The Sword and Laser discussion

This is only tangentially related... but if you were able to have a "superpower," which would you pick?

I would want to be able to coax electronic things like that kid from Heroes could.

My first thought would be the "Jedi mind trick" type of power, or like Parkman from Heroes. "These are not the droids you are looking for".

I'd need a full blown origin story, but at the end of it, I'd be or be part of a digital sentience. Both because it would be interesting (replication, immortality, the ability to increase and express oneself through new information, time compression), it would also completely twist up things like the definition of self, the notions of spirit and soul, and that'd be wicked fun.

William wrote: "I'd need a full blown origin story, but at the end of it, I'd be or be part of a digital sentience. Both because it would be interesting (replication, immortality, the ability to increase and expr..."

Have you read Perdido Street Station?

I'm a klutz. I also have a genetic disorder that makes my ligaments and tendons (and some other soft tissues) tear very easily. The combination has resulted in me being injured a fair few times and is directly attributable to most of the surgeries I've had to date. Friends and co-workers have compared me to Mr. Glass from the movie "Unbreakable." I guess it makes sense that I wish to be invincible. Or at least, have the super-stretchy joints I already have, but without the tearing (sorta like ElastaGirl from The Incredibles).

Given the option, I'd be a warlock, but I'd be like Dr. Orpheus.

Due to my extreme laziness streak, there is only one plausible power:

Telekinesis.

Flying - no question.

I would like to be able to teleport wherever I want to go to.

Teleportation. Obviously.

Is it just because fuel (and travel in general) is so expensive these days (and a bit of a nuisance) that people want teleportation/flying abilities?

@terpkristin-I suppose that the high price of fuel may be part of it but I've always wanted the ability to teleport anywhere I wanted to. Teleportation would totally change all the rules. Add in the ability to not only teleport yourself but to also teleport other objects and you win the game.

Upon reflecting upon this topic, I had an interesting phenomenon. I realized that having certain powers would come with a huge burden to utilize the power for the benefit of others to the greatest extent possible. If I had, say, a healing ability, there would be a certain element of "playing God". If I did not go to every hospital and heal every person I could, would I not be choosing to leave some sick and even allowing them to die?

So, I found myself shying away from abilities that would carry such far-reaching responsibilities and leaning toward those that could only benefit me or others in a very limited and "do-able" way. Odd.

@terpkristin - A couple of years ago I was on a float plane taking a flight to an island. The flight was full so I ended up sitting in the co-pilot's seat. The view from that forward window was awesome and convinced me right there that if I ever had my x-men moment (you know, the 13-year old's day dream of getting hit on the head by a magic meteorite/bitten by a radioactive seagull/unearthing a long lost alien artefact and gaining some sort of power as a result) it would be flying.

The fact that I was 39 and still thinking about my x-men moment probably reveals too much, but there you go.

I want teleportation because I have family so far away and I could just pop in and say hi without having to book a plane, etc all the problems with traveling.

I kinda liked Janeane Garofalo's bowling ball from hell in Mystery Men.

Teleportation, definitely!

invisibility.

instant healing

Precog - Gretel has it figured out

The problem with precog is when you cannot get a solution you really want. There is a reason so many soldiers had to die. There will be a day when she has to sacrifice her brother.

For my own superpower, I would like teleportation most of all.

Create something from nothing....

Awesome topic.

I would say control the flow of time, slow it down, pause it, and be able to jump to any point in time.

I could witness any event in history, kill any evil leader before they get to power, or just make loads of money like Biff in Back to the Future 2.

Im a hobby gardner. I'd love to be able to grow plants simply by touching them. First order of business would be to fill the local food bank.

Add another vote to teleportation.

Telekinesis for me. It's something I've wished I had for a good portion of my life. (And yeah... it's mostly out of laziness.)

Brad wrote: "Im a hobby gardner. I'd love to be able to grow plants simply by touching them. First order of business would be to fill the local food bank."

you win :)

There are several powers I would like to have: speed, telekinesis, invisibility, flight, etc. But all of these would have certain drawbacks or responsibility like Vance pointed out. Upon further reflection, I realized that the most useful, practical, and ultimate power would be...... Immortality.
Think about it; you could do anything and everything you want. You could become the smartest person on the planet; the richest person, or the deadliest. You could watch the future unfold before your eyes; you could become a legend in your own time.
Granted, your emotions might take a hit since you would obviously outlast all your loved ones. And some have speculated that immortality could lead to death by boredom.
But all in all, I think that's the power I'd want to have.

