Danny Phantom - Character profile (2024)

Context

Danny Phantom was a well-reputed animated TV series about a teenage super-hero.

It ran from 2004-2007, though like with most good cartoons it still has a fan base.

Background

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Powers and Abilities

Danny Phantom has gradually increased in power and abilities as his knowledge of the ghost world matures. His abilities include:

Transformation

Allows Danny to switch between human and ghost forms. He can transform the Ecto-Skeleton as well due to its connection with his brain.

His transformation is prefaced by two blue-white rings that appear respectively around his waist and move in opposite directions of each other while transitioning Danny to his ghost form. This form looks like a “negative image” of himself and of the white and black jump suit that he put on right before getting zapped by the ghost portal or “Fenton Portal”.

Ghost Sense

Danny can sense nearby ghosts. When he does, a wisp of blue mist comes out of his mouth and he shivers, getting the appearance of standing at attention or an electrical pulse going down his spinal cord. In “My Brother’s Keeper”, Danny apparently associates his Ghost Sense with the sensation of being cold.

Spectra’s true identity as a ghost is hidden from him by keeping her office so cold Danny can continually see his breath. In the episode, everyone’s breath is shown as a blue mist, which suggests that Danny’s misty breath is similar to seeing one’s breath on a cold day.

In “Urban Jungle”, it’s revealed that Danny’s Ghost Sense was actually a part of his cryokinetic abilities. Danny’s ghost sense can’t seem to detect the presence of half-ghosts, namely Vlad and Dani, while they are in human form.

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Intangibility & Invisibility

Danny has the ability to turn intangible and invisible at will.

With the use of intangibility, Danny can pass through most objects (except specialized materials, such as the Fenton Ghost Fisher’s line and ectoplasmic goo), becoming untouchable. Danny can also make other people and objects intangible provided he is in physical contact with them.

It is quite common for Danny to make only a part of his body intangible (either on purpose or otherwise). It’s also been shown that people can see him somewhat when he is intangible, like in “Memory Blank” when he phased through the classroom floor and Sam was looking at him the whole time.

When invisible, he is unable to be seen by human (and some ghosts’) eyes.

Flying/Floating/Hovering

While in ghost form, Danny has the ability to float/fly through the air, sometimes at considerable speeds and heights. He often uses this in combat, but occasionally will do it for fun and relaxation. He can also make other humans and objects hover but must keep in physical contact with them.

In “Maternal Instincts”, Danny’s top speed in flight was clocked at 112 mph.

Paranormal Strength, Speed, Agility and Durability

In Ghost-Mode, Danny can display extraordinary physical feats of strength, speed, agility, and durability. So far, only when Danny is in Ghost-Mode can he perform such feats, while in human form, Danny Fenton is still something of a klutz & a weakling.

However, he’s been known to survive the impacts from heights while in human form, and from hits that would have killed a normal human being.

Wall Walking

Danny, as well as many other ghosts, can walk on uneven and vertical surfaces as though they were horizontal. Most likely this is an application of his flying/hovering ability.

Spectral Manipulation

Danny has demonstrated the power to change the shape of his body into intangible holes and shapes. Uses include “Beauty Marked”, Danny created a large hole in his mouth, “Shades of Gray” where a book passed through his waist and “Pirate Radio” where Youngblood’s sword passed harmlessly through his belt.

In DC Heroes terms, this is probably an application of his Dispersal Power.

Overshadowing/Possession

With this power, first learned in “Parental Bonding”, Danny can take possession of a human being or an animal from within by phasing completely into the person’s body. That allows him to completely control that person’s actions. Danny has used this power on Tucker, Dash, his dad, and even a mouse, for various reasons.

When overshadowed, the victim keeps his or her original form, but his or her eyes and voice change to Danny’s. Note that some ghosts have been able to overcome this shortcoming. The victim has no memory of what he or she did while overshadowed, but usually feel a slight dizziness and disorientation.

On numerous occasions, it has been demonstrated that this ability can be resisted, and that Danny can even be forced out of the person with the right equipment, or if he’s not up to full power. Overshadowing can also be resisted through sheer willpower.

