If you wake up one day and discover you have the powers of Superman and that you are completely used to them, but you have no weakness to kryptonite, what would you do?
Would you use them in your own benefit? Or would you fight bad guys? If so, up to what scale? What would be your strategy? Would you keep a secret identity?
I'd probably start out as being Superman, all good and stuff, but I imagine over time I'd become a tyrant as I get sick of all the stupid crap people do to one another (war, slavery, murder, rape...things like that).
This is a question that is of course always on the mind of the writers.
They answer the question like this
----------------------------------------
1) Doing good
2) trying to figure out where his powers (or he) came from
3) running away from it all, and hiding out, or otherwise contemplating, usually in the fortress of solitude, or going out in space.
I'd probably be a superjerk. The only crimes I'd stop would be ones that happen in front of me (if I feel like it), and there would be no more standing in line for most things or paying for them for that matter.
Kinda like how Hancock was in his movie... the beginning of it at least.
I would declare my self god, Start a relgon with myself as proof that it works, useing some of superman's transferring powers propertys I would allow my follows to gain very small lesser powers, and through my relgion stop the world from doing what I consider "wrong" for better or worse. It would be a state of Terrany Think DnD Lawful evil. I would make goverment more efficent, Strip all war weapons from the world (by force) "you will all get along and be friends or I start killing people, And they shall know me by Draftguy2 The Peace Bringer!"
I would probably take what I wanted, when I wanted from everyone and everything. I would have no interest in ruling over others, but if I wanted anything from a sandwich to sexual gratification I would abuse my powers to get it.
Even if it made me a monster and vilified I could just crush the entire worlds military powers and beat them into submission.
Not so much to rule over everyone, just to ensure that everything goes perfectly my way for the rest of my life.
If you wake up one day and discover you have the powers of Superman and that you are completely used to them, but you have no weakness to kryptonite, what would you do?
Wait a second. Exactly which powers of Superman are we talking about here? All of them ever? Or just his classic powers?
If we're going for his classic powers, that would be: the ability to leap tall buildings, super strength, super speed, invulnerability, heat vision, x-ray vision, and super breath.
If we're going for every writer who has ever monkeyed around with his powers, then leaping tall buildings becomes supersonic flight, super strength becomes the ability to bust planets in one go, super speed becomes the ability to travel from the moon to the earth in seconds and go back in time, invulnerability becomes the ability to resist every kind of pain and all diseases, heat vision can be used to do everything from heating up coffee to incinerating people, x-ray vision can see every form of light and visibility in the spectrum, and super breath can summon gale force winds or freeze something by puffing slightly.
Even then, we're not going into super hearing, psychic powers, and the other what-have-you mumbo jumbo that Clark gets the treatment of by writers who don't limit Superman's powers. You might as well be asking us what would we do if we ever became omnipotent.
Let's face it: the parameters of the challenge are rigged to one inevitable conclusion. We're used to the powers; this means we don't have to learn how to control them. I'm marathoning Smallville, and if it's taught me anything, it's that learning to control those powers are part of the gig, because if you don't, you'll become a despot. Every person who ever possessed Clark's abilities without needing to learn how to control them ended up going crazy or becoming evil, and this isn't even Superman at full power, just teenage Superman. Without the need to practice self-control or any sort of weakness to hinder us, there's going to be nothing to stop us from eventually slipping up and then going down the path that leads to madness, death and destruction.
Unless of course by "all his powers" you're also acually giving us his greatest power as well: his good heart. If that's the case, then the world can rest easy because we'd have a real hero, with the only real drawback here being that this person will never be able to procreate. Read "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" for more information.
I won't argue with you on the first one, but read up on the link above if you ever do get his powers and really want the second one. There are some things even Superman can't get.
I participate yearly in a survival challenge in which I am dropped off in the wilderness with 1 days rations, a knife, and no other supplies, and have to find my way home. This is typically several weeks hiking from civilization.
I have personally killed several bears in the course of this challenge, with the use of snares and other traps.
Half to keep your identity a secret for your friends and families sake. You really don't what to do till something pisses you off or feel compelled to do something about "x" issue. But half to do anything quiet like batman would, but really not revealing self at all. NO RED OR BLUE costmues. WTH? Number one goal would be to collect all Kryptonite and remove it from enrmies reach.
