DC Heroes in Marvel

Johnny's experience is actually quite narrative-driven—just like the most typical protagonists of online fiction from ten years ago.

The so-called "curse" of his family is more of a bloodline ability, a talent that allows him to become a Ghost Rider upon reaching adulthood. 

While the power of the Spirit of Vengeance is formidable, it is also uncontrollable, heavily influenced by Zarathos' will. 

The urge to punish the guilty is akin to an addiction, but there's no denying that this ability is extraordinarily powerful.

The Kyle family has inherited this so-called curse for generations. It grants them strength but also brings endless peril. 

The Lord of Hell, Mephisto, considers their bloodline forbidden. For countless years, Mephisto has coveted the Spirit of Vengeance and the power of the Ghost Rider, attempting to corrupt each generation of the Kyle family. 

Yet, despite his efforts, he has never fully succeeded.

Johnny Blaze, the eldest son of this generation's Kyle family, lost his biological father to a fatal motorcycle stunt accident. 

His mother, aware of the family's curse, feared what the future held for Johnny. To keep him safe, she entrusted him to his father's friend for adoption, then left with his younger siblings.

As Johnny grew up with his adoptive father, the memories of his biological family faded into a blur. However, just as he neared adulthood, his adoptive father was diagnosed with terminal rectal cancer. 

Desperate to save him, Johnny made a deal with Mephisto, not realizing the deception he was walking into. 

Mephisto cured the cancer but never promised to let his adoptive father live. Soon after, under Mephisto's manipulations, his adoptive father died in a tragic stunt accident—eerily mirroring the fate of Johnny's biological father.

Of course, in this sequence of events, Johnny's first love, Roxanne Simpson, played a significant role. But, as the saying goes, a woman only slows down the Ghost Rider, so she is mostly left out of the equation.

After his adoptive father's death, Johnny left his hometown and continued to perform motorcycle stunts. 

However, Mephisto had not yet achieved his goal—he couldn't allow Johnny to die before fulfilling his purpose. 

As a result, Johnny, under the Devil's protection, became seemingly unkillable, no matter how reckless his stunts were. This allowed him to break world records and rise to fame as the ultimate stunt rider.

Then, the Spirit of Vengeance began to awaken. Mephisto was ready to come knocking again. And so, the real story began—the battle between villain and protagonist was about to unfold.

Anton, who had read plenty of similar stories in his previous life, was unimpressed. Constantine, having inherited all of Anton's memories, was similarly unfazed. There was nothing particularly thrilling about it to him.

The only truly noteworthy aspect was Johnny's ability—Ghost Rider.

He possessed the full power of the Spirit of Vengeance:

The fire of Hell, The Penance Stare, Immortality

Beyond that, the Ghost Riders in the comics wield even more supernatural abilities—petrification, summoning, witchcraft, and more. 

However, the most formidable aspect of the Ghost Rider is his ability to traverse freely between the mortal world and Hell, an ability that Constantine himself also possessed.

That said, Johnny Blaze, as depicted in the movie, never demonstrated this particular power. 

Constantine suspected it was because Johnny had never fully embraced the Ghost Rider within him. He resisted it, and in doing so, failed to tap into its full potential.

He believes that Ghost Riders are evil, uncontrollable, and may even become tools for Mephisto to ravage the world. Because of this, he resists the Spirit of Vengeance every night, refusing to fully accept it.

As a result, he begins to withdraw from society, fleeing from both his powers and his past. He leaves the place where he was born, seeking rebirth in darkness, and chooses to live in seclusion on the other side of the world.

This resistance prevents the true power of the Ghost Rider from ever being fully unleashed.

However, this changes in the second movie, Spirit of Vengeance.

Johnny initially expels the Spirit of Vengeance with the help of the church, only to later reclaim it. This time, the flames on his body shift from red to blue, signifying that he has truly embraced the Spirit of Vengeance and accepted his mission as a Ghost Rider—to punish the guilty.

As a result, his strength ascends to the next level.

By the end of the movie, he easily destroys Mephisto's physical form, banishing him back to Hell.

Thus, Johnny can only truly become the superhero from the comics—wielding his full array of abilities—when he wholeheartedly accepts the Spirit of Vengeance and the responsibility that comes with it.

At this moment, Constantine's goal is to fast-track Johnny's transformation.

Instead of letting him struggle through his resistance, Constantine wants him to start directly with Blue Fire, raising his baseline power from the very beginning.

If that happens, then the demons would stand no chance against a Ghost Rider who starts at full power.

But why does Constantine want to do this?

Because he—or rather, Anton—has realized a crucial fact.

First, another question must be addressed: Why is Constantine so powerful?

Is it because Constantine himself is exceptional?

Not exactly.

His personal abilities are just one part of his greatness—and, arguably, the least significant part.

In the grand scheme of DC's major storylines, there are many powerful magicians. Compared to them, Constantine is far from the most outstanding.

So, what makes Constantine special?

When you really think about it, the reason Constantine is so powerful—the reason he can make DC's Satan grind his teeth in frustration while still "loving him," and make God frown while still "tolerating him"—is his unique ability to navigate between Heaven and Hell with ease.

He is a master manipulator, playing both sides against each other.

He walks a fine line, balancing between two worlds, stepping on two boats at once. And even if one capsizes, he never truly falls.

But that's in the DC Universe.

Now, in this world—the Marvel Cinematic Universe—can Constantine still jump back and forth between Heaven and Hell so effortlessly?

Not at all.

He doesn't know Marvel's versions of Satan or God.

Moreover, Marvel's Satan is just one of Hell's Lords. Even Mephisto, powerful as he is, doesn't compare to DC's Satan. And Marvel's God is far less omnipotent than DC's.

Knowing them doesn't hold much strategic value.

This realization is like breaking both of Constantine's arms, leaving only his legs to move.

And what are legs good for?

Running away!

Could Constantine's greatest weapon really be… his legs?

No.

Because apart from his hands, his mouth is his most powerful tool.

And when it comes to talking his way out of situations, it's so effective that even his hands might be second-best.

….

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