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- Marvel Studios continues to adapt its most famous characters to the big and small screen with recent releases like She-Hulk. But how many of the absurd weaknesses that can sometimes hold back these vigilantes and villains, will actually make it into those adaptations? It's definitely time to revisit some of the most hilarious and unexpected.
As powerful as they may be, Marvel's most formidable heroes actually hide some secrets —weaknesses that the enemy could take advantage of if the opportunity arose. While DC's Superman might have his Kryptonite, other comic book characters have weaknesses that are a little more bizarre.
It could be a phobia they have always operated with or an inconvenience that ultimately impacts them in battle, but these weaknesses are certainly unexpected. There may be ways to solve them and work around the setbacks, yet they also add some much-needed drama to any conflict. Marvel's heroes always have their back up against the wall, after all.
UPDATE: 2022/08/27 11:00 EST BY GEORGE CHRYSOSTOMOU
Marvel Studios continues to adapt its most famous characters to the big and small screen with recent releases like She-Hulk. But how many of the absurd weaknesses that can sometimes hold back these vigilantes and villains, will actually make it into those adaptations? It's definitely time to revisit some of the most hilarious and unexpected.
The Human Torch: Overheating
The Human Torch relies on immense amounts of heat in order to fight crime alongside the Fantastic Four. It's literally Johnny Storm's power set, to be able to 'flame on' at any necessary opportunity. But a recent comic book narrative indicated that too much heat can be his weakness.
With Doctor Doom destabilizing The Human Torch's abilities, Johnny was unable to turn off his burning fires. He only got hotter and hotter, becoming a danger to everyone around him and significantly limiting what he was able to do in the field. It was a dangerous period that actually turned Storm's abilities against him.
Namor: Pollution
Namor the Sub Mariner has been both friend and foe to the heroes of Earth-616. While there are strange things that weaken him, from a lack of water to his connection to Atlantis, the most surprising flaw is the impact pollution can have on the King. If the waters are damaged it can seriously weaken the warrior.
Much of Namor's quest against the inhabitants of Earth, throughout most of his iconic moments, has been focused on environmentalism. When the very oceans that act as a source of Namor's strength are polluted, it can severely affect the capabilities of the Avenger.
She-Hulk: Her Humanity
She-Hulk has become the primary form for Jennifer Walters. She very rarely reverts back to her human look. Part of the reason for this is that she's actually her own weakness. Jen is far stronger and more powerful as the green goliath. She's left vulnerable to everything when she powers down, from injury to alcohol.
But taking away that humanity is also an issue, meaning it's quite a strange balance to find. Much like the original Hulk, She-Hulk has found herself becoming detached from her human self, growing in strength but destabilizing mentally. She almost lost complete control when the two sides of her identity grew further apart.
Sister Grimm: Words
Sister Grimm's powers come from the words that she says. She can summon all sorts of magic, but if she is unable to speak then she is unable to conjure. That can be quite a big issue if the members of the Runaways are in a situation where Nico's speech has been inhibited.
What's more, in some presentations of the character, Nico can essentially only say a spell once. That's quite an issue when she wants to conjure similar enchantments multiple times and can really hold the character back in battle, as she attempts to understand what else she can do.
Black Bolt: His Mouth
Just like Nico, the source of Black Bolt's power can also become his weakness. Fans will know that Black Bolt can never speak because his voice carries such strength that it can cause severe destruction. His enemies could be absolutely eviscerated if he so wished.
But if his mouth is covered, or limited in some way, he can't use his gifts. That's a real problem, but that has been elevated so that his own power could kill him. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have already seen what happens if Black Bolt's mouth is sealed shut.
Venom: Candles
Symbiotes are known for their fear of sound and fire. It's the latter that's really caused an issue for Venom though as fire can really be found anywhere. The Symbiotes are essentially broken down by the elemental substance, a confusing aspect of the character's design.
For Venom though, he can't even light a candle without being afraid of it! It's a weakness that has resulted in the character essentially being attacked wherever a fire may be from churches to romantic situations; a candle is probably the most bizarre use of that Achilles heel!
Daredevil: Concerts
Daredevil may be blind but his other senses have become enhanced due to the accident that took place. As a result, his hearing is incredible, with the character using an almost sonar-like system to be able to see. Loud noises cause this ability to become damaged though.
Concerts are perhaps one of the character's worst fears. Daredevil would be unable to fight crime in an area like this, with locations like nightclubs also applying to the rule. The loud music essentially forces Matt Murdock to become blind once more, weakening him massively.
Viv Vision: Human Emotion
Viv Vision may be one of the most powerful members of The Champions but she is held back by a very simple problem. The teenage hero has been held back in battle and indeed in everyday life because of her lack of understanding of human emotions.
Her android origins mean that she doesn't understand how people interact with one another in the way that the other Champions do. This weakness can lead to her becoming manipulated if she trusts when she shouldn't, and Viv has been both tricked in battle and forced into more merciless acts because of her flawed calculations.
Luke Cage: His Own Powers
Luke Cage's greatest power is also his greatest weakness. Although Power Man boasts incredible strength, he also is protected by his indestructible skin in battle. The problem here is that this natural shield is also going to be Cage's downfall.
When Luke Cage is internally injured, the character can rarely get treatment. The natural ways someone might be healed do not apply, as doctors can't even cut through Cage's skin to begin the procedure. It's quite odd for a character's skill to also be their curse!
The Invisible Woman: Dust
The Invisible Woman is a vital member of The Fantastic Four and comic book fans know her to be a team player through and through. Her abilities have gotten the team out of plenty of difficult situations, but Sue Storm can be conquered by something very simple. Dust will actually render her power completely void.
The silhouette of The Invisible Woman can be seen amongst dust particles. In the middle of battle, it's pretty common for these environmental elements to play a factor. Therefore, Storm could be spotted at any moment, because of something as simple as air pollution!
Spider-Man: Web Fluid
Some of Spider-Man's most fearsome foes, like the Sinister Six, could capitalize on a pretty ordinary weakness. Unlike characters like Miles Morales, usually, Peter Parker's web fluid is human-made rather than a naturally occurring substance created as a result of the spider bite.
As a result, Spider-Man can actually run out of his web fluid, which puts him in real danger, especially in high-stakes situations. A number of other things can impact this ability to web-sling, including if the equipment gets damaged in some way — even water has been known to have an impact.
Wolverine: Magnets
Wolverine, whether it's Logan or his daughter X-23, is a pretty serious character. Yet their weakness could lead to a pretty hilarious storyline. The all-new Wolverine's claws and the previous Wolverine's skeleton are bonded with the metal known as adamantium.
This means that they can be subdued using magnets. Of course, Magneto uses this very often in the battle against these healing mutants, yet really all it would take is a giant magnet to bind Wolverine in place. It's certainly a weird weakness to be defeated with.
Black Panther: Sonic Waves
Black Panther's vibranium suit is one of the most protective costumes out of all of Marvel's heroes. But whether it's T'Challa, his father, Killmonger, or perhaps even Shuri donning the armor, there's actually a pretty big weakness that has even been seen on screen.
Due to the unstable molecules of the substance, they can be weakened by something as simple as a sonic blast. The suit itself is pretty useless against the impact of a sound-based weapon. It's what led to Killmonger's death in the MCU's Black Panther. Perhaps further suit upgrades could solve this issue.
Trauma: The Wrong Fear
Trauma is a slightly lesser-known hero, yet was once classed as an Omega Level meta-human. He has worked as part of the Initiative after the superhero Civil War and his powers stem from the god, Nightmare. Trauma has the ability to turn into anyone's greatest fear.
Without a fear to draw on, Trauma is not particularly well equipped in battle. His real weakness though is if his enemy has a fear that cannot be weaponized very well. For instance, a fear of chickens would simply have Trauma running around as a hen.
Storm: Natural Limitations
The mutant Storm is considered to be a deity in her own right, drawing upon the natural elements to create unique weather patterns. She's one of the strongest heroes in all of Marvel, but her abilities do actually come with limitations.
Usually, Storm has to draw her powers from elsewhere. For instance, if she wishes for it to rain, then she is taking those water molecules from somewhere else on the planet. It's a weird logistical problem to have to solve and one that could cause issues given the wrong scenario.
Iron Man: Low Batteries
This is less of an issue in the modern era, especially because Iron Man could even use solar energy to recharge his suits if he so wished, but back in the early days of the character, Tony Stark's suits of armor could actually run out of battery completely.
Without any power, Iron Man is essentially running around in an incredibly heavy metal costume. His power could be drained by even the lamest of villains with relative ease, although at the very least he can be recharged from a simple bolt of lightning from Thor.
Red Hulk: Too Much Anger
Red Hulk operates much in the same way as the regular Hulk, fuelled by complete rage. However, as Thunderbolt Ross continues to fight, his body begins to heat up. The more anger within him and the more conflict he gets involved with, the hotter he will get.
This heat could lead to an explosion or at the very least kill Red Hulk. Therefore, it's vitally important that Red Hulk manages to calm himself down and only operate in the field when completely necessary. It's a weird issue for a Hulk to have to overcome.
Domino: Chickens
Domino operates on luck. As a mutant with a strange ability, it's only fitting that she also has an equally bizarre weakness. In theory, the character shouldn't have to come across this boundary very often, since she should be lucky enough to avoid it.
However, Domino is actually completely afraid of chickens. Trauma would certainly have a field day here, but Domino has been shown to completely freeze when facing off against this poultry-based phobia. If her enemies ever knew, she might have to retire!
Cyclops: His Glasses
Speaking of mutant abilities, Cyclops has some of the most impressive powers in the Marvel Universe. He controls them using his specially designed glasses, which allow him to aim his vision-based blasts and hold them back when necessary.
Once these glasses are broken, though, he is useless. He cannot control his abilities at all and has to keep his eyes closed so that he doesn't endanger those around him. For anyone battling the former leader of the X-Men, it's best to aim for the face.
Deadpool: Cows
Of course, Deadpool would have an odd phobia to hold him back. Granted, he is also afraid of clowns, which is a fear that many could relate to, especially with some of the Marvel villains running amok in the universe. He also has a deep phobia of cows, though.
Supposedly, it's the way they stare which really puts him off, although there was an odd friendship developing between the Merc with a Mouth and Hellcow (who ultimately tried to suck his blood). Needless to say, a beefy attack could be the most efficient way to dispose of Wade Wilson.