# What special power do you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 3, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646 "2002-10-03T06:33:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/21 "2002-10-03T19:16:23Z")
I would love to be able to teleport anywhere, any time I wanted. I would want some type of precautionary safeguard on it so I don’t teleport in middle of space, an active volcano, or the bottom of the ocean without appropriate gear to protect myself from those elements, for example. ---
**Author:** ![kitarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kitarak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitarak)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/22 "2002-10-03T19:17:56Z")
Immortality, no competition. I’m aiming for it anyway, but on the off chance I don’t get it… After that, telekinesis. The only problem being the temptation to abuse this power. So many people I would love to slamdunk into the nearest trash can… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/23 "2002-10-03T19:33:04Z")
I like Omnipotent Slapping. Reminds me of an obscure comic strip called BB and the Diva, in which the aforementioned Diva was a practitioner of the ancient art of Slapthology. I actually toyed with starting a thread like this and have given the topic some thought. When I was younger I definitely wanted to have the powers of the Super Skrull (all of the powers of the Fantastic Four plus shape-changing and super-hypnosis). As I’ve grown older and wiser, I’ve decided that the power I’d like would be the ability to impart common sense to anyone on the planet at will. Although if I **had** to settle for the Super Skrull thing, I could find a way to live with it. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/24 "2002-10-03T19:35:44Z")
Nothing obvious that the evil master minds of the world would hunt me down and kill me for but it would be kinda fun if I could turn pug poo into gold. ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/25 "2002-10-03T20:06:31Z")
I’ve always wanted to be the Human Torch (and Iceman, though I think I’d probably melt myself accidently so that would be bad.) The Omnipotent Slapping/Pants Crapping abilities almost blew my cover at work…hard to pretend you are working with Pibb Xtra exploding from your nose! Oh man, that would be great! ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/26 "2002-10-03T20:21:55Z")
I’d take the power to create any power I wanted at any time, giving me an infinite choice of powers. Kind of like wishing for more wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/27 "2002-10-03T20:24:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Pibb Xtra exploding from your nose That sounds like a minor, if somewhat problematic, superpower right there! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/28 "2002-10-03T21:59:40Z")
I would take Wolverines healing factor. Which, if you think about it, is basically immortality. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/29 "2002-10-04T01:06:29Z")
I wouldn’t mind the power to know which checkout lane/tollbooth lane will move the fastest before I get there. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/30 "2002-10-04T01:44:40Z")
I think I saw this on an 80s episode of the “Twilight Zone” The creatures from another planet could sort of will a human to do anything. Or at least put the thought in the human head to do it the alien way. And the humans knew they had better do what the aliens wanted too. In fact, I think it took place around the time of WWII. The aliens had Truman do something. And the generals around the Prez, say something to the effect of how/why are you doing that. And Truman says something like, I just have to. I’ll take that power. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/31 "2002-10-04T02:34:04Z")
Psychic powers. Moving things, reading minds the whole bit. You could move yourself around and thus fly. It would be really interesting to know what another person is thinking about you. Plus you could figure out how to get a free pop out of a vending machine with the flick of your hand. Since you could move things slappings in the back of the head would be easy. Instead of standing up to get something to eat I’ll just being food to me. Sure I’ll be fat and lazy, but I’ll also be psychic! Woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/32 "2002-10-04T03:38:48Z")
The ability to post without long waits for a page to load. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/33 "2002-10-04T05:22:32Z")
I’ve always been partial to “non-corporealness”. You know, the ability to make yourself insubstantial. Being able to walk through walls, avoid injury…it’d be sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/34 "2002-10-04T05:28:50Z")
Eidetic Memory, and/or the ability to cause anyone of my choosing to experience excruciating pain, at a mere thought from me. THAT one would be fun. \>:) Or the ability to create and control localized fields of gravity. Think of the business opportunities…“Hello, US Space Command? I understand you’re planning to launch the next generation of GPS satellites over the course of 4 years, at the cost of $10 billion. Tell you what; Just pay me a cool billion, and I’ll have 'em up and running by next week.” ---
**Author:** ![LadyMack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@LadyMack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyMack)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/35 "2002-10-04T05:33:00Z")
Super Serenity. Transferable. Those people who get wound tighter, andtighterandtighter until they’re talking like they’re eating speed and breathing helium and they’re going to explode any minute because they can’t even think anymore… …make me tired. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/36 "2002-10-04T18:51:22Z")
Good Lord, **clayton\_e** , we’re talking powers that are potentially achievable like telekinesis and immortality. I’ve always wanted telekinesis. Even something as minor as being able to bring a pen from across the room. I’m lazy. ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/37 "2002-10-04T20:11:53Z")
Now that I think of it, the Drink-fountain-for-a-nose power would not be that fun…and painful! I can just picture a scene like that of Wolverine and Rogue sitting in his truck and she says: “Does it hurt?” “Every time.” \ ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/38 "2002-10-04T21:41:24Z")
Well, time stop would be good… then maybe I’d be able to catch up on sleep. And telekenesis is the lazy person’s perfect ability. And selective mind reading would be kinda fun. And invisibility… whoo boy! Not to mention eidetic memory… Actually, I think I’d like the power to instantly fabricate hand-sized gadgets that would give the user the desired super-power. Like I’d say “invisibility gadget!” and a palm pilot would appear in my hand that could turn people invisible… it would be kinda cyber-punkish… and I could sell them and be rich rich rich… and I’d be known as Annatara, Giver of Gadgets… well, maybe not the last one _although come to think of it Annatara would be a really cool name_. ---
**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/39 "2002-10-04T22:05:22Z")
Oh God, ability to stop time, no hesitation. You can do ANYTHING with that! Go get money at the bank, annoy your worse enemy by moving things in his/her way and snap back to real time, etc, etc. Oh yeah, definitely time stopping! ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646/40 "2002-10-05T01:25:49Z")
I’d have to go with shape-changing. I think it would be so cool to get up in the morning and think “What or whom do I want to be today?” and be able to change into that thing or person. Mondays I could be butch, studly and heroic Tuesdays I could be bitchy and whiney Wednesdays I could be cute, demure and feminine Thursdays I could be a wild animal bent on chewing through whatever got in my way Fridays I could be a lamp-post Saturdays I could be the guy EVERYONE wants to dance and flirt with Sundays I could be myself and make improvements for the following week … wait a second - this is my life NOW 😃 Superpowers are TERRIFIC! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-special-power-do-you-want/130646.md?page=3)