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Danny Phantom (character)
Encyclopedia
Danny Phantom, the heroic ghostly alter-ego of Daniel "Danny" Fenton – is a superhero
, the protagonist
and title character of the Nickelodeon
animated television series Danny Phantom
, created and designed by Butch Hartman
, Shannon Tendell, and Stephen Silver
. Danny Fenton/Phantom is voiced by David Kaufman
.
Danny received his powers through an accident with his parents' ghost portal, rendering him with ghost powers. Throughout the series, Danny struggles to master his abilities while balancing school life and his own teenage emotions.
His parents are Jack and Maddie Fenton and his older sister is Jazz Fenton. He has two best friends, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley. Danny is a fourteen-year-old freshmen in Casper High. Unpopular, he is the constant victim of bully Dash Baxter and harbors a crush on popular student, Paulina.
His primary enemy and rival is Vlad Plasmius
, another half ghost like him. He is constantly under his persuasion to be his son and apprentice.
Later in the series, Danny starts to move beyond the superficial to focus on his goal as a superhero, preferring to step out of the spotlight when he isn't on-duty. But he continues to uphold his vow to protecting his hometown and those in need. He has developed a more confident and mature attitude over the course of the series as he continues to develop his powers, but it is ultimately his loyalty to his cause that helps him to overcome the obstacles. Even when he is vilified by the public early in his career his sense of duty is so strong that he felt retirement was out of the question.
He said that his battles had a "pattern: "Witty banter, fight, kick-butt, lesson." However, he can be cocky in battle and at times underestimates his enemies due to his naïveté and young age, though he is just as often cautious. He is also often too emotional, which can be used as a disadvantageHe is sometimes overcome by his emotions and this shatters his confidence and self-esteem as well as his actions as a ghost hunter.
.
But Danny can also be responsible, considerate, and intelligent while battling. He tries to protect his loved ones. For instance, he tried to protect his parents from Vlad Masters, when he, unlike his family, knew Masters was half-ghost. He tries to protect his friends as well, since they may be more vulnerable to other ghosts since they are closer to Danny. When he makes mistakes, he honestly tries to repair the results, with his friends and family.
Danny also has dreams of becoming an astronaut and expresses an interest in space. He gains his "DP" insignia during the Season Two premiere.
to be infused
with ectoplasm
, resulting in him being half ghost. Unsure of what to make of it for a month, Danny's battle with a Lunch Lady Ghost causes him to pursue the path of a superhero.
In the beginning, he struggles with his powers as he deals with heroic life and his normal, teenage existence. However his life quickly turns into something bigger when Walker, Ghost Zone's ghost cop frames Danny with the assault of the then-mayor of Amity Park as an act of revenge for escaping his prison earlier. Dubbed "Inviso-Bill" by his hometown, Danny vowed to continue his heroism despite their hatred for him. He eventually gains their trust when he saves both Amity Park and the Ghost Zone from an old, but powerful ghost king. He later becomes their duly-deputized protector. By the end, he is known and beloved over the world.
He meets Vlad in-between who would serve as his primary arch-nemesis throughout the series, possessing the same half-ghost powers he does, only with twenty years more experience. He would constantly try to vile and force Danny into becoming his surrogate son, but often fails. His last plan to obtain Danny resulted in him creating numerous clones of Danny until he reached the perfect one. The one below him was Dani Phantom who, after much convincing, teams up with Danny when she found out she is nothing but a tool to Vlad. Afterward, Vlad changes his ideals and spends the remainder of the series tormenting and trying to destroy Danny.
One of Danny's ongoing stories is his constant battle against his temptation to abuse his powers. This came full circle when he cheats on his C.A.T. tests, resulting in a future timeline where he becomes Dark Danny, the most powerful, evil ghost in existence. He defeats his future self with the element of surprise; using the newly acquired Ghostly Wail. The dark future is then permanently altered when Danny is given a second chance by Clockwork.
In total, Danny has had his secret identity exposed three times, once in Reality Trip, Ultimate Enemy and Phantom Planet. On two of these three occasions, everyone has had their memories wiped except for Sam, Tucker, and Jazz.
The final episode chronicles Danny's struggles to compete against the "Masters' Blasters", a team of teenage ghost hunters which bests Danny in his field. He briefly retires from ghost hunting, but gains his powers back when he goes to the ghost zone and stops an incoming Ecto-coated asteroid from hitting the earth. He reveals his secret identity to the people of the world during victory and the last scenes involve a bright future with him and his new girlfriend, Sam.
or invisibility
, much to his embarrassment. Besides his ability to switch between his human
and ghost
forms, his early powers composed primary of the most generic
of ghostly powers; flight
, intangibility
, and invisibility
. When he transforms, he shouts out "Goin' Ghost" before two white rings intersect his body. When he flies, his legs often turn into a ghost "tail". He also gains super strength and enhanced abilities and agility his human form does not possess. He can manipulate his body and twist himself into odd shapes to avoid stray attacks. He is able to walk on walls, though this is rarely utilized.
He has a ghost sense that manifests as a blue wisp from his mouth that announces nearby ghosts. It is described as being akin to a cold breath during chilly weather and served as a precursor to his ice powers.
