Superheroine Weakness/es?

[SGWriter]

Inspired by the KO thread,

What do you consider to be your preferred/favorite 'weaknesses' in a superheroine?

The grandfather of them all, kryptonite of course is one of mine. Its great that Supergirl, can be rendered so weak and helpless from this green rock. Plus think of all the ways you can use it against her. Just the meteorite, or put it on a chain loop it around SG's pretty neck. Better yet, make some kryptonite chains, wrap them around her. Krypto-laser, gas, or as I once wrote in a story kryptonite tights.

In general I usually like my superheroine if they are powered to have a weakness. There's just something very satisfying about a substance or thing that can weaken and take away the heroine's powers. For some, like say a fire based heroine, extreme cold is just so simple an idea. Or the reverse for an ice heroine, warm her up and watch her fade.

I don't quite consider a heroine being vulnerable to KO stuff (chloroform, gas, drugs) a weakness but I do like how those can be used to slow down a powerful superheroine. Wonder Woman of course being the prime example. In the Fausta scene, its clear the chloroform is such a shock to her system. Even her Amazonian power can't fight it.

[cdrei]

It's not quite what you're asking, perhaps, but I tend to think the most interesting (in terms of peril as well as character) weakness for the heroine is pleasure, or some difficulty in resisting it. Depending on the character, this weakness could put them very much in conflict with themselves, as well as their foe.

[SGWriter]

It's not quite what you're asking, perhaps, but I tend to think the most interesting (in terms of peril as well as character) weakness for the heroine is pleasure, or some difficulty in resisting it. Depending on the character, this weakness could put them very much in conflict with themselves, as well as their foe.

For me, weakness is something that drains the heroine's superpowers/strength and makes the weak. The pleasure=weakness has been done plenty of times in videos, its a popular one.

[ranger87]

This is such a hard question because there are so many cool possibilities. For some, I like them just to be straight up overpowered...like if Batgirl fought Bane. She has no powers, so it's just being outmatched.

Kryptonite with Supergirl is sexy, but it's been done so many times that I personally like it to be used in creative ways. One of my favorites was the "liquid crystanite" in 1984.

I suppose it comes down to the individual heroine. But I'd like to take it a step further, and give the villain a specific strength, instead of giving the heroine a weakness. Like, Parasite in the Superman comics. He can drain anyone of life force and powers by touch. In sexual terms, I think it'd be badass to take this a step further, like those particular powers are amplified if he penetrates the heroine sexually. The power drain becomes quicker and more deadly if he screws her orally, anally, or vaginally. And the glory of this type of villain is he can fight ANY heroine, not just "Supergirl". Pit a Parasite type villain against Ms Marvel from Marvel comics, or Phoenix, or Witchblade.

Finally, there is one scenario I've wanted to see done a million times, but it probably won't just because you can't typically do a live action Venom character in our genre. But I always wanted to see Venom bind the black-suited Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter) in webs and screw her while she is bound, until his black suit replicates around her and she becomes his symbiotic sex slave.

Just a few ideas.

[Mr. X]

I like accidentally depowerments like the heroine is fighting and hits the wall and something falls off the wall and hits her head. Or she trips on her heels and knocks the wind out of herself. Or a WW type character manhandling some crook and in desperation he yanks off her belt. The kryptonite scene in Superman 1 would be awesome. Cocky heroine beats up the bad guys to then open a box she thinks has a detonator in it and instead opens a box with kryptonite in it. Maybe another idea would be a magic heroine chasing after a villain who has etched magic runes around a door way and as she passes through and stays in the room she loses her powers.

[krispin]

That's my fantasy: the heroine is only a puny weak woman without her powers. I mean: not weakened by kriptonite or something similar, onlly with her normal slim body. When a strong buxom villainess can fight again a slim heroine with their normal bodies, the good girl is easy beaten and dominated. I love this scenario but it's difficult find something similar.

[SGWriter]

The kryptonite scene in Superman 1 would be awesome. Cocky heroine beats up the bad guys to then open a box she thinks has a detonator in it and instead opens a box with kryptonite in it. Maybe another idea would be a magic heroine chasing after a villain who has etched magic runes around a door way and as she passes through and stays in the room she loses her powers.

Yes the classic necklace scene, all it needed was Supergirl. Like the magic idea as well, she walks past or over a symbol that steals her powers.

[Mr. X]

Yes the classic necklace scene, all it needed was Supergirl. Like the magic idea as well, she walks past or over a symbol that steals her powers.

I was thinking the second mummy movie where the mummy guy walks into the chamber and his powers are taken. Would have been cool if it was his girlfriend.