Shape Change.

'Nuff Said.

This is definitely a tough one. I'd love speed or strength. Though telekinesis has been a long favorite of mine.

I would have to say “The ability to cloud people’s minds so they cannot see me.” I am a long time fan of “The Shadow” from old time radio.

I'm a big fan of perfect telekinesis. The kind of elemental control that allows you to bend light waves around you so you can be invisible, stop molecules from vibrating so you can sneak perfectly, manipulate neurons in an enemy to make them forget you existed. That's the superpower I want.

Shape Shifting all the way. :)

To be able to turn invisible, but only when no one is looking.

Omnipotence? but that's cheating, so I choose PermanentMemoryMegaFastSpeedreadingSuperIQandNoNeedForSleepWithVeryLongLifespan. Then I could just INVENT stuff and become a super cyborg immortal... or I could hurry up and finish my dissertation...

Superspeed is what I think of first cause of all of the stuff I could get done, skills I could learn, knowledge I could cram into my brain, but it ends up just reminding me of that song by Jim's Big Ego. "...and time keeps draggin' on..." might be a bad choice.

Time control is a good one in its place. The ability to stop and rewind time on a whim. Groundhog Day comes to mind with that power. Get all the benefits of the speed without the ultimate loneliness.

Teleportation.

Where should I go today?
It is 7:29, I have to be to work at 7:30. No problemo.
I have to go the the bank to make a withdrawal.

The list goes on.

The ability to pull exact change out of my pocket. No more digging at the drive-thru.

As a long-time fan of such questions, I have long since chosen the most efficient of powers: animorphation (word?). If I need to fly I can be a bird, if I need to punch in a face, I can be a gorilla, etc etc

I want the "super power" to have all stop lights turn green when I come up to them, or the ability to have all elevators already on my floor when I hit the up button.

Mur Lafferty’s first novel, "Playing for Keeps" covers this pretty well. Anyone interested in downloading the audiobook version or pdf of it for free can go to her site to et it: http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com/

I would have the power to change my clothes instantly anytime I passed through a doorway. To make it even better I wouldn't want to have control over what clothes I changed into.

It would need to be a power that has a low "temptation" to misuse value and something I could use and enjoy. I think "flying" would be cool as in up up and away. Slip out the back door at night and visit the world be back before sunrise. Or stay at the location and return a different night.

I would add another one, the ability to grant some one else a wish once and has to not harm anyone....

I'd want Astral Travel. Being able to project out-of-body into untold worlds.

Exploring an endless number of places and realms, making alliances with things from beyond the veil, fighting unseen evils, manipulating behind-the-scenes forces, it would be great.

Teleportation, for strictly non-heroic reasons - I'd just like to get places quickly.

Super-speed would be nice too, if it meant I could wake up 10 minutes before I needed to be at work and shower, prepare breakfast, and get to work super-fast.

Interesting that someone asked if this is because of the price of travel - no, I just want to get places even faster than modern travel permits. But it's an interesting point that super-speed and teleportation would be green travel options.

You're all funny, but I must say the award for Super Kindness was taken by Kris.

Shannon wrote: "Teleportation, for strictly non-heroic reasons - I'd just like to get places quickly.

Super-speed would be nice too, if it meant I could wake up 10 minutes before I needed to be at work and sho..."

Maybe you should just get a TARDIS like Dr Who? I've been wanting one of those myself. What could be better than hooking a nice fully furnished pocket universe of your own to any spot in space-time?

Welwyn wrote: "You're all funny, but I must say the award for Super Kindness was taken by Kris."

thx Welwyn...thats sweet...;)

I always had a soft spot for a comic book character whose name escapes me. He his power was to always be able to pull the necessary item out of a pocket or bag. As long as he didn't know what was there he could find pretty much anything.

Did I mention I have three boys that constantly lose things?

I'd choose the ability to control others. With that, I could do anything. Having said that, I'd probably try to fix the world and end up dooming it!