History
Little is known about Wytch's background before she joined the Shadow Cabinet, an ancient team of metahumans that covertly protects mankind from being destroyed by its worst instincts. She is a worshiper of New Age mysticism, which presumably led to her becoming a true witch.[1] At some point, Wytch's powers came to the attention the Shadow Cabinet's leader, Dharma, who convinced her to join his team. Wytch's abilities quickly made her a valued asset to the team. She also joined a popular clique of Cabinet operatives consisting of Ash, Blitzen, Donner, Iota, and Jigsaw, who would hang out off duty.[2]
Wytch's relationship with the Cabinet's field commander, Iron Butterfly, was not so cordial. Butterfly made little secret of her belief that Wytch's New Age religion as well as her recklessness had no place in the team. Conversely, Wytch thought Iron Butterfly was too tightly wound to be an effective leader. Not surprisingly, the two women often locked horns though they were able to put aside their differences to complete a mission.
That changed due to a major upheaval in the Shadow Cabinet in recent years. An ambitious operative named Headmaster felt that beings as powerful as the Cabinet should rule humanity rather than protect it. His views were shared by several other operatives including Wytch.[1] These dissidents would eventually become the faction known as the Star Chamber, which promptly split off from the Cabinet. This schism would begin the covert metahuman conflict known as the Shadow War.[3]
Since the Shadow Cabinet would oppose their goal of world domination, the Star Chamber needed to quickly bolster their ranks. The key to doing so was the Dakota City, which saw a major increase in metahumans due to the "Big Bang" event.[3] Dharma had extensive files on Dakota's metahumans, information which the Chamber had secretly copied before leaving the Cabinet.[3] Thus, the Shadow War quickly escalated as Shadow Cabinet and the Star Chamber vied to get Dakota's superheroes and supervillains to join their side. Wytch did participate in the recruitment, but instead coordinated the Chamber's efforts from their secret base.[3]
After the recruitment was largely successful, the Star Chamber then sought to acquire Quantum Juice or "Q Juice", an unpredictable, dangerous mutagen responsible for the Big Bang.[1] The only known stockpile of Q Juice belonged to the malevolent conspiracy S.Y.S.T.E.M., who stored it in a vault hidden in an American casino. Headmaster convinced the new Chamber recruits that stealing the Q Juice from SYSTEM was necessary lest it fall into the hands of the "evil" Shadow Cabinet. Headmaster also desired to capture Q Juice's creator Dr. Nathan Flack, but the Chamber's efforts to find him had so far failed.[1]
Several Chamber members including Wytch teleported via Funyl's powers into the casino, breached the vault's outer door, and quickly overcame the squad of armored SYSTEMatics protecting the stockpile.[1] However, the Chamber met new opposition as the Shadow Cabinet teleported in, leading to a fierce battle. During the battle, Chamber member Slag attempted to capture the Q Juice, but was beaten to the prize by Blitzen.[1] With the Q Juice in enemy hands, the Star Chamber teleported back to their headquarters.[1]
Headmaster had anticipated this possibility and implemented a new strategy. Since the Star Chamber could not steal Q Juice, they would make their own by using the superconducting supercollider in Luoyang, China to process certain radioactive materials into the mutagen.[1] These materials were available in three fusion reactors on Earth. Headmaster split the Chamber into three teams, each assigned to a fusion reactor.[1] These simultaneous strikes would increase the odds that at least one team would be successful.[1]
Wytch joined Harm and Rocket to raid the L'institut Des Recherches Atomiques in Paris, France, where they clashed with a Shadow Cabinet strike team led by Iron Butterfly.[1] In the midst of the battle, Wytch and Butterfly confronted each other, and years of simmering loathing for each other finally boiled over into violence.[1] Initially, Wytch seemed to have the upper hand, but Iron Butterfly turned the tables due to her tactical ability and greater experience with her powers. Before Wytch knew it, she was on the ground with Butterfly's sword at her throat.[1] Harm soon ordered a retreat after the Shadow Cabinet began winning the battle. Somehow, Wytch broke free from Iron Butterfly's grasp and used Funyl's teleportation funnel to return to base.
Despite this defeat, another Star Chamber team acquired the radioactive material so the entire group teleported to the collider, leading to a final showdown with the Shadow Cabinet.[1] However, the Star Chamber's battle with the Cabinet was a diversion allowing Wytch's teammates Ash, Funyl and Slag to reach the collider control room and take the staff hostage. The trio then reprogrammed the collider so it would process the stolen radioactive material into Q Juice, which they loaded into an already prepared missile. Ash, Funyl, and Slag launched the missile, whose loud roar was so startling that it brought the fight between the Cabinet and the rest of the Chamber to a halt.[1]
Headmaster then revealed to all present that in minutes the Q Juice-bearing missile would reach geosynchronous orbit.[1] The rocket was rigged to be detonated by a remote in Headmaster's hand, thus releasing its payload into Earth's atmosphere and killing countless millions. The missile was Star Chamber's trump card in case any superhero tried to thwart the group's true goal of world domination.
