History Main / NewPowersAsThePlotDemands

*** And then it's only until ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where Vergil is shown to create portal shortcuts by [[DimensionalCutter slashing the fabric of space]], just like how his AlternateContinuity counterpart [[MythologyGag did]] in the ending of ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry''. Urizen also turns the Yamato into a multi-purpose crystal that he mostly uses to create a barrier for himself. The other plot-relevant ability of Yamato that only came about in ''Devil May Cry 5'' is its ability [[spoiler:to separate Vergil's human and demon halves]].

* Mocked in a ''WebVideo/RiffTrax'' riffing of the film ''Superargo vs. the Faceless Giants''. When the titular Superargo is shot by a brainwashed girl but survives, he tells his mystic companion that he would have been dead had his costume not been bulletproof. Mike responds with "Your costume is ''bulletproof''?! Maybe ''lead with that'' next time someone asks why you wear it!" as he's constantly talking about his past as a wrestler.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain.'' One of the main characters in season two is [[AwesomeMcCoolname Alan Dracula]], a [[NearlyNormalAnimal Nearly Normal Deer]] save for the fact that he randomly pulls out a new superpower at least once per episode. Given his limited intelligence, however, this is as likely to hinder as help [[AntiHero MT]] and [[LovableJock Jesse]] on their journey through the Train.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Aberrant}}'', doing this has a significant chance of warping the character - physically or mentally - due to the source of their powers.
* In the ''TabletopGame/ProseDescriptiveQualities'' game ''Dead Inside'', magic powers work this way as characters can learn how to do them by seeing them happen, or are taught by important [=NPCs=] (such circumstances which the GameMaster obviously controls). One, the [[ShadowArchetype Shadow]], exists largely to let the GM offer new powers whenever players are in a tight spot (such as teaching you how to fly while you're busy falling off a skyscraper), or just to tempt them with convenience, but the Shadow's gifts [[PowerAtAPrice usually have a cost]].

* At Ride/UniversalStudios:
** In ''Ride/ETAdventure'', E.T. is now able to make the flying bicycles go into lightspeed towards his planet as well as later being able to teleport the riders back to Earth, which of course would beg the question as to why he didn't do this in the film...
** Poultra in ''Ride/JimmyNeutronsNicktoonBlast'' has an added corrosive breath ability, which proves a brief obstacle for the two protagonists.
** Imhotep in ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'' now apparently has the ability to plunge people into Egyptian Hell and back, which is what he does with the riders.

TropesAreTools, and many successful and loved works have characters whose power set just keeps surprisingly expanding. However, in stories meant to have at least some tension, this trope can slide into [[Main/WritingPitfallIndex bad writing]]. The risk in showering down new powers constantly is that it becomes a go-to DeusExMachina (or worse, an AssPull ). Having written themselves into a corner with a situation that's [[OnlyTheAuthorCanSaveThemNow too overwhelming for our heroes to handle]] with the tools they've been given, the writer decides to have the hero conveniently learn the one ability needed to save the day. Do this too often, and it dulls the drama of any ''new'' situation that pops up later, as [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief the audience won't respect the setting]] [[OpeningACanOfClones as having internal consistency]] or real limitations. [[https://youtu.be/OlI3_K-G9cU?t=3821 This video]] explains it pretty well.

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', Comicbook/KittyPryde now somehow has the ability to send people's consciousnesses back through time. (In the comic books, it was done by telepath Rachel Summers, daughter of Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} and Comicbook/JeanGrey. In the comics, it was ''Kitty'' who got Series/{{Quantum Leap}}ed into her past self; letting her be the sender allowed her to do more even though it's [[SpotlightStealingSquad naturally]] [[WolverinePublicity Wolverine]] who travels. It's still clearly this trope, though, as intangibility has nothing to do with sending a consciousness back in time, and we're not given any idea of how she can suddenly do this.)

** Later, when Hitomi suggests Van break them out of the villain's dungeon by using his new empathic link with [[AMechaByAnyOtherName Escaflowne]] (which he got [[ItMakesSenseInContext by being angsty]] [[NoFourthWall for the fangirls]]) to control it from outside the cockpit...

** Comicbook/{{Raven}} can do pretty much whatever she wants depending on the situation. She mainly relies on {{Flight}} and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]], but has demonstrated the ability to use clairvoyance, [[TimeStandsStill stop time]], [[{{Intangibility}} pass through walls]], see brief [[{{Seers}} glimpses of the future]], create monsters and [[VoluntaryShapeshifting change her appearance to a monster]] to "persuade" a villain to help them, [[VillainTeleportation among]] [[DemonicPossession other]] nasty [[MindRape things]].

** Bender seems to gain a piece of hardware whenever the plot requires, or if the writers need some sort of joke. [[HammerSpace They all seem to]] [[TelescopingRobot come from his chest]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" has a good and evil version of this trope. For the evil version, in most other episodes, Mr. Burns is [[MadeOfPlasticine humorously old and frail]]; however, in this episode's climax, he [[EleventhHourSuperpower suddenly has the strength to]] [[WouldHurtAChild kick Bart into the safe and send him overboard]]. For the good version, it made way for Grandpa's [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]].

* ''TabletopGame/FantasyCraft'', based (loosely) on open source elements of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rules has a feat titled "I can Swim" which allows the player character to place their new skill points at any point before their next level up, instead of doing it right when they gain a new level. This can lead to the same idea, with characters suddenly remembering that they totally always knew advanced mechanics in the same scene that their vehicle or golem breaks down. This is because ''Fantasy Craft'' is developed from another system called ''TabletopGame/{{Spycraft}}'', which also contained this feat (''Spycraft'', in turn, was loosely based on the ''D20 Modern'' rules, but the difference is that ''Spycraft'' is actually a good system, unlike its source of influence).

* {{Averted}} in ''Roleplay/AHDotComEternals''. The titular immortal humans can regenerate after being killed or wounded, survive in alien atmospheres or even in a vacuum without protection, and cannot die unless their head is separated from their body. They have no powers beyond these three.

* The hero of ''Film/PumaMan'' has a number of [[ComboPlatterPowers random seeming powers]] such as flight, jumping around really high like an idiot while his [[HypercompetentSidekick sidekick]] does the fighting for him, teleportation, super strong and sharp claws, superstrength and the ability to go into a deathlike trance. (The Puma Man has the powers [[ShapedLikeItself "of a Puma Man"]], rather than them being derived from actual puma abilities. This essentially gave him whatever powers the writers needed to continue the script.)

* In VideoGame/DmCDevilMayCry, at the end of the hostage exchange sequence, the BigBad Mundas uses his powers to cause a massive chaotic dimensional shift in an attempt to kill the heroes. While Vergil and Kat attempt to escape by car, an earthquake causes them to be thrown into peril. Luckily Dante gains the power to spontaneously shift too-and-fro between dimensions while those in the car suffer from time dilation, allowing him to leap about and rescue them. Tragically he loses this ability the second the scene ends without comment.

* While ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Birdman}} The Galaxy Trio]]'' had consistent enough powers for Gravity Girl (play with gravity, usually by making things fly) and Meteor Man (grow parts of body, super strength follows), Vapor Man seemed able to do just about anything by attaching "-vapor" to the end. This included, but was not limited to: combustible vapor, freezing vapor, storm vapor (read: lightning), explosion vapor, and steam.

Please do '''not''' include video games as examples merely because they feature a leveling systems that allows players to unlock and instantly use skills that they couldn't use before. This feature is a gameplay abstraction common to every game with unlockable skills, not a plot trope.
----

[[folder:Real Life]]
* As mentioned in the Real Life tab in SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat, many untrained fighters could defeat trained martial artists because they work in intense physical labor which often instills bodily mechanics similar to those found in martial arts. However even untrained fighters who don't work in occupation involving intense labor and knowledge of manipulating tools or physics can suddenly use effective mechanics that trouble trained fighters simply out of instinct. Depending on how committed the person is at not getting beaten down and how aware their state of mind is (IE not ambushed), they can even react out and do moves like a headlock out of nowhere and just using plain common sense. Add to that [[ConfusionFu the unpredictability of untrained people who react by instinct]] (and who don't work in hard labor nor are exposed to violence), this is why even someone peaceful and sheltered like a spoiled princess can defeat trained fighters provided there is aggressive retaliation, commitment not to go down at a few hits, and "instinctual common sense". In some cases even if a person is completely timid and lacks aggressiveness, just out of sheer luck he can unintentionally pin someone to the wall, tackle someone to the ground and split his skull, or gouge an assailant's eye because he's panicking so much he's moving erratically and flailing around or trying to escape out of fear. Panick and instinct really brings out effective movements even if not intentional as seen in how people will block punches as they're flinching and retaliate with an effective shove in an instant in an ambush.
** This is why a knife wielding opponent is so dangerous even if untrained. The design of a knife makes it so easy to injure someone even with random flailing movements and tackling in an attempt to escape. There are cases of accidental killings and injuries of people-who aren't panicking and fearful of their life- simply a person wielding a knife doing a clumsy fall or dropping the knife and in turn landing the knife towards a nearby coworker or bystander. Even in a sheath, if by some reason the knife flies out, it can injure a person next to you.
[[/folder]]

* '''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget''. "Go, go, Gadget <Fill in the Blank>!"
** A particularly bizarre instance happened in the episode "Prince of the Gypsies". At one point, a MAD agent challenged Gadget into picking up a scarf while on horseback, and he must do so [[ImpossibleTask using only his teeth]]. What does Gadget do? He deploys his "Go-go-Gadget teeth", which causes a set of ''automated flying dentures'' to pop out of his mouth and grab the scarf with ease. Why Gadget would ever have such an unusual gadget in the first place is anyone's guess.
* El Dorado, one of the [[TokenMinority many token minorities]] of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' was the poster child of this trope for a long while.

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' parodied this once by making the new powers unnecessary before they could be used.
--->'''Rick''': Quick, Morty, you've got to turn into a car.\\

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'':
** The Omnitrix's ability to repair genetic damage and [[SuddenlySpeaking talk]], first seen in "Max Out".
*** The Omnitrix's ability to scan new DNA samples, introduced in "Benwolf."
*** The Original Series' portrayal of the Omnitrix's Master Control. Ben unlocks it by accident, and it allows him to transform from alien to alien at will with no time limit. [[SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat He also somehow knows how to disable it at the climax of the episode.]]
*** The Alien Force portrayal of the Master Control also falls into this, as it announces that every single DNA sample is unlocked, but Ben doesn't utilise this.
*** "Secret of the Omnitrix" introduces several Omnitrix functions, including the Self-Destruct sequence and the ability to act as a tracker leading Ben to it's creator.
** The adding of new aliens in the original series almost always worked this way (except for the monster aliens), with their powers just happening to be useful towards the MonsterOfTheWeek. It would sometimes be done in different ways such as someone with greater knowledge of the Omnitrix unlocking a specific function or just random unlocking from playing around with it
** Same for Ben himself. The writers decide to give him photographic memory so that he can remember some runes that the BigBad had activated.
** ''Alien Force'' and ''Ultimate Alien'' could get pretty bad about this, such at some point showing Waybig with ''super speed'', Chromastone with the power of flight, and Diamondhead with what's essentially telekinesis.
** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' has its moments too: [[BigBad Malware]] was initially established as merely being able to [[PowerCopying absorb technology in order to copy its capacities]]. Over the course of his story arc, he reveals the abilities to destroy and/or consume Ben's alien forms (who are for the major parts ''biological'') take over a whole planet and grow into a OneWingedAngel form that is bigger than Way Big.
*** Then in the ''Galactic Monster'' story arc, Lord Transyl suddenly reveals he has the ability to hypnotize people and tries to use it on Ben. Especially ridiculous in that he technically ''doesn't need'' such an ability, considering his main power is Mass MindControl.
** Not even the Original Series avoided this, as Upgrade suddenly develops the ability to fire a laser out of his optic in "Tourist Trap", and Gwen's latent magical ability is suddenly revealed in "Lucky Girl".[[note]]Although it takes a few seasons for her to use her magic ability full time.[[/note]] Additionally Stinkfly's projectile slime was used to extinguish flames in "Tourist Trap", but was shown to be flammable in the previous episode with WordOfGod saying that he has different kinds of slime he can switch between instinctively.
*** Gwen's magical/mana abilities often seem to fall into this.

* ''WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins'':
* "Let the Nightingale Sing" reveals that Doc's magic stethoscope not only can animate toys, but is also apparently capable of transporting both her and them into the real life version of a scene depicted in a book, something apparently even she wasn't sure it could do until she actually tried it and it worked. She's so excited about meeting the real life Florence Nightingale as a child that she decides to double down and break another show convention by revealing the amulet's magical animating powers to her.
** In "The Doc [=McStuffins=] Christmas Special," she uses it to go back in time a day to [[SavingChristmas save Christmas]], another power that had never been mentioned before.

* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' the show starts like this, with Bloom using magic to drive away some shadow beasts, though she never used magic before.
** technically the Enchantix is an in-universe example, given that most of the Enchantixes are gained by the fairies putting themselves in situations where they would die if not for their new powers.
** in the first season Bloom is suddenly able to see people's auras, which is semi-useful for a single episode and then never used again, even in situations in which knowing someone's character is extremely important such as with Avalon or the Wizards of the Black Circle.

* The writers of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' admitted that they liked doing this when writing for alien species. Kif's abilities to climb walls and shed his skin were some examples of it.

** Although not a superhero, in one episode Steven Hawking breaks up an argument by suddenly shooting lasers out of his eyes.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls,'' "Ice Sore," centers around Blossom discovering that she has ice breath ability, conveniently in time to stop a flaming asteroid from crushing the city. In what might be a deconstruction, she actually notices that her new power is ostracizing her from her sisters and doesn't ''want'' to use it to stop the asteroid. She later uses the ice breath in later episodes, although not really more than her other powers.
** In another episode ("Nuthin' Special") that focuses on Buttercup's lack of a special power, the girls do a vast array of powers that has never appeared on the show and is never mentioned again. These powers include cloning, teleportation, size change, shape shifting and [[Film/TheMatrix bending over backwards in slow motion.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'':
** Comicbook/{{Raven}} can do pretty much whatever she wants depending on the situation. She mainly relies on {{Flight}} and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]], but has demonstrated the ability to use clairvoyance, [[TimeStandsStill stop time]], [[IntangibleMan pass through walls]], see brief [[{{Seers}} glimpses of the future]], create monsters and [[VoluntaryShapeshifting change her appearance to a monster]] to "persuade" a villain to help them, [[VillainTeleportation among]] [[DemonicPossession other]] nasty [[{{Mindrape}} things]].

-->-- '''[[http://web.archive.org/web/20181122040516/http://www.cs.utah.edu/~duongsaa/more_htm/jk_100animeRules.htm The 100 Rules of Anime]]''': ''#84 The Law of Dormant Powers''

!!Examples:

[[folder:Asian Animation]]

'''Supergirl:''' (incredulous) "Hyper-sensual"?

** As does Doomsday, the only monster to ever kill Superman- except he develops new abilities that counter anything that harms him. At one point, he develops bony ear coverings to counter a powerful sonic gun.
*** Until he is finally undone by the one thing that he evolved that made him weak: Sentience.
--> '''Superman:''' You're different now. You can think for yourself. So think about this. Before, you were a mindless thing. Nothing could hurt you. You couldn't feel pain, much less understand it. But once you have felt it — it changes you — forever. And you'll begin to understand something new. Fear. I've lived with it all my life. You don't want to die again, do you? The agony of what's happened to you affects your speed — your strength... and that little bit of doubt — that you cannot win today — grows.

* The Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} and Comicbook/JessicaJones villain the Purple Man was hastily {{Retcon}}ned to possess a HealingFactor to explain how he'd survived getting punched to death by [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]] during the ''Emperor Doom'' graphic novel.

* The Engineer from ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'' is a repeat offender here. Her "powers" are derived from the [[AppliedPhlebotinum "nine pints of liquid machinery"]] that was developed from a combination of her own research and that of another genius and with which she replaced her blood. It basically means she can create virtually any device she can conceive of on the fly. However, while originally this seemed to be limited to what she could shape out of the actual nanoblood, the scope kept increasing until she could eventually build even very large constructs on-demand, as well [[SelfDuplication create duplicates of herself]] that shared her abilities. The only limit being how many different things she could mentally multitask at one time.
** Seth, the ridiculously powerful metahuman sent to kill and otherwise maim the members of ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'', might as well be a walking [[ComboPlatterPowers superpowered cafeteria.]] Having been designed to take down the most powerful superhero team in the world, he is given just about every superpower that his creators can imagine, at one point stating that he has powers "that [his enemies] don't even have names for".

* A very '90s miniseries called ''The Psycho,'' by James Hudnall and Dan Brereton, is set in a world where people gain superpowers by taking [[PsychoSerum various drugs.]] At one point, the title character develops the ability to breathe underwater-- or maybe he had it from the start; after all, there's no way of knowing until someone's trapped you in a flooded room...
* The eponymous Comicbook/{{Empowered}} has on at least three occasions demonstrated powers she had no idea her suit possessed: Clinging, surviving in space, and very possibly flight. She's not aware of the third.
** Given an interesting twist, in that many times, they are Chekov's guns. She discovers the new power at the BEGINNING of the issue, points out how useless it is, and then uses it LATER to great effect. Another one? Her suit can turn invisible. Not turn HER invisible. The suit ITSELF turns invisible.
* The female ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'' character Arisia, a one-time fling of Hal Jordan's, was thought to have perished. She was found years later (somewhat randomly) on the planet Biot in a pod. We were then told that Arisia's species can go into a deep state of mental and physical hibernation while only ''appearing'' dead. All this was done so Geoff Johns could put Arisia into the ''Green Lantern Corp'' ongoing. Not the most elegant way of bringing someone back to life.

* ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'' uses this as a punchline. Thanks to the [[AbridgedSeries abridging process]], all of the canon foreshadowing about the powers of the Elements of Harmony gets left on the cutting room floor. So when it comes time to use those powers:
-->'''Twilight:''' Vaguely established magical friend powers, activate!\\
'''Night Moon Mare:''' What the heck is that?\\
'''Twilight:''' It's a {{plot hole}}. Deal with it!

** ''FanFic/LegolasByLaura'' depicts Gandalf as being able to fight Sauron to a standstill and [[CallOnMe teleport Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin from the Shire to Mordor simply by wishing it]]. If he could do that, why did Tolkien need three books to get them there?

* ''FanFic/TheSubspaceEmissarysWorldsConquest'' has an interesting non-AssPull version. The main characters get new powers depending on what world they're in.

* ''FanFic/LightAndDarkTheAdventuresOfDarkYagami'' adds new "Notes" whenever the plot demands. In addition to the Manga/DeathNote, we have the Royal Death Note, the [[BackFromTheDead Life Note]], the [[KilledOffForReal Anti-Life Note]], the Teleport Note, the [[TimeTravel Time Note]], the Ghost Note, and the [[RealityWarper Everything Note]].
* ''FanFic/MiTruLov'' sees Russia gain earth powers. If that wasn't enough, Kawaiilyn suddenly gains the ability to manipulate [[spoiler:earth, water, fire and lightning ''as well as'' air]] the second she needs them.

* In the cancelled ''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' meta-fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Human}}'', the titular character, Lord Second, is almost the embodiment of this trope, being internally aware of concepts like Dramatic Convenience, In-Universe Explanations, and Off-Screen Teleportation. At one point, he gains a healing factor simply by verbally acknowledging the offscreen healing that occurs between plots. He is also able to leap across entire cities at once, and will be literally ''forced'' by the story to dodge any physical attack, except ones by main characters. Also, at one point, [[spoiler:his son manages to circumvent this by training Princess Celestia to [[AscendedExtra become a main character.]]]]
* Link in the [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Legend of Zelda]] fanfic, ''FanFic/ZeldasHonor'', can [[spoiler: summon up horses, bows, torches and just about anything else as the plot demands]] because of his [[spoiler: Nevachrean heritage]]. He also can defy [[spoiler: death by an eleventh hour appearance of Navi]]. Can't beat the villain with the powers he has now? No problem! Just [[spoiler: put on the Fierce Deity Mask that you just recently restored using the innate temporary healing powers from the newly reawakened Triforce of Courage within you and due to the new Hylia like qualities Navi bestowed upon you, become a righteous god of terrible power]]!

** Iron Man's previously unmentioned [[spoiler: one-use lasers that he uses to finish off the Hammer Drones]] in ''Film/IronMan2''. Justified in that Tony clearly enjoys making new Iron Man suits (as seen by the previously featured Mark V suitcase armor) and weapons/systems for them.

-->'''Star Lord:''' Pretty sure the answer is "I Am Groot."
** In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', Comicbook/AntMan displays the ability to transform into the colossal Giant-Man, something he couldn't do in [[Film/AntMan1 his own movie]]. Slightly offset by this power at least being logically connected to his existing abilities, and [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Giant-Man's fight scene being considered one of the best parts of the movie]].

** R2-D2 manages to do just about anything when the plot requires, especially in the prequels. Like fly.
*** According to the expanded universe, R2-D2 doesn't fly in the original trilogy because he damaged his rocket boosters in the interm between Episodes III and IV and could not get them replaced as the company that manufactured them was shut down by the Empire.

* In general, most role players have characters with predetermined skills and abilities. If the player characters run into a monster/enemy/whatever that is nigh unkillable, sometimes the storytellers may bestow the characters with a new power to help them combat the threat. While instilling new powers on the fly can help create a more exciting story, it can also seem like a cheap ass pull when done too much (making the player characters look like they can't do anything until the plot says otherwise) or done badly. Leveling can also have this effect in some systems.

* Parodied in ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'' by the aptly-named "Deus Ex Machina Man".
** Also, if games use the optional ''Latent mutant powers'' rule, the GM is encouraged to throw the players who don't know they have powers into situations where that power would help. While they've had the power the whole time, it certainly seems like this trope for the players.
*** Of course, like a [[BlessedWithSuck lot of things in Paranoia]], this often becomes a ''bad thing'' because all the players are trying to hide the fact they are mutants.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has this in the Chameleon prestige class and the Factotum. The Chameleon, at second level, has a bonus feat he can change daily to whatever he has the requirements for. The Factotum has a pool of Inspiration Points, which he can use for a buttload of stuff, such as arcane spells, sneak attack, ignoring spell resistance, as needed.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' has the Brawler, a hybrid class that combines the Fighter and the Monk, whose primary class feature is best described as this. As long as they still have access to their Martial Flexibility uses for the day, the Brawler can gain whatever combat feat they could qualify for on the fly, including otherwise-situational combat feats that are very effective for their current fight.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* The Monster in the Darkness from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. The author has stated that he is a pre-existing monster, but we'll have to wait and see how well his abilities synch up with what he is.
** It's been suggested that he has [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wish.htm Wish]] as a spell-like ability. And Wish can do practically ''anything''.

** PlayedForLaughs in the backstory. Maxima, the most powerful super on the planet, has so many powers that she used to just discover new ones every once in a while. Such as when her roommate popped a bag by her ear as a prank, and she blasted a giant hole in the wall, missing him by less than an inch.

* ''Roleplay/InfiniteJustice'': This is literally Daud Andreas' superpower, which lead to his [[AdaptiveAbility Adaptive Regeneration]] becoming [[PhysicalGod godhood]].

* ''WebVideo/ItalianSpiderman'' has this in spades. He can teleport, outrun motorbikes, make chickens lay eggs (or cigarette packets), control spiders, summon penguins, fly, and his mustache can be detached and used as an exploding projectile.

* Conveniently in ''WebVideo/VaguelyRecallingJoJo'', Heirophant Green can create gems for communication (Heirophant Call), bandage wounds (Heirophant Mosaic) and splash water (Splash) on things.
* {{Averted}} in ''Roleplay/AHDotComEternals''. The titular immortal humans can regenerate after being killed or wounded, survive in alien atmospheres or even in a vacuum without protection, and cannot die unless their head is separated from their body. They have no powers beyond these three.

[[folder:Web Video]]

--> '''Critic (On ''WesternAnimation/ATrollInCentralPark''):''' But I guess the queen uses her power of controlling thumbs... yeah, that's one of her powers now... to use Gus' thumb to turn Stanley into stone.\\
'''WebVideo/{{Diamanda|Hagan}} (On ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal''):''' So the [[BuffySpeak Green Glowey]] thing infects the plane and turns the dead crew members into zombies because... it can do that now.
* ''WebVideo/VisionOfEscaflowneAbridged'' has a field day lampshading the main character's tendency to do this in canon. Van especially keeps getting new powers over the series.
-->'''Millerna:''' Well, that's bullshit! First you get [[WaifProphet Hitomi's]] seeing powers, and now [[WhiteMagicianGirl my healing]]? What are you gonna steal next, [[HandsomeLech Allen]]'s sex appeal?

-->'''Van:''' No offense, but it sounds like you're making this up as you go along.\\

-->'''Allen:''' We can't possibly escape this many!\\

* Franchise/{{Superman}}:

** Interestingly, a lot of this stems from various media adaptations, particularly the WesternAnimation/{{Superman Theatrical Cartoon|s}} shorts; originally the brothers Fleischer ''wanted'' to stick close to a relatively limited powerset, but animating him just "leaping" everywhere was time-consuming and expensive (even with their extravagant-for-the-time budget), so they asked DC "can we just make him fly?" DC said "Sure", he flew in the cartoons which introduced a ton of people to the character who then bought the comic and complained to DC, asking why Superman didn't fly like he did in the cartoon... and, well, we were off to the Super-races.

** In one strip, Comicbook/LoisLane is going blind and she wants to see a play based on herself before this happens. But the play is only a script, so Superman uses super-puppetry to make it appear that actors are performing on stage (Lois' vision is blurred so she doesn't notice). He also uses "super-memory" to learn the script, even though he could just ''read'' it given that he's offstage.
** Other silver age classic powers: super-hypnotism, super-kissing (don't ask, really), and super-mimicry.

** Not that there weren't outright inexplicable new powers sometimes. In one issue, he managed to ''rewire complex circuitry'' with his vision to stop some evil machinery of ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}'s, and another time he somehow used his vision to attempt a ''phone trace.'' It's especially JustForFun/{{Egregious}} with Silver Age Superman ''because'' of the number and extent of his established powers.

** Parodied in ''ComicBook/Supergirl2005'' storyline "Way of the World". Supergirl fights a villain that at one point brags about his new powers:

* Franchise/SpiderMan:

-->-- '''[[http://www.cs.utah.edu/~duongsaa/more_htm/jk_100animeRules.htm The 100 Rules of Anime]]''': ''#84 The Law of Dormant Powers''

* ''WesterAnimation/PaperPort'': Thanks to the coconut breaking, Mathilda gets a different power everyday, and said power is the focus of each episode.

* ''ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'':

TropesAreTools, and many successful and loved works have characters whose power set just keeps surprisingly expanding. However, in stories meant to have at least some tension, this trope can slide into [[Main/WritingPitfallIndex bad writing]]. The risk in showering down new powers constantly is that it becomes a go-to DeusExMachina (or worse, an AssPull ). Having written themselves into a corner with a situation that's [[OnlyTheAuthorCanSaveThemNow too overwhelming for our heroes to handle]] with the tools they've been given, the writer decides to have the hero conveniently learn the one ability needed to save the day. Do this too often, and it dulls the drama of any ''new'' situation that pops up later, as [[OpeningACanOfClones the audience won't respect the setting as having internal consistency]] or real limitations. [[https://youtu.be/OlI3_K-G9cU?t=3821 This video]] explains it pretty well.