History Main / NewPowersAsthePlotDemands

* UltamiteNineball's infamous fic "soulless shell" chronicles the adventures of [[GodModeSue Leif Melyamos]], who develops the ability to shoot FrickinLaserBeams, teleport at will, and outfight any opponent [[WaifFu at the age of about three]]. By the time he's eighteen, he can take on a bizarre OneWingedAngel form with horns and wings, and by the time the story comes to a [[NoEnding very abrupt stop]], has got hold of a sapient blood-drinking sword. Keep in mind this fic was put in the {{Redwall}} section, and said canon is supposed to have ''[[{{Demythtification}} no magic whatsoever]]'' (bar the occasional prophecies and InstantExpert routines). This fic is in fact a prequel to another fic entitled "Blood omen", in which Leif's descendant Zain is an even better example, literally developing a new power with each fight scene.

* A frequent element used in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' where the main hero will often get new powers that'll ultimately help him in the end, one of the most blatant being his [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique ghostly wail]] and [[ElementalPowers ice ability]].

** Spider-Man Noir also ''loses'' the revolver he used in the comics, most likely to avoid MoralGuardians complaining about kids playing [[SuperheroPackingHeat a hero with a gun]].

* May come up in {{Persona 3}} depending on your dialogue choices. [[spoiler: Assuming the protagonist wasn't just hitting buttons randomly (which you can fess up to), or using her women's intuition (which you can ALSO confess to), how DID he/she know which switch controlled the breaks to the train car? Lampshaded in the manga, which revealed the Male MC had a hidden love for trains.]]

* In ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 2,'' the protagonist finds his/herself in dire straits as he/she is put into a cell full of poisonous gas. Just as all hope seems lost, Kreia contacts you telepathically, and quickly teaches you the Jedi art of [[VideoGame/MonkeyIsland Guybrush]]-caliber breath-holding.

* ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}: Episode 1'', the Vortigaunts go from electric powers to stealing the essence of Xen creatures to rescuing Gordon outwitting the G-Man himself.

* In ThirtyHs, HarryPotter is given a wide variety of powers never had in canon, including groinsaws, the ability to punch astral vampires in half, the ability to summon holy fuck fire and meteors with his guitar fuck slayer, and the ability to see subatomic particles by squinting.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}, Eidolon explicitly has this as his power.

** The extent of the Doctor's psychic powers in the new series also depend on whatever is necessary to make the episode work. In 'The Girl in the Fireplace', the Doctor shows he can read minds, though in many other episodes he doesn't even when it would be useful (admittedly, moral qualms might stop him from reading minds without consent, but it is strange that he never mentions it). Likewise, in 'The Lodger' the Doctor headbutts [[spoiler:Craig]] to telepathically implant information about who the Doctor was and why people should take his advice, and again, the Doctor has never used this ability before or since, even when it would make sense to do so.

** The [[ComboPlatterPowers Sharingan frequently gets new abilities]]. Generally, these tie into the eyes in some fashion (copying moves, mild precognition, trapping someone in an illusion by looking at them, shooting black fire from the user's eyes), but powers such as Susanoo (some sort of giant spirit robot), [[spoiler: Izanagi (extra lives)]], [[spoiler: Izanami (warping time and space)]], and [[spoiler: transforming into the Rinnegan]] don't have anything to do with that, with many of them (especially the last three) coming out of nowhere.
*** Not to mention that the Sharingan powers almost venture into [[spoiler:mind control]] abilities, such as when [[spoiler:Itachi traps Kabuto using Izanami and then has Kabuto perform the hand seals to release Edo Tensei]]. ...How very convenient.

** Being MerchandisedDriven, this often happens with brand new cards just revealed, and often these cards are A) highly situational to the point in any real deck they'd be dead weight, and B) never seen again after their one usage. On occasion the new card that is used is a real life card that they just didn't use in the show before (such as Skilled Dark Magician), other times the card is completely made up with powers verging on GameBreaker levels (such as ''the entire Orichalcos archetype'').

** ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' has Yusei. No really. Yusei in himself is enough. He starts out being a well-balanced main-character. Then in episode 5, he gets his first Dragon's Birthmark (which switches during his duel with Rex). Later, in the Dark Signer Arc, he and Jack both get Saviour Dragon, a tuner that can make their Stardust Dragon and Red Demon's Dragon stronger for one turn. Then, in the next story-arc, Yusei gets his next upgrade for Stardust, which just so happens to require a skill that he invents himself in a different timeline, that Dark Glass then teaches Yusei in this timeline. And finally, in the last few episodes his D-Wheel gets wings and later even flies into space where he gets his strongest card. Yup. Makes sense in context (or maybe not). Oh, and then there's the movie-only upgrade for his D-Wheel, which allows it to go back in time, conveniently far enough to save Jaden and Yugi '''and''' stop Paradox before he kills Pegasus. And then there are all the other Signers... Crow only got his dragon for the dramatic effect in that episode, and even then, its effect changes in the very next episode it appears in. And that doesn't even begin to cover all the ass-pull cards Yusei suddenly has after the Dark Signer Arc (he gains about 30 new cards after the Dark Signer Arc, and he doesn't remove any of the cards he had prior to that. And yet he always has just the right card, and managed to be reduced to 0 cards in one duel, very easily, which should be rediculously hard with 70 cards (especially considering that the current rules only allow a 60-card deck)).

* While ''[[WesternAnimation/BirdmanAndTheGalaxyTrio 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.

* [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Mr. Burns]] has this happen to him once. In most other episodes, he is humorously old and frail; however, in the climax of "Ragin' Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'," he suddenly has the strength to [[WouldHurtAChild kick Bart into the safe and send him overboard]]. [[TropesAreTools On the other hand]], it did allow for Grandpa's [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in]] [[BadassGrandpa badass]].