However, Headmaster's gloating was short-lived when his remote was suddenly snatched by an invisible observer: Dr. Nathan Flack, who now called himself Dr. Nemo.[1] Nemo gained his cloaking power by exposure to Q juice, and he now wanted to similarly "bless" humanity by repeating his experiment on a global scale.[1] After observing the Shadow War for days, Flack realized that the Star Chamber's scheme for world conquest was the perfect way to accomplish his dream.[1] Nemo then detonated the missile to the horror of those assembled.
Fortunately, the Cabinet's ally Hardware had secretly flown off to intercept the Star Chamber's missile as Headmaster explained its purpose.[1] Hardware boarded the missile and then escaped with its Q Juice payload just seconds before it exploded.[1] Thus the world was saved from Flack's genocidal plans.
The Star Chamber promptly surrendered except for the new recruits who either joined the Cabinet or fled the scene.[1] After securing the new Q Juice, the Shadow Cabinet left the rest of the Chamber to be picked up by the authorities. Wytch and her teammates soon found themselves in maximum security prison with lengthy sentences.[1]
Wytch would still be incarcerated if not for an unexpected turn of events. During the infamous Utopia Park Riots, several Shadow Cabinet members disobeyed Dharma's explicit orders to not get involved in order to save endangered civilians and police.[4] Dharma considered this mutiny as proof that his Cabinet operatives had too much free will and thus were less effective in his eyes.[5] So, he declared that operatives could no longer leave the Cabinet’s headquarters, the Shadowspire, except for missions.[6] Deeming Dharma insane, operatives Donner, Blitzen and Iota fled the Shadowspire to form their own public superhero team, Heroes.[5] Perhaps anticipating such a rebellion, Dharma had earlier arranged for the release of the Star Chamber, who having no where else to go decided to rejoin the Cabinet.
Months later, many of Dakota’s Big Bang survivors or "Bang Babies" were kidnapped by the Traffic Men, mysterious figures who used energy staves to temporarily disrupt their victims' powers.[7] For unknown reasons, Wytch was in Dakota at this time and wound up being kidnapped by the Traffic Men, who thought she was Bang Baby.[8] Wytch's captors secretly served John Tower, the legendary superhero turned supervillain who sought to boost his powers with a serum derived from the blood of his metahuman captives. The Heroes and Hardware eventually discovered Tower's hideout thanks to information shared by Iron Butterfly, who also joined the rescue effort.[8] While his allies fought the Traffic Men, Heroes member Static freed Tower's captives, including Wytch. Soon, Tower found himself alone and without his serum leading to his quick defeat by Wytch and her fellow captives.[9] Heroes member Gloria Mundi then absorbed the souls of Tower and the Traffic Men into her collective intelligence.[9]
Presumably, Wytch returned to her duties as a Shadow Cabinet operative.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Magic: All of Wytch's superhuman abilities stem from her study and knowledge of witchcraft.[1] The full extent of her power is unknown though it clearly pales to that of more experienced sorcerers like Arcaana and Red Dog.
- Telekinetic Animation: Wytch can project her mystical energy into inorganic inanimate objects which then move according to her will.[1] Through this means, she can cause utility pipes to erupt from the ground to ensnare an unsuspecting opponent or turn debris into deadly missiles by commanding them to fly at a target.[1] Wytch is also capable of creating complex structures from inorganic materials such as concrete slides that she can use to quickly transport herself and others.[1] Wytch usually gestures with her hands to better control the inorganic matter she animates.
- Flight: Wytch can magically levitate herself and thus fly.[1] She cannot levitate much weight besides her own body. Hence, Wytch could not get airborne if she tried to levitate herself and another person.[1]
Weaknesses
Wytch's mystical powers cannot affect organic matter except for herself.
Paraphernalia
Transportation
Self-propelled flight.[1]
As an operative of the Shadow Cabinet, Wytch can also teleport via the Shadowslide.
As a member of the Star Chamber, she relied on Funyl's powers for teleportation.[1]
Notes
Wytch has yet to appear without her hood obscuring her face. Hence, no one knows what she truly looks like.
Trivia
The Shadow Cabinet operative Sideshow admitted to having a crush on Wytch, who remains unaware of his feelings for her.[2]
Related
- 3 Appearances of Wytch (Dakotaverse)
- 5 Images featuring Wytch (Dakotaverse)
- Quotations by or about Wytch (Dakotaverse)
- Character Gallery: Wytch (Dakotaverse)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 Shadow Cabinet #0
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shadow Cabinet #3
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Hardware #11
- ↑ Shadow Cabinet #16
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Shadow Cabinet #17
- ↑ Shadow Cabinet #17
- ↑ Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool #1
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool #3
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool #4