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What's the difference between "power" and "ability"?

 
 
Reply Fri 16 Aug, 2019 07:38 pm
Often, when you are looking up info about superheroes and supervillains and you come across descriptions of the characters' characteristics, you'll see a list of powers and abilities, and other attributes such as weapons and conveyances. What is the difference between "power" and "ability"?

Please help- thank you.
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Type: Question • Score: 3 • Views: 1,853 • Replies: 9
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JGoldman10
 
  -1  
Reply Fri 16 Aug, 2019 08:58 pm
What is the difference between the terms "power" and "ability" in general? I was just using comics-related context as an example.
0 Replies
 
Jewels Vern
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Aug, 2019 12:25 am
@JGoldman10,
Ability is something you do yourself. Power is something done by some other entity and you control it.
RABEL222
 
  -1  
Reply Sat 17 Aug, 2019 02:06 pm
@Jewels Vern,
Trump. He had power but no ability.
Jewels Vern
 
  -3  
Reply Sat 17 Aug, 2019 04:00 pm
@RABEL222,
Why does every topic have to turn into political whining? When you can't reply on topic you only expose yourself to insults.
0 Replies
 
JGoldman10
 
  -1  
Reply Sat 17 Aug, 2019 10:07 pm
@Jewels Vern,
One of Superman's powers is heat vision. He has the ability to use heat vision for various purposes.
Real Music
 
  0  
Reply Sun 18 Aug, 2019 12:47 am
@JGoldman10,
The following 2-part videos shows an ability. Laughing
The second video is part 2 to the first video.

Part 1



Part 2
0 Replies
 
Jewels Vern
 
  -2  
Reply Sun 18 Aug, 2019 03:44 am
@JGoldman10,
Anything is possible in cartoons and comic books.
JGoldman10
 
  0  
Reply Sun 18 Aug, 2019 04:50 am
@Jewels Vern,
I was trying to illustrate the difference between "power" and "ability" with that sentence.
0 Replies
 
izzythepush
 
  1  
Reply Sun 18 Aug, 2019 07:34 am
@JGoldman10,
If we're talking comics I'd say a power is something otherworldly, supernatural, not normal, abilities are something an ordinary person could get if they trained hard enough.

As examples Superman has lots of powers, but I don't know if he has any abilities while Batman has no powers but an awful lot of abilities.

I don't know how we'd categorise someone like Iron Man though.
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