* While not powers, per se, Comicbook/{{Batman}} seems to always have that one thing in his utility belt that saves the day, despite there never being mention of it before. This was especially true in the SilverAge, on [[Series/{{Batman}} the TV Show]] (shark-repellent bat-spray), and on the SuperFriends ("You're a mouse? I'll put you in the bat belt mouse compartment!"). Fans have come to expect him to have all sorts of basic toys there (as well as a chunk of kryptonite in a lead-lined pouch because you can't be too careful), and the better writers either have him specifically preparing for a fight or have him MacGyver a solution out of things you would expect him to have.

* Marvel's ComicBook/DoctorStrange makes even Silver Age Superman look downright consistent by comparison. One week he might say it's impossible to change the past, the next week he might casually rewind time by twirling his little finger and prevent the villain from ever being born. At his worst, it was less a case of him getting new powers as the plot demands, but more a case of him being able to do absolutely anything, ''unless the plot required that he couldn't.'' This is probably one of the major reasons why the writers eventually stripped him of his Sorcerer Supreme title and most of his power.

** The Doctor's use of

Sometimes a {{retcon}}, a power upgrade or some bit of {{Phlebotinum}} is employed to explain the new power, but often the character just does something they've never done before and when their friends say, "I didn't know you could do that!", they come back with either "I've never needed to, till now," or worse, "Neither did I, till now!"

