# Superheroes who sought out their superpowers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760 "2008-07-16T22:55:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/1 "2008-07-16T22:55:47Z")
It strikes me that most super-powered\* superheroes are either superbeings from someplace else (Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, etc) or got their powers by accident (Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, Flash, etc). The main exceptions I can think of are the magic-based superheroes like Dr Strange or Zatanna. Other than them, the only superheroes I can think of who deliberately set out to acquire super-powers are Captain America and Iron Man. Are there others I’ve missed? \*For the sake of this thread, I’m not counting heroes with exceptional human abilities like Batman, Green Arrow, or Hawkeye. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/2 "2008-07-16T22:59:18Z")
Booster Gold? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/3 "2008-07-16T23:16:08Z")
Supervillains seek out their powers, superheroes have them thrust upon them. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/4 "2008-07-17T01:39:44Z")
The heroes of the Strikeforce: Morituri comics were all volunteers. Rather dedicated ones, since the power giving process was 100% fatal in about a year. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/5 "2008-07-17T02:27:54Z")
Batman? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/6 "2008-07-17T03:05:50Z")
[QUOTE=Omi no Kami] Batman? [/QUOTE] The OP says he doesn’t count. It’s not a particularly long post either. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/7 "2008-07-17T03:09:32Z")
Buddy, out of hero worship for Mr. Incredible, before he became embittered, went bad and turned into Syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/8 "2008-07-17T03:23:40Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] The OP says he doesn’t count. It’s not a particularly long post either. [/QUOTE] Ah, well apologies for the redundancy. ^^ ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/9 "2008-07-17T05:16:58Z")
The only ones I can think of are just “normal” men with above average potential or motivation that trained or invented what it took to get there. And those that immediately come to mind are already mentioned. Edit: Reread the OP and Doctor Strange was already mentioned as well :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/10 "2008-07-17T08:55:12Z")
The Elongated Man qualifies, I think. He developed the extract that gave him his special powers. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/11 "2008-07-18T05:57:23Z")
I’m not that huge of a comics fan, but off the top of my head, I’d say that the [Juggernaut](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut_(comics)) qualifies. He and Charles found the temple together, but Cain was the one who went right for the magical gem. The finding of it was chance, but the taking of it was choice. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/12 "2008-07-18T06:18:45Z")
Luthor’s Infinity Inc (who ended up getting powers accidentally when their Luthor-created powers were taken away). In the Iron Man vein, there’s also Steel, Booster Gold (already mentioned), Spitfire (of the New Universe), and…well, almost anyone else who uses a power suit or other enhanced gear, which isn’t exactly a short list. I’d disallow them as essentially the same as the Batman/Green Arrow/Hawkeye types, except that their gear is more advanced. Many heroes have lost their powers and deliberately worked to get them back. (Sun Boy of the Legion of Superheroes, several present and past Green Lanterns (Guy Gardner, Jenny-Lynn Hayden (Jade)), etc.) Comet Queen deliberately attempted to recreate the accident that gave Star Boy his altered (Superman-like) powers. Ultimate Hulk - his powers come from a variant on the Super-Soldier Serum which Banner was attempting to recreate. I’m pretty sure anyone whose powers are based on Pym Particles did it deliberately. (Well…maybe not Stature…I really don’t know about her.) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/13 "2008-07-18T06:19:24Z")
Wait, was Dr. Strange out to acquire magic? I thought he just wanted to regain control of his nerve damaged hands. There are lots of adventurers who trained themselves to super hero athleticism. I’m thinking Black Widow, and Red Guardian (the female). Henry Pym, aka Giant Man, Ant-Man, Yellow Jacket, etc, also deliberately experimented on himself, didn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/14 "2008-07-18T06:38:39Z")
Juggernaut is a villain. ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/15 "2008-07-18T06:45:40Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] Juggernaut is a villain. [/QUOTE] Don’t you know who the _fuck_ he is? He ain’t a villain, he the _Juggernaut_, bitch! ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/16 "2008-07-18T08:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] Juggernaut is a villain. [/QUOTE] Sort of. According to the Wiki article, he became a regular good guy, and what I was thinking of was one of the older X-Men releases where he partners, reluctantly, with the X-Men to beat a mutual enemy. Can’t remember who it was since this is a memory from about 25 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/17 "2008-07-18T08:09:23Z")
[QUOTE=WoodenTaco] Don’t you know who the _fuck_ he is? He ain’t a villain, he the _Juggernaut_, bitch! [/QUOTE] Just in case anyone is unaware, **WoodenTaco** is repeating an internet joke involving Juggernaut. My apologies if this appears to be me playing a junior mod or acting as if we’re all a bunch of prigs without a sense of humor. I get the joke but that doesn’t mean other people will. Marc ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/18 "2008-07-18T08:55:04Z")
[Juggernaut, Bitch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgAPFKDL6Sg). (NSFW language, of course.) Wears a little thin after a while IMO, but pretty funny until then. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/19 "2008-07-18T11:15:52Z")
INVISIBLE KID of the Legion of Super Heroes set out to develop a method of becoming invisible. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760/20 "2008-07-18T11:29:08Z")
[QUOTE=audit1] INVISIBLE KID of the Legion of Super Heroes set out to develop a method of becoming invisible. [/QUOTE] The Invisible Man and Dr Jekyll in their “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” guises did similar, even if they had to be press ganged into joining the good guys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-who-sought-out-their-superpowers/456760.md?page=2)