The X Men and their powers..

[Gingerbread Demon]

Are there any X Men you think have kind of odd / silly abilities, that you either don't like, or don't think would have been practical mutations?

Off hand I can't really think of any apart from the guy that could project needles or whatever that was out of his head and all over his face. It just looked silly even though he could use that to kill people.

 

[Admiral2]

Stan Lee himself once commented that Storm's control of the weather was silly because he couldn't think of a way that a mutation would cause that.

Then again, he has no problem explaining Iceman's powers...

Most superpowers in comic books are silly if you take too long to think about them. Mr. Fantastic, Plastic Man and Elongated Man come readily to mind. I see no reason to single out the X-Men beyond being born with their powers.

 

[Random_Spock]

Stan Lee himself once commented that Storm's control of the weather was silly because he couldn't think of a way that a mutation would cause that.

Then again, he has no problem explaining Iceman's powers...

Most superpowers in comic books are silly if you take too long to think about them. Mr. Fantastic, Plastic Man and Elongated Man come readily to mind. I see no reason to single out the X-Men beyond being born with their powers.

Exactly. Same goes with Wolverine or any other superhero out there. We just have to open our minds up enough and accept them for who they are.

 

[Unicron]

Stan Lee himself once commented that Storm's control of the weather was silly because he couldn't think of a way that a mutation would cause that.

Then again, he has no problem explaining Iceman's powers...

Most superpowers in comic books are silly if you take too long to think about them. Mr. Fantastic, Plastic Man and Elongated Man come readily to mind. I see no reason to single out the X-Men beyond being born with their powers.

Indeed. One of my nitpicks with the X-universe is that the X-gene is more designed for the rule of cool than for any potential basis in real science or genetics. You have some families like the Summers where individual members (Cyclops, Havok and Vulcan) have logical variations in how their powers work (they can all manipulate energy in some way), but others where related members have no common ground in their power sets. Colossus and Magik fall into this category, as do Husk and Cannonball. That's not to say any of their power sets are bad, by any means, just that there's comic book consistency, which is limited.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

And Jubilee......... What's her freaking power, making sparkles in the air? How useful is that? I like Jubilee from the animated series but her power isn't exactly practical, but hey she could hire herself out for rave parties...$$$$$ ca ching.


BTW let's have fun in this thread. Don't everyone get too hung up on comments please.

 

[Unicron]

Originally, she was shooting fireworks from her hands. Not just lights, but the equivalent of small pyrotechnic explosions. Jubilee learned how to alter the range of their effects, so that they could disrupt an object on a molecular level (similar to how Gambit's power works), or cause burning heat or concussive effects. Even early in her career with the X-Men, Jubilee's power was shown to be capable of leveling a house or destroying a whole block (as happened the first time her powers triggered). Some of that was due to stress factors and her having to learn control, but it's a considerable amount of destructive power.

 

[Starbreaker]

Is Jubilee still a vampire??

 

[Unicron]

AFAIK, yes.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

How old is Jubilee in the TV series and the comics?

I guess she's too young in the cartoons for a vampire kiss.

 

[Forbin]

Banshee is a bit silly if you think about it. Projecting destructive sound waves is fair enough, but using them to fly? How long can anyone keep screaming? Less than a minute until you're out of breath?

 

[Admiral2]

Banshee is a bit silly if you think about it. Projecting destructive sound waves is fair enough, but using them to fly? How long can anyone keep screaming? Less than a minute until you're out of breath?

Well, let's get all technical and junk...

All the screaming has to do is provide thrust and lift. Beyond that his flying power is really just gliding in a wingsuit (in the comics anyway...). He wouldn't have to scream long at all to get in the air or make powered course corrections.

My vote for silly is Gambit. Not his powers, just the character. Cajun with a bo staff that throws burning playing cards at people. How is he popular???

 

[Marsden]

Well, with the mutated lungs, he can scream much longer.
And those little tiny wings under his arms give him a huge amount of lift, because the human body is so aerodynamic to begin with, like Spider-Woman.

How about Angel's mutation, although it is actually more of a "realistic" mutation, is he has wings.

I mean, one guy shoots eyebeams, the girl can read minds, one guy controls the temperature/makes ice constructs, and the last is strong and very nimble.
Flying which is really incredible seems kind of trite compared to that.

But a person with extra limbs or stronger build would be a possible mutation, controlling the weather or turning to steel, not so much. What gene controls teleportation?

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Well, with the mutated lungs, he can scream much longer.
And those little tiny wings under his arms give him a huge amount of lift, because the human body is so aerodynamic to begin with, like Spider-Woman.

How about Angel's mutation, although it is actually more of a "realistic" mutation, is he has wings.

I mean, one guy shoots eyebeams, the girl can read minds, one guy controls the temperature/makes ice constructs, and the last is strong and very nimble.
Flying which is really incredible seems kind of trite compared to that.

But a person with extra limbs or stronger build would be a possible mutation, controlling the weather or turning to steel, not so much. What gene controls teleportation?

That would be the as yet unknown "scotty gene"

 

[Unicron]

Angel's blood also has a healing factor, in addition to the mutations that were sort of retconned to explain his flight (he has a hollow bone structure, for example, which is lighter than that of a normal human and more similar to bird bones). Additionally, many of his senses and physical capabilities operate at peak human capacity, so his vision and endurance, strength etc. are generally as good as they can be in ideal conditions. The Celestial technology Apocalypse installed in him is a whole chapter by itself.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Apocalypse, is that the lame looking dude in the new movie?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Apocalypse, is that the lame looking dude in the new movie?

Been a few decades since you've picked up an X-Men comic, I take it?

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Been a few decades since you've picked up an X-Men comic, I take it?

A bit but I vaguely remembered him in the comics too and thought he looked lame there as well. As do most of the X Men on closer inspection to some degree. But hey it's fun, and it's all about suspension of disbelief and imagination.

 

[Nerys Myk]

A bit but I vaguely remembered him in the comics too and thought he looked lame there as well. As do most of the X Men on closer inspection to some degree. But hey it's fun, and it's all about suspension of disbelief and imagination.

It's superheroes. They all look "lame" to some degree. At their core it's kid's entertainment. You find your inner child and as you said, suspend some disbelief and have fun.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

It's superheroes. They all look "lame" to some degree. At their core it's kid's entertainment. You find you're inner child and as you said, suspend some disbelief and have fun.

It is fun indeed it is...

But when I overthink it the fun starts to vanish.

 

[Admiral2]

It is fun indeed it is...

But when I overthink it the fun starts to vanish.

So stop over thinking it. Just enjoy it.