** The Doctor's use of this trope pales in comparison to his sonic screwdriver, which has thousands of settings. A list of everything it has done would be as long as this page. The original series wrote it out as it was becoming omnipotent and the writers used it as a get-out-of-trouble-free card too much. TheMovie brought it back, and the new series imposed some definite restrictions on its abilities so as to have a reason ''not'' to let the Doctor use it to get out of anything. It's still pretty handy, though.
*** A good rule of thumb is 'Interface with any electronic device from up to thirty feet away', 'open any lock', and 'work as whatever tool is needed to perform the repairs at hand': it's basically the ultimate swiss army knife with built in wifi and lockpicks. It [[WeaksauceWeakness doesn't do wood, though]].
** In the second episode of the new series, Eccleston's Doctor suddenly has the power to focus his mind and walk between the blades of a giant spinning fan. It would have been nice if he'd remembered he had this power before Jabe died...
** The extent of the Doctor's psychic powers in the new series also depend on whatever is necessary to make the episode work. In 'The Girl in the Fireplace', the Doctor shows he can read minds, though in many other episodes he doesn't even when it would be useful (admittedly, moral qualms might stop him from reading minds without consent, but it is strange that he never mentions it). Likewise, in 'The Lodger' the Doctor headbutts [[spoiler:Craig]] to telepathically implant information about who the Doctor was and why people should take his advice, and again, the Doctor has never used this ability before or since, even when it would make sense to do so.
*** The Doctor's previously unseen "mind meld"-like abilities get enhanced even further in 'Journey's End' when he's able to use them to selectively [[spoiler: erase parts of Donna's memory]].
*** He also can use his PsychicPowers to tune into a single thought broadcasted by everyone on Earth via the Master's satellites and use it to de-age himself, dissolve his cage, levitate, form a shield bubble, and give him telekinesis.
** Another, particularly [[FridgeLogic glaring instance]] of this is in 'Planet of the Ood', when the Doctor is able to sense the enslaved Oods' pain through their telepathic field, yet when he encountered them before in 'The Impossible Planet' and 'The Satan Pit' he made no mention of sensing their telepathic field [[spoiler:or the psychic entity powerful enough to possess multiple Ood and humans simultaneously, which you'd really think he'd be able to sense under the circumstances]].
** A classic series example: the Fourth Doctor reveals he has a respiratory bypass system in 'Pyramids of Mars'.
** Another classic-era example: the idea of the Doctor having two hearts was not revealed until the first episode featuring the Third Doctor. Prior to this, there were several episodes explicitly indicating the Doctor had only one heart.
* ''{{Ultraman}}'', ''Ultraseven'' and the other ''Ultra'' heroes are the kings of this. Though they have a set powers base, many develop and use one-shot energy attacks for specific monsters that are never seen again, or, even, completely pointless in the face of a pre-existing energy attack. And each time they would re-appear in another series, they'd only have the very basic forms of Ultraman powers they were known for. However, the worst offender is Ultraman Jack/''The Ultraman Who Returned'', who has the Ultra Bracelet--a weapon that can shapeshift into whatever is needed at the time: a shield, eye-slugger, blade, sword or--Cross-Shaped Lance to stake an alien named Draculas.
* This happens to the ghosts from ''Series/GhostWhisperer'' a lot. Sometimes it gets a brief explanation. Usually not.
* ''{{Smallville}}'':
** Played with Clark Kent. Except for invulnerability, SuperSpeed and SuperStrength, all his others powers (X-ray vision, heat vision, super hearing, SuperBreath, in that order) come exactly as he needs them, although they are all established powers in the comics.
*** Played straight for [[spoiler:Telekinesis]] in ''Crusade'', [[spoiler:mind reading]] in ''Echo'' and [[spoiler:MindControl]] in ''Persuasion''.
** Chloe Sullivan. She initially develops healing powers to heal LoisLane and then SuperIntelligence which manifests as a machine-like ability to run search algorithms in her head. Although it is later revealed Chloe didn't develop super-intelligence so much as [[spoiler:she gained it when Brainiac took up roost in her mind.]]
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' puts some interesting spins on this one:
** Several characters demonstrate the ability to acquire new powers from other powered people. Peter Petrelli copies them, Dad Petrelli takes them, and Sylar rips them out of their heads (killing them, and he gets to use Peter's copying power later).
** In general, the whole series operates this trope at a higher level. If the writers need a new power, they don't give it to an existing character, but introduce a new character with the desired ability. One of the benefits of LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters is nobody much notices a few more or less.
*** Ando is a particular victim of this trope. His power goes from power amplification to [[spoiler:concussive blasts to tech manipulation to actual electricity]].
* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' have been known to dabble in this area, depending on the series. Conner in ''[[Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder Dino Thunder]]'' for example, is able to access his Battlizer for the first time ever by just...wishing for it I guess... Generally, more technological based teams are better about this, with new weapons and zords being built and tested prior to use.
** An interesting subversion occurs in ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', in which Andros has been carrying his own Battlizer for a good portion of the season, using it only to power up his attacks and control the Delta Megazord. Eventually Carlos asks him why he's never used the highest power setting on the device, to which Andros replies that he worries that it may be ''too'' powerful. Later, in a battle in which he is unable to morph, the final setting is activated and he becomes the Red Battlized Ranger for the first time.
*** Mind you, Andros isn't the one who activated it--it was pressed by a little girl nearby. For all she knew, the setting ''was'' too powerful and it could have blown them all up.
** ''MahouSentaiMagiranger'' made extensive use of this trope; all one of the Magirangers had to do was demonstrate sufficient [[HeroicResolve courage]] or [[AnAesop learn an important lesson]], and they would be gifted with a new spell suited for whatever predicament they've found themselves in. [[JustifiedTrope Mind]], this was because the spells were being granted to them by the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Heavenly Saints]], who were always watching over them. This carried over into ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'', and even dropped the justification as there were no higher powers actively giving the spells.
* Most ''KamenRider'' shows have this trope, but the first one to get the ball rolling was ''KamenRiderBlackRX'', which gave Kotaro two forms in the middle of the show, one gave him a CoolSword, and the other [[TheGunslinger gave him a gun]].
