If you could have any superpower, what would it be? (And what would your superhero name be?) Take a look at our list of superpowers and the brave heroes (or wicked villains) who use them for some ideas!
flight
Flight is the superpower most people would choose, and it makes sense! It would be great to be able to travel long distances without having to be crammed in a car, train, or airplane for hours. Superman never has to worry about getting the middle seat.
Flying superheroes:
- Superman
- Captain Marvel from Marvel Comics
- Green Lantern from DC Comics
- Primer from DC Comics
invisibility
Another popular choice is invisibility, or the ability to be “not perceptible to the human eye.” In one classic example, after Susan Storm is hit by cosmic rays during space travel in Fantastic Four #1 (1961), she gains the ability to become invisible.
Characters with invisibility:
- Invisible Woman (alias of Susan Storm) from Marvel Comics
- Miss Martian (alias of M’gann M’orzz) from DC Comics
- Blindspot (with suit) (alias of Sam Chung) from Marvel Comics
x-ray vision
X-ray vision is the ability to look through a layer of something and see what lies beneath, much as an x-ray is able to look through skin and muscle to see the bones underneath. The X in x-ray stands for the unknown.
Characters with x-ray vision:
- All Kryptonians: Superman, Astro Boy, Supergirl, etc.
telepathy
Telepathy should not be confused with telekinesis (more on that in a second). Telepathy is the ability to “communicate between minds by some means other than sensory perception.” Tele- means “distance” or “transmission over a distance” (think television). The -pathy part of the word means “feeling, sensitivity, or perception.”
Characters with the power of telepathy:
- Professor X (Charles Xavier) from Marvel Comics
- Marvel Girl (alias of Jean Grey) from Marvel Comics
- White Queen (alias of Emma Frost) from Marvel Comics
telekinesis
Another superpower that uses the form tele- is telekinesis, also known as psychokinesis, “the ability to move or deform inanimate objects with the mind”. The -kinesis part of the word means “movement, activity,” from Greek kī́nēsis. We will see many other superpowers that rely on some form of kinesis.
Characters with the power of telekinesis:
- Raven from Teen Titans
- Dr. Strange from Marvel Comics
- Captain Britain (alias of Betsy Braddock) from Marvel Comics
teleportation
The final superpower we will look at that uses tele- is teleportation, “the ability to transport a body.” In fictional universes, this can be done using telekinesis or sci-fi technology, like the teleporters used on the show Star Trek.
Characters with the power of teleportation:
- Cloak (alias of Tyrone Johnson) from Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger
- Blink (alias of Clarice Ferguson) from Marvel Comics
- Deadpool (alias of Wade Wilson) from Marvel Comics
mimicry
Mimicry is the basis of many superpowers. Mimicry is the ability to copy or imitate something or someone. Many superheroes mimic the abilities of various animals. Most famously, Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, giving him the powers to mimic arachnids, like climbing walls.
Characters with powers of mimicry:
- Wolverine (of wolverines)
- Ant-Man (of ants)
- Black Panther (of panthers)
camouflage
A specific form of mimicry is camouflage, “concealment by some means that alters or obscures the appearance.” There are many examples of camouflage in nature, such as a moth that looks like a dried leaf or a chameleon that changes its skin to look like the bark of a tree. Some superheroes (or supervillains) have this ability, too.
Characters with the power of camouflage:
- Venom from Marvel Comics
- Spider-Man (alias Miles Morales) from Marvel Comics
- Zetsu from Naruto
invincibility/invulnerability
All superheroes have their Achilles heel. For Superman, it’s Kryptonite. But setting that aside, many superheroes are practically invincible or invulnerable, meaning that they cannot be harmed or injured. The in- part of these words means “un-” or “not.” In other words, they are not vulnerable.
Characters who are invincible or invulnerable:
- Greed from Fullmetal Alchemist
- Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Captain America (alias of Steve Rodgers) from Marvel Comics (survived being frozen in an ice floe for a long time)
- Luke Cage from Marvel Comics
thermokinesis
Thermokinesis is the ability to manipulate and channel heat sources. This superpower comes in a variety of forms. For example, Afro-Brazilian member of the X-Men Sunspot is able to absorb solar power and channel it as a weapon. The word thermokinesis is made of two combining forms. As you may have guessed, thermo- means “heat” or “hot,” from the Greek thermós or thérmē.
Characters with the power of thermokinesis:
- Sunspot (alias of Roberto da Costa) from Marvel Comics
- Oya (alias of Idie Okonkwo) from Marvel Comics
- Crystal (alias of Crystalia Amaquelin) from Marvel Comics
necromancy
Necromancy is “a method of divination through communication with the dead.” It is also used more generally to refer to sorcery, witchcraft, and conjuration. The word necromancy comes from a combination of two forms. Necro- means “the dead,” from Greek nekrós. The form -mancy means “divination,” from Greek manteía. We will see other superpowers that use the form -mancy to denote “power over” a given element or object.
Characters with the power of necromancy:
- Dr. Stephen Strange from Marvel Comics
- Shuri as Black Panther from Marvel Comics
- Maya (alias of Chandi Gupta) from DC
intangibility
The power of intangibility is more commonly thought of as the ability to “walk through walls.” Tangible means “capable of being touched.” Therefore, intangible means “not capable of being touched.”
