Ever seen fiction existed, a debate has emerged on what is the most desirable superpower.

I remember as a kid dreaming of possessing some sort of hovering superfast shoes. I was not that creative then, and the walk to and from school etc was fairly long…

These days, thank you also to many great sci-fi shows, the debate can be a bit more informed.  Heroes and xmen are probably the best franchises to have explored a wide arrays of mutations and extraordinary abilities, so if one has missed those series I would suggest to watch them.

And I would like to elaborate on this, not to assume to say the final word on it, but more to stimulate debate.  A debate which I had inconclusively many times with my son, family and friends.  I also thank Kelly for the idea, which gave me the motivation to start the blog again after the “politically correct pause” I referred to in my previous post.

But I digress, back to superpowers.  I reckon a legitimate way to handle the debate is to eliminate superpowers that are too broad, or that combine too many elements in one.

For example, the “ability to manipulate any form of energy”: too strong and vague.  Having the possibility to both swim and fly: too much.

I suggest to think about one special ability at the time.

Personally, I have always liked teleportation.  Maybe because of my love of travel and the incredible convenience it would offer. However, I will eliminate it from contention.  Firstly, perhaps too strong (as per Heroes teleportation might imply time travel),  Secondly, rules in its application are not sufficiently clear.  Can we teleport only to a place we have been to before?  But this is contradictory, as Heraclitus would say no place stays the same across time.  Like jumpers, on the basis of a pic?  Using longitude and latitude coordinates?

Too complicated, so teleportation is out.

I will also eliminate upfront romantic or excessively manipulating powers, like the power to make someone else do what you wish.  It seems too strong.  What about the power to make someone fall in love with you?  I would not want it, too manipulative; love is good when it is sincere.  Maybe the power to fall out of love, oh I would have used that “potion” a few times had it been for sale.

Personally, not interested either in the power to read thoughts, partly because I already have it (try to disprove me….).

So I am left with the basics.

I rule out superstrength and similar.  Cannot deny that it would come in handy and definitely I would feel more secure anywhere.  However it would not help me much day to day.

Superspeed a la Flash?  Maybe

Power to manipulate electronics;  yes this is an interesting one, especially with the “free ATM” application.

Manipulation of metal obviously good as Magneto amply demonstrates.

Definitely no go for all those powers which imply a transformation of a body into a fireball, an ice cube etc.  Very inconvenient also socially.

Invisibility?  Not sure what I would do with it, I am not a perv voyeur and I am not sure what other practical applications are there.  Plus, if you are invisible, do you need to be naked?  This would make this power unfeasible in a lot of places I like, for example ski resorts in winter.

Flying: now here is a good one.  Complex application rules: what speed and altitude?  Can you carry clothes and /or other people.

I like flying because travel is such a great passion of mine.  So I am always thinking of ways to make my travels faster, more convenient and cheaper.  And flying is more precise than teleportation because one can see where they are going.  So I would like a flight power that mimics air travel.

However temperatures at 30,000 feet are freezing, so that would not work.  However if I could get decent speed at low altitude and some sort of shield I would go for this.  The shield is needed because at lower altitudes – where the temperature is more bearable – there are still objects (like birds): and hitting a seagull at mach 7 would be unpleasant for both.  Of course if I get flying I need at least mach 7 which still means that the Australia Europe flight is about 3 hours.

Need to think about this more….