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Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider
Real Name Unknown
Alternate Identity Ghost Rider
Powers and Abilities Ghost Fire, Penance Stare, Chain Whip, Fireballs, Greatly Enhanced Strength and Durability, Fire Resistance
Allies Rick Jones
Hulk
Betty Ross
Doc Samson
Fantastic Four
Thor

The man known only as the Ghost Rider is a mysterious figure who uses supernatural powers to fight those who hurt the innocent. He is one of the strongest beings on the planet.

Biography

Early Life

Daniel Ketch

The early life of the man who would become Ghost Rider is unknown, nor about how he became the Ghost Rider. At some point he was endowed with supernatural powers which he uses as a superhero to protect and avenge the innocent.

He calls the power the Ghost Flame. The powers are possibly related to the Christianity mythology since he leaves behind a trail of brimstone, usually referred to as sulfur.

Ghost Rider Fire Bike

He rides a motorcycle and wears black leather. When he transforms he is able to form large spikes on his shoulders and forearms in addition to engulfing his body and cycle in flames. The Ghost Flames also make his cycle travel at incredibly fast speeds.

Due to his supernatural strength and endurance, he does not need a helmet. Though he does where one while in his human form.

Ketch Burning Hand

In order to transform, he needs only put his hand on a small sigil, which he installed into his cycle. The transformation starts with his hand then the flames engulf his entire body. He appears as merely a skeleton surrounded by flames.

Ghost Rider Chain Whip

He also uses a large chain that he uses like a whip. He is able to call upon this whip through the Ghost Flames. He can wrap people with it and it is also supernaturally strong.

A side effect of his abilities is heating up the area nearby. Though not always noticed by humans, it can cause problems with gas and water pipes.

Ghost Rider Fire Head

Whether because of his supernatural powers or his own sense of justice, Ghost Rider is drawn to any place where an innocent person suffers. He decided to dedicate his life to stopping injustice wherever it occurred. He uses his Penance Stare to make people feel guilty for all the pain they suffer.

He does not shave often and has an unkempt look. He has long hair that he puts into a ponytail.

Ghost Rider Gambit Memory

At some point he encountered the mutant Gambit in some way in what appears to be a sewer. He probably went after him because of his association with the Thieves Guild.

The X-Men saw a brief glimpse of this encounter through Cerebro when they were trying to retrieve memories of Henry Peter Gyrich after Robert Kelly was kidnapped by Sentinels. Gambit made no mention of this encounter so it is unknown what happened exactly.

New Mission

At some point, Ghost Rider was drawn to a small town outside of Chicago. He had known that something catastrophic had happened to the town. It is unknown, though possible, that some innocent person had died.

Ketch Cemetery

When he arrived he rode to the top of a hill near a cemetery where he saw the town in ruin. Firefighters were hosing down the blazes that had destroyed numerous buildings. He found that much innocent blood had been spilled.

He saw Rick Jones on his own motorcycle riding up to one of the firemen. Ghost Rider overheard the firefighter telling the other cyclist to move on since there was nothing left for anyone. When Rick asked what had happened, the firefighter explained that the Hulk destroyed their down. Rick then left.

Realizing that he need to make this Hulk creature suffer for what the beast had done, Ghost Rider set off on a new mission of vengeance.

He touched the Ghost Flame sigil and transformed. He raced down the road towards Chicago, where he believed the creature to have gone.

Ghost Rider Knocks Away Rick

While driving over a bridge, he passed Rick causing the boy to fall off. Knowing that he could not allow the innocent person to be harmed, Ghost Rider whipped out his chain and caught the boy before he hit the bottom.

Ghost Rider Leaves Rick

He pulled Rick back onto the bridge and he was shocked to see the flaming skeleton. He told Rick that his mission was not with him but with a savage destroyer. He whipped the chain around to pull it back into his hand. He turned the bike around and sped off.

Ghost Rider rode around the city near Lake Michigan. Since he was in his Ghost Rider form, he unknowingly caused a kitchen in a Soup Kitchen to explode.

Ghost Rider Hears Scream

He heard the explosion then a woman scream while on an overpass. He stopped his bike to listen. He saw the flames of the soup kitchen and believed that Hulk was hurting more people.

Green Giant

He sped off doing a wheelie off the overpass. He rode over to the kitchen and burst through the side dropping down in front of Hulk, an enormous green giant. He saw that the beast was approaching an elderly nun trapped under debris.

Ghost Rider Accuses Hulk

Ghost Rider told the creature that his reign of terror was over. He shot fire from his hand knocking Hulk out of the building.

He grabbed the nun from the burning building and drover her out. He saw Hulk trying to stand again so he blasted him back over a building.

Ketch Helps Nun

He set the nun down but as she awoke she was scared of his appearance. He transformed back to his normal human self and comforted her by saying that the monster was gone. He then stated that the Hulk's day of judgement had finally come.

He drove off to hunt the beast down. While later explaining the situation to a police officer, the nun explained how she wondered why the fire did not hurt him.

Ketch Transforms

While riding through the city, he saw numerous helicopters flying over the city. He realized they were searching for the Hulk so he transformed.

Eventually he came across a police barricade blocking off a large portion of the city. He saw that Rick had run the barricade by going over it from a nearby building.

Ghost Rider Runs Police Barricade

Rather than go through the same effort, he simply did a wheelie and jumped over the police cars and into the blocked off area. He then passed Rick, though did not knock him down again.

Grey Area

Ghost Rider tracked Hulk to a city dump. He said to himself that Hulk would know vengeance.

Rick Stops Ghost Rider

At that point, Rick drove up and blocked his path. He told Ghost Rider to stop hunting his friend. Not understanding their relationship, he warned the boy not to interfere.

Rick demanded to know why Ghost Rider should be the one punishing Hulk. He stated that he felt a grave injustice surrounding the Hulk and knew innocents would be hurt.

Ghost Rider Confronts Rick

Rick yelled at him saying that the Hulk is the one suffering the injustice. Ghost Rider told him that if Rick got in his way that the boy would suffer the same punishment as Hulk.

Ghost Rider Rick Flames

Rick then got off his bike and grabbed his handlebars. He told Ghost Rider that Hulk did not want to hurt anyone and just wanted to be left alone.

Ghost Rider was shocked that the Ghost Flames were not hurting the boy's hands. He realized that Rick must have been pure at heart and was meaning every word that he said.

However, Ghost Rider's mission was still the same. He had to stop innocents from dying, whoever they may be. Rick went to his fallen cycle and grabbed his helmet.

Ghost Rider Impressed By Rick

He told Ghost Rider that if the Hulk was about to hurt anyone that he would be the one to stop him. He got onto the back of Ghost Rider's cycle and told him to go.

Ghost Rider smashed through the fence and drove up a pile of cars to leap off the top.

Bad Man

As the two rode through the city, they saw Hulk struggling with a Hulkbusters helicopter.

Ghost Rider Accuses Hulk Copter

Seeing this, Ghost Rider believed that Hulk was hurting an innocent person within the helicopter. Rick pointed out that the Hulkbusters were not innocent to begin with.

Eventually they saw the helicopter crash into a building through the roof. Ghost Rider drove up to the building's front door and rode in. They drove through the building until they got to the level where Hulk had landed.

Ghost Rider smashed through a wall and entered an apartment. They saw a major named Glenn Talbot holding a Tranquilizer Ray at Hulk.

Rick scream out but Glenn fired the tranquilizer ray and hit Hulk.

Ghost Rider Grabs Glenn

Hulk grew angry and began smashing the building causing it to fall apart. Ghost Rider grabbed Glenn and smash through another wall.

The three of them flew through the air and landed safely on the ground.

Ghost Rider threw Glenn onto the street and the tranquilizer ray fell next to him. Rick got off the cycle and took off his helmet. They heard Hulk smashing the building as it collapsed.

Penance

Ghost Rider Penances Glenn

Ghost Rider picked up Glenn demanding to know what the major was thinking. He used the Penance Stare to search into his soul where he saw numerous instances of Glenn ruthlessly pursuing and attacking Hulk.

At that moment, Ghost Rider realized that Hulk was indeed the true innocent as Rick had said, and that his mission was misguided.

He warned Glenn that if the Hulk died that the blood would be on the major's hands. He dropped Glenn who began to weep as of a result of the Penance Stare.

Ghost Rider looked over to see Rick calling out to Bruce Banner, the alternate identity of Hulk. He began moving debris away in an effort to find him. Bruce weakly called out.

Ghost Rider Realizes Hulk Innocence

Ghost Rider realized that Bruce was the innocent one in all of this.

Rick asked Ghost Rider to blast the debris away to free his friend. However, Ghost Rider knew that if he did the rubble would shift and may kill Bruce.

Rick called out to Bruce saying that he needed to get mad so he could transform into Hulk. They knew that only Hulk's strength could free Bruce. Unfortunately, Bruce was tired from the tranquilizer ray and would not get angry.

Ghost Rider Helps Rick Help Bruce

Ghost Rider told Rick that if Bruce could not save himself, he would have to save Rick. Picking up on his meaning, Rick began crying out to Bruce as if he was being attacked.

Eventually Bruce transformed and Hulk burst out of the rubble and landed next to Rick. Rick was glad to see his friend alive and hugged him.

Hulk walked towards Ghost Rider believing that he was the one hurting Rick since he attacked Hulk earlier. Ghost Rider admitted that he was once Hulk's enemy.

Burning Through the Poison

Ghost Rider Dodges Hulk

Hulk tried to punch Ghost Rider, but he was easily about to step out of the way due to his slow swing. Hulk collapsed onto on knee. When Rick asked about him, he said he was tired.

Another helicopter landed and out came a woman named Betty Ross and another super powered man named Doc Samson. The two ran out and towards the group.

Samson helped Glenn who was rambling on about Hulk's blood on his hand and only following orders. Betty ran to Hulk, who she apparently loved, and asked the green giant what was wrong.

Ghost Rider Not Guilty

Betty stood and demanded to know who Ghost Rider was. She thought that he was the one who poisoned Hulk. He explained to her that she was accusing the wrong person, just as he did.

As Samson was helping Glenn into the helicopter, he informed them that Glenn had emptied the entire tranquilizer ray into Hulk. She explained that the tranquilizer was in full effect, and that if Hulk became Bruce again it would poison him and he would die.

Hulk began to transform back into Bruce. Rick walked over as Betty begged Hulk not to give up. Ghost Rider realized that anger was the best way to bring out the Hulk.

Ghost Rider walked over from his cycle with a large flame in his hand. He told them all that he would right the wrong of hunting and attacking Hulk.

Ghost Rider Whips Chain

He transformed the flame into his chain whip and wrapped it around Bruce. He pulled Bruce in close as Betty screamed. He commanded his cycle to circle around them sending up flames. Soon it became an enormous wall of fire.

Ghost Rider told Bruce to remember all of the injustice, pain, and anger he experienced in his life. He used his Penance Stare to search Bruce's mind for several memories of Hulk being attacked.

Innocent Blood

Bruce grew angry and transformed into the Hulk. He flexed his arms and broke free of Ghost Rider's chain. Hulk roared and knocked Ghost Rider out of the circle of flames.

Rick ran to Ghost Rider while Hulk waved the flames away. Eventually the cycle stopped circling and the fires died down.

Powers for Good

Ghost Rider Knocked Out

Samson then picked up Hulk and threw him through a building, which then collapsed. The two continued to fight but Hulk knocked the doctor away.

Ghost Rider got onto his cycle and rode towards him. He touched the sigil giving him a fireball, which he threw at Hulk to knock him back into a wall.

Ghost Rider got another fireball and threw it at the giant. Hulk flew backwards into a train car. Samson then lifted the train car and dropped it on Hulk.

Ghost Rider Hulk Not Stopped

He drove up to the train car along with Betty and Rick. He asked Samson if he had killed Hulk. Samson implied that he could not have.

Hulk suddenly flew out of the train car and landed in front of Ghost Rider. He picked up his motorcycle and tossed it, with Ghost Rider on it, aside.

Ghost Rider Cycle Destroyed

Ghost Rider crashed and his bike appeared to blast apart. Samson tried to attack him but Hulk batted him away.

As Ghost Rider got up, he saw Rick and Betty talking to him. Both were saying how they no longer liked him. They were talking about how he ruined their lives and how they hated him. The two began to weep as they did it.

Ghost Rider stood by as his cycle fixed itself, realizing that fighting the Hulk was futile, and dangerous, but hurting him emotionally would get him angry enough to burn through the poison.

Hulk eventually yelled out and began destroying a train engine. He eventually stopped when the poison burned through his system.

Betty and Rick then tried to talk to him but Hulk thought he no longer had any friends. They tried to explain how they were helping him, but this only confused Hulk.

Hulk leapt away making his friends feel terrible for what they had done. Rick realized that they had broken his heart.

Ghost Rider Leaves

Ghost Rider rode up telling the group that what they did was noble. Though they hurt Hulk's spirit, they saved his body. He told them that this was a true act of friendship, and something he could not do. He claimed that Hulk's heart would eventually heal.

Ghost Rider Flight

Ghost Rider then rode off flying through the city.

Planet Eater

Some time later, Ghost Rider learned that Galactus was in New York City with his Herald Terrax. Ghost Rider sped there and found the planet eater battling the Fantastic Four, the God of Thunder Thor, and a woman named Frankie Raye.

Ghost Rider FF Intro

He saw that Galactus had defeated Thor and though he was weakened, the Fantastic Four were no match for him. Ghost Rider announced his presence and road up on his cycle. Thing wondered why so many other superheroes were on fire.

Ghost Rider Berates Galactus

He introduced himself and explained to Galactus that he comes to wherever innocent blood is shed. He points out that Galactus has shed much innocent blood.

Human Torch realized that the Ghost Rider was real, having thought him merely a myth. Thing wondered why so many superheroes appeared in the same place at the same time.

Ghost Rider drove up to Galactus and stopped before him. He asked the giant if he was ready to face the agony of those the planet eater had killed.

Galactus did not know whether he was a mortal or demon and ordered him away. He claimed to have no time for his games. Ghost Rider stated that he wasn't playing any games.

Ghost Rider Prepares Penance Stare

He then used his Penance Stare on Galactus. Ghost Rider made him feel the torment of a billion billion souls that he destroyed. Galactus was forced to experience the pain of eternal guilt.

Ghost Rider Penances Galactus

Galactus then saw a vision of each and every creature he had ever caused the death of. The sensation overwhelmed Galactus and he fall backwards onto the ground, defeated.

Frankie began to sob into Johnny's chest, feeling sorry for the planet eater.

Ghost Rider Defeats Galactus

Ghost Rider announced to Galactus and the other heroes that his task was complete. He stated that the planet eater's fate was in mortal hands.

Ghost Rider Leaves Galactus

He turned his bike and sped away.

After he left, Thor recharged Galactus and Frankie became his newest herald called Nova. Galactus left the planet promising never to threaten it again.

Powers and Abilities

Rick Finds Sulfur

The true nature of Ghost Rider's abilities are unknown. Even the mighty Galactus did not know whether he was a mortal, demon, or some combination of both. Though Rick Jones' discovery of brimstone in Ghost Rider's trail would imply some kind of supernatural origin.

Ghost Rider's most iconic power is the Ghost Fire. This is the source of all his other powers and abilities. The Ghost Fire appears to burn away all his skin and muscle until there is nothing but bone. At the same time, it encases his entire body in a supernatural fire.

Ghost Rider Motorcycle

In addition to changing his own body, the Ghost Fire also changes his motorcycle. The cycle is also covered in flames, most noticeably replacing the rubber tires with fire. The motorcycle can then move at incredibly fast speeds, with enough force that it can knock people aside. The motorcycle is also not bound by the laws of gravity. Ghost Rider can easily jump over other cars and appears to have limited flight capabilities. The motorcycle also has the ability to repair itself when damaged. It is unknown if it can be repaired all the time or only when damaged in its Ghost Fire state.

The Ghost Fire gives him incredibly enhanced strength and durability. He can survive a tremendous amount of punishment, even from mighty beings like the Hulk. He is also strong enough to fight Hulk, though apparently not enough to defeat him. This would put probably put him in the same league as the Asgardian Thor who similarly fought but could not defeat Hulk.

The Ghost Fire also makes him seemingly invulnerable to the heat and damage caused by fire. However, the Ghost Fire has a side effect causing nearby objects to greatly increase in temperature. If he is not careful, Ghost Rider can inadvertently cause massive damage due to the heat he radiates.

Ghost Rider Penance Stare

Ghost Rider's most powerful ability is the Penance Stare. This causes its victim to suffer all the pain and guilt that they have caused to other people. This causes mortal men to fall to their knees weeping. The more the person has cause suffering, the stronger the reaction they have to the Penance Stare. The stare is strong enough to topple even the mighty planet eater Galactus, who would have seemingly died after the experience.

Ghost Rider Fireball

For offensive purposes, Ghost Rider can create powerful fireballs from the sigil in his motorcycle. The fireballs are strong enough to send a powerful being like the Hulk flying back with enough force to crash through a brick wall and into a car.

In addition to the powerful fireballs, he can shoot fire from his hands in smaller blasts. These are also quite powerful and do not require the use of the sigil.

His last iconic feature is his chain whip. Though he has a chain wrapped around his chest, he can create one from his hand. He can use the chain for grabbing people for whatever reason. It is unknown whether the chain was created through his powers or simply altered by it. Its strength is unknown as it was only seen being tested by the incredibly strong Hulk. Though he certainly could, Ghost Rider does not seem to use for offensive purposes.

Personality

Ketch Determind To Find Hulk

Ghost Rider is a man of extremely high morals. He is bound only by the determination of helping the innocent from those who would hurt or kill them. He travels the world seeking out the non-innocent and making them suffer for what they have done. It is not known whether he does this out of some sense of justice or if he must as part of his powers.

He seems to be able to sense injustice, having felt an injustice around the Hulk. He also seems drawn to come to certain locations at moments where great injustices have or will occur. He was able to find the general area of Chicago where the Hulk, having transformed into Bruce Banner, was hiding though unable to exactly pinpoint him.

Ghost Rider Apologizes

However, in his quest for justice, there have been times when he has needed to protect innocents even from himself. There have been instances where his powers have inadvertently put people into danger while he was distracted on his mission. There have also been times when he has sought out a person for what he perceived was hurting innocents when the person was in fact innocent themselves. In each of these instances, Ghost Rider is quick to fix the situation and will readily apologize. He is more concerned with helping people and cares nothing about how he is perceived by others.

Once he has used his Penance Stare on a victimizer, Ghost Rider leaves them alone. Since the person has atoned for their wrongdoing they are free to live their life in any way they feel, though hopefully making better choices. Even someone as infamous and powerful as Galactus meant nothing to him after his punishment. To Ghost Rider, his mission with the planet eater was over and he had to move onto someone else.

Relationships

Ghost Rider is a solitary person. He appears to have no friends and no known family. His interactions with other people are typically brief and end after whatever guilty person he is hunting is punished.

Ghost Rider Rick

The closest person that he has ever had a relationship with is fellow cyclist Rick Jones. Ghost Rider was impressed that not only was the young man as determined to find the Hulk as he was, but was just as dedicated to helping people. He was impressed that Rick was pure of heart having only the desire to aid his friend. The two teamed up to hunt the Hulk and find the source of the injustice surrounding him. Once that was over, Ghost Rider left Rick behind as he went to find another mission.

He has teamed up with other superheroes such as Doc Samson, the Fantastic Four, Thor, and Frankie Raye as well as the powerless human Betty Ross. These alliances, however, were merely for the purposes of tackling a greater threat and nothing more.

Background

Ghost Rider Flame Head

Ghost Rider was voiced by Richard Grieco in both of his speaking appearances. His appearance in X-Men was a cameo appearing in only one brief shot with a brief animal growl.

Grieco appeared in Fantastic Four along with John Rhys-Davies as Thor. Rhys-Davies also appeared in The Incredible Hulk's "Mortal Bounds" as one of the many connections between the two series.

Ghost Rider is never named in either series. However, his design is based on the Daniel Ketch version who was the Ghost Rider character in the comics at the time having replaced the original Johnny Blaze. Ketch was the first to use the Penance Stare, had spikes on his clothing, and used that motorcycle design.

"Innocent Blood" was intended as a backdoor pilot for a Ghost Rider spin-off. Obviously a Ghost Rider series was not picked up.

Ghost Rider Transform Sans Helmet

See above for in-episode comparison

It appears that "Innocent Blood" had originally animated Ghost Rider's human form without any helmet, as seen in a brief transformation shot during the credits. Likely, one was added to him due to concerns over various helmet laws in the United States.

Ghost Rider was planned to appear in a subsequent episode of Spider-Man that was never made. In the proposed episode, Mysterio would have found the Time Dilation Accelerator and used it to rob banks. During his travels he would have encountered Dormammu and the two would have teamed up. Ghost Rider would have appeared and together with Spider-Man would have stopped Mysterio and Dormammu. However, Ghost Rider would be unavailable due to his appearance on a UPN series while Mysterio supposedly died in the fifth season episode "The Haunting of Mary Jane".

In the Comics

Daniel Ketch is possessed by the cursed spirit of a man named Noble Kale, an ancestor of Ketch.

Ketch is the second Ghost Rider, not counting the unrelated character who would be renamed the Phantom Rider. The first was the stunt driver Johnny Blaze, who so far has not appeared in animation though did appear in the 2000 Spider-Man video game. Blaze sold his soul to the demon Mephisto to save his father figure from cancer. The man was cured of the cancer but killed in a stunt accident. The entity that possesed Blaze was a demon named Zarathos. Though later in Blaze's story we was rid of Zarathos, though retaining some of his powers. Zarathos would later return in Danny Ketch's story as a villain.

Ketch, who was revealed to be Blaze's long-lost brother, was attacked by gangsters along with his sister when he found a motorcycle with a sigil and turned into Ghost Rider. When Ketch and Blaze met, they found that their family was cursed to being hosts for Noble Kale.

The Ketch-Ghost Rider often comes into conflict as well as fighting alongside other heroes such as Doctor Strange, Blade, and Spider-Man.

External Links

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