Every major superpower that matters, ranked
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29. Super Speed
Now that we have cars and airplanes and spaceships, the ability to get places very quickly is a little less... superpower-y. But during rush hour, this is definitely a good one to have in your back pocket. (Photo by: The CW)
28. Control of Sea Creatures
There are limited circumstances under which communication with and controlling all creatures of the sea will come in handy. But when those circumstances do come up (say, after the ice caps melt) you're all over it! (Photo by: Warner Brothers)
27. Regeneration
Self-mending. Healing Factor. Call it what you want. Growing back limbs and instantly recovering from bullet wounds a la Deadpool sure comes in handy when you're fighting bad guys. But it still hurts, judging from how cranky Wolverine is all the time. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
26. Intangibility
Moving through walls is key for things like robbing banks, abducting world leaders, fitting in with other X-Men, and avoiding exes you see down the aisle at the grocery store. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
25. Super Strength
Really, is there any problem that can't be solved by smashing? According to the Hulk or Jessica Jones: Nope. (Photo by: Marvel Studios/ABC)
24. Force Sensitivity
The Force gives its users telekinesis, empathy, mind control, and the ability to sense when other Force users are nearby (or being slaughtered en masse). (Photo by: Lucasfilm)
23. Impenetrability
Defensive skills are generally underrated. Just ask Emma Frost, here ... and Luke Cage. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
22. Throwing Playing Cards Super Hard
OK, technically, we're talking about the broader ability of kinetic powers, a perk enjoyed by everyone from Force users to Gambit. But only Gambit would ever think to split a bad guy's cornea using nothing but the jack of clubs. He deserves his own category for that. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
21. Immortality
It's fun living forever and all ... but your friends tend to get old and die. There's always a catch with these middle-tier superpowers. (Photo by: BBC)
20. Weather Control/Atmokinesis
Lightning, thunder, hail, tornadoes -- they all bend to your whim! We bet that Storm never got rained out when she was on vacation. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
19. Fire Control/Pyrokinesis
"Kill it with fire" is always an option. Unless you're going up against, you know, Aquaman. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
18. Controlling Mean Plants
Not many superpowers offer the chance to poison people and combat the effects of climate change and greenhouse gasses. You can use this one to be a villain or a hero! (Photo by: Warner Bros. Pictures)
17. Laser Vision
People are always saying "If looks could kill..." But Cyclops knows what happens if they really could! (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
16. Flight
Other than people constantly mistaking you for a bird (or is it a plane?), this one is neat. Until your neighbor gets a backyard drone. (Photo by: WB Home Entertainment)
15. Ice Control
Yes, we're ranking this one higher than flight. Why? Obviously you don't have a 7-year-old daughter. Plus, consider: In addition to technically giving you power over the world's entire water supply, this perk comes with the ability to use all of Mr. Freeze's puns from Batman & Robin. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
14. Shapeshifting
Being anyone you want could open a lot of doors. Then again, so could being super-hot and blue. Either way: win-win. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
13. Wall Crawling
Certainly gives you a better vantage point that most superpowers. Plus, you'll never suffer from being bitten by a brown recluse. (Photo by: Columbia Pictures)
12. Elemental Control
Controlling fire or water or whatever is fine, but controlling all of them is even better. (Photo by: Nickelodeon)
11. Force Field Generation
What use is beating people up if they can also beat you? This perk is like impenetrability, but without the skin damage. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
10. Power Absorption
Why bother having your own powers when you can just take them from other people? The big drawback of this one, obviously, is when you're around a bunch of boring people with no powers. (Photo by: NBC Universal)
9. Mindreading
"Know thy enemy" becomes much simpler when you can hear what they're thinking. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
8. Shrinking
We all thought this power was kind of stupid ... until we saw Ant-Man use it to avoid bullets and steal things. Turns out it's more versatile than we'd imagined. (Photo by: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)
7. Super Stretching
Strangle Hitler from the comfort of your living room! Or just never get up from the couch to get a drink from the fridge again. (Photo by: Pixar)
6. Invisibility
This is one of the classic which-is-better powers out there. Think of all the cool stuff you could do and see ... that isn't a locker room. C'mon. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
5. Metal Control
Magneto uses this power mostly to fly and fling stuff at people, but it has defensive capabilities too: It makes most weapons obsolete (unless your arch-nemesis is particularly good with a wooden staff). (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
4. Telepathy
If you could communicate telepathically with people, you could go anywhere you wanted to without your phone. (But you'd probably still take your phone.) (Photo by: NBC Universal)
3. Precognition
Some say the ability to foresee the future is a terrible curse. If that's true, how come these guys get to spend all day every day in a pool? (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
2. Telekinesis
Being able to move anything with your mind makes you pretty unstoppable. (Photo by: 20th Century Fox)
1. Piles and Piles and Piles of Money
If you really think about it, Batman and Iron Man didn't start out with any real superpowers. And yet they're two of the best-known heroes of all time, blessed with abilities ranging from jet-assisted flight to pretty impressive martial arts skills. Why is that? Money. Enough money to build whatever they need, pay all the Q-like butlers they want, and dedicate all the time it takes to learn how to kick proper ass. Is money technically a superpower? Maybe not. But in the comics, it sure works like one. (Photo by: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)