** ''KamenRiderKuuga'' and his various forms. All he has to do is wish for a new ability, and [[TransformationTrinket the Kuuga Belt]] will give him a new ''form'' for that ability! How'd he get Dragon form? [[InASingleBound He needed to fly!]] How'd he get Pegasus form? [[TheGunslinger He needed a gun!]] How'd he get Titan form? [[MightyGlacier He needed to be stronger!]] How'd he get Ultimate form? ''[[UnstoppableRage He got really pissed off!]]''
*** Granted, this was mitigated by two things. First, Yusuke needed to learn how his abilities worked (his initial fight using Dragon Form, before he knew it used a staff, was a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown). And second, in order to get his stronger forms he had to be shocked with a defibrillator.
*** Also take into account that those forms ''did'' exist (or there was at least a rough outline, hard to tell) prior to him wishing from them, how do we know that? ''Because the belt of all thing had [[GuideDangIt instructions]] for them''! Granted they weren't ''good'' instructions (but at least they got the point across), and they were in another language that only ''just'' got translated right when he needed them the most, but the fact that they were there ''before'' Kuuga first activated them shows that he didn't just 'wish' new forms that didn't exist before into existence. Heck after he got Dragon form the fact that there was still text left to translate basically forshadowed that there was more.
** A particularly egregious villain example happens in "Series/KamenRiderFourze". When Gamou is about to [[YouHaveFailedMe send Hayami to the Dark Nebula]] He [[ContrivedCoincidence conviently]] gains his Supernova power, the Eye of Laplace. While every previous Supernova just turned a Horoscope into a [[OneWingedAngel giant monster]] Libra instead gains the power to see Zodiarts evolutions so he can just look at someone and instantly not only know if they can become a Horoscopes, but find people who are so compatible that just pressing the switch will instantly evolve them. In the 33 episodes before this, only 2 Horoscopes had evolved during the course of the show (5 were evolved before the series began). After this, a new Horoscope was introduced every 2 episodes Without this power, there would be no way for the writers to possibly fit in the remaining 5 Horoscopes in the last 14 episodes.
** It's still early in ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'' as of the time of writing, but the show's already headed in this direction. To wit, Wizard uses [[RingOfPower Rings of Power]] infused with different magic spells, and he's friends with a magic-ring-maker, but the ring-maker explicitly has no control over which spells go into the rings he makes. Yet some of the new rings he's given are too-conveniently key to beating the MonsterOfTheWeek (a ring that emits light when fighting someone who can teleport through shadows); extremely situational yet too-conveniently manages to be helpful soon after he gets it (a ring that puts ''the one wearing it'' to sleep); or both (a ring that makes the wearer stink royally, used against a monster with a keen sense of smell).
* Sookie from ''TrueBlood'' has gained new abilities as well. [[spoiler: She can shoot some kind of energy from her hand. She did it accidentally against Maryann and possibly less so against a werewolf who attacked her in season 3.]]
** It's revealed that this power, as well as her telepathy, as the result of [[spoiler:her being part-[[TheFairFolk fairy]]. Her blood also allows vampires to temporarily survive in sunlight]].
* Ralph Hinkley from ''TheGreatestAmericanHero'' got new abilities as the plot required, sometimes completely forgetting he could do them by the next episode. This could be a possible subversion in the times that he wasn't sure how he'd done them in the first place, but doesn't explain how, in one episode, he suffers damage to his lungs (while wearing the suit that gives him the powers) from smoke inhalation, meaning his lungs are not protected by the suit. In another (later) episode, he's able to inhale a room full of tear gas without harm.
** In other words, the show justifies ''this'' trope, with the reasonable explanation that the main character doesn't know what his suit can do or how it works. What it doesn't justify is continuity-problematic explanations for ''specific'' powers that the plot demands (such as that lung-protection thing) or the [[ForgottenPhlebotinum forgetting powers issue]].
* Benton Fraser on ''Series/DueSouth'', which is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in Paul Gross's commentary on the final episode. By the end of the series, he is an excellent marksman, fluent in at least a dozen languages (most of them obscure Canadian aboriginal dialects), a skillful boxer, capable of putting himself into a trance indistinguishable from death, able to listen to concerts in his head by reading the sheet music and ''[[SerialEscalation able to place the location of a plane by listening-in to the radio telemetry.]]
* Hardison on ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' manages to do this with random skills as they become necessary to the team. As of season 4 he has: painted the office picture, become a lawyer, played a Stradivarius violin, taught himself how to be a forger, topping it off by landing an airplane. This is in addition to his normal roles as a [[PlayfulHacker computer hacker]] and TechnoWizard.
* Thanks to being dosed with Cortexiphan as a kid, Olivia on {{Fringe}} can read minds, move things with her mind, heal rapidly, shift between universes, possess other people, set things on fire with her mind or control nanites in someone else's bloodstream and never usually displaying the same power twice. Basically whenever a power is needed on the show, Walter just goes "Thanks to the Cortexiphan you were given, it should be possible for you to [insert required power for episode here]."
* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'''s season 3 episode "Lovers Walk," Willow and Xander have been kidnapped by Spike. Oz manages to locate them with his highly refined werewolf sense of smell... While in his human form, which had never been shown to possess any supernatural abilities prior to this.
* In the Spanish series ''LosProtegidos'' the villains get new superpowered kids as the plot demands.
* This is done very intentionally in ''Series/{{Carnivale}}'', which revolves around two leads who are introduced with vaguely defined supernatural powers. At the beginning, we're aware that the protagonist [[TheMessiah Ben Hawkins]] possesses healing powers, and that the main antagonist [[SinisterMinister Brother]] [[DarkMessiah Justin Crowe]] has the ability to mentally control people. Then as the series goes on, it gradually becomes clear that neither of them have any real limits on their powers, and that their abilities include (but are not limited to) astral projection, weather control, telekinesis, manipulation of illusions, and the ability to turn water into blood. Not surprising, considering they're from the same bloodline that produced Jesus...
* In the British series ''Series/{{Misfits}}'', they play this in various ways, the most blatant of which is the inclusion of a character whose power is the ability to give/take the powers of others.
** Misfits usually justifies this as what powers a person gets is based on their personality and memories and when the power is given to someone else it can reconfigure itself based on the same criteria. For example: a character suffering from regrets over his own actions gets the power to turn back time, but when this power is given to a holocaust survivor he gets the ability to physically jump back in time to WWII. The power dealer guy might not count as he was introduced to create new plot treads, not to solve old ones. A proper example however is Curtis' DisabilityImmunity that is never mentioned before the episode it becomes useful and is never mentioned again afterwards.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* {{Justified|Trope}} (or, more accurately, {{HandWave}}d) in ''TheDarkCrystal''. At the moment when it would be most convenient, one of the two main characters, who are the last of their kind, exposes wings and starts to fly. They have this matter-of-fact conversation:
-->'''Jen:''' Wings? I don't have wings.\\
'''Kira:''' Of course not. You're a boy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* This is such a prevalent trope that most superhero [=RPGs=] have some sort of mechanic to represent it. For instance, the RPG ''MutantsAndMasterminds'' has a Hero Point mechanic that allows you to turn one of your superpowers into another for a single use. While keeping the new power "in theme" with your other abilities is encouraged, it isn't strictly necessary...
** There are also the Variable structures, which let you have a pool of points to devote to various powers and that you can reallocate every round, and actual powers such as [[AdaptiveAbility Nemesis and Adaptation]].
** And few feats are similarly open-ended. "Jack-of-all-Trades" makes every one of your skills that you don't have points in work as though you had points in it.
* 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.
* ''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 ''FantasyCraft'' is developed from another system called ''{{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).
* The original ''DCHeroes'' RPG by Mayfair (later republished by Pulsar Games as the generic superhero game ''Blood of Heroes'') actually included this in a number of game mechanics:
