# Choose your one super power **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 17, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050 "2018-07-17T00:37:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/61 "2018-07-18T20:55:03Z")
Carrie White had a good thing going if only she had thought it through and used it with a little more creativity and finesse. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/62 "2018-07-19T01:49:27Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I], I’m André the Giant as he was in _The Princess Bride_. They might reconsider. Andre was in a lot of pain during filming. Go with a younger version of him. I’d want complete understanding of everything in, and outside, the Universe. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/63 "2018-07-19T02:10:38Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > i don’t care as much about my super power as i do about my costume. _ **something with a cape** _. And maybe a cowl, though i’m not 100% sure what a cowl is, exactly. Oh, and a codpiece. **no capes!!!** ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/64 "2018-07-19T04:41:43Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > So I think I might go for a five-minute do-over: > > _/sneaks toward bad guy, gets spotted, POOF! and it’s five minutes ago./ > /sneaks again from the other side, got him!/_ > > Just hope he’s not too quick on the draw the first time around. That’s my second choice. It would be _super_ useful in day-to-day life (I don’t want to be a super hero). Say the wrong thing to your boss? Rewind! Say the wrong thing to that person you’re crushing on? Rewind! Get home from the store and realize you forgot to buy olive oil? Rewind! > [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I’d like to be nominally immortal (like a Tolkien elf: killable but otherwise undying) in my 30 year-old physiology–body, brain chemistry, vigor, everything. Anything else I’d want would follow naturally. Hopefully I could outgrow empathy and compassion because they are a seemingly endless source of torment. If you want to live forever the last thing you want to do, IMHO, is jettison your empathy and compassion. You’ll be dealing with the fallout of your actions _forever_ and acting with cruelty will only make your world worse. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/65 "2018-07-19T07:19:28Z")
Someone had mine - compelling the truth. Similar - be able to reproduce conversations/memos/emails/correspondence backing events and positions. Sort of a super-NSA/Pentagon Papers/Dirk Gently/Sherlock Holmes manner. Sunshine rules for all. Why YES, I can handle the truth. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/66 "2018-07-19T07:50:22Z")
I’d like The Power Cosmic, please. If that’s too OP or not considered a single power, I’ll take Magneto’s power at its fullest representation (capable of moving asteroids, creating force fields etc) ---
**Author:** ![Smoothrecluse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@Smoothrecluse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smoothrecluse)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/67 "2018-07-21T03:48:06Z")
I heard it from a comedian (don’t remember who), but the ability to take self confidence/ego and redistribute it to someone(s) else would be pretty nifty. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/68 "2018-07-21T12:01:47Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > **no capes!!!** I did some research and now understand (never saw the movie).🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/69 "2018-07-21T12:16:20Z")
Mindreading. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/70 "2018-07-21T14:03:33Z")
The United States of America of the 1980s. It will go down in the history books as the bestest superpower. > [@Baker](#): > > no capes!!! You are the victim of a vicious propaganda campaign aimed at putting hard working cape tailors out of business. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/71 "2018-07-21T18:50:43Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Invisability. I’d love to sneak around at will. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > (For me, the answer is flight.) This John Hodgman story from This American Life might be of interest: [Invisible Man Vs. Hawkman](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/178/superpowers/act-one-0) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/72 "2018-07-24T07:13:11Z")
I was going to wish for the ability to copy or steal the powers of other people. But then it occurred to me that I may, in fact, already have that ability, but there’s no way to tell because there aren’t any people with powers that I can work my mojo on. I may just have to start irradiating spiders and throwing them at people, or I could stick to the classic method of shoving people into vats of exotic chemicals. When does that NOT give you powers? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/73 "2018-07-24T12:09:01Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Andre was in a lot of pain during filming. Go with a younger version of him. Doesn’t matter that much. I’d only need to be André for long enough to make whoever was bothering me think twice. Then I’d go to the restroom and change into someone else that they didn’t have a grudge with. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/74 "2018-07-24T15:22:28Z")
