History Main / PubertySuperPower

* Most later versions of Franchise/{{Superman}}, e.g. ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', although pre-Crisis ComicBook/{{Superman}} continuity (including the 1978 movie) has him lifting cars (or at least adults) as a baby. Read any Pre-Crisis ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' comic featuring "Superbaby" to see [[GooGooGodlike why most writers don't let babies have super powers]].
* ''Comicbook/XMen'': As mentioned above, this franchise is very much the TropeMaker. Mutant powers usually manifest at puberty. This happens on ''birthdays'' more often than is statistically warranted (though possibly justified, as moments of intense emotion and/or stress are sometimes said to be a factor in the initial manifestation).

** Exceptions to this trope tend be extreme. The shapeshifter Morph, as explained in ''Comicbook/{{Exiles}}'', was born a fairly squishy mass of a baby. Nonetheless, he counts himself lucky since his power allowed him to quickly shift into a more normal appearance and live a fairly happy family life.
*** This is also very similar to what happened to ComicBook/CaptainBritain's girlfriend and later wife, Meggan.
*** There is also Jamie Madrox alias Multiple Man, whose mutation showed itself directly after birth when he created several copies of himself after getting the usual slap on the behind. Under writer Creator/PeterDavid, it's been suggested that mutants-who-manifest-at-birth ''aren't'' technically mutants, but rather something mysteriously other.
*** A fairly mild exception was Hank [=McCoy=] alias the Beast, who only had larger than average hands and feet when he was born. In the original (pre-''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'') incarnation of the X-Men, that (and inhuman strength/agility) was the extent of his mutation. It wasn't until the original series ended that he turned furry.
*** Kurt Wagner alias Nightcrawler was born with the physical characteristics that accompany his teleportation power, i.e. he was born with blue fur, hands and feet with fewer digits, a prehensile tail, etc. The teleportation itself was a straight example of this trope.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** While her father got it from a [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive spider-bite]], ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' Mayday Parker got her powers in the middle of a high school basketball game.
** Her younger brother Benjamin however turned out to have super strength and the ability to shoot organic webs as an infant. Luckily, as it turned out, as he was thus able to save his own and his mother's life.

* Horrifically inverted in the back-story of Billy Butcher from ''ComicBook/TheBoys''. After Butcher's wife was [[RapeAsBackstory raped by]] [[BewareTheSuperman a superhero]], she dies when the unborn super-powered fetus literally rips itself out of her womb.

* In ''ComicBook/SexCriminals'', middle-school girl Suzie finds out that [[ADateWithRosiePalms having an orgasm]] somehow [[spoiler:freezes time for the entire world and everyone in it except her]].

* ''FanFic/HowOnEarth'': The members of the Uno family have innate superpowers that can only be activated during puberty (eleven to fifteen/sixteen), either by a fellow family member or by an emotional outburst. By a stroke of luck, Monty Uno was able to avoid activating his powers, unlike his younger brother Benedict. [[spoiler:His son Nigel probably would've been able to do the same had Grandfather not gotten his hands on him]].

* Notable film exception: Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', regarding Dash and especially Jack-Jack (who was modeled after Franklin Richards, in keeping with the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' references throughout the film). In a DVD extra showing an early opening scene that wasn't used, Violet uses her powers as a baby as well.
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': Miles gets bitten by a radioactive spider while working on graffiti, but just brushes it off. The next day, he's significantly taller, sweaty all the time, has visible [[ThoughtCaption thought captions]], and his hands stick to things (including his crush Gwen's hair). He chalks it up to puberty.

* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': Firestarters.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'', where the [[MageSpecies witch-children]] are shown using magic even as infants. Of course they're [[HalfHumanHybrid half-mortal]], so their abilities may be atypical. Endora brags that Samantha was able to fly on her own by age five but then adds that Samantha had been precocious for her age.

* {{Averted|Trope}} on ''{{Series/Merlin|2008}}'' -- the titular character could use his magic "before he could talk".

* Slayers in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' fit this model too. They suddenly become a Slayer around thirteen or fifteen. [[spoiler:Right up until Willow breaks the 'one girl' system]] in season 7's "Chosen".

* Shigesato Itoi has stated [[http://mother3.fobby.net/interview/m3int_04.html in an interview]] that this was the way that all the characters with PSI powers gain new abilities throughout ''VideoGame/MOTHER3''.

* The alien race Starfire of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' belongs to is born with powers, but undergoes a metamorphosis during the teen years (with puberty metaphor fully in place) that may grant additional abilities. And it varies per individual. Starfire started with a huge zit before other mutations came in and eventually became a chrysalis. She came out of it with EyeBeams. Compare this to her older sister Blackfire, who turned violet for a couple of days.

* [[spoiler: Inverted]] in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. [[spoiler: Sari]] realizing her robot heritage and upgrading herself with the Allspark key actually ''causes'' her to go through puberty. It's never really explained how this works, nor is the disorienting nature of [[spoiler:going from eight to a teenager in an instance]] addressed in any way. Since [[spoiler:Sari]] is a Cybertronian, it was probably just an upgrade to her body; happens all of the time in ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''.

* Subverted with Kipo in ''WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts''. While she becomes ''aware'' of her VoluntaryShapeshifting abilities on her 13th birthday, it's revealed in the second season and that she's ''always'' had the ability, having used it on at least one occasion as an infant. They just didn't re-manifest until adolescence because her powers are triggered by her fight-or-flight response, and she's spent most of her life until the events of the show living comfortably in an underground bunker.