** The power "Omni-Power" allowed the user to replicate pretty much any power at the same rank as this power by paying a certain fee (the base cost of a power from character creation).
** The advantage "Omni-Connection" allowed the character to suddenly pull out a contact of either low level ("My buddy from college is a night watchman there!") or high level ("Wow, Tommy boy did good! He's the CEO!") by paying a fee of 'hero points'
** Buying "Omni-Gadgets" allowed the player to create one use, nebulously defined gadgets. Upon pulling it out, he declared what the gadget's power was, used it, and it was 'burned out', simulating the ability to pull out "Bat Shark Repellant" by declaring the gadget was Animal Control, for example.
** Later modifications to the rule set included "Omni-Scholar" (pull a specific area of expertise out of your... utility belt), and other New Powers as the Plot Demands type abilities.
* ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'' includes the Goblin Vow merit, which basically combines this with DangerousForbiddenTechnique, allowing the person to make impromptu deals with various abstract things to gain new (temporary) powers in exchange for either doing something, or refraining from something. Breaking the deal is [[DisproportionateRetribution ill-advised]].
* ''PrometheanTheCreated'' recommends this as a way of unlocking new Transmutations, or even shifting Refinements entirely - your character is on a constant journey of self-discovery, and odds are they won't know just what they're capable of until they're put in a crisis situation.
* This is one of the tropes that ''Badass'' is built on. Buying new powers just requires a flimsy exposition sequence between action scenes (a journey of self discovery about being a dinosaur the whole time, a training montage of you learning kung fu, whatever). Or if you've got "Little do you know I am actually a ROBOT!", you can buy new powers in the middle of fight scenes just by declaring that you were secretly a robot (or a ninja, or a mad scientist, or a shark, or whatever) the whole time.
* Following the Batman example under 'Comics', ''{{GURPS}} Supers'' has an advantage for gadgeteer-type superheroes which allows the ill-defined contents of their utility packs to contain just the thing necessary to escape from mortal danger.
* ''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/BigEyesSmallMouth'': take Unknown Power and hope your GM is feeling lenient.
* [=FATE=] system games such as ''SpiritOfTheCentury'' or the ''DresdenFiles'' RPG encourage gadgeteers and magic-users to have "undefined" gadgets and mystical artifacts (in the case of ''Spirit'') or potions (''Dresden Files''), which can be activated later to get a necessary effect at a critical moment. After the story in which they're used, or at certain (GM-decided) intervals within the story, they reset back to undefined.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* The writers of ''{{Bionicle}}'' tried to avoid this trope with their main bad guys, the Makuta. Since at one point, a huge variety of differently colored and shaped Kraata slugs could be [[MerchandiseDriven bought]], they had to come up with 42 different powers for each kind. Since Kraata are basically physical forms of the Makuta's essence, the writers decided to give these powers to them
** They played this trope straight with Artakha, Tren Krom also seems to show off unknown powers (and ''body parts'') at times, but in his case it is justified, since he is just this side of a god, and we barely know him. In the case of the Toa Nuva gaining new powers, it is [[HandWave handwaved]] that they're a special kind of Toa, who have not yet learned all of their abilities.
** Also, it seems that [[spoiler: Tahu]] is going to demonstrate this trope in the near future, as WordOfGod is refusing to state [[spoiler: how many Makuta powers Tahu absorbed from the Golden Armour]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}: Episode 1'', the Vortigaunts go from electric powers to stealing the essence of Xen creatures to rescuing Gordon outwitting the G-Man himself.
* In ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 2,'' the protagonist finds his/herself in dire straits as he/she is put into a cell full of poisonous gas. Just as all hope seems lost, Kreia contacts you telepathically, and quickly teaches you the Jedi art of [[VideoGame/MonkeyIsland Guybrush]]-caliber breath-holding.
* This happens to Seere in ''{{Drakengard}}'' as part of a ludicrous HandWave that was necessary because [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed they were all doomed]], and the ending couldn't be "[[KillEmAll Everyone was eaten]]."
* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', the titular Caped Crusader already has his entire arsenal of weapons on the island - he just doesn't bother to activate or get most of them until the plot requires it. For instance, Batman always had the components for the Ultra Batclaw (the upgraded three-shot version of the weapon), but he doesn't bother to upgrade it until he needs to; [[spoiler:when Poison Ivy's vines destroy portions Arkham Batcave while he's inside it, it becomes the only way to leave]]. He also has the Cryptographical Sequencer on him from the beginning of the game - but it only works once he gets Warden Sharp's passcodes.
** The sequel, ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', lampshades Batman's apparent habit of going into danger unprepared.
---> Alfred: I see you've requested another equipment drop, sir. Have you considered a larger belt?
---> Batman: Tried it. The extra weight slowed me down.
* To keep the four [[Franchise/{{Spider-Man}} Spider-Men's]] abilities consistent in ''SpiderManShatteredDimensions'', [[{{Marvel 2099}} Spider-Man 2099]] gets spider-sense, while Spidey Noir gets improved web-shooting abilities; the changes are [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by the characters.
** Spider-Man Noir also ''loses'' the revolver he used in the comics, most likely to avoid MoralGuardians complaining about kids playing [[SuperheroPackingHeat a hero with a gun]].
* May come up in {{Persona 3}} depending on your dialogue choices. [[spoiler: Assuming the protagonist wasn't just hitting buttons randomly (which you can fess up to), or using her women's intuition (which you can ALSO confess to), how DID he/she know which switch controlled the breaks to the train car? Lampshaded in the manga, which revealed the Male MC had a hidden love for trains.]]
* Literally in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}''. Barring three which aren't plot-important, that you get by levelling up, the game basically hands you a new power at the exact time you reach an obstacle that can only be overcome with that particular power. After the first couple of times, they don't even bother giving you some kind of training course to justify it; they just hand you the merit badge and let you get on with it.
* In ''VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'', you spend XP directly to improve your abilities, you receive the benefits of doing so instantaneously, and you can save and accumulate unspent XP indefinitely, so any time you run into a task that is too difficult, you can increase the requisite ability by spending XP on it. Run into a computer you can't hack? Spend some XP on your computer skill and try again. Two seconds later, you know enough about computers to successfully hack this one.
* In DmC: DevilMayCry, 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 spontaniously 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.
* In ''[[GundamAGE Gundam AGE Cosmic Drive]]'', your gundam gets upgrades even more frequent than in the anime. Even after the most [[TearJerker Tear Jerking]] scene, [[spoiler: where Desil kills Yurin]], Vargas stills pop up in the middle of the fight, proudly and happily presenting you with [[MechaExpansionPack a new armor pack.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Aylee from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' gets this a lot due to periodically undergoing some involuntary ShapeShifting. At various points she's gained the ability to regenerate, fly, breathe fire, extend and retract poison spikes, and emit electro-magnetic pulses. She loses most of her old abilities whenever she assumes a new form, however, so it hasn't made her overpowered.
** Aside from the involuntary nature of her shape-shifting, she's also hampered by the time it takes to adapt. She could enter a cocoon and mutate a new form to counter the current threat, but emerge only months after said threat has been dealt with, leaving her in a body she has no idea how to operate or maintain.
* {{Wonderella}} totally gets like a spillion powers when tied up.
* 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''.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' has a magic system seemingly specifically designed to work this way. Any "Awakened" character can just suddenly develop any power the plot needs, any time it's convenient for the writer.
* ''Webcomic/AxeCop'', having sprung from the imagination of a young child during playtime with his much older brother, tends to have characters randomly gaining powers left and right. Sometimes its explained, and sometimes it's "the secret technique no one knows" or something one of the characters "always had". The adult drawing the strip and crafting it into structure plays such moments for all the laughs they're worth. This truly meets its apex when Axe Cop gains the ability to fly ''by asking his creator to give it to him.''
* In ''{{Sonichu}}'', AuthorAvatar Christian Chandler displays this trope in increasingly absurd ways, up to and including spontaneously bringing his [[DistaffCounterpart twin sister]] to life through the combination of a [[ItMakesSenseInContext a torch made from Pixelblocks and an ancient Cherokee ritual]].
* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', the powers of [[SpiritAdvisor Sprites]] are never fully defined, allowing them to do pretty much anything as long as it runs on [[FrickinLaserBeams lasers]] and matches their personal motifs.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Quite a few of the people in the ''WhateleyUniverse'' are vulnerable to this, Fey and Jade. Chou is something like this, except hers is more Power Creep, Power Seep. A lampshade is hung in Call the Thunder 6.
** Jade is an exception. All she can do is "possess" objects using "spirit-selves". After a radiation accident, she can regenerate. However, within the "possessing objects" thing, she has a variety of applications of her power. Her power is closer to a GreenLanternRing in that respect.
** But these kids have had their powers less than a year, and they went to [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]] to learn to use them. So most of their powers are ChekhovsGun (Phase has done this a couple times) and ChekhovsSkill (Chaka) and TrainingFromHell (everyone in Ito's aikido classes) and TookALevelInBadass (Jade and Lancer, at different times). Still, some of Tennyo's powers are definitely NewPowersAsThePlotDemands. I mean, the reality warping that ripped open a hole in space-time? Come on!
* This sort of thing was curbed and curbed hard in the ''GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse''. While the ''HeroSystem'' [[ExperiencePoint experience point rules]] were being used, there were rather strict guidelines regarding what NewSuperPowers could be purchased, depending on the character's base concept. If a power didn't fit the concept, then the power was simply not allowed. Period.
** Characters who used a GreenLanternRing or a SwissArmyWeapon were often granted more leeway with this than other characters, but even then the players in question had to justify their taking certain of the odder, more "out there" powers.
** The only character who was really allowed to get away with this was the Blood Red King, but he was a different kettle of fish altogether.
* ''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.
* RobertBrockway of ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' points out how pieces of {{phlebotinum}} in a ScienceFiction story gain NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, making technology [[ClarkesThirdLaw hard for the viewer to tell from magic]]. This is one of the [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-realizations-that-will-ruin-science-fiction-you/ 4 Realizations That Will Ruin Science Fiction for You]].
* In ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' Trayen does this all the time, justified in that his power is controlled by the osmosoul.
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}, Eidolon explicitly has this as his power.
* ''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!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget''. "Go, go, Gadget <Fill in the Blank>!"
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' partially has this, in that the powers frequently appear As The Plot Demands, but are logical extensions of the characters' abilities. Katara learns to heal with Waterbending after being burned, Toph invents Metalbending (supposed to be impossible) because she is trapped in a metal box, and Aang [[spoiler:is taught to ''Spiritbend'' to take away Phoenix King Ozai's Firebending abilities without killing him.]]
* A frequent element used in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' where the main hero will often get new powers that'll ultimately help him in the end, one of the most blatant being his [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique ghostly wail]] and [[ElementalPowers ice ability]].
** Except for the ice powers. He ditches everything for ice, for some reason. Season 3 did this with more than just Danny, though -- Danny got ice powers and temporary weather powers, while Kitty got some bizarre kiss-the-men-away power that seemingly came out of nowhere. Johnny better be careful not to upset her now.
** Played for laughs once. The BatmanColdOpen MonsterOfTheWeek fired an energy beam at Danny, and he generated a reflective shield instinctively. Once the beam rebounded, he remarked:
---> Danny: Awesome! ...Now, how did I do that?
* On ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', 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]]. This may be partially justified, because her powers are [[FunctionalMagic magic-based]], and she's the daughter of an all-powerful [[{{Satan}} demon]] [[GodOfEvil lord]].
** As a villainous example, Brother Blood fits as well (in fact, his powers seem remarkably similar to Raven's, apart from the MindControl). Also overlaps with PowerCreepPowerSeep, as he goes from a psychic with a CompellingVoice (in his first appearance) to a near-god who can take all the Titans at once effortlessly and is only stopped by DeusExMachina (the season finale).
*** Ironically [[spoiler: he would be defeated by Cyborg's own new plot-based power, which was to magically leech parts from Blood until Cyborg regenerated all of his mechanical components, conveniently rendering Blood incapacitated. He even lampshades this at the end, where Beastboy remarks now Cyborg is part magical, with Cyborg retorting that it was just a one-time thing. Oh and the power was said to be of love and friendship]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats}}'' loved this. Cheetara's psychic powers, Tygra's illusion abilities, almost anything the Sword of Omens did. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
* While ''[[WesternAnimation/BirdmanAndTheGalaxyTrio 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.
* Artha and Beau from ''WesternAnimation/DragonBooster'' display this a ''lot''. It is explained that Beau has many hidden powers that would manifest themselves with training and experience. This, however, does not explain why the majority of these powers only appear for one episode and then vanish for the rest of the series. Especially jarring in the case of Artha and Beau [[spoiler:fusing together at the climax of one episode]], as the theme of combining abilities was ''central to the series.''
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', Doug quickly regrets inviting Skeeter in on creating a story about his superhero alter ego Quailman when Skeeter's own avatar the Silver Skeeter starts pulling powers out of his ass left and right.
** His inspiration, the Silver Surfer, is known for doing the exact same thing. Power Cosmic is more or less a ticket to do this.
* When ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesOfDarkWater'' was a miniseries, Tula was just a talented thief. When it got picked up as a series, she quickly gained heretofore unknown (even to her) powers of "ecomancy", effectively making her Mati from ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'', but more with plants.
* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'': The Omnitrix's ability to repair genetic damage, first seen in "Max Out".
** For that matter, the Omnitrix [[SuddenlyVoiced talking]], from the same ep.
** 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]]. He is later revealed to be able to somehow destroy Ben's aliens forms.
* Averted on ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex''. Rex is limited to six weapons (jetpack, giant metallic hands, cannon, sword, giant metallic boots, and hover-cycle): he isn't able to use anymore than those.