Characters with the power of intangibility:
- Kitty Pryde (alias of Katherine Anne Pryde) from Marvel Comics
- Loki from Marvel Comics
aeromancy (air bending)
We have already seen necromancy, but there are many other forms of -mancy, many which have to do with manipulating the elements: air, water, fire, and earth. Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender is able to manipulate the wind and air. The technical term for this is aeromancy; aero- is a combining form meaning “air.”
Characters with the power of aeromancy:
- Wind Dancer (alias of Sofia Mantega) from Marvel Comics
- Zephyr from Marvel Comics
aquamancy (water bending)
The ability to manipulate water is aquamancy. In The Last Airbender, it’s known as “water bending.” The form aqua- means “water,” from the Latin word for water.
Characters with the power of aquamancy:
- Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Aquaman (alias of Arthur Curry) from DC Comics
- Aquarius from Fairy Tail
pyromancy (fire bending)
Pyromancy, also known as perkiness, is the ability to manipulate fire. This can include channeling it as a weapon or causing things to combust. The form pyro- means “fire,” from Greek pŷr.
Characters with the power of pyromancy:
- Human Torch (alias of Johnny Storm) from Marvel Comics
- Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Firebird (alias of Bonita Juarez) from Marvel Comics
geomancy (earth bending)
When it comes to superheroes, the ability to (literally) move mountains is known as geomancy, or earth bending. In real life, geomancy refers to the practice of divination or fortune telling by interpreting patterns formed by rocks or soil.
Characters with the power of geomancy:
- Toph from Avatar The Last Airbender
- Captain Planet from Captain Planet
- Cornelia Hale from W.I.T.C.H.
atmokinesis
A variant on these forms of elemental manipulation is atmokinesis, or the ability to change the weather. The most famous superhero with this ability is Storm, who can conjure fierce lightning storms and other extreme weather to protect and defend the X-Men.
Characters with the power of atmokinesis:
- Storm (alias of Ororo Munroe) from Marvel Comics
- Nature Girl (alias of Lin Li) from Marvel Comics
magnetism/ferrokenesis
In everyday speech, magnetism often refers to “strong attractive power or charm.” But when it comes to superpowers, magnetism is the ability to use and manipulate magnetic phenomena. Complicated supervillain Magneto is the classic example of a mutant with this power. He is able to bend metal to his will.
Characters with the power of magnetism:
- Magneto (alias of Max Eisenhardt) from Marvel Comics
- Polaris (alias of Lorna Dane), Magneto’s daughter
- Queen from DC Comics Justice League
theurgy
Theurgy is the ability to summon gods to intervene in human affairs. For example, Shazam is able to summon the power of Zeus to throw lightning bolts. The word theurgy comes from the Greek theourgeía, meaning “magic.”
Characters with the power of theurgy:
- Shazam (alias of Billy Batson) from DC Comics
- Dr. Fate from DC Comics
bioluminescence
Not all superpowers are fictional, strictly speaking. In some instances, examples of these powers exist in the real world. One such real-world superpower is bioluminescence, “the production of light by living organisms.” Examples of organisms with this “superpower” are fireflies, jellyfish, and even some species of sharks.
Characters with the power of bioluminescence:
- Ms. Marvel (alias of Kamala Khan)
- Star-Lord (alias of Peter Quill) from Marvel Comics
marksmanship
Another superpower that can be found in the real world is marksmanship, “skill in shooting.” Someone with keen marksmanship is exceptionally good at hitting their target with a bullet or arrow.
Characters with the power of marksmanship:
- Black Widow (alias of Natasha Romanova) from Marvel Comics
- Green Arrow (alias of Ollie Queen) from DC Comics
- Wonder Woman (alias of Princess Diana of Themyscira) from DC Comics
exorcism
Exorcism is the ability to expel an evil spirit from a body or structure, such as a house. If you have seen The Exorcist (1973), you have some idea what this involves. While more commonly associated with magic or religious beliefs in real life, exorcism is also considered a superpower in the fictional realm.
Characters with the power of exorcism:
- Ghost Rider from Marvel Comics
- Scarlet Witch (alias of Wanda Django Maximoff) from Marvel Comics
- Sleepwalker from Marvel Comics
precognition
Precognition is closely associated with telepathy. It’s the “knowledge of a future event or situation, especially through extrasensory means.” The classic example of precognition is Spider-Man’s “spidey senses.” When they start tingling, he knows something is up.
Characters with the power of precognition:
- Legion (alias of David Haller) from Marvel Comics
- Spider-Girl/Spider-Woman (alias of May Parker) from Marvel Comics
elasticity
Superheroes with elasticity are basically really, really stretchy. They can extend their limbs to remarkable lengths, like rubber. The word elasticity comes from Latin elasticus meaning “expanding spontaneously,” ultimately in reference to ductile, beaten out or forged metal.
Characters with the power of elasticity:
- Mr. Fantastic (alias of Reed Richards) from Marvel Comics
- Luffy from One Piece
- Starfire from Teen Titans
These are just a few examples of the many, many superpowers that exist in the comic book universe (and beyond). Other examples of powers include:
- photographic reflexes
- summoning
- super(human) strength
- time travel/time bending
- immortality
- wall crawling
- possession
- hypnosis
- healing
- reanimation
- astral projection
- siren song
- combustion inducement
When it comes to imagining superheroes, supervillains, and their superpowers, the sky’s the limit. It’s enough to make you wish some of these powers were real, and who knows? Maybe one day they will be! Want more comic book lingo? You can check out 10 Marvelous Words from the Marvel Universe. Plus, you can get a superpowered grasp on the terms you’ve read here in our superpowers word list.