First, I'd go spy on North Korea and Iran to see whats really going on. Then I would remove the weaponizing material in all the existing nukes and recycle the remaining metal(if possible). After that I'd go home and compile a more thoughtful list of things to look into.
One non-essential but cool thing I would do would be to infiltrate Area-51 and see what all the hubbub is about. I figure the alien corpses wouldn't be hidden there but other cool stuff might be. This world is full of fail and for all the things that aren't real one thing must be real and its simply protected by the disbelief surrounding it.
I'd start off by using my powers to make everyday life easier, occasionally using them to fight crime when it crosses my path. Then start abusing them to get what I want while my lust for power grows exponentially until I finally go insane and achieve global domination/destroy the planet.
More or less unrelated to my answer but still relevant to the topic...
You also have to consider the possibility that, no matter how you use your new-found powers, the X-men have taught us that people fear what they don't understand and/or can't control.
If you go public with your powers, people will feel threatened, and when they feel threatened, they attack. While you yourself are indestructible, your surroundings are not. If nations feel threatened enough to confront you with war, you become a threat to those around you and may be forced into exile for the sake of the people you intended to protect.
You still have the option of maintaining a secret identity, but you then live in fear of people discovering you.
Wait a second. Exactly which powers of Superman are we talking about here? All of them ever? Or just his classic powers?
If we're going for his classic powers, that would be: the ability to leap tall buildings, super strength, super speed, invulnerability, heat vision, x-ray vision, and super breath.
If we're going for every writer who has ever monkeyed around with his powers, then leaping tall buildings becomes supersonic flight, super strength becomes the ability to bust planets in one go, super speed becomes the ability to travel from the moon to the earth in seconds and go back in time, invulnerability becomes the ability to resist every kind of pain and all diseases, heat vision can be used to do everything from heating up coffee to incinerating people, x-ray vision can see every form of light and visibility in the spectrum, and super breath can summon gale force winds or freeze something by puffing slightly.
Even then, we're not going into super hearing, psychic powers, and the other what-have-you mumbo jumbo that Clark gets the treatment of by writers who don't limit Superman's powers. You might as well be asking us what would we do if we ever became omnipotent.
Let's face it: the parameters of the challenge are rigged to one inevitable conclusion. We're used to the powers; this means we don't have to learn how to control them. I'm marathoning Smallville, and if it's taught me anything, it's that learning to control those powers are part of the gig, because if you don't, you'll become a despot. Every person who ever possessed Clark's abilities without needing to learn how to control them ended up going crazy or becoming evil, and this isn't even Superman at full power, just teenage Superman. Without the need to practice self-control or any sort of weakness to hinder us, there's going to be nothing to stop us from eventually slipping up and then going down the path that leads to madness, death and destruction.
Unless of course by "all his powers" you're also acually giving us his greatest power as well: his good heart. If that's the case, then the world can rest easy because we'd have a real hero, with the only real drawback here being that this person will never be able to procreate. Read "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" for more information.
I won't argue with you on the first one, but read up on the link above if you ever do get his powers and really want the second one. There are some things even Superman can't get.
I wouldn't want to have a "very realistic, nit-picking into details" conversation of this. Try to keep it simple: you are Superman-powerful (let's say as powerful as the newest movie or Justice League cartoon series) and you get no specific inherent or special weaknesses (yes, you would have sex just fine if you want). If you think you would end up being despot, then crazy or evil, that's an answer for my question.
First thing I would do would be to make sure I have some of the best lawyers on the planet on retainer. Because you just know that if "Superman" were real he would be a massive target.
I would definitely *want* to emulate the Superman way of life. Use my powers for the good of mankind, stand for goodness, decency, and justice and all that. But that kind of power is a lot of pressure for anyone to handle. I would try to limit myself to only helping with natural disasters, large scale accidents, and violent crimes occurring in my immediate vicinity. For my own mental health and to try and establish some boundaries for people's expectations.
I think I would try to extend some form of contact with the UN, NASA, Red Cross, etc. so that they could get in contact with me when necessary. I suppose this would probably also entail having an agent or agency to handle that as well as media and public relations (I would hate it but it might just be necessary) so that I don't have to spend as much time worrying about that stuff.