Also people can do a lot with red light on supergirl. They could just say the lights in the room also emit high intensity red sun radiation. Maybe a light shines on her that's red and it blocks her solar absorption for a while.

[SGWriter]

Also people can do a lot with red light on supergirl. They could just say the lights in the room also emit high intensity red sun radiation. Maybe a light shines on her that's red and it blocks her solar absorption for a while.

There was a good scene in the Superman Animated Series where Supes and Supergirl were captured by the government. They used red sun lights on them both, Supergirl was really out of it, a good scene.

[Mr. X]

Yeah they used a kryptonite missile on Superman after he beat the snot out of supergirl.

[dajinx1]

Also people can do a lot with red light on supergirl. They could just say the lights in the room also emit high intensity red sun radiation. Maybe a light shines on her that's red and it blocks her solar absorption for a while.

There was a good scene in the Superman Animated Series where Supes and Supergirl were captured by the government. They used red sun lights on them both, Supergirl was really out of it, a good scene.

That is something I totally overlooked in the past but I will be looking into for future shoots and storylines. It's a cool alternative to the kryptonite angle but you get the similar effects. Great idea!

[SGWriter]

That is something I totally overlooked in the past but I will be looking into for future shoots and storylines. It's a cool alternative to the kryptonite angle but you get the similar effects. Great idea!

Well, don't forget the kryptonite LOL

[Rifferus]

Heh, this actually makes me think of late 80's, early 90's era Wonder Girl... who, under the auspices of such giants as George Perez and others, seemed perpetually prone to being knocked out by the old "Nerve Cluster" strike...


For some reason that always .... amused me....

[athenaartemis]

My favorite weakness was Wonder Woman losing her magic belt as she did in various ways in the Lynda Carter TV show. I also enjoyed the lasso being used against WW or WW facing villains without her bracelets. I think "Wonder Woman XXX" honored all those TV depowerment and capture scenarios. Tyr Garm (WW - XXX executive producer and writer)

[cannonfodder]

Would love to see a heroine get hit with slime or goo. Could go for the effects of some KO drug but to see it cling to her and stretch out more than just water.

[Superman246o1]

I can appreciate Sgz6's love of some weaknesses. Supergirl and Kryptonite -- although perhaps the most commonly depicted weakness in the this genre -- is really enjoyable. And even lesser known superheroines encountering something that weakens them are fun to watch. For example, seeing Firestar weakened by ice/water/cold was the best part of watching Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends back in the day.

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Seriously, though....why did she even walk in that room?

As fun as special weakness/vulnerabilities are -- and really, I do enjoy them sometimes -- they also provide an "easy out" for the heroine to be rescued by someone else who isn't affected by that vulnerability. While seeing the superheroine moan in agony and have her face contort in anguish is always enjoyable, in my mind, the peril isn't as great because someone else could feasibly save her without too much difficulty. Supergirl has had a chunk of Kryptonite wrapped around her neck? A regular human could take it off of her. Firestar has succumbed to cold? Quick, someone fix the thermostat.


"Oh no! Someone put ice cubes in my soda!"

This is such a hard question because there are so many cool possibilities. For some, I like them just to be straight up overpowered...like if Batgirl fought Bane. She has no powers, so it's just being outmatched...

^This. As much as I enjoy a superheroine's vulnerability being used against her, I think it's so much better (and tragically more rare) when she's outclassed by a more powerful opponent. Because in such scenarios, the peril is more overwhelming. When Supergirl confronts Selena at the end of the film of the same name, and is 'wrestling' (more like being torn apart) by a 60' tall shadow demon, no one else can save her. She's all alone, and if she can't save herself, both she and the world are doomed. Personally, I think that's the best peril of all. The superheroine is reduced to being helpless all the same, but unlike in the case of a special weakness, there's no hope of someone else coming to her rescue.

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If only the special effects were as good as the concept.

[Supergirl77]

In general I usually like my superheroine if they are powered to have a weakness. There's just something very satisfying about a substance or thing that can weaken and take away the heroine's powers.

I gotta agree with sgz6 on this issue. I think it has to be a type of Kryptonite for my favorite weakness. A powerful superheroine that is unharmed by the attacks of a villain or villainess but is practically crippled by a rock or a liquid that is harmless to every being expect for the superheroine is the most enjoyable weakness in this genre for me. Watching the superheroine get almost blindsided by the unleashing of the Kryptonite, not knowing what hit her, is the best weakness since you get to see the shock of finding out that she is not perfect and untouchable. She is almost defeated as much mentally from the shock of her powers being depleted as physically by the Kryptonite.