Like many people, I’ve got a soft spot for children, and the boy is the same age as my daughter. Tough choice between him and the firemen, but I’d probably go with the kid.
If I asked the firemen, they’d probably tell me to save the kid. So I’ll honor their hypothetical wishes.
All of this, right down to the “this sucks” part. But Batman was a detective as well as a superhero, so I can save the kid and do some detectoring to help the peace activists.
Sigh. Quick phone call to my buddy on the force (superheroes always have one buddy on the force) to tell him/her about the arson, save the kid, hope the firefighter’s buddies are having a John Wayne day.
Realistically, though, this was covered in Super Hero Boot Camp. You can’t save them all, and trying to is going to drive you insane, and pretty soon you’re dressing up like a bat completely in black and moping around on the tops of buildings, brooding darkly. It’s not like the obituary page suddenly became blank once Superman appeared on the scene. If all that crap was going down in one five minute period, then a truly horrendous amount of bad things goes on while you, the hero, is sleeping, eating brekkie, and taking the morning shower.
Actually, given all of the above, the best strategy is to do nothing and conserve your energy just in case the daily mad scientist decides to detonate a reverse-evolution-everyone-into-slime-ray in the center of the city in a couple of hours.
Can I kill them all and let Pallas Athena sort them out?
I suppose not. I’m not going to save the kid – I’mI don’t like kids. They are disease vectors. I’m not going to save the firemen - they knew the chances they were taking in the job, and probably got laid every other day by fireman groupies. I’m not going to save a church, because I’m an athiest and beieve that religions causes more problems than it solves. If it burns to the ground, perhaps they can use the land for something worthwhile.
I’m gonna teleport to the nearest bar and have a brewski.
True. But it’s more fun that way.
Only if I use teleportation to rescue the firefighters, which I specified I wasn’t doing.
Ah. I assumed that my shapeshifting powers included my clothing. That changes things.
Depends on the weapon. A mace or battleaxe could help get through the obstacles that have the firefighters trapped, and a shield (even if not vibranium) will protect against falling debris.
Because a superhero does his best to save as many people as possible, regardless of the odds or personal risk.
Revised answer, then: Since no one is immediately endangered by the church burning, I would rescue the child, who would otherwise be helpless. Then, instead of teleporting home, I’d teleport to the warehouse. (You said that teleporting home would leave me too tired to teleport again, but I’d still retain my other powers. I assume that the same holds if I teleport to the warehouse.) I’d then give what aid I can to the firefighters; it may be hopeless, but that’s what superheroes do.
I’d save the firefighters. There are three of them (versus one kid); being adults, they’re likely to have families that depend on them (unlike the kid, who is too young to have dependents, not even a goldfish).
I can make a phone call to the appropriate media about the impending church arson without callingn on my superpowers.
I’d rescue the cbild.
Stopping the church burning only potentially stops tomorrows problems - I’ll deal with tomorrow’s problems tomorrow. Saving the firefighters will put me out of action for tomorrow and since I’ve already had a busy day today it seems like a day of work is worth more then three lives.
Saving the kid will enable me to do more good over all since it will actually save a life today unlike the church and it will still leave me to fight the vood fight tomorrow unlike the firefighters.
Save the kid - the firemen were doing their job and accepted the risks, and I can always use shapeshifting to trick the cops into confessing on hidden camera tomorrow.
Hell, I can tell the press as I come out of the river that a fire was being set in five minutes time, where and who, without extra power expenditure. Why should I do all the work myself? And it’s obvious I do have superpowers, for any doubters.
I’d be careful with the shapeshifting myself, by which I mean I’d avoid using it in front of anyone or admitting I can do it. It’s more effective if no one knows you have it, not to mention that, if people know about it, you can be used as a scapegoat.
I’m a female. I save the child. It’s in my DNA, even if said DNA is altered by superpowers.
I also make a call or calls to whomever it takes to address the church fire. I presume that doing so while rushing toward the child and the bridge will not deplete my powers.
Sadly, that means consigning the firemen to their fate. Although I would deeply regret doing so, I concur with those saying that firemen understand and accept the risks of their profession going in and would most likely tell me to leave them and save the others anyway.
I don’t think you have time. The OP says that according to your vision, the kid has already hit the water; if you’re going to save, you’ll have to abandon all help. And I seriously doubt your cell phone will survive the dip into the drink.
What kind of superhero doesn’t have a couple of waterproof pouches on his/her utility belt or cloak? I mean, these people fight in sewers all the damn time.
True enough, yes. I don’t see the downside about advertizing my precognitions, though (although I’d make out that they’re more random and uncontrolled than your OP makes it seem they are, just to avoid being hassled about why I don’t predict every disaster and crime - or ending up sharing a tank with Samantha Morton)
No problem so long as none of the shapes you let them see are the real you. In fact, I’d start every day of crimefighting by shifting to look like my worst enemy, and let him take the heat if someone recognizes him.
BTW, will I be, er, fully functional, if I shift to to, say, a porn star with a huge schlong, or a really hot chick?
Also, what consequences do I face if I use my powers for selfishness and evil?