Ectoplasmic Energy Blast – “Ghost Ray”

An ectoplasmic blast that usually comes out of the palm of his hand, Danny blasts enemies using this attack. The attack takes many forms: a ray of energy, a glowing orb, or even a repulsion field. He has also kept the energy used inside his hand, using it to empower his strikes.

By the time of the Danny Phantom TV Movie: “Reign Storm”, Danny had learned how to fire off a Ghost Ray in Human Mode. These rays can also be charged to various power levels, from a highly powerful white-green, to a low-level glow for lighting up dark areas. He is also able to charge up a ball of light and throw it to disorient enemies with its brightness.

Ectoplasmic Energy Shield – “Ghost Shield”

Danny can use this ability to form shields of ectoplasmic energy, which he can use to block or rebound attacks from enemies.

There are two kinds of shields. The first kind of shield appears as a sphere of energy that protects from all sides. The other is a single wall of energy that is more direct in its range but is much stronger, which Danny first used in “Double Cross My Heart” to block a GiW attack.

Also, Danny can create an Ecto-Orb and use it as a circular shield, as seen in “Beauty Marked” and “Reality Trip”.

Ghostly Wail

Danny’s most powerful ghostly power. In “The Ultimate Enemy”, Danny develops the unique ability to generate an extremely powerful sonic scream , a bit like a banshee’s wail. The Ghostly Wail can cause terrible pain to ghosts and damage tangible matter.

It has far more effect on ghosts and ectoplasmic constructs than on normal matter. When used, this power quickly drains Danny’s energy, and in some cases, it completely turns him back to normal. Due to the drain on his energy from using it, Danny uses this power only in extreme cases.

Duplication

A power first used by Vlad Plasmius, Danny has gotten closer and closer to obtaining this power. He has tries to do it twice in “Maternal Instinct” and “Identity Crisis” but only grew extra limbs.

After managing to do it in “Reign Storm” when he split into four (he was wearing the Ecto-Skeleton which enhanced his powers), he appeared to finally do it in “Beauty Marked”, if only for a quick second. He managed to duplicate fully in the episode “Vortex”, and again in the series finale “Ghost Planet”

Teleportation

In “Reality Trip”, Danny apparently obtained the power of teleporation. His act of teleporting is making his body become slightly disfigured then fading away and appearing in another place. However this may just been a use of invisibility.

Cryokinesis

Danny is capable of using ice-powered versions of the Ghost Ray. This is revealed to be an extension of his ghost sense rather than a separate power altogether, which explains why Danny always shivers whenever he senses a ghost. It is most likely based off of the “cold spots” that supposedly accompany ghosts.

This power allows Danny to shoot off rays of intense cold or fire off solid projectiles. He is also able to shoot blasts of cold from his eyes. This power has been building up ever since he first gained his ghost powers, and his body became numb and chilled when the pent-up energy got to be too much for him to ignore.

Thankfully for Danny, the ghost-creature Frostbite managed to teach him how to handle this ability.

Video

1080p remaster of the one-minute Danny Phantom opening/song/origin recap.

History

“Yo, Danny Fenton he was just 14, when his parents built a very strange machine…”

While in his parents’ laboratory, Danny Fenton has an accident involving the newly built “Fenton Portal”. His molecular structure is fused and rearranged with ectoplasm. As a result, he can transform from human to ghost at will, and he has several supernatural abilities.

Danny Fenton is a nervous, clumsy, and sometimes superficial 14-year-old boy who tries to fit in with his peers. But he is also able to transform into his ghost form. His transformation words are normally “I’m going ghost!”.

Upon transformation, his normally black hair turns white, his eyes change from blue to ectoplasmic green, his skin changes from light to dark, and his normal attire becomes a black hazmat suit – with white boots, gloves, belt, (and starting from the second season, a “DP” emblem on his chest), becoming “Danny Phantom”.

As Danny Phantom, he freely uses a variety of supernatural powers. In either form, Danny (as well as all other humans) can see, hear, and talk to other paranormal beings, as well as battle them, and both of Danny’s forms possess most of his supernatural powers (although he only uses them freely in his ghost form).

The only exception is when Danny or another ghost turns himself or herself invisible, which ghosts can do at will.

