the original series. Here, Zs‘Skayr took advantage of a briefly vulnerable Omnitrix to fully escape the device, scarring young Ben in the process.
The Rogue Ectonurite Menace
Like so many epic gaming villains, Ghostfreak wasted no time pursuing his own agenda after escaping. He quickly began amassing an army of Ghostfreak minions to take over planets across the galaxy.
As a fellow gamer, I know the dread of facing off against a late-game enemy who has suddenly become super powered. And Zs‘Skayr made for one terrifying foe. He possessed truly ghastly abilities like invisibility, intangibility, and tentacle attacks that could melt faces off (!).
So considering Ghostfreak‘s surging strength, how did Ben ultimately defeat him? Well, by exploiting the glaring weakness in the Ectonurite‘s design. As I‘m sure my fellow collectors know, bosses may seem undefeatable, but smart players can target their Achilles heel for big damage.
And Ghostfreak‘s is direct exposure to sunlight. As the below stat chart indicates, UV rays mean virtually insta-death for Zs‘Skayr and his minions:
| Attribute | Daylight Exposure |
|---|---|
| Health | 0 HP (Disintegrated) |
| Power Level | None (Dead) |
So Ben lured Ghostfreak into sunlight and disintegrated his army, eventually trapping Zs‘Skayr back in his home dimension. Crisis seemingly averted!
Or so gamers thought until much later when…
The Return of Ghostfreak
Like any great gaming villain, Ghostfreak eventually returned in sequels thirsty for revenge. In a plot twist for the ages, Ben accidentally rescanned Zs‘Skayr‘s DNA when battling him again in the Alien Force era.
This once more gave Ben access to transform into Ghostfreak. But considering the alien‘s renegade past, he wisely refrained from using this unstable form again.
So in summary, while Ghostfreak‘s DNA code still potentially exists in the Ultimatrix and even Omnitrix for heroes like Ben to access, Ghostfreak himself (aka Zs‘Skayr) remains a freed rogue entity. He is decidedly NOT trapped within the Omnitrix anymore…for now.
But will he return? As a fellow gamer, I know villains have a way of craftily respawning when you least expect them to. So let‘s explore…
Could Ghostfreak Return to the Omnitrix?
Like any epic gaming franchise, the Ben 10 writers love reinventing classic characters for surprise appearances. We‘ve seen this recently with reintroductions like Kevin Levin, Charmcaster, and even the Negative 10!
So from a story perspective, it would make perfect sense to bring Ghostfreak back into the fold. His terrifying abilities would pair perfectly with moody, more mature versions of Ben.
Personally, I‘d love to see a grittier take on an adult Ghostfreak. Just imagine the damage he could inflict in the right hands! His skill tree potential is off the charts:
- Invisibility + Intangibility Combos
- Instant Transmission Between Shadows
- Summoning Minion Hordes
- Corrupting Heroes via Possession
- Melting Anything He Touches
And that‘s just the start of playstyles you could build around him. The possibilities are endless from a gaming perspective!
The key is putting him in the right writer‘s hands. With the proper gritty, horror-inspired direction, Ghostfreak could quickly become an iconic antihero in the franchise.
And at the very least, he deserves another central spotlight episode exploring his twisted backstory and motivations beyond surface-level evil. There are ample narrative layers to peel back on Zs‘Skayr if the showrunners feature him prominently again.
We can only hope they bring this complex alien back in spectacularly haunting fashion!
So in closing friends, while currently removed from the Omnitrix, Ghostfreak retains future potential for a chilling return. His absence leaves an intriguing gap in the roster that begs for a properly-executed comeback story. And as an OG fan myself, I can‘t wait to see this creepy Ectonurite resurrected once more!
Let me know your own hopes for Ghostfreak in the comments down below! Should this ghastly antihero stay banished for good? Or are you craving his next haunting Omnitrix appearance as much as I am?
