After the Storm struck, many people in Wertham developed abilities, which are an enhancement of their personalities. These abilities have come to be known as Powers.
Characteristics
The actual appearance of an individual power is unknown, however the visual properties of Seth's power and Alex's power suggests that powers resemble overwhelming white flashing light.
Powers that were given to people in the Storm reflect their personalities and desires, such as a shy person gaining the power of Invisibility or someone who regrets a past decision the power to turn back time.
A lot of powers in can be seen as "Superpowers", however, some of them are more of an ability or just a "power", such as the ability to split into two or caffeinate drinks. A superpower may be the ability to see into the future or see through the eyes of someone else. Three of the most powerful displays of superpowers (or "A-list powers") are coming back from the dead, being able to go back in time and control future by drawing. Some powers can't really be considered powers or abilities, but rather burdening/uncontrollable conditions such as random bouts of super-human rage or a compulsion to act like an animal.
Characters in the Misfits universe use their powers for good or bad. Some powers allow the users to control them or 'turn them on and off', whereas some happen at random times or when the user feels a certain emotion (associated with their personality/power). Some powers are constantly 'on', and can not be turned off.
It's unknown, how many people on world were affected by the storm. However, Seth claims there is every power that humanity knows is somewhere.
Possessing powers
It has been shown that powers are stored in certain organs of the body. As such, it is possible to gain a new power through an organ transplant, but not through the transplant of other body parts as seen in the case of Alex and James. It has also been shown that animals were given powers in the Storm, meaning they are compatible to use them.
Characters who were given powers in the Storm usually only have the one power, although in rare cases characters were given more than one power by the Storm. This is seen in the case of Nathan's dual power of Immortality and Mediumship, and Leah's dual powers of Body Hijacking and Virtual Reality Construction. It is also possible for an individual to hold two or more powers if they purchase more from Seth.
There are limited ways for powers to be removed or destroyed altogether. It has been shown that powers are gone for good if the owner dies, though if their body parts are transferred into another person, this person gets the original owner's powers. Seth also has the ability to take powers from one person and give them to another, and may choose not to sell powers that he knows are potentially dangerous. Alex has the power to take away another's powers by having sex with them, and after doing so, the power is stored inside of him.
Inverse Powers
Powers have shown to be affected by drugs, inversing the user's original ability. An example of this would be someone with the power to go backward in time instead going forward into a an event that has yet to happen. The power remains reversed for the duration of the drug's influence.
Public Response
Throughout the one-year following the Storm, the existence of powers has gained some degree of awareness by the people of Wertham. In Episode 6 (Series 2), Brian revealed the existence of powers to the world when he recorded himself psychically manipulating milk. From then on, people with powers gained nation-wide fame. Laura took this opportunity for financial gain by representing various empowered individuals, including The Misfits Gang who were dubbed The Asbo Five. However, favoritism occurred based on whose power was considered more exciting. Brian's power was considered not as favorable as Daisy's Healing or Curtis' Time Reversal, so he went on a murderous rampage leading to Curtis rewinding time and preventing the public exposure of powers.
Months after, Seth set up a power-dealing business on the estate which allowed people to sell or buy powers for a hefty amount of money. This business went on for several months until he decided to close-up shop after Kelly berated him for still selling powers after all the harm it caused.
With Seth no longer around, the Power Support Group was eventually formed; a small group of people struggling with their powers who wish to receive support and counseling for their problems. When this was happening, word got round of Neil who had the power to take other people's powers through sex. After Neil's death, Alex inherited this reputation when he acquired Neil's lung and people started going to him to get their power removed (usually by meeting him at the bar he worked at and getting business done in the toilets).
List of Powers
Trivia
- So far Time based powers are the only powers shown to function Pre-Storm.