Danielle Baptiste

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Danielle Baptiste
Danielle Baptiste, feature in the cover art for Witchblade #104. Art by Adriana Melo and Stjepan Sejic.
Publication information
Publisher	Image Comics/Top Cow
First appearance	Witchblade
In story information
Alter ego	Danielle Baptiste
Team affiliations	Sara Pezzini
Notable aliases	Witchblade
Abilities	The Witchblade can act like armor, produce energy blasts and constructs (like a sword, spikes, or wings), and decreases the aging process the witchblade can bring the dead back into animation

Danielle Baptiste is a fictional comic book superhero, one of the current wielders of the Witchblade in the comic book Witchblade published by Top Cow.

[edit] Character history

Dani was born in New Orleans. She moved to New York to pursue a dance career, a dream she had since she was nine years old. After graduating Dani became increasingly frustrated about the lack of direction in her life.

Dani had been haunted with strange dreams about a mysterious gauntlet, while out shopping she was drawn to an antiques shop. It was there where Dani was introduced to Sara Pezzini, the then bearer of the Witchblade. The two had encountered each other previously on the steps of Sara's police department when Dani had bumped into Sara in issue #101. Dani instantly recognised the Witchblade as the gauntlet in her dreams and impulsively decided to accept it from Sara, as Sara was expecting a baby, and didn't want to deal with the adventures the Witchblade invariably drew. At first Sara was dubious about handing the Witchblade over to Dani, but the Witchblade responded strongly to Dani and so Sara relinquished the blade to her

Dani was drawn back home after her father was taken into hospital. While she waited for her father to recover, the nurse on duty told her to go out and relax. Dani complied, enjoying an evening out in New Orleans, however she was harassed by three young men and punished them by drawing them into a dark alley and unleashing the Witchblade, almost choking one of them to death. It was then Dani realized that the Witchblade had a mind of its own and that she would have to exert more control over it.

Dani was confronted by a mysterious stranger who urged her to go to a nearby graveyard if she wanted to get rid of the nightmares that had been recently plaguing her. Dani did so and was confronted by rotting and deformed ghosts. They begged Dani to help set them free and explained that Madeline Desormeaux who lived in a large mansion on the edge of the graveyard had tortured them in life and had bound them to the land in death. Dani agreed and promised to bring Madeline to them.

Dani went into the house, and after a fight, Dani emerged triumphant and the ghosts had their revenge and were able to move on. The graveyard and the house disappeared.

Dani was left feeling increasingly unsure whether or not she could control the Witchblade.

She returned to her father's bedside and was delighted to find him conscious. She promised to stay by his side for a few weeks to help his recover and then return to New York, resolving to get rid of the Witchlade after her ghostly encounter.

After Sara's life was threatened by giving birth, Danielle returned half the Witchblade in order to save her.