If you could have a superpower…

@michaelsolisauthor

Asking la familia Solis a very important question: “If you had one superpower, what would it be?” #superpowers #scifibooktok #scifi #writertok #authorsoftiktok #heroes #superheroes #wwe #deficient

♬ X-Men The Animated Series Main Theme (From “X-Men The Animated Series”) – Geek Music

One of my favorite get-to-know-you questions is one that many of us have asked or answered at some point in our lives: “If you could have a superpower, what would it be?”

I love this question, and I’ve found that children and adults answer it in a similar way – usually with a laugh and a mischievous sparkle in their eyes. They allow themselves to suspend reality and enter the realm of the imagination. For children, imagining comes as naturally as breathing and giggling. It takes more effort for adults to unlock the inner wonders of their minds, but they don’t seem to have much trouble when it comes to answering this question. Never have I come across an adult who said, “Why would I waste my time answering that? That could never happen!”

Sometimes people will ask for the reason behind the choice, but I don’t think that is necessary. The response alone is enough to draw observations (both noble and… ummm… less noble) about the human psyche. My brain leaps to all sorts of conclusions based on people’s selected powers. These are not scientifically proven by any means and must be taken with several grains of salt, but allow me to share a few of them.

Super strength: If strength is your desired power, you seek to navigate the world with greater gravitas and might. You may feel small and insignificant now or may have felt this way when you were a child. You may also wish to dominate and control others, replicating behaviors that were exerted against you at some point in your life. Or maybe you simply enjoy picking up heavy objects.

Super speed: You love the exhilarating flood of adrenaline that comes with a good rush. You thrive on winning and can be deeply competitive, but you’re also fond of shortcuts, even if these may not be in your best interests. You may also be terrible with time management and need a quick fix for your perpetual tardiness.

Flight: You wish to experience something surreal and beyond the scope of what humans can do. Unlike strength or speed, which can be developed through training, unaided flight cannot be achieved by our stubborn, earthbound bodies. You are an achiever who needs to be wary of their limits, like Icarus who flew too close to the sun. You may also tend to drift in life and have trouble finding solid ground.

Healing: This is a truly benevolent response, and I respect you for sharing it. However, I am surprised by how often it is expressed by people who have not entered medical or healing professions. You can do this in real life, people!

There is another set of powers that, while also common, raises red flags in my brain whenever someone shares them.

Telepathy: You want to know my thoughts? And the thoughts of everyone around you? Nosey much? While there may be a noble way of using this power to solve crimes or detect lies (it would be great to use with politicians), I’m curious about your true motives. Further investigation required.

Invisibility: A lot of people want to be invisible, and I have always wondered why. What spaces do you want to infiltrate? Who do you want to spy on/see in the buff? A friend told me invisibility would enable them to be like a fly on the wall in rooms where important decisions are made. However, we have C-SPAN for that, and it may be the most boring thing ever.

X-ray vision: For some reason, straight males disproportionately respond with this answer. And let me tell you, straight males, there is nothing noble about wanting to have X-ray vision. I have nothing against you as people, but X-ray vision? Creepy!

Every once in a while, I’ll get some rarer, wildcard powers. I love these, as they would fall under the Feral (or Freely Accelerated) ability status in Deficient, and they require a bit more creativity to devise.

Calming: One person told me she would use her ability to calm everyone around her, removing tension, anxiety, and anger, which would be helpful for promoting peace and resolving conflicts. 10 points for Hufflepuff – that is a very cool ability!

Observation: Another person recently told me that when she was a child, she wanted to have the ability of observation. Her friends, fireball and lightning bolt kind of kids, would mock her for this actionless power. She explained that she would be able to understand every situation simply by observing it, and she could then advise her friends on the best course of action to take. This one blew me away with its sophistication and foresight.

Languages: A friend told me she would like the ability to speak or sign every language in the world with perfection, allowing her to communicate with anyone. As someone who loves learning and practicing languages, I thought this was a very practical ability that would open up the world while avoiding many an awkward interaction. However, the level of talking required sounds exhausting.

Vaporization: A friend once told me he wished he could vaporize people with a single beam of energy. We are no longer friends. He has not yet been convicted of murder, but I assume this is only a matter of time. (Just kidding… please don’t hurt me!)

I, for one, have always had trouble settling on a single power. There are so many to choose from, and my mind gets overwhelmed when faced with an abundance of options. My favorite superhero of all time was Storm. I thought her ability to control the weather, fly by riding the wind, and summon tornadoes was fantastic, and it could be useful in bringing climactic balance to a planet that has gone out of whack. Noble. And zapping my enemies with lightning bolts? Fun!

What would your superpower be if you could have one? I will gladly analyze your choice. 😀 And are my hunches about people based on their chosen powers spot on or way off? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!