Danny gains a ghost ray early on which has become one of his most frequently used powers; becoming an energy ball that can expand in size and corresponding area of effect, and even be usable as a flashlight at low power. He possess a ghost shield that can protect him by deflecting attacks. He has the ability to overshadow people and ghosts, causing their eyes to glow green as well as change their voice to his. He later masters the power, able to cancel or control such obvious signs of possession. He is also capable of entering people's dreams.
One of his most powerful attacks is the Ghostly Wail, a sonic scream that can hit multiple targets. It appears to take massive amounts of energy to utilize, draining Danny heavily, so he often reverts to his human form after use. By the end of the series he appears to have mastered this ability (to an extent). He can duplicate himself, but struggles to master it throughout the series—often with disastrous, or amusing, results. He succeeds in splitting in two, then eventually four later on.
Danny is either able to breathe underwater when in ghost form, or likely does not need to breathe. It is unclear if he can breathe in space, though it is shown that he can handle its extreme conditions with little more than a space helmet.
Danny can also later on produce an ice beam which can freeze the opponent among other things and so on. His ice powers, though, do not come in till later in the series since it takes a while for them to develop.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and title character of the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
animated television series Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon, produced by Billionfold Studios. The show was about a teenage half-ghost boy, who frequently saves his town and the world from ghost attacks, while attempting to keep his ghost half a secret...
, created and designed by Butch Hartman
Butch Hartman
Elmer Earl "Butch" Hartman IV is an American animator, executive producer, animation director, storyboard artist, voice actor, occasional singer, producer, and creator of the animated series The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom and T.U.F.F. Puppy.-Childhood:Hartman was born in Highland Park,...
, Shannon Tendell, and Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is a professional artist, cartoonist and character designer. He is best known as the lead character designer for animated series such as Kim Possible and Danny Phantom.-History:...
. Danny Fenton/Phantom is voiced by David Kaufman
David Kaufman (actor)
David Kaufman is an American voice-over artist and character actor, best known for his roles as the voice of Danny Fenton on Danny Phantom, the voice of Maggie's brother Aldrin on The Buzz on Maggie, and the voice of Marty McFly, Michael J...
.
Danny received his powers through an accident with his parents' ghost portal, rendering him with ghost powers. Throughout the series, Danny struggles to master his abilities while balancing school life and his own teenage emotions.
His parents are Jack and Maddie Fenton and his older sister is Jazz Fenton. He has two best friends, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley. Danny is a fourteen-year-old freshmen in Casper High. Unpopular, he is the constant victim of bully Dash Baxter and harbors a crush on popular student, Paulina.
His primary enemy and rival is Vlad Plasmius
Vlad Plasmius
Vlad Plasmius, the evil alter ego to Vladmir "Vlad" Masters is a fictional character, a supervillain from the television show Danny Phantom, created by Butch Hartman, Shannon Tendell, and Stephen Silver. He is the main antagonist of the series and serves as Danny's arch-enemy but he also fits the...
, another half ghost like him. He is constantly under his persuasion to be his son and apprentice.
Creation and Conception
With Nickelodeon's response for a "boy's action show", Hartman's creation of Danny's character did not originate into the superhero he is now. He was originally a normal human who hunted ghosts. Accompanying him would be an owl named Spooky and his means of travel would be a motorcycle, the latter which Hartman paid tribute later in the series. He and Sam were meant to share a psychic connection as well.Character
Having become a half-human, half-ghost teenage superhero has significantly altered Danny's life and gained him great maturity. Danny started off the series as a naive and clumsy teenager who tries to find an identity for himself and his newfound powers. His early days had him yearning for popularity and often has him shallow and superficial.Later in the series, Danny starts to move beyond the superficial to focus on his goal as a superhero, preferring to step out of the spotlight when he isn't on-duty. But he continues to uphold his vow to protecting his hometown and those in need. He has developed a more confident and mature attitude over the course of the series as he continues to develop his powers, but it is ultimately his loyalty to his cause that helps him to overcome the obstacles. Even when he is vilified by the public early in his career his sense of duty is so strong that he felt retirement was out of the question.
He said that his battles had a "pattern: "Witty banter, fight, kick-butt, lesson." However, he can be cocky in battle and at times underestimates his enemies due to his naïveté and young age, though he is just as often cautious. He is also often too emotional, which can be used as a disadvantageHe is sometimes overcome by his emotions and this shatters his confidence and self-esteem as well as his actions as a ghost hunter.
.
But Danny can also be responsible, considerate, and intelligent while battling. He tries to protect his loved ones. For instance, he tried to protect his parents from Vlad Masters, when he, unlike his family, knew Masters was half-ghost. He tries to protect his friends as well, since they may be more vulnerable to other ghosts since they are closer to Danny. When he makes mistakes, he honestly tries to repair the results, with his friends and family.
Danny also has dreams of becoming an astronaut and expresses an interest in space. He gains his "DP" insignia during the Season Two premiere.
