At first I thought telepathy, but you’d hear some pretty nasty thoughts. X-ray vision? No, you might see some really nasty things. Superstrength? Might hurt someone without meaning to. Mind control? Too tempting—absolute power corrupting absolutely and all that. But would I like to be able to just jump into the air and fly like Superman? Yes, but without superstrength and invulnerability, I would probably be shot down by fighter jets acting on the authority of Homeland Security. I guess the best one would be superspeed, like the Flash. You know, just turn it up to 11 and pull the knobs off. Burn that sucker.
King is an author
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Donald Trump Was Just Indicted. Here's What to Know About the Charges and the Case
- What Could Happen Next for Donald Trump
- Trump's Indictment Drama Showcased His Rivals' Weakness
- Inside Ukraine's Push to Try Putin For War Crimes
- Bad Bunny's Next Move
- Elon Musk Signs Open Letter Urging AI Labs to Pump the Brakes
- Eliezer Yudkowsky: Pausing AI Developments Isn't Enough. We Need to Shut it All Down
- 'How Is This Still Happening?' A Survivor Questions America's Gun Violence Problem
- Cheryl Strayed Will Always Be Here for You
- Who Should Be on the 2023 TIME100? Vote Now