Adventures

He made his first appearance in “Mystery Meat” where after having his powers for a full month, he struggled with either telling his parents or keeping it a secret. After a battle with the Lunch Lady, Danny decided in the end not to tell his folks and has started his long road of being a superhero to the people of Amity Park.

In “Bitter Reunions”, Danny met Vlad Masters, who would serves as his primary nemesis throughout the series, possessing the same half-ghost powers he does, only 20 years more experienced.

After “Memory Blank”, Sam redesigned Danny’s hazmat suit to include a logo on his chest (akin to the other ’superhero’ symbols), a curved D with a P inside.

For the majority of the earlier episodes, Danny Phantom wasn’t particularly a well known ghost. However, his major comeuppance in the Amity Park’s public eyes came in “Public Enemies”.

Walker, a ghost cop, in a fit of revenge against Danny (when he freed himself and others from jail in “Prisoner of Love”) ambushed the entire city. He went as far as possessing the mayor and making Danny Phantom the framed victim in all of it, causing the public to shun the ghost boy (nicknaming him “Inviso-Bill”).

To make matters worse, when Freakshow took control of Danny with his crystal ball staff in “Control Freaks”, he forced him to lead a series of ghostly bank robberies. Since then, Danny has been consistently chased after by Amity Park’s local authority, despite his intentions to still bring about good to the world. Only his two friends and his sister Jazz supporting him.

He managed to succeed in “Reign Storm” when he fought against Pariah Dark (a powerful ghost king who took over all of Amity Park) and managed to lock him back in his coffin. The aftermath reveals Danny to now be in the good eyes of most of the townsfolks of Amity, causing the majority to see Danny Phantom as a hero, especially the young people.

Since then, his existence and popularity has soared.

Another important note is that in “Urban Jungle”, Danny stated that he was a duly-appointed deputy of Amity Park, meaning that he is now officially recognized as the town’s protector.

Dark possible future

In “The Ultimate Enemy”, Danny managed to witness an alternate future when, due to him cheating on the CAT test, his family, friends, and Lancer all die through a Nasty Burger explosion.

Orphaned, Danny moves in with Vlad, the only one who can understand his situation. With a great deal of sympathy for the boy, Vlad honored his wishes and removed his ghost half from his human self.

As a result, Danny’s ghost half went rogue and split Vlad’s human half and merged with his ghost self, resulting in the birth of Dark Danny. After presumably killing his human self and blowing up Vlad’s manor, he went on a ten-year world destruction.

Danny does battle with his future self eventually and with the help of Clockwork the Ghost of Time, alters his future so that he can have a second chance to undo the damage he would have
caused.

Comic book style

In “Reality Trip”, an encounter with Freakshow and his Reality Gauntlet resulted in him accidentally revealing his secret to the general public, causing wide storm news all over America and in mad pursuit by the Guys in White.

While avoiding them, Danny and his friends managed to gather the Reality Gems (in order for their parent’s lives), then ultimately stop Freakshow. Using the Reality Gauntlet afterwards, Danny alters everything back to the way it was once was, causing everyone but his friends and sister to forget about his true identity.

In “Kindred Spirits”, Danny meets his “third cousin once removed”, Danielle a.k.a. Dani Phantom whom he later finds out is one of the many imperfect clones that Vlad has made, struggling to make the “perfect half-ghost son”. He has sent Dani to fetch Danny to capture his mid-morph for the final processing. Danny managed to convince Dani that Vlad was only using her.

Not believing at first, she figures it out by the time he yells at her harshly, causing her to team up with Danny and destroy his clone lab, including his perfect clone. Danny saved his “cousin” from Vlad when he attempted to kill her. With Vlad defeated, Dani flew off, vowing they would meet again.

Secret identity

Because of his family’s and the whole town’s hatred of ghosts, Danny has told nobody except his friends Tucker Foley and Sam Manson about his powers, and struggles to hide his ghost identity from his family: his parents Jack and Madeline “Maddie” Fenton and his sister Jasmine “Jazz” Fenton.

Jazz realized that Danny was the half-ghost in the episode “My Brother’s Keeper”. She has since covered for him even after she told Danny that she knew of his secret identity in “The Ultimate Enemy”.

Some of his enemies have also figured out his secret identity and have tried to exploit it as Technus did in “Flirting with Disaster”.

