EPT
Then what consequences are worth withstanding for superpowers? How much could one brave to be faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? For superpowers, would you…
…expose yourself to a dangerous substance or experiment?
![[image loading]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4u6WECzGctU/UDhvc7GwU0I/AAAAAAAABuo/vxwRGmQjgjA/s400/jon-origin.jpg)
Probably not as fun as it looks.
From The Hulk to Green Goblin to Spiderman to Dr. Manhattan, many a superhero acquired their powers through a freak radiation exposure, a mysterious energy experiment, or falling into a vat of CHEMICAL X (there's another example [link:http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmzpf9UVA61qb716qo1_500.gif]). Though the victims of these experiments generally come out of the terrible accidents better than they were before, that shit must hurt like hell. I mean, there's a reason the villains exposed to these kinds of procedures end up insane, and I imagine it's not the "intended effects" of the compound. For example, in Moore's The Killing Joke, the man-who-would-be-Joker falls into a pit of chemical waste, which, shockingly, is painful enough to drive him to become the most psychotic villain... ever. OW. On the other end of the spectrum is Peter Parker, who is bitten by a radioactive spider that gives him super strength and the spidey-sense. Doesn't sound that bad… except for it being in the top ten worst things to happen to an arachnophobe. Hell, I'm okay with spiders in general, but snacked upon by a radioactive one? NO THANK YOU. All of these superpowered transformations essentially require you to be in spitting distance of Chernobyl and none of them are particularly pleasant to live through… if you would at all.
…live with a painful physiology or incurable disease?
![[image loading]](http://sniktbub.wdfiles.com/local--files/file:human-torch/human_torch.jpg)
Think what you will, this man is still on fire.
Many superhumans across the various fantasy universes possess spectacular powers but don't have the invulnerability or immunity to pain that characters like Superman command. In such cases, your own powers could be as harmful to you as they are to others. Imagine for a moment that Johnny Storm wasn't immune to the whole "being burned alive" thing. Considering the Fantastic Four accidentally gained their powers because of "cosmic rays," it's not too hard to imagine the effects being less fun than they appear to be. I mean, what if Reed Richards felt the real effects of all that stretching? Those cases are just extrapolation but some characters are canonically pained by their abilities. When The Hulk catches missiles and other military-grade ordinance with his face, he feels little pain (rage perks!), but transforming back into Bruce Banner is an achy experience he isn't his alter ego long enough to fully heal. Also, becoming a giant green rage monster probably isn't great for muscle health. Similarly, Wolverine can heal all of his injuries, but that doesn't stop him from feeling them, including things like… oh I don't know… having your entire skeleton replaced with adamantium. Immortality is slightly less appealing when you have to experience every grueling moment, huh? In Soon I Will Be Invincible, the main character, Doctor Impossible, is diagnosed with Malign Hypercognition Disorder, a brain defect granting hyper intelligence but dooming you to use it only for evil (and to occasionally give away your plans/laugh maniacally). Being in only partial control makes evil genius far less fun.
…be a social outcast or the only one of your kind?
![[image loading]](http://imageshack.us/a/img268/3060/img2452sp.jpg)
No one understands how hard it is to be this pretty…
Many a superpowered individual is some kind of mutant, alien, anomaly, chosen one, or other kind of unique individual. While the benefits of this are fairly obvious (like the empowering rays of Earth's yellow Sun), the negatives can be more subtle… at least until they come crashing through your window. Humans have never been known for their tolerance of the different and bizarre; Watchmen's Oxymandius even took direct advantage of this truth by turning humanity against Dr. Manhattan (forcing him to leave the planet) and subsequently implementing his "alien invasion" plan to unite Earth against a "common foe." Hank McCoy and Ben Grimm are especially aware of this painful fact: as Beast and The Thing, their monstrous forms are barely accepted by themselves or society at large. In fact, most mutants attending Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters are subject to cruelty and exile because… well, because they're mutants. That struggle even informs the conflict with regular series villain, Magneto: how does one deal with the bigoted strife between mutants and humans? Then there're beings like Superman, Martian Manhunter, or Starfire who are, at the very least, outside of their natural habitats, if not the sole remaining (full-size) member of their race.* There are better things than being permanently outside the crowd, and it doesn't really matter if that's because of your powers alone or that you're not human to begin with.
* Notably, this is about as true as any comic book absolute. Which is to say, not true.
…pose a constant threat to those around you?
![[image loading]](http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_medium/0/5648/287446-60550-rogue.jpg)
Whoops.
Superpowers are super because they allow you to fight evildoers. The keyword there is fight. As such, superpowers tend to be dangerous and frequently end up targeting those who need protection as much as their enemies. Hell, even Man of Steel brings up (and fails to address) this issue: is Superman's Kryptonian might too dangerous on Earth? PROBABLY. He can, after all, destroy entire cities as a mere afterthought, suggesting his presence might not be all it's cracked up to be. Of course, then there are mutants like Cyclops and Rogue who possess powers that can casually destroy friends as easily as foes should those friends take off their glasses or touch their bare skin. Yikes. Half of the point of Xavier's School is to instruct mutant children on how to control their powers, schooling without which they might devastate miles in every direction for... well, pick a reason. Coming back around to the Human Torch, even if he's not really on fire, getting near him means that you might be. Even characters like Batman and Spiderman have this problem because while their own powers/abilities may not directly harm their loved ones, being themselves frequently results in threats towards the Aunt Mays, Mary Janes, Rachel Dawes...es(?), or (god forbid) Robins in their lives. Being a superpowered target is one thing, but when that target becomes those closest to you… well, everything gets a lot worse. And speaking of which...
…lose your loved ones?
…No. No fucking way. This sucks. Worst reason to have to become a hero.
[image blocked]
Yeah, but this joke never gets old.
…take up the responsibility of your strength?
![[image loading]](http://www.essentialwebcomics.com/showcase/images/stories/Members/mrgasparilla/dcnu-kyle-gets-gl-ring-large.jpg)
Do I not get a say in this?
Say you wanted a normal life. Say you were happy with your job and your family and your friends and whatever else. Then an alien lands on your planet, gives you a ring, and congratulations! Now you've been drafted into the universe's worst police force. Did I mention that it's run by homicidal aliens? No? Okay, go save some people kthxbai. This may be a moderately abridged version of the Green Lantern origin story, but it gets to the point: superpowers force you into action that you may never have wanted to take in the first place. Once you have powers, you're obligated to do something with them. If you don't, then the constant bank robberies, plots to take over the world, and apocalypses that ensue are at least partially your fault. Many superheroes are slaves to their own superhuman abilities, so I guess it's a good thing that the majority of them already are bent towards the pursuit of justice. Luckily having superpowers is pretty damn cool, but it's not like you get to enjoy the little things very often after you receive them (many of the reasons for which are already listed above). Thanks for the eternal guilt trip, Uncle Ben, I'll see you in hell. *grumble*
You can read this post and many more at the N3rd Dimension.
