Witchfire (Marvel Comics)

Witchfire
Cover art for X-Infernus #3. Art by David Finch.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Alpha Flight vol. 1 #79 (December 1989)
In-story information
Alter ego	Ananym
Team affiliations	Alpha Flight Gamma Flight Beta Flight
Abilities	Magic Fire manipulation

Witchfire (Ananym) is a fictional 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.

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 along with Nemesis, Wild Child, Auric and Silver to form Gamma Flight. Upon the return of Alpha Flight, Gamma Flight was ordered to arrest them, 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.

Witchfire was assigned to Department H's trainee programs, Beta Flight, and to a new Gamma Flight support team, specifically for supernatural purposes. After being trapped in the Dreamqueen's realm, she returned and was instrumental in defeating the Master's Omega Flight. 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 invaded the Department H headquarters, they beat Witchfire severely. However, she recovered and grew much stronger in power.

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 Mephisto, Blackheart, Satannish, Dormammu and Hela. Witchfire appears during the meeting, having summoned the demons together, and reveals she is now the current owner of the original amulet and vows to destroy Darkchilde and take her father's place as ruler of Limbo and his place at their table.