As of the series finale, “Ghost Planet”, Danny has revealed his identity to the world after he and the other ghosts (mostly his enemies) combined forces to render the entire world intangible so that a rogue ecto-asteroid could pass harmlessly through it. He has been hailed as a worldwide hero, and has statues to him in most major cities.

His parents have accepted his ghost-half, and Danny continues to be Amity Park’s defender.

Description

Danny Fenton is a typical 14 year old with unruly black hair and blue eyes, typically dressing in jeans, red tennis shoes, a white t-shirt, and blue jeans.

When he transforms to Danny Phantom, he becomes a negative image of himself, with white hair, glowing green eyes, and wearing a negative image of his hazmat suit, resembling the second Fantastic Four costumes. It is a black bodysuit with white gloves, boots, belt, and collar.

As of Season Two, Danny has a “DP” logo made for him by Sam on his chest.

Personality

Being a normal 14-year-old with ’eccentric‘ Ghost-Hunters for parents, to becoming a half-human, half-ghost, teenaged superhero with ghost-powers, has been one huge change that has occurred in Danny’s life in the past few months. Even with him being as unique as he is, Danny has every reason to feel as paranoid as he does about keeping his ghost half a secret whenever possible.

However, his paranoia has yet to do a thing about his boundless curiosity, which (besides the prodding of his friends in the episode “Memory Blank”) was the main reason why he got his ghost-powers to begin with. When his friends and family are in danger, he can become rather stubborn and over-protective, which does not bother his friends as much as his nave nature.

In the end of the fight though, it is his loyalty to his cause, along with his faith in the love of his peers, helps him to overcome all obstacles. He also has a great sense of humor and frequently makes jokes and wisecracks.

It is shown that although he is half-ghost, Danny is still affected by ecto-weapons as his primary weakness. He has also more then once overestimated his abilities or at times is often too nave or co*cky which usually results in a disadvantage during battle.

Relationships

Tucker

Tucker is Danny’s best friend “since forever”. A loyal friend (usually), they share virtually anything (if not everything) with each other. Although Tucker is vulnerable to jealousy as seen in the episode “What You Want” or wanting attention as in “King Tuck”, he always realizes in the end that he just can’t let Danny down.

Tucker is nicknamed the ’Techno-Geek‘ for his impressive knowledge of computers and gadgetry by the popular kids. He is infatuated with technology, including his PDA (which comes in handy while ghostfighting). He cannot live without it, as shown in “13”, when his obsession for digital electronics proved too overpowering to allow him to change his image as “Techno-Geek”.

Tucker is also constantly struggling to attract girls, most of which are considered popular, but all, especially the best-looking ones, completely ignore him. Unfortunately, he does not know when to keep his mouth shut, which gets him into trouble. He also is a dedicated carnivore, as heard in the episode “Mystery Meat”, and has a sense of smell finely attuned to meat.

Sam

Sam is Danny’s other best friend. She is a goth (much to the dismay of her preppy parents). She’s also an environmentally concerned vegetarian. Sam is a practitioner of an extreme form of vegetarianism called Ultra Recyclo-Vegetarianism… though it’s never said exactly what this means.

Her parents are extremely wealthy, having inherited from a great inventor, although she keeps this a secret. According to her, she wants to have real friends, rather than the popularity and fake friendships that come with wealth.

Sam is often the most pragmatic of the group, though she does have the tendency to be bossy, naggy, and a bit self-righteous at times, especially when environmental issues are involved. She and Tucker are often there assisting Danny in any way they can when he is fighting ghosts, or telling his parents crazy stories to protect Danny’s secret identity.

It was her fault that Danny wanted to try the ghost portal and turned into a half-ghost.

It has also been shown that Sam harbors romantic feelings for Danny, though she has yet to admit it. In the episode, “Fanning the Flames”, Danny is put under a spell that causes him to fall in love with her. During this time Sam reveals that she liked the attention Danny was giving her (fake as it was).

There are several instances during the show where Danny and Sam look at each other, smile, and blush, and if anyone asks them if they’re in love, dating, etc, they’ll openly deny it in unison.

It becomes pretty obvious to everyone else, except Danny, that she has feelings for him (and vice versa); something that she is well aware of. As seen in “Reign Storm”, Danny may not be completely clueless about Sam’s feelings for him.

Anytime Danny focuses his attention on other girls, Sam will often show signs of jealousy by showing or trying to hide her anger, frustration, and disgust; and sometimes by being protective of him. In “Urban Jungle”, even though hypnotized by Undergrowth, her feelings for Danny still showed through.

In the “The Fright Before Christmas”, it is also revealed that Sam is Jewish.

Teen Romance

Throughout the series, Danny has held a long standing crush on Paulina, the most popular girl at school (particularly during the first season). He was successful in asking her to the dance in “Parental Bonding”, but only due to her trying to get Sam jealous (which failed in the end). He dated her in “Lucky in Love” only to find out she was overshadowed by Johnny 13’s girlfriend, Kitty.

Ironically, Paulina has fallen in love with his ghostly alter ego. As the series progresses though, with his growing feelings for Sam and his romance with Valerie, he has been slowly losing interest in Paulina.

There have been a few hints that Danny has romantic feelings for Sam, one of his best friends. However, as it became pretty obvious to mostly everyone else, except Danny, Danny has been dubbed clueless (especially as of the episode “Flirting With Disaster”), so his feelings for Sam have not yet been verified.

Sam had notably displayed affection towards him, but has never been straightforward about the issue. His feelings for her are further noted as he is forced to somewhat come to terms with his feelings when facing her new crush, Gregor, in “Double Cross My Heart”.

He also develops a close relationship with Valerie Gray during “Reign Storm”, despite the fact that she’s often trying to kill Danny Phantom with her various anti-ghost weaponry. The two found common grounds in that episode, overlooking a long standing attitude towards one another beforehand.

They dated brifely in “Flirting with Disaster”, before she broke up with him due to her current life as a ghost hunter (unaware Danny lead a similar life). Heartbroken, Danny still continues to harbor romantic feelings for Valerie as of “Double Cross My Heart”.

Quotes

“Going ghost!” (transforms in a flash of light)

Jazz: “By the way Danny, just so you know, I’m onto your little secret.”
Danny: “What secret?”
Jazz: “The clumsiness, the nervousness… I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out before. You have a girlfriend.”
Danny: “It’s a lie! I’m not a ghost!” (pause) “ I mean, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s just going to the dance with me.”
Jack: “Great, I can meet her and talk to her about ghosts!”
Jazz: “You better let her know your family’s insane now, Danny. If you marry her, and she finds out later, that’s entrapment.”

Box Ghost: “I am the Box Ghost! Beware!”
Danny: “Well… at least I have someone I can take out my displaced aggression on…”
(Flies off-screen, to the sounds of ghost-rays and explosions)
Box Ghost: “Beware! OW! I am-OWCH!!”

DC Universe History

Jack Fenton was a STAR Labs scientist who discovered a way to breach the walls between the normal Universe and the Realm of the Just Dead. Unfortunately, his first attempt to demonstrate the principle injured his colleague, Vlad Masters. Jack was considered a loon and a crank with dangerous ideas, and was fired.

Not to be discouraged, Jack moved to a small town in the Midwest and began again. Without STAR’s resources and funding, it took him 20 years to build a full-sized portal.

The first test was unsuccessful, but Jack’s son Danny figured out what was wrong. A simple breaker inside the portal was not engaged. Activating the switch, Danny was hit with the full spectrum of ecto-energy and became Danny Phantom.

Unfortunately a side effect of this connection was a general weakening of the border between the Realm and Earth, allowing many ghosts (some quite powerful, others somewhat silly) to cross over.

Danny, of course, still feels an obligation to deal with them. He has had many encounters with powerful spiritual entities in the DC Universe, such as The Phantom Stranger, Deadman, and various members of the Endless.

The portal seems also provide a means of escape for those who have been sent to Hell by the Spectre, and provides an avenus to ressurrection for those who have died (especially as spirits in Danny’s world have the standard ability to take over living bodies).

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By Pufnstuff.

Helper(s): Chris Cottingham, civanfan2, William Chamberlin, Jay Myers, Eric N Eick for his sorta-version, wikipedia.org, imdb.com, Ethan Roe.

Source of Character: Danny Phantom TV series.