* In ''Manga/MobPsycho100'', the emotional volatility that accompanies puberty is noted to have dramatic effects on espers with EmotionalPowers. Shigeo was born an esper, but it's at age fourteen that his power starts growing exponentially and beyond his ability to reliably control it through EmotionSuppression. Additionally, [[spoiler:his brother Ritsu, [[TheCallPutMeOnHold a latent esper himself]],]] starts manifesting his own EmotionalPowers shortly after turning thirteen.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'', where the [[WitchSpecies witch-children]] are shown using magic even as infants. Of course they're [[HalfHumanHybrid half-mortal]], so their abilities may be atypical. Endora brags that Samantha was able to fly on her own by age five but then adds that Samantha had been precocious for her age.

* Shigesato Itoi has stated [[http://mother3.fobby.net/interview/m3int_04.html in an interview]] that this was the way that all the characters with PSI powers gain new abilities throughout ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER3}}''.

See also DangerousSixteenthBirthday. Compare TheCallPutMeOnHold and sometimes FictionalAgeOfMajority. Contrast GrowingUpSucks where a character possesses a power throughout childhood, but ''loses'' it at puberty instead.

* ''Comicbook/XMen'': As mentioned above, this franchise is very much the TropeMaker. Mutant powers usually manifest at puberty. This happens on ''birthdays'' more often than is statistically warranted.

Nearly all current "dramatic" superheroes with "natural" superpowers (such as {{Franchise/{{Marvel|Universe}}'s mutants) receive them as teenagers. In fact, the trope originated with the creation of the ''ComicBook/XMen'' in the 1960s and was probably developed to appeal to the overwhelmingly teenage readership of comic books at the time.

Nearly all current "dramatic" superheroes with "natural" superpowers (such as [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] mutants) receive them as teenagers. In fact, the trope originated with the creation of the ''ComicBook/XMen'' in the 1960s and was probably developed to appeal to the overwhelmingly teenage readership of comic books at the time.

* In the world of {{Anime/Charlotte}} abilities are "awakened" when an individual reaches adolescence and go away when adolescence is over.
* The age is thirteen in ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch''. Any mermaid with her pearl becomes a legal adult in the mermaid world, as well as summoning an apparition of Aqua Regina, who may or may not upgrade her power.
* In ''Manga/{{Karin}}'', vampires are born outwardly normal and attend school like anyone else until their vampirism suddenly kicks in and they become weak against sunlight and so forth, which can happen any time up to high school.

* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' gained her reality-warping abilities at age twelve. Itsuki got his PsychicPowers at the same age, though in his case it wasn't a real example since he got his powers ''because'' of Haruhi subconsciously creating espers, and he just happened to be around the same age as her. Alternatively, it's also possible that Haruhi has had the ability to warp reality since birth, but she had never really questioned the way the world works until the age of 12. [[EpilepticTrees Or perhaps that she has remade the world multiple times in the past, but the protagonists of the main series, being denizens of ''this'' world, are unaware of these prior universes]].

* Subverted in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' where children's quirks are usually apparent by kindergarten, and not showing one by that time is cause to consult a doctor the way one would if a child had failed to reach a developmental milestone. Played with by the fact that Izuku, who was born without a quirk, is also shorter and more childlike than his classmates, being a late bloomer.

* Most later versions of Franchise/{{Superman}}, e.g. ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', although pre-Crisis Comicbook/{{Superman}} continuity (including the 1978 movie) has him lifting cars (or at least adults) as a baby. Read any Pre-Crisis ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' comic featuring "Superbaby" to see [[GooGooGodlike why most writers don't let babies have super powers]].

** The X-Men spin-off ''ComicBook/NewMutants'' is explicitly this trope; all team members have powers that appeared with puberty, a varying number of years in the past (Xian's the longest ago (she's 19), Rahne's only a month or two before (at 13)).

** Exceptions to the PubertySuperpower tend be extreme. The shapeshifter Morph, as explained in ''Comicbook/{{Exiles}}'', was born a fairly squishy mass of a baby. Nonetheless, he counts himself lucky since his power allowed him to quickly shift into a more normal appearance and live a fairly happy family life.
*** This is also very similar to what happened to Captain Britain's girlfriend and later wife, Meggan.
*** There is also Jamie Madrox aka. Multiple Man, whose mutation showed itself directly after birth when he created several copies of himself after getting the usual slap on the behind. Under writer Creator/PeterDavid, it's been suggested that mutants-who-manifest-at-birth ''aren't'' technically mutants, but rather something mysteriously other.
*** A fairly mild exception was Hank [=McCoy=] alias the Beast, who only had larger than average hands and feet when he was born. In the original (pre-Wolverine) incarnation of the X-Men, that (and inhuman strength/agility) was the extent of his mutation. It wasn't until after the reboot that he turned into a furry.
*** Kurt Wagner alias Nightcrawler was born with the physical characteristics that accompany his teleportation power, i. e. he was born with blue fur, hands and feet with fewer digits, a prehensile tail, etc. The teleportation itself was a straight example of this trope.
* Franklin Richards is a major MarvelUniverse exception who, even more dramatically than Superbaby, shows the dangers of a child who possesses (literally) [[RealityWarper world-shaping power]].

* Lampshaded by Molly Hayes in ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''; when her powers developed, she kept trying to talk to her parents and friends about the weird things her body was doing, but they all thought she was just talking about normal puberty.
* Averted in ''ComicBook/SupremePower'': toddler [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent Hyperion]], upset by a barking puppy, incinerates it with his eyes.
* Horrifically inverted in the back-story of