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All The Callback Lines You May Have Missed In Ghostbusters: Afterlife

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is a film that was made for fans of the original. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel; it merely wants to give audiences another lively adventure where a group of misfits attempts to save the world from supernatural forces. It's a ton of fun, and it'll make you want to bust out your old proton pack Halloween costume to see if it still fits. 

As a treat for fans, the film is filled to the brim with references to the original two movies. Some are more obvious than others, such as the scene where the characters literally watch the old Ghostbusters commercial from the original flick on YouTube. And, of course, there's a copious quantity of cameos to satiate your inner enthusiast.

However, some references may have gone over your head the first time. There's no shortage of quotes lifted directly from the first "Ghostbusters" movie and transplanted into the new one. Here are some you may have missed the first time around. 

Who ya gonna call?

When you think of "Ghostbusters," there's one line above all others that comes to mind, and it comes straight out of the old-school theme song. When there's something strange in the neighborhood, who ya gonna call? The various sequels and spinoffs have had a ton of fun with the line in the past, and "Afterlife" is no different. 

When Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and Podcast (Logan Kim) wind up in jail, they're allotted their prerequisite single phone call. Of course, the town sheriff (Bokeem Woodbine) can't merely pass Phoebe the phone. He has to first ask, "Who ya gonna call?" It turns out to be an appropriate question, seeing how Phoebe chooses to contact Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) at his occult bookstore. It's one of the more egregious callbacks that take place, given how much attention is placed on that particular line delivery. Still, it's so fun to say and hear, most audience members probably didn't mind.

Switch me on

This next line is a bit more subtle, but it should put a smile on fans' faces. There's a point in "Afterlife" where Phoebe puts on her proton pack for the first time. It's a significant moment, and to signal that fact, she turns to her friend Podcast and says, "Switch me on."

Fans of the original should no doubt remember when the first Ghostbusters team goes on their first mission. As they ride the elevator to take care of a "cockroach," Ray turns to Egon (Harold Ramis) and says, "Switch me on." It makes sense seeing how he wouldn't really be able to reach back there himself to get things moving. Phoebe saying the same thing shows how the torch has been passed, and a new generation of Ghostbusters are ready to protect the planet.

There is only Zuul

2016's "Ghostbusters" attempted to mix things up by bringing a new villain into the mix, namely Rowan (Neil Casey). "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" goes back to the basics and gives audience members the thing they've wanted since the original film in 1984. That's right; it's the return of Gozer and Zuul.

During the movie, Gozer is on the precipice of a return, but just like in the first film, there needs to be a Keymaster and a Gatekeeper in order to bridge the gap between dimensions. We know something big is about to go down when Callie (Carrie Coon) suffers from a mysterious attack in her dad's old basement. When her kids discover her, she looks fairly out of it, and that's when we get one of the coolest, most chilling lines in the entire film: "There is no mom. There is only Zuul." Apart from the "mom" bit, it's nearly identical to what Dana (Sigourney Weaver) says in the original adventure. It once again confirms that this is a movie that always has the fans' interests at heart.