Jedi mind powers, of course. “You are upgrading me to first class at no extra cost.” “The Milk Duds are five for a dollar today.” “My work has been so good lately you should give me an extra two weeks of vacation.” “Your kid is being a brat and should be taken home as quickly as possible.” “My bar conversation is so scintillating that I should get free drinks for the rest of the night.” “Honey, you don’t mind cleaning the cat box at all, do you?” ---
**Author:** ![Mnemnosyne](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mnemnosyne/32/3347_2.png) [@Mnemnosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnemnosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/75 "2018-07-24T22:29:53Z")
The ability to essentially become a possessing ghost, jumping out of my body (permanently if I so choose) and into the body of any other person that I can see, or know of the existence of with enough clarity to identify them. While in their body, I’m in full control and experience everything as they would. When I leave, I get to choose one of three possible outcomes as far as their memory of events goes. One, they remember nothing; it’s like they blacked out when I jumped in, and regained consciousness when I left. Two, they remember everything, and are aware that some force was controlling them to take those actions. Three, they remember everything, but they self-justify anything that I caused them to do, so that they believe they did it all. Finally, this power triggers automatically if the body I’m in dies, sending me to the nearest valid target. This means I’m immortal as long as there’s at least one other person I can either see or know of the existence of, because I’ll automatically jump to a new body. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/76 "2018-07-24T23:09:18Z")
Octavia E. Butler had a couple novels involving a character like that named Doro, in _Wildseed_ and _Mind of My Mind_. Except that when he left a “host” the body died (the personality of the person died when he possessed them). ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/77 "2018-07-25T00:18:01Z")
I’m going to assume having reality warping as the one superpower would be cheating because it mean I could basically do anything and have any other superpower I wanted. With that in mind, I like to have the ability to be in peak health and weight no matter how much I eat or how little I exercise. Kinda like a version of Wolverine’s healing factor. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/78 "2018-07-25T00:21:43Z")
> [@Mnemnosyne](#): > > The ability to essentially become a possessing ghost, jumping out of my body (permanently if I so choose) and into the body of any other person that I can see, or know of the existence of with enough clarity to identify them. While in their body, I’m in full control and experience everything as they would. When I leave, I get to choose one of three possible outcomes as far as their memory of events goes. One, they remember nothing; it’s like they blacked out when I jumped in, and regained consciousness when I left. Two, they remember everything, and are aware that some force was controlling them to take those actions. Three, they remember everything, but they self-justify anything that I caused them to do, so that they believe they did it all. > > Finally, this power triggers automatically if the body I’m in dies, sending me to the nearest valid target. This means I’m immortal as long as there’s at least one other person I can either see or know of the existence of, because I’ll automatically jump to a new body. WOW. This power would have some pretty horrific possibilities if the person who had it was a psychopath who didn’t care it all what the happened to the person he possessed.:eek: (I am **not** accusing you of being a psychopath.) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/79 "2018-07-25T17:12:10Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > WOW. This power would have some pretty horrific possibilities if the person who had it was a psychopath who didn’t care it all what the happened to the person he possessed.:eek: (I am **not** accusing you of being a psychopath.) It crossed my mind that I’m not sure there’s a way to use that power for anything _but_ evil. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050/80 "2018-07-25T18:58:44Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > It crossed my mind that I’m not sure there’s a way to use that power for anything _but_ evil. Deadman seems to have done pretty well with it over the years. This dovetails with the mind control comments above. At first blush, a power like Killgrave’s seems like it would be great. After watching _Jessica Jones_, however, you realize how much of a violation it would be for anyone you used it on. You might do some good things with it, but you wouldn’t be a good guy. Maybe I do need to rethink the ethics of Boston Brand. I haven’t read many of the recent Deadman stories - do they go into the trauma suffered by those he possesses? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-your-one-super-power/818050.md?page=5)