** So far, the series isn't even one season old. And Rex has already been shown suddenly [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning altering his sword and fist]] to make them hit harder.
** Rex also has other powers on top of his nanite weapons; he can heal other EVOs by shutting down/absorbing their nanites and he can control machines.
** Except that he had those abilities in the first place. He has, thus far, never gained any new powers.
** As of the season one finale, Rex has [[spoiler: at least one new construct he can make- a kind of cable or whip- and it's implied he has several other new ones he hasn't used yet]]. This is, however, the result of a specific bit of phlebotinum that is unlikely to have the same effect again.
* Cathy from ''WesternAnimation/MonsterBusterClub'' has so many wacky alien powers, it'd be easier to list the ones she ''doesn't'' have. She has a stretchy Mr. Fantastic body, can levitate and perform telekinesis, can glow in the dark at will, spins her forearm around like a drill... and many, many more, all conveniently described on the spot as something Rhapsodians (like her) can all do.
* On ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Batman uses [[SpiritWorld astral projection]] in one episode -- an ability he's never even been hinted at having before, or has used since.
** And which is just a bit out of character, seeing that Batman is supposed to be a BadassNormal, not a psychic.
*** He did explain it, and since it is something he learned from Monks, it makes sense. A black belt in everything is hardly normal. And given that this version is a spiritual brother to the campy 60's series, this may be an InvokedTrope.
* ''WesternAnimation/RobotBoy'' does this. When the title character "super-activates", it's as though his circuitry starts running on phlebotnium instead of electricity.
* 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.
** 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]].
** Although not a superhero, in one episode Steven Hawking breaks up an argument by suddenly shooting lasers out of his eyes.
--> '''Hawking:''' I didn't know I could do that.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' 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 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.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuestTheRealAdventures'', Hadji conveniently discovered his "latent" telekinetic abilities in the second season (along with a good many other revamps).
* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'': Harold basically runs on this trope, he's a geeky Napoleon Dynamite {{Expy}} most of the time, but whenever a random (and usually incredibly odd) skill is required for a challenge he suddenly becomes useful again.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': "Dude, no one tells me anything!" While 21 doesn't quite develop new powers, it seems that he's informed of the costume's latest capability the second it becomes necessary.
** When you consider who his boss is, this might make sense. The Monarch is the type of guy to go on about how their costumes will "strike fear into the hearts of those who oppose us" without thinking to tell them what they actually ''do.''
* Roger from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' is one of the best examples of this trope you can find, to the point where even ''Roger'' is surprised to find out he has certain powers.
-->'''Roger (after Stan set him on fire):''' How did you know I was fireproof, I didn't even know! ... You did know, right?
* ''{{Transformers}}'' does this on occasion. In the [[TransformersGenerationOne the original series]] Optimus Prime revealed he could mentally control pieces of his body after being disassembled by Megatron. Ironhide sprayed a huge variety of liquids from his sprayer-hand, from glues to liquid nitrogen to firefighting foam to oil to paint, and each liquid would be just what was needed for the situation. ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' had Blackarachnia show off telekinesis after becoming a Transmetal 2 (for one quick scene and never again), and there were so many instances of New Weapons As The Plot Demands (in one episode Cheetor pulls a massive missile launcher ''bigger than he is'' out of nowhere, fires it once (missing his target and accidentally hitting Optimus), drops it and forgets about it. The various Japanese ''Transformers'' series are even worse about it.
* Near the end of the first season of ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'', Will spontaneously uses the ability to have the Heart of Candracar duplicate itself to fool the bad guys. She never uses this again.
** In the second season, all five girls develop secondary powers seemingly out of nowhere--Hay Lin can become invisible (often something related with the element of air), Taranee can read minds, Cornelia gains telekinesis, Irma gets mind control (though this was first demonstrated early in season 1), and Will can talk to electronic appliances. Will also discovers her real element, thanks to Nerissa, and instead of going with 'the Heart' and 'Rebirth', she can use 'Quintessence'. They also, at the very end of the second season, reach their 'zenith' forms, where they each become pure manifestations of their element. The drawback of this is they very nearly lose their minds in doing so.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Pinkie Pie's [[SpiderSense Pinkie Sense]], despite being common knowledge to everyone who had prior knowledge of her in the show, had never been evident before the episode "Feeling Pinkie Keen", and has seen little screentime afterwards. It almost seems like she only had it to provide that episode's Aesop in teaching [[StrawVulcan Twilight Sparkle]] to not adhere so rigidly to logic and to what can be explained.
** Twilight Sparkle herself defies the trope constantly. Spells brought out on the spot, such as the one she uses on the parasprites in "Swarm Of The Century", and the Cutie Mark creating one she tries on Applebloom, fail or backfire more often than not. The ones that do work are justified by her having researched and practiced them previously.
* The AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'' is an unusual variant in that Beetlejuice displays all kinds of weird powers, but since the show is a comedy rather than a "good vs. evil" show, it's typically done through RuleOfFunny more than anything else.
** His power is basically explained as "[[LiteralGenie If he says it, then it happens,]] [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor no matter how metaphorical or out and out silly the expression was.]]" This was actually used against him in an episode where his RoguesGallery tricked him into saying "I'm coming apart at the seams." At which point, he fell apart and had to be rescued piece by piece.
* It's not a "superpower," but similar to Franchise/{{Batman}}, the eponymous heroes in ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'' often got new gadgets as the plot demanded. The worst of them were arguably the cockpit-cutter from "The Giant Bacteria" (a missile specifically tailored for extracting a pilot from his plane, which was never seen again) and the real offender, the Wire-Clipper Missiles from "Night of the Dark Kat," which seemed perfectly tailored for capturing Hard Drive in his EnergyBeing form.
* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'' abused and lampshaded this trope, including having a button in one episode that was labeled "same button Coop used a minute ago" which, of course, produced a completely different effect.
* Of all things, ''[[InvokedTrope invoked]]'' in ''WesternAnimation/{{Redakai}}'' in reference to [[MagicByAnyOtherName "Inner Kairu"]] which allows one to perform feats straight out of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''. It is explicitly stated that one's Inner Kairu develops "when the time is right".
* [[KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Po]] gets new powers each time some mystical artefact passes by the Jade Palace which he eventually has to use against some bad guy who wants it even though he's usually responsible for property damage along the way.
* Mocked in the "Good Time with Weapons" episode of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. When the boys were all playing as ninjas, Cartman kept on giving himself all sorts of powers, much to friends' annoyance.
--> '''Kyle:''' Okay, hang on guys, I'll use my special power to see into the future, and find out where we should head next.
--> '''Cartman:''' Hold on you guys, I actually have another power. I can see into the future too, but better than Kyle. Let me try.
--> '''Kyle:''' God damn it, Cartman, you can't keep making up powers!
--> '''Stan:''' Yeah, dude, that's like the fifth power you've come up with!
--> '''Cartman:''' I am Bullrog, and I have lots and lots of powers.
[[/folder]]

