In Earth-616, Danny Ketch would become the Ghost Rider after he and his sister Barbara got caught in the middle of a supervillain plot, which led to Barbara entering a coma (and later dying), and Danny finding a mysterious motorcycle in a junkyard that turned him into the Ghost Rider. Later on, the comic would claim that Barbara was supposed to have the power; Danny got it because she was badly injured and he happened to be next in line. So, what if Barbara got the power as intended, and Danny was the one who died?
In short, it doesn't end well. Barbara is maddened with grief about Danny being killed, and unlike Danny, she can wrest control of the Ghost Rider's powers from the Spirit of Vengeance. While the Spirit went for Restrained Revenge and never killed humans (preferring to nail them with the Penance Stare), Barbara just wants the people who killed her little brother to pay. She goes on a rampage, and when she kills the Hobgoblin, Spider-Man decides that she needs to be stopped. He gets Dr. Strange and Johnny Blaze to exorcise her of the power, which kills Barbara and sets the Spirit of Vengeance free to possess somebody else.
What If... Barbara Ketch had Become the Troper?
- Everyone Has Standards: Spider-Man may not like the Hobgoblin, but when he sees that Hobby's been killed by Barbara, Spidey decides Barbara needs to be stopped.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Barbara.
- Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: Barbara is more vengeful than the literal Spirit of Vengeance, and she's able to take control of the Ghost Rider.