Plot Overview
On the urging of his best friend, Sam, Danny explores the contents of the then under construction Fenton Portal. It resulted in an accident that caused Danny's molecular structureMolecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
to be infused
Fusion gene
A fusion gene is a hybrid gene formed from two previously separate genes. It can occur as the result of a translocation, interstitial deletion, or chromosomal inversion...
with ectoplasm
Ectoplasm (paranormal)
Ectoplasm is a term coined by Charles Richet to denote a substance or spiritual energy "exteriorized" by physical mediums...
, resulting in him being half ghost. Unsure of what to make of it for a month, Danny's battle with a Lunch Lady Ghost causes him to pursue the path of a superhero.
In the beginning, he struggles with his powers as he deals with heroic life and his normal, teenage existence. However his life quickly turns into something bigger when Walker, Ghost Zone's ghost cop frames Danny with the assault of the then-mayor of Amity Park as an act of revenge for escaping his prison earlier. Dubbed "Inviso-Bill" by his hometown, Danny vowed to continue his heroism despite their hatred for him. He eventually gains their trust when he saves both Amity Park and the Ghost Zone from an old, but powerful ghost king. He later becomes their duly-deputized protector. By the end, he is known and beloved over the world.
He meets Vlad in-between who would serve as his primary arch-nemesis throughout the series, possessing the same half-ghost powers he does, only with twenty years more experience. He would constantly try to vile and force Danny into becoming his surrogate son, but often fails. His last plan to obtain Danny resulted in him creating numerous clones of Danny until he reached the perfect one. The one below him was Dani Phantom who, after much convincing, teams up with Danny when she found out she is nothing but a tool to Vlad. Afterward, Vlad changes his ideals and spends the remainder of the series tormenting and trying to destroy Danny.
One of Danny's ongoing stories is his constant battle against his temptation to abuse his powers. This came full circle when he cheats on his C.A.T. tests, resulting in a future timeline where he becomes Dark Danny, the most powerful, evil ghost in existence. He defeats his future self with the element of surprise; using the newly acquired Ghostly Wail. The dark future is then permanently altered when Danny is given a second chance by Clockwork.
In total, Danny has had his secret identity exposed three times, once in Reality Trip, Ultimate Enemy and Phantom Planet. On two of these three occasions, everyone has had their memories wiped except for Sam, Tucker, and Jazz.
The final episode chronicles Danny's struggles to compete against the "Masters' Blasters", a team of teenage ghost hunters which bests Danny in his field. He briefly retires from ghost hunting, but gains his powers back when he goes to the ghost zone and stops an incoming Ecto-coated asteroid from hitting the earth. He reveals his secret identity to the people of the world during victory and the last scenes involve a bright future with him and his new girlfriend, Sam.
Ghost Powers
Upon receiving his ghost powers, Danny often had great difficulties controlling it. At the mercy to his teenage emotions in the beginning, his nervous behavior would often trigger episodes of intangibilityIntangibility
Intangibility is used in marketing to describe the inability to assess the value gained from engaging in an activity using any tangible evidence...
or invisibility
Invisibility
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...
, much to his embarrassment. Besides his ability to switch between his human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
and ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
forms, his early powers composed primary of the most generic
Generic
Generic or Generics may refer to:* Generic mood, a grammatical mood used to make generalized statements like Snow is white* Generic antecedents, referents in linguistic contexts, which are classes...
of ghostly powers; flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
, intangibility
Intangibility
Intangibility is used in marketing to describe the inability to assess the value gained from engaging in an activity using any tangible evidence...
, and invisibility
Invisibility
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...
. When he transforms, he shouts out "Goin' Ghost" before two white rings intersect his body. When he flies, his legs often turn into a ghost "tail". He also gains super strength and enhanced abilities and agility his human form does not possess. He can manipulate his body and twist himself into odd shapes to avoid stray attacks. He is able to walk on walls, though this is rarely utilized.
He has a ghost sense that manifests as a blue wisp from his mouth that announces nearby ghosts. It is described as being akin to a cold breath during chilly weather and served as a precursor to his ice powers.
Danny gains a ghost ray early on which has become one of his most frequently used powers; becoming an energy ball that can expand in size and corresponding area of effect, and even be usable as a flashlight at low power. He possess a ghost shield that can protect him by deflecting attacks. He has the ability to overshadow people and ghosts, causing their eyes to glow green as well as change their voice to his. He later masters the power, able to cancel or control such obvious signs of possession. He is also capable of entering people's dreams.
One of his most powerful attacks is the Ghostly Wail, a sonic scream that can hit multiple targets. It appears to take massive amounts of energy to utilize, draining Danny heavily, so he often reverts to his human form after use. By the end of the series he appears to have mastered this ability (to an extent). He can duplicate himself, but struggles to master it throughout the series—often with disastrous, or amusing, results. He succeeds in splitting in two, then eventually four later on.
Danny is either able to breathe underwater when in ghost form, or likely does not need to breathe. It is unclear if he can breathe in space, though it is shown that he can handle its extreme conditions with little more than a space helmet.
Danny can also later on produce an ice beam which can freeze the opponent among other things and so on. His ice powers, though, do not come in till later in the series since it takes a while for them to develop.