Of course, I would probably also allow some type of corporate sponsorship and/or advertising using my image, though I would try not to go overboard and keep tight control of it. It would allow me to not have to worry about holding down a job just to pay the bills, and the amount of money you could get could probably be used to help people as much or more than using your powers ever could in the long run.
Not engage in any physical challenges or "saving the world." Instead, use the increased speed and eye ability to learn as much as humanly possible in the shortest amount of time, build my own lab, and become the next Lex Luther of business. Then place as many people to work and using invention to help as many people help themselves and setting up businesses globally. Giving certain inventions up for public use for others to develop, keeping others giving them to some third world entrepreneurs, and keeping others to build an empire.
Why be the strong man, when you can be a business man? Why save people when you could have them save themselves?
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Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
Individualities may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
Unless of course by "all his powers" you're also acually giving us his greatest power as well: his good heart. If that's the case, then the world can rest easy because we'd have a real hero, with the only real drawback here being that this person will never be able to procreate. Read "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" for more information.
Actually a few things concerning that:
1. He loses his power under a red sun, or a red sun lamp
Basically the only thing he'd have to do is enter a room with Lois and lose his powers temporarily, make a baby and then leave. The child's gestation would be ordinary presuming they could get pregnant. However, there's also STAR labs and the like that would take the DNA to make a "Superman Secondus" or if you follow the All Star Superman storyline there's other ways to achieve "Superman Secondus."
2. In the DC universe, there's all sorts of different storylines such as the Russian version of Superman which has a different origin story.
I'd go after the various hate groups in America, a la God Bless America.
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():
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It’s like the universe screams in your face, “Do you know what I am? How grand I am? How old I am? Can you even comprehend what I am? What are you, compared to me?” And when you know enough science, you can just smile up at the universe and reply, “Dude, I am you.”
I would probably use it for my benefit for simpler things like making travel easier by flying or using x-ray vision to find winning lotto tickets for like $500.
Considering I am basically a basement dweller my powers will not be the greatest as I lack the sun to give me more power.
I would do what The High does that in Stormwatch and create an utopia with more than enough resources for everyone, and no need for a government to allocate them.
Would you use them in your own benefit? Or would you fight bad guys? If so, up to what scale? What would be your strategy? Would you keep a secret identity?
[Clan Flamingo]
The clan for custom card creators!
They answer the question like this
----------------------------------------
1) Doing good
2) trying to figure out where his powers (or he) came from
3) running away from it all, and hiding out, or otherwise contemplating, usually in the fortress of solitude, or going out in space.
Kinda like how Hancock was in his movie... the beginning of it at least.
No joke.
And never be reported again.
That besides trolling the heck out of other people when bored.
Even if it made me a monster and vilified I could just crush the entire worlds military powers and beat them into submission.
Not so much to rule over everyone, just to ensure that everything goes perfectly my way for the rest of my life.
If I'm there in a disaster or crime, I'll help. But I won't go looking out for it. And I'll do it as discretely as possible.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Wait a second. Exactly which powers of Superman are we talking about here? All of them ever? Or just his classic powers?
If we're going for his classic powers, that would be: the ability to leap tall buildings, super strength, super speed, invulnerability, heat vision, x-ray vision, and super breath.
If we're going for every writer who has ever monkeyed around with his powers, then leaping tall buildings becomes supersonic flight, super strength becomes the ability to bust planets in one go, super speed becomes the ability to travel from the moon to the earth in seconds and go back in time, invulnerability becomes the ability to resist every kind of pain and all diseases, heat vision can be used to do everything from heating up coffee to incinerating people, x-ray vision can see every form of light and visibility in the spectrum, and super breath can summon gale force winds or freeze something by puffing slightly.
Even then, we're not going into super hearing, psychic powers, and the other what-have-you mumbo jumbo that Clark gets the treatment of by writers who don't limit Superman's powers. You might as well be asking us what would we do if we ever became omnipotent.
Let's face it: the parameters of the challenge are rigged to one inevitable conclusion. We're used to the powers; this means we don't have to learn how to control them. I'm marathoning Smallville, and if it's taught me anything, it's that learning to control those powers are part of the gig, because if you don't, you'll become a despot. Every person who ever possessed Clark's abilities without needing to learn how to control them ended up going crazy or becoming evil, and this isn't even Superman at full power, just teenage Superman. Without the need to practice self-control or any sort of weakness to hinder us, there's going to be nothing to stop us from eventually slipping up and then going down the path that leads to madness, death and destruction.
Unless of course by "all his powers" you're also acually giving us his greatest power as well: his good heart. If that's the case, then the world can rest easy because we'd have a real hero, with the only real drawback here being that this person will never be able to procreate. Read "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" for more information.
I won't argue with you on the first one, but read up on the link above if you ever do get his powers and really want the second one. There are some things even Superman can't get.
How well do you do against one?
[card=Jace Beleren]Jace[/card] = Jace
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The first rule of Cursecatcher is, You do not talk about Cursecatcher.
Multiplayer Decks- Memnarch - Animar, Soul of Elements - Zur, the Enchanter - Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Food Chain Tazri - Teysa Karlov
Modern BUMill and Bant Spirits.
Thank you Xenphire for the signature!
One non-essential but cool thing I would do would be to infiltrate Area-51 and see what all the hubbub is about. I figure the alien corpses wouldn't be hidden there but other cool stuff might be. This world is full of fail and for all the things that aren't real one thing must be real and its simply protected by the disbelief surrounding it.
More or less unrelated to my answer but still relevant to the topic...
You also have to consider the possibility that, no matter how you use your new-found powers, the X-men have taught us that people fear what they don't understand and/or can't control.
If you go public with your powers, people will feel threatened, and when they feel threatened, they attack. While you yourself are indestructible, your surroundings are not. If nations feel threatened enough to confront you with war, you become a threat to those around you and may be forced into exile for the sake of the people you intended to protect.
You still have the option of maintaining a secret identity, but you then live in fear of people discovering you.
WURMiraclesRWU
UBRCruel ControlRBU
If you're having fun, I'm not.
You would have no weakness to kryptonite (or any other specific material) at all.
[Clan Flamingo]
The clan for custom card creators!
Whatever. We all have a weakness. Mine being Giger Ale and Doughnuts
Multiplayer Decks- Memnarch - Animar, Soul of Elements - Zur, the Enchanter - Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Food Chain Tazri - Teysa Karlov
Modern BUMill and Bant Spirits.
Thank you Xenphire for the signature!
I would definitely *want* to emulate the Superman way of life. Use my powers for the good of mankind, stand for goodness, decency, and justice and all that. But that kind of power is a lot of pressure for anyone to handle. I would try to limit myself to only helping with natural disasters, large scale accidents, and violent crimes occurring in my immediate vicinity. For my own mental health and to try and establish some boundaries for people's expectations.
I think I would try to extend some form of contact with the UN, NASA, Red Cross, etc. so that they could get in contact with me when necessary. I suppose this would probably also entail having an agent or agency to handle that as well as media and public relations (I would hate it but it might just be necessary) so that I don't have to spend as much time worrying about that stuff.
Of course, I would probably also allow some type of corporate sponsorship and/or advertising using my image, though I would try not to go overboard and keep tight control of it. It would allow me to not have to worry about holding down a job just to pay the bills, and the amount of money you could get could probably be used to help people as much or more than using your powers ever could in the long run.
Why be the strong man, when you can be a business man? Why save people when you could have them save themselves?
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
Individualities may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
BR RkDW-Aggro | UBR Cruel Grixis-Control
Legacy:
WW Soldier Tribal-Aggro| WW Stax-Control
Modern:
RW Artifact Boros-Aggro | GB The Rock-Midrange
Are the people here becoming... civilized?
MTGS egos at their finest.
Thoughts on proxies:
It's sort of like getting very rich all of a sudden, some people go for the cheap thrill others think longer term and more philanthropically.
Actually a few things concerning that:
1. He loses his power under a red sun, or a red sun lamp
Basically the only thing he'd have to do is enter a room with Lois and lose his powers temporarily, make a baby and then leave. The child's gestation would be ordinary presuming they could get pregnant. However, there's also STAR labs and the like that would take the DNA to make a "Superman Secondus" or if you follow the All Star Superman storyline there's other ways to achieve "Superman Secondus."
2. In the DC universe, there's all sorts of different storylines such as the Russian version of Superman which has a different origin story.
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
Individualities may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
I stepped out of a supernova...and so did you.
Considering I am basically a basement dweller my powers will not be the greatest as I lack the sun to give me more power.
Then the government would kill me too.