----

** The basic assumption was that, for any ability a normal man might have, Superman could do it or learn to do it much better. If a man can blow out a candle, then Superman can blow out a forest fire (never mind that his lungs aren't that big). The problem lay in that the writers didn't consider how ventriloquism or hypnotism really work, so Superman was shown ''literally'' throwing his voice, or hypnotizing people almost effortlessly.

* ''Comicbook/{{Superman}}''. This is quite possibly the largest criticism laid at his feet: he started out faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and invulnerable to anything less than a bomb. Since then he's learned to fly, to blow like a hurricane, to survive nuclear explosions (though just barely), chill things with a [[SuperBreath puff of breath]], shoot [[EyeBeams lasers from his eyes]], and use {{X-Ray Vision}}. And that's just the powers that have lasted: during the SilverAge, he gained a new power nearly every month (Super Ventriloquism was bad - being able to travel through time as easily as he could fly was worse). The super-breath, at least, is a logical extension of someone with the kind of lungs he must have... although, even so, he really shouldn't be able to do more than emit a single shock-wave of air; he may have a super-strong diaphragm but his lungs aren't any bigger than human lungs.

*** Ben10Omniverse has its moments too: [[BigBad Malware]] was initially etablished as merely being able to [[PowerCopying absorb technology in order to copy its capacity]]. He is later revealed to be able to somehow destroy Ben's aliens forms, grow Bigger than Way Big, eat Way Big, and the list goes on.

*** Somewhat [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in the final episodes, where after throwing even Princess Serenity at Sailor Galaxia, still no effect. The last two episodes keep setting you up to believe that the ''next'' big mean laser blast or [[PowerOfLove inspiring moment of compassion]] will finish her off only for Galaxia to laugh it off and smack the heroes around some more.

** Duelists also very frequently win duels with brand new cards just revealed, and often these cards are A) highly situational to the point in any real deck they'd be dead weight, and B) never seen again after their one usage. On occasion the new card that is used is a real life card that they just didn't use in the show before (such as Skilled Dark Magician), other times the card is completely made up with powers verging on GameBreaker levels (such as ''the entire Orichalcos archetype''). This is somewhat justified though, as the show is MerchandiseDriven and thus they ''have'' to introduce new cards all the times.
*** Somewhat justified, but not much. It was averted one time when Yugi is shown shopping and points out getting a card in particular he liked which he used to win his next duel. The problem is that this is one of the only times we see him modify his deck on screen. The absolute worst example of this in the series is when Yami guides Yugi into winning a duel using cards even HE doesn't know about... which implies that Yugi never once looked through his whole deck and/or doesn't know what some of his own cards do.

** Magic, generally speaking, is pretty free-form in ''Night Watch'' anyway -- it works by making "signs" in the Twilight, and an exhaustive list of those signs is never given. The only Others held to have limited scope in their powers are the low-level Dark Others like vampires and werewolves -- everyone else just has ''aptitudes'' for a particular kind of magic (healing, shapeshifting etc.) or is considered to be a generalist.

** Although the hero does tend to continue using the same main set of abilities, and only uses the extra ones on special occasions.
*** Except for the ice powers. He ditches everything for ice, for some reason. Season 3 did this with more than just Danny, though -- Danny got ice powers and temporary weather powers, while Kitty got some bizarre kiss-the-men-away power that seemingly came out of nowhere. Johnny better be careful not to upset her now.

** Somewhat [[Justified]] however. Danny recieved his powers as a teenager. As he grows and undergoes puberty, so do his powers. This is even [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] when he first gets the ghostly wail, (which is comparable to the voice change that comes with puberty.)

*** Justified somewhat as it's mentioned that, until then, most of the energy for their powers was going into keeping the Veil up. Once it came down, they all got stronger powers.

*** Actually, super-breath is probably the easiest to explain away; wind instrument players master a technique called "circular breathing" to produce a continuous tone through their instrument without running out of breath. If Kenny G can produce a continuous note for 45 minutes, Superman should be able to blow hard for a minute or so.