Total Meltdown In One Wrong Move
Behind some impressive blasts or telekinetic feats are heroes fighting chaos from within. Some were born ticking time bombs, while others became unstable by design. Their stories ask the same haunting question: Who controls the controller? Keep reading to meet the 20 superheroes who have faced struggles with their gifts.
1. Phoenix (Jean Grey)
Wielding the cosmic Phoenix Force is a curse with flames. Jean Grey once annihilated an entire planet of billions during The Dark Phoenix Saga (1980). Her powers amplify emotion, and unchecked rage turns her into a god-tier threat. Can anyone tame fire incarnate?
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
2. Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
Wanda can rewrite realities in a day. She whispered "No more mutants" in House of M (2005) and altered the genetic fate of millions. Her chaos magic responds to grief and trauma, twisting the outcomes. You're looking at the universe's most volatile spellcaster.
greyloch from Washington, DC, area, U.S.A. on Wikimedia
3. The Hulk (Bruce Banner)
Slam first; think later. That's the Banner dilemma. Since 1962, Hulk's uncontrollable transformations have leveled towns and even resulted in death in alternate realities. Anger fuels the change, but fear keeps it caged. Every battle becomes a gamble—will he smash the enemy or everything else?
4. Legion (David Haller)
Managing one mutant power is hard. Try juggling thousands, each with its own personality. Legion's fractured mind turns him into a psychic roulette wheel. In X-Men: Legacy (2012–2014), he altered time and erased timelines.
Legion Official Trailer #1 [HD] | An Original Series From FX and Marvel by Marvel Entertainment
5. Rogue (X-Men)
Touch her, and you’ll pay the price. Rogue absorbs memories, powers—even pieces of your soul—with a single touch. Her first victim was Ms. Marvel, whose lingering psyche haunted her for years. For her, closeness always comes with pain.
6. Franklin Richards
Born to Reed and Sue, Franklin was a gifted child—a universe-maker. By the age of ten, he had created pocket dimensions. But untrained and unstable, his imagination often bent reality. In Fantastic Four 245 (1982), he aged his father into a senior out of fear.
Marvel's Fantastic Four has a huge role for Franklin Richards by ComicBookCast2
7. Raven (Rachel Roth)
Raven's empathic powers suppress her dark heritage, but emotional surges awaken Trigon's influence. Sorrow and anger caused telepathic destruction and the creation of dark portals in The New Teen Titans (1980s). Keeping calm is Raven's lifeline against becoming a weapon of hellish proportions.
8. Cloak (Tyrone Johnson)
Swallowed by darkness, Cloak's body became a gateway to the Darkforce Dimension. When hunger strikes, he consumes energy and sometimes people. Introduced in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 64 (1982), Cloak battles to restrain his otherworldly void.
9. Superboy (Conner Kent)
Being part Kryptonian, part genius psychopath is not a recipe for emotional control. Cloned from Superman and Lex Luthor, Conner’s power balance is a tug-of-war. His tactile telekinesis often spikes under stress, as seen in Teen Titans #1 (2003). One bad day and the walls come down.
Superboy- All Powers from Titans by All Powers Explained
10. Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond/Martin Stein)
Firestorm's matrix links two people, but harmony is essential. A misaligned thought can cause atomic instability. The duo risked triggering a new Big Bang in Brightest Day (2010). Because let’s face it—losing your temper is one thing. Losing control of nuclear fusion mid-argument? That’s next-level.
Firestorm (Ronnie and Stein) Powers and Fight Scenes - The Flash by Rafael Ridolph
11. Iceman (Bobby Drake)
Frozen potential is Bobby Drake's reality. In Uncanny X-Men 314 (1994), Emma Frost hijacked his body and showcased control he never knew he lacked. His omega-level ice powers evolve faster than he matures. Imagine being terrified of your reflection and what it could do.
Top 10 Badass Iceman Scenes (X-Men) by The TV Regent
12. Green Lantern (Jessica Cruz)
Jessica, chosen by a Green Lantern ring despite her panic disorder, wrestled with cosmic responsibility in Justice League #30 (2014). Willpower fuels her power, but trauma clouds her intention. Some mornings, the hardest thing she lifts isn’t a weapon but her own courage.
13. Miss Martian (M'gann M'orzz)
In Young Justice and Teen Titans, M’gann’s white Martian DNA and psychic gifts flare up when pushed. She’s wiped memories unintentionally and invaded minds without consent. One misstep and she's feared like her ancestors. As you root for her, watch your thoughts.
Marnie Joyce from New York City, USA on Wikimedia
14. Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)
Fire is a psychological prison for him. J'onn's shapeshifting and telepathy are vast, but his fear of flame can paralyze mid-mission. Introduced in Detective Comics #225 (1955), his powers often spiral when trauma resurfaces. Even gods tremble when memory and instinct collide in battle.
15. Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce)
Born with electricity at his fingertips, Jefferson's powers surge with mood. Early stories from Black Lightning #1 (1977) show misfires that damaged property and strained allies. Training helped, but strong emotions still short-circuit logic. Control the spark, or risk frying everything.
Black Lightning, Jefferson Pierce - All Fights and Powers scenes - Mazonetic HD by Mazonetic HD
16. Shazam (Billy Batson)
Say “Shazam,” and a child vanishes. In his place stands a demigod powered by myth. But in The Power of Shazam! (1995), Billy's teenage impulse often misaligns with magical might. Flight and lightning are easy, but wisdom and restraint? Not so much.
17. Polaris (Lorna Dane)
Polaris channels vast electromagnetic force, yet emotional upheaval often sends her powers spiraling. In X-Factor #243 (2012), unresolved trauma triggered a plane crash. Her lineage ties her to Magneto, but the struggle is all hers.
Amy from United States on Wikimedia
18. Havok (Alex Summers)
Havok is caught between brotherhood and fallout. He absorbs cosmic radiation and then blasts it. His early years in X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) spotlight raw bursts that endangered teammates. Even a hero’s aim can start a war when instinct beats strategy.
Havok- All Powers from the X-Men Films by All Powers Explained
19. Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon)
One whisper from Black Bolt levels mountains. In World War Hulk (2007), his voice shattered Attilan's throne room. Trained to never speak, he battles guilt and pressure daily. Imagine if clearing your throat could trigger the extinction of a species. That's not power but peril.
20. Billy Kaplan (Wiccan)
Wiccan's probability-warping magic reshaped reality in Children's Crusade (2010) and nearly revived fallen mutants. Without full training, his emotions distort outcomes. Wish hard enough, and anything happens. Just pray you wished for the right thing.
Tommy and Billy Maximoff All Powers Scenes | MCU Compilation [HD] by Screen Master
