With an extensive array of demonic abilities, Ghost Rider is one of the strongest superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Thanks to his supernatural connections to heaven and hell, he travels the world to punish the guilty and combat evil while wielding some of the strongest mystical abilities in the Marvel Universe. The most powerful of the Rider's incredible abilities is a technique known as the Penance Stare, an intense combative move that amplifies the pain of those caught in its gaze have caused, injuring and potentially destroying them.
As Ghost Rider prepares to receive his own solo series on Hulu, here is everything you need to know about the strongest weapon in Ghost Rider's vast arsenal of hellish abilities.
WHAT IS THE PENANCE STARE?
As a power first exclusively used by Danny Ketch, the Penance Stare makes its full debut in 1990's Ghost Rider #4 by Howard Mackie and Javier Saitares. Danny Ketch uses the Stare during a fight with Mr. Hyde. The enormity of Hyde's evil deeds bears back down on him at once, causing to revert back to his normal human form of Doctor Calvin Zabo. With the now completely vulnerable villain fleeing, his human form is subjected to the full brunt of the Stare.
The Penance Stare, one of Ghost Rider's signature moves, overwhelms its targets with any remorse they may have from previous actions inducing catatonia in most cases and burning up truly evil souls with righteous hellfire in extreme instances. The technique requires Ghost Rider to come in close to his intended target and lock eyes with them; individuals with more than two eyes are without functioning eyes at all have shown immunity to the Penance Stare before.
Which Ghost Riders Use the Penance Stare?
The Penance Stare was originally exclusive to Danny Ketch, and it was one of the powers that greatly set him apart from his predecessor Johnny Blaze along with his use of hellfire-imbued chains. However, upon regaining the mantle of Ghost Rider after being willingly depowered for a time, Johnny Blaze discovered he had acquired a whole host of the same abilities as his long-lost brother including the Penance Stare.
In addition to Danny and Johnny, Robbie Reyes has similarly developed the ability to use the Penance Stare despite his soul being bonded to that of the Satanist serial killer Eli Morrow instead of the Spirit of Vengeance; Robbie's connection to the technique still largely unknown. Finally, after an alternate future version of Frank Castle became bonded to the Spirit of Vengeance and gained the Power Cosmic to transform into Cosmic Ghost Rider, he similarly gained the ability to use the Penance Stare.
WHO SURVIVED THE PENANCE STARE?
Apart from Mr. Hyde, the Penance Stare has been used on a whole host of villains over the years, usually rendering them catatonic or incinerating them in hellfire on the spot. Upon discovering he had developed the ability to use the Penance Stare, Johnny Blaze accidentally used it on Doctor Strange, completely rendering the Sorcerer Supreme comatose until he was revived by an angel, visibly shaken by the ordeal.
Those with no remorse for their actions, such as Deadpool, the Punisher and Thanos, are not affected by the Stare. When Thanos was exposed to the Penance Stare in Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw's Thanos #15, the Mad Titan even taunted Ghost Rider about actually enjoying the experience. Similarly, given its composition as a symbiote, Venom is also immune to the Penance Stare, which surprised Ghost Rider. However, it has been used to incapacitate considerably more powerful opponents with Robbie Reyes using the Stare to destroy the omnipotent character Starbrand while Fantastic Four animated series depicted Johnny Blaze successfully using the Penance Stare to drive Galactus away from Earth.