The Canadian government recruited Ananym (along with Nemesis
) to form Gamma Flight
, in response to Alpha Flight
's sudden disappearance from planet Earth. Each member wished to keep their past a secret, but Ananym was a blank slate. It was eventually revealed that she is the daughter of Belasco
, demon sorcerer and ruler of 'Otherplace' (Limbo). Upon Alpha Flight's
return, the government ordered Gamma Flight to arrest them, seeing them as uncontrollable and a huge risk. Instead, Alpha and Gamma teamed up to do battle with the powerful sorcerer Llan
. Gamma Flight was later disbanded in a merger with a revived Department H
and Alpha Flight. Witchfire chose to stay with Alpha Flight, to continue with her training.
Mayor Story Arcs
Ananym showed great potential while in training- as a result, she was assigned to a number of different areas, including the Alpha Flight training program, the back-up team Beta Flight
and the new Gamma Flight
support team (her role in the last would specifically be for supernatural purposes). In addition to all of her combat training, she was also taught by Shaman, who served as her tutor in her magical studies; as she possessed rare levels of magical strength and ability, he wanted to make sure she wouldn't be overwhelmed by her powers, as well as ensuring that she learn to use them properly. On her own, Witchfire engaged in a meditation-like act called 'communing', to help maintain control over her magical abilities. This, combined with Shaman's teachings, seemed to have helped prevent her from remembering her unsettling past.
Surprisingly, Witchfire also showed innate leadership potential. In many missions she assumed the role of leader, and she showed poise and an ability to make good decisions under pressure, her team following her unquestioningly. These abilities were especially handy when she and some other members of Beta Flight were trapped in Dreamqueen's world, where her skills as a leader allowed herself and her teammates to escape back home. Upon their return, the group ended up being instrumental in the defeat of The Master's newly formed Omega Flight. Later, Beta flight would become key players in repelling the SKAR (a war-like alien species) invasion.
Despite her abilities as a hero and a leader, she still felt like she didn't quite fit in. Questions about her past (and the nature of her powers) haunted her, despite her best efforts to move on with her life- she had no memories from before the day she was recruited for Gamma Flight. She hid her uneasiness well - it wasn't until Manikin, a member of her team, was poisoned in battle with the Jackal, that she ended up revealing her darker nature. Witchfire, tried as she might, could not maintain herself. Driven by guilt and a huge surge of anger apart of her was awakened inside of her. A darkness, a hate, a rage a slurry of emotions that somehow began to unlock power's that she was never aware of. These increased powers granted Witchfire a level of power that dwarfed any she had ever showed before. Completely embracing her dark rage, she would lash out at Jackal. She was using her gifts in ways her team-mates or herself had never seen, even frightening them. Her combined mental and magical attacks were dismantling her opponent, Jackal. In her final hit, she would hit him with such mental force that she would end up frying his mind and ultimately kill him. Though this would be the first emergence of her dark persona and increased powers it would certainly not be the last. Following Beta-Flights battle with the Jackal, the team would return to their base at the Department H headquaters and find that it had just been attacked sustaining heavy damage. While surveying the building, trying to figure out what had occurred, Witchfire would find out who was behind the attack. Witchfire was searching alone and was caught off guard by Department H's attackers, The Hardliners, and was severly beaten to an inch of her life. Though the remaining member's of Beta-Flight would succeed in the battle against the Hardliners, Witchfire would require surgery if she were to live. She would have her had shaved and have multiple surgeries to remedy the damage she sustained. Witchfire would quickly recover, but her the dark arcane magics in her mind would and grow stronger, exponentially.
It was during this time that The Infinity War had just ended and the ramification had just began to felt by the universe (Earth #616). Just prior to this, Adam Warlock had relinqiushing and subconsciously exiled the supposed "good" and "bad" side of his self from his psyche, whilst he was in possession of the Infinity Gauntlet. He did so because of the immeasurable strength the Infinity Gauntlet granted him. Warlock desired to to be a logical god; desiring to make decisions not prone to judgment and/or imparing emotions such as good or bad. Once expelled, unbeknown st to him, his supposed "good" side of his soul would take the physical form of a woman, and was completely self-aware, with powers of massive levels at her disposal. This being would be referred to as The Goddess. As she was the essence and complete embodiment of the "good" part of Warlock's soul, she felt all her actions and thoughts were right. Seeing the universe as being flawed she wanted to fix it. Appearring in a Joan of Arc styling taking "good" to an extreme she began her quest. She wanted to make the world right, though she only saw things in extreme's. She wanted to destroy all sinner's; as big a murderers as low as liers, but she needed more power. In a rather short time she would come into possession of 30 Cosmic Cube. One Cosmic Cube would afford the wielder a phenomenal amount of power, 30 and the power's were staggering. The Cosmic Cubes were cube shaped matrix' that hold vast energies that are responsive to the will of sentient beings. While the Goddess had thes cubes she would start her campaign for power. She then reached out to the heroes of Earth who were of a religous or spiritual persuasion as their would-be savior. Some members of the "Flight" teams would be affected by her "call" to them. Unable to decline they went to her and did her bidding. Another manevolent being would find this to be the perfect time to act and make his presence known.
