# You get to be a superhero. What superpowers do you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480 "2003-05-21T03:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/21 "2003-05-21T22:38:09Z")
Ever since I was a kid I always wanted the power to slow down time. So that I could make everybody else go slower. Like slow down time and catch a bullet as it slowly passes by. Or be the best sports guy ever, because reaction time wouldn’t be a problem. I guess just being really fast would have the same effect, but slowing down time just sounds cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/22 "2003-05-21T23:01:46Z")
For my home town, I’d like to be able to instill logic and compassion. The folks who dump garbage on the beach would realize they’re destroying the environment. The people who smoke right next to me would realize they’re injuring me. The people who harvest all the baby lobsters would realize they’re destroying a species. The rapists and pet-killers would feel bad enough that they wouldn’t do such vile things. And the stupid clerk at the pharmacy would realize that monosyllabic grunts do not help anyone get their medications. It wouln’t be mind control (that’s just evil) it’d simply be…an awakening or realization. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/23 "2003-05-22T02:30:18Z")
I’d want superintelligence - like, say, ten time as smart as Einstein or Hawking. Don’t know how we’d quantify that, exactly, but say for the sake of argument it could be done. Imagine what I could accomplish with that sort of intelligence! To heck with stopping muggers and bank robbers - the international system itself could be molded to my will, if I had sufficient intellect to apply to the problem. I could negotiate ends to wars! Engineer stable geostrategic patterns that would ensure peace for millenia! It would be glorious! Ahem. Well, we all need dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/24 "2003-05-22T03:02:57Z")
I’d choose to become invisible/visible at will. That’d be cool. Hell think of the pranks you could pull, or the conversations you could hear undetected. I’d use my powers only for good: finding OBL, hogtying him, and dropping him off at the nearest Marine firebase. Tripler What? Did you hear someone talking? ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/25 "2003-05-22T05:36:10Z")
Telepathy (both sending and recieving), clairvoyance, and precognition. Those are the coolest powers ever. Oh, and titanium teeth. (So much less hassle!!) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/26 "2003-05-22T12:44:49Z")
I would like the power to _implant_ thoughts into people’s minds without them knowing about it. I would use this for only Forces Of Good. Unless, naturally, something more entertaining comes along. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/27 "2003-05-22T13:01:58Z")
I used to want Wolverine claws but then I realised that’s actually pretty lame. All his superpower stuff comes from his healing factor, anyone can hold a knife. I think Neo’s powers would cut it for me – flying, super strength, superspeed, aw heck, I’d just like to be Superman minus the dorky costume. ---
**Author:** ![merge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@merge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merge)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/28 "2003-05-22T13:41:01Z")
Reminds me of Stephen Lynch’s song **Superhero** "If I could be a superhero, I’d be immigration dude, I’d send all the foreigners back to their homes, for eating up all of our food, and taking up our welfare and best jobs to boot, like landscaping, dish washing, picking our fruit, I’d pass alot of laws to get rid of their brood, Cause i’d be immigration dude… " That is not really what i would be… but it’s funny… I would just like the ability to become invisable whenever I want, without that awkward not knowing when you are going to become visable again, so you are just standing somewhere naked… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/29 "2003-05-22T13:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biffy the Elephant Shrew \* > \*\*Or maybe I could settle for the power to delete double posts. :mad: \*\* I, **The Moderator** , Have solved your problem! What power do I think would best help a superhero? How about the ability to always make the right decision. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480/30 "2003-05-22T14:53:08Z")
Healing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-get-to-be-a-superhero-what-superpowers-do-you-want/176480.md?page=1)