Renowned best-selling authorBrandon Sandersongave his two cents on which superpower is the most compelling, choosing portals, specifically the Doctor Strange-style magical portals inMarvel, as his favorite. The Marvel Universe is filled with heroes and villains who can create portals, and they consistently rank among the most visually impressive and dynamic characters to watch in action. Sanderson offers several convincing reasons why teleportation stands out as the most thrilling ability.
InBrandon Sanderson’s YouTube video,“Brandon Sanderson and Wren’s Weichman Five Favorite Superpowers!,”the author highlights several creative ways heroes have used portals in battle. Based on his criteria for what makes a superpower compelling, portals stand out for their versatility and entertainment value.
Portals have been used in creative and entertaining ways across a variety of franchises, with Marvel offering some of the most memorable examples. Beyond just Sanderson’s personal preference, the Marvel Universe showcases many examples of exactly why teleportation is often considered one of the most exciting and versatile superpowers.
The Power and Versatility of Teleportation in the Marvel Universe
How Portals Become Weapons and Strategic Assets in Combat
The power of teleportation and opening portals has been illustrated in various ways across the Marvel Universe, with differing levels of skill. And each time this power is put into use, it is undeniably a spectacle to behold. InX-Manhunt Omega#1,the mutant Wraith uses his teleporting powersto quickly blip Professor X’s spacecraft out of the way of the X-Men Temper’s thunderous attack. Portals can, of course, be used to travel great distances, as seen with the X-Men member Nightcrawler or Doctor Strange within both the comics and the MCU. However,the ability to move large-scale objects is an even more impressive feat.
Portals are incredibly versatile in combat, often serving as a means to attack enemies or summon reinforcements. InS.W.O.R.D.#4 by Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti, for example, the X-Men’sManifold demonstrates his remarkable abilityby compressing and teleporting the energy of a sun, using it as a weapon against Cable, who has been corrupted by the dark god Knull. This power highlights just how formidable teleportation can be, with Manifold’s ability to manipulate the sun’s energy through portals showcasing the incredible, universe-altering potential of this ability.
The Dark Side of Teleportation: How Portals Can Be Used for Brutal Combat
Marvel Has Consistently Shown That Portals Can Be a Deadly Weapon
Though portals are typically used to transport people and objects, in the right hands, they can be wielded to inflict mind-bendingly horrifying damage on opponents. Nightcrawler, the X-Men’s most recognizable teleporter, is generally a pacifist, but even he has used his powers to sever his enemies’ body parts. For instance, Nightcrawler once teleported a piece of Magus’ body off, and the true extent of this brutal ability is revealed inAxis: Revolution#2, where Nightcrawler faces Sabretooth and begins spitefully tearing off his arms and ears using his teleportation powers.
On the other hand, other brutal variants of Nightcrawler have gone a step further, teleporting items inside his foes, which is arguably much more disturbing.During the“Age of Apocalypse”event,Nightcrawler teleports a shark into Blob’s stomach, which causes the shark to eat Blob from the inside out, a truly creative yet morbidly gruesome way to take down an enemy.Nightcrawler also gripped Apocalypse’s eyes and teleported away, causing Kurt to rip them out of their sockets, illustrating the intense brutality that can be inflicted with teleportation.
Teleporters Use Their Powers in Infinite Ways, Making Them Some of Marvel’s Most Formidable Heroes
Portals in Marvel Aren’t Just Flashy, They Can Become Deadly in an Instant
While magic teleportation, like Doctor Strange’s glowing portals, is exciting on its own and has been used in fascinating ways, villains likeThe Spot bring a unique science-fiction twist to the concept of teleportation.Notably adapted into theAcross the Spider-Versefilm, The Spot has a striking appearance that allows him to use the portals on his body and throw them onto surrounding surfaces. Similarly, the eerie villainCoyote uses his teleportation powersto sever his victims' heads from their bodies while keeping them alive to traffic their bodies for labor.
Teleportation is one of the most versatile powers within the Marvel Universe, granting heroes likeNightcrawler incredible speedor allowing superpowered individuals to summon external forces. In terms of close-up combat, some of the most brutal kills in comics are with the use of portals, and on a grander scale, portals let the wielder traverse across the galaxy and sometimes through different dimensions. In retrospect,Brandon Sandersonwas right in thinking that portals are one of, if not the best, superpowers, andMarvelgoes above and beyond proving it.
Source:“Brandon Sanderson and Wren’s Weichman Five Favorite Superpowers!”
