#i see fanart of danny with fangs and blue skin and god i love it on an aesthetic level

[redrobin-detective]

Part of what defines a ghost’s appearance is not only how they perceive themselves but how they desired to be perceived by others. Half ghosts are no different.

Vlad Masters/Plasmius is obsessed with power and control both of which reflect in his human and ghostly forms. Fear is a certain kind of power, a control over his victim’s basic instincts that he relishes which is why over time his ghost form becomes more and more creepy. His skin fades to an inhuman, suffocated blue color and his eyes beam an unnatural, neon red. He grows fangs and underneath his gloves, his nails curl into claws. His outfit was chosen because it exudes confidence, power and authority. 

Sometimes these features bleed over into Masters, especially when he’s trying to scare someone. A business is refusing to sell to the billionaire will notice that the man’s teeth seem sharper than is normal. He grips someone’s hand to shake and it’s not only strong but sharp nails cut into the skin. Sometimes you catch him in the wrong light and his skin has a bluish tint like he’s a walking corpse instead of a man. 

Danny Fenton/Phantom is obsessed with protection, usually of his town but he himself often falls under that umbrella. He seeks to protect his identity more than anything out a reasonable fear for his life and freedom. Danny Fenton wants people to overlook him, to be invisible so that they don’t see anything out of the ordinary with him. His features are painfully average, any scars or distinguishing features from his ghost fights either disappear outright or get ignored. He hides in plain sight, his ghostly nature causing other people to look the other way when they really ought to pay attention to what’s going on with him.  

Danny Phantom meanwhile, very consciously acts the opposite of his human counterpart to keep up the illusion of being separate people. He glows brightly, more than some of the other ghosts to emphasize his ghostly abilities. His facial features are faded and sometimes hard to discern, a clear attempt to avoid recognition. But despite how ghostly he looks, he makes sure not to lean too far into unlike Vlad. He wants to be their hero, their protector, and to do so, he can’t frighten them. It’s why he won’t develop fangs or unnatural coloring or features. He wants to look as human, as comforting as possible so the people he’s saving won’t run in fear of him. He’ll update and upgrade his costume, age appropriately but he never wants to look anything but a strangely colored, glowing human.