Super powers often require more than one gift. The idea of flying for example, requires the gift of flight, but to move, it would also require the gift of thrust. Then add in some kind of speed, and mind control for navigation. If someone were given the power of flight, but they had to flap their arms, it would be cool, but probably not what they were expecting. Further, suppose someone could fly, but only 1 meter off the ground and they could go no faster than the rate at which they walk. Also cool, but not ideal. The same goes with almost all other super powers. Reading minds might be great, unless you were always exposed to all thoughts from everyone around you. Super strength, yes, but not if it meant that you couldn’t hug the ones you loved, or walk down the street without breaking the sidewalk. Invisibility is another yes, but is it just your body, or the things you touch, what about the things you eat, or your intestinal occupants?
Today we decided to try and come up with a mono-power for climbing that would require minimal intrusions which may require secondary powers to allow the primary power to achieve functionality.
Carrot
While the opportunity for 5.16 ability might be tough to pass up, I don’t think I would want to just forgo the journey in order to get to the destination. There is something to be said about working for the grade. Struggle is part of the fun, Type II though it may be. And I know I could still have the struggle trying to work toward 5.17, but cutting to the front of the line doesn’t feel right. Avoiding “pump” (lactic acid) would be great, never fearing a run-out would also be amazing, but powers like these would apply exclusively to climbing. If I’m going to have a power, I’d like it to get some use beyond the crag.
The $10 wallet is a great example of a power that can be used for and away from climbing. It’s a wallet that has a fresh $10 bill inside every time you open it. Imagine all the gear, but also imagine all the additional things I could buy or donate. Unfortunately the $10 wallet isn’t really a super power as much as an enchanted entity.
After spending more time thinking about this than I probably should, I’ve landed on energy. I have a lot of weaknesses when it comes to climbing, and one of the most annoying is the fact that after a very limited number of pushes, my energy is zapped. So I eat, then feel heavy, then have to warm up again, and by the time I make a few pushes, zapped again. I like food, I just don’t like being dependent on it for energy, so I am thinking photosynthesis.
While “Photosynthesis Man” doesn’t necessarily have the nicest ring to it, the power itself would be amazing! Getting power from the sun as I climb and emitting O2 along the way sounds great. I don’t necessarily want to be a sentient plant, so I’ll keep the normal human digestion system in place, but just with the additional benefit of solar power. If turning green is a byproduct of my new found gift, then so-be-it. Sending routes powered by the sun, sounds perfect. I’m not sure how that would ever happen, but it seems like my parents would be one odd couple!
High-Clip
Of course, I would never want to take the fun out of climbing…but it would be nice to have a leg up. It would also be nice to have something to use outside of climbing, as Carrot mentioned. As a physicist, I’ve always had an interest in teleportation and warping…and so shall my power be. This is no ordinary power, so let’s break down how it would work.
As much as I would like to warp, I do not think a human body could withstand that kind of force, so I need an actual teleportation power. What is the difference, you ask? Well, warping literally bends spacetime to bring you to your destination at relativistic speeds (near, at, or greater than the speed of light), and so you can imagine the shredding that could occur. We also don’t want any funny time/causality issues (no need to bring time travel into this). Teleportation, however, is much simpler (if any of this can be considered simple). In theory, all you have to do is find your exact composition to the subatomic level, then construct the antiparticles wherever you want to go (think quantum entanglement + engineering). Now, some may claim this is impossible or near impossible, but this is my one free superpower, so I feel like I get to ignore one physical principle. Simple enough, right?
Teleportation has obvious uses outside of climbing…I mean talk about reducing carbon emissions. I would never have to travel by plane, car, train, bus, etc., ever again. No more waiting around or staring out a window forever. No more access issues. No more getting stuck in the rain or snow. I can just go where I want, when I want. The clear help with climbing is that I could of course go to any climbing destination instantaneously, which would just be amazing. However, the real power is with leading. Imagine you’re really scared, and you don’t know if you can do the next move or how bad a fall might be. Maybe you’re free soloing and it’s deadly. So there you are, shaking on a crimp, and then you go for the move, only to immediately fall. What happens next? You teleport to the ground, anchors, or maybe even right back home. With teleportation, you never have to be afraid of climbing again, because you’ll always catch yourself as you fall. No more sketchy descents, either.
Now, there is a clear issue similar to the invisibility issue: what stays and what teleports with you? Physically, it would depend on the teleportation device, but since my power is inert, I really couldn’t say for sure. I’ll leave that one for the fates and take my chances with this incredible power.
You also have a Ship of Theseus-like problem here, but that’s Carrot’s department, not mine.
What would you choose?
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