Balesco claiming to be Witchfire's father would use her to oppose The Goddess. He would begin his ploy by trying to win over his "daughter." Witchfire began to hear a voice in her head, claiming to be her father and trying to urge her on in power and ambition. Increasing her abilities, Witchfire’s “father” directed her to move in opposition to the Goddess. It seemed that Witchfire’s father wanted her to kill the Goddess. Unknown to her he was wanting the powers of the Cosmic Cubes to empower and free him onto the world. Under her father's control, she would evolve into a powerful demonic form. She would also begin to spy on the Alpha Flight member's there were suseptible to Goddess' call and eventually fell under her control. Witchfire would transport herself, with her newly discovered teleportation powers, across the solar system and regularly keep tabs on her team-mates.
All the while she was using her increase powers and demonic magic to transform Department H into a massive demon-infested obelisk. Alpha Flight would try to fight back, but Witchfire would easily hold her own against, nearly killing the team several times over. Fortunately, Witchfire’s efforts were thwarted by the actions of Alpha Flight. Manikin while still recovering was able to subside her darker persona and reach her inner humanity. Coupled with an attack that would have Witchfire be severely injured by the Alphan called Wire, Witchfire returned to her senses with no memory of the events that had passed or who her mysterious “father” was. The Canadian government would rebuff these actions by disbanding all of the "Flight" teams leaving Witchfire with no other choice but to leave an find her place in the world.
Witchfire wasn't seen again for many years. When she resurfaced she called a meeting of the Council of Hell-Lords. As Mephisto
, Dormammu, and Hela
convened she briefed them on the current situation in her father's realm, with the recent change in power from Belasco, to Amanda, back to Belasco and finally to Illyana (Wildchild). The council didn't believe she had the power to challenge her, untill she showed them her possession of the Bloodstones. She got them to agree to stay out of the power struggle, and that if she succeeded she would earn her Father's seat at the table.
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, Witchfire 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. As Magik confronts Witchfire, Witchfire claims everything Belasco ever owned including Magik's soul and after a quick battle, Magik is taken down by Witchfire who claims the second Bloodstone amulet. Witchfire stabs Magik through the chest, injuring her and knocking her out. Witchfire 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. 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 .
Ananym (Witchfire) is a powerful sorceress that has, up to now revealed but unproven, heritage in arcane might. Witchfire's powers have untapped potential and unqunatified even when she was in her dark persona. Her partial amnesia hinders her access to her full limits. Though it also appears that the locked memories, too, hold back dark, evil side to her personality. Witchfire innate senses allow her to detect and identify all forms of mystic energy near her; at quieter moments she can attune these to sense non-mystical forces such as emotions or life energies. She naturally heals slightly faster than normal. She uses various magic; beyond her own innate abilities she has been trained by Shaman
in sympathetic magic and in magic drawing on extra-dimensionals such as Agamotto
and Hezaba. Her 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 she manifested incredible teleportation abilities, matter transformation and the opening of dimensional gates.
Powers that she has shown thus far:
- Agamotto's Light.
- Concussive Energy Blasts.
- Energy Manipulation.
- Darkness Manipulation.
- Divination Spells/ Light Manipulation.
- Electric Manipulation (Electrokinesis).
- Fire Manipulation (Pyrokinesis).
- Water Manipulation (Hydrokinesis).
- Healing Factor.
- Magical Will-Based Constructs.
- Molecular Manipulation.
- Time Control.
- Force Field.
- Magical Sense.
In her normal form she has two tiny black horns, but she generally hides them either with her magic or by wearing her hair over them.
Known Relatives: Father (Belasco) unproven.
Citizenship: Presumed Canadian, though true origins have yet to be revealed.
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Occupation: Sorcerress, (Formerly) Adventurer.
Witchfire has used three different wands during her short career: a red cane, a white wand, and a gnarled, wooden wand.
Any information on the wands is pure speculation, as magicians don't reveal their secrets easily. These wands may be the source of her powers, or they may augment existing magical powers. Or, as with most magical being that use wands. They are used during their early/novice years. The wands allow the wielder to focus their magical gifts and aim them is need be. This is more then likely the case with Witchfire, as she only uses wands in the beginning of her tenure with Alpha Flight. Later she would no longer have wands with her when she went into battle or used her magical powers.
Witchfire was created by James Hudnall and John Calimee in 1989 and first appeared in Alpha Flight # 76.
Is Belasco Truly Witchfire's Father?
While the question of the validity of his claims remain unanswered, it was the demonic sorcerer Belasco whom had been communicating with Witchfire. [Alpha Flight (vol #1) #122-124] There seems to be little reason to believe Belasco’s claim, although anything is possible. Surely he could not have fathered a child on Earth during the time he was imprisoned in Limbo, but Witchfire’s mother might have been one of possible many girls taken to Limbo to become Belasco’s apprentice, just like Maire O’Connell or Illyana Rasputin. Impregnating such a woman and sending her back to Earth could have been a failsafe plan to one day have an outside agent, capable of ending his banishment and releasing him. However, as Belasco managed to break free on his own several years later, he never had the need to reveal himself to his supposed daughter.
Another idea might be that Witchfire herself is a former apprentice of the demon, who after failing, at least in Belasco‘s eyes, could have been returned to Earth with no memory of what had transpired, leaving only the taint of a darkened soul. This would not make him her father in a biological sense, but in spirit.
A third answer would be that Witchfire’s supposed heritage was a lie created by a prince of lies, an attempt to take advantage of situations by inserting his dark will to unsuspecting pawns. If Witchfire had managed to succeed in her task, Belasco cou ld have had access to multiple Cosmic Cubes, making him one of the most powerful entities in the Multiverse.