Witchfire (Marvel Comics)

Witchfire (Ananym) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a former superhero, now supervillain, and magician. She was a former member of Gamma Flight and was eventually recruited into Beta Flight. She is the daughter of X-Men villain Belasco.

Witchfire
Cover art for X-Infernus #3.
Art by David Finch.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAlpha Flight vol. 1 #79 (November, 1989)
Created byJames Hudnall, John Calimee
In-story information
Alter egoAnanym
Team affiliationsAlpha Flight
Gamma Flight
Beta Flight
Abilities

Fictional character biography

Ananym is the daughter of Belasco, a sorcerer who formerly ruled the dimension Limbo; however, she has no memories of her early life, nor her apparent demonic background.

When Alpha Flight vanished from Earth, the Canadian government recruited Witchfire and others to form Gamma Flight.[1] Upon the return of Alpha Flight, Gamma Flight was ordered to arrest them,[2] but both teams teamed up to defeat Llan. Gamma Flight was later disbanded in a merger with a revived Department H and Alpha Flight with Witchfire remaining.[3]

Witchfire was assigned to Department H's trainee programs, Beta Flight, and to a new Gamma Flight support team, specifically for supernatural purposes.[4] After being trapped in the Dreamqueen's realm, she returned and was instrumental in defeating the Master's Omega Flight.[5] She assumed leadership of Beta Flight, but when Manikin was injured in battle, she started becoming darker and ended up frying the mind of the Jackal, who had poisoned him.

When the Hardliners invade the Department H headquarters, they beat Witchfire severely. However, she recovers and grows much stronger in power.

X-Infernus
Main article: X-Infernus

While in Limbo, the recently resurrected Illyana Rasputin attacks various other demons looking for the Soulsword and the original Bloodstone amulet. This does not go unnoticed by several demonic entities, who Witchfire summons together, and reveals that she is the current owner of the original amulet. She also vows to destroy Darkchilde and take her father's place as ruler of Limbo.[6]

In Limbo, Witchfire learns that Magik has left Limbo and assumes control. She stabs S'ym through the chest, seriously wounding him. Magik teleports in to find him chained to the throne. She asks what happened and he informs her that Belasco's daughter has taken control in her absence. Illyana is shocked to hear Belasco has a daughter and Witchfire steps out of the shadows and attacks Magik.[7] Witchfire claims everything her father ever owned, including Magik's soul, and stabs her through the chest. She then takes the Bloodstone from the X-Man Pixie and adds it to the original amulet, giving her four Bloodstones and a more demonic appearance.

When Pixie teleports into the castle by herself, she runs into the throne room where she finds Magik bound by chains. Witchfire grabs Pixie by the throat and forces her to become her new apprentice and begins forging a new Bloodstone from Pixie's soul.

Hearing the screams from the castle, Nightcrawler teleports the X-Men into the throne room. Once there, Witchfire turns Colossus and Wolverine against Mercury and Rockslide. Nightcrawler notices Illyana chained to a pillar and she asks him to stab her with Pixie's Souldagger, as it is the only way and that only he can do it because he is attuned to magic. He apologizes and stabs her. At that moment. Colossus punches Kurt and Witchfire finishes making her fifth and final Bloodstone from the now demonic Pixie.[8] Kurt recovers in time to remove the Souldagger and Soulsword from Illyana and use them to free Colossus and Wolverine from their enchantment. Pixie then uses them to free Illyana so they can confront Witchfire. She tries to blast Illyana, but she is shielded by Mercury long enough for Illyana to strip the bloodstones from her and destroy the amulet they are in. Witchfire is then trapped in the Elder God's dimension with four of the bloodstones.[9]

Powers and abilities

Witchfire's innate senses allow her to detect and identify all forms of mystic energy near her. Normally, she can attune these to sense non-mystical forces such as emotions or life energies. She naturally heals slightly faster than normal.

She is also skilled in the use of various magics beyond her own innate abilities. She has been trained by fellow Alpha Flight teammate Shaman in sympathetic magic, and also in magics drawing on extradimensionals such as Agamotto and Hezaba. Witchfire's spells include shields against flame, physical damage and magic; pain-inducers; and spells to end mind-control. She has a natural affinity for flame control, but generally avoids using these spells as they wake uncomfortable elements of her lost past. When she briefly regained her full memories, she transformed into a horned demonic form with greatly increased power levels and greater control over those powers. In this form, she also manifested incredible teleportation abilities, matter transformation and the opening of dimensional gates. In Witchfire's normal form, she has two tiny black horns, but she generally hides them either with her magic or by wearing her hair over them.[10]

Upon gaining four Bloodstones, Witchfire's horns grew larger. When she obtained the fifth Bloodstone, she also grew wings, in addition to having power levels increased.[8]

References
  1. Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #76
  2. James D. Hudnall (w), John Calimee (p), Mike Manley (i). "Counter Moves" Alpha Flight 80 (January 1990), Marvel Comics
  3. Fabian Nicieza (w), Mike Bair (p), Mike Manley (i). "Building Blocks Part 4: Strength" Alpha Flight v1, 90 (November 1990), New York, New York: Marvel Comics
  4. Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #95
  5. "Alpha Flight" #129 - 130 (Feb. - March 1994)
  6. X-Infernus #1
  7. X-Infernus #2 (2009)
  8. X-Infernus #3
  9. X-Infernus #4
  10. http://www.marvel.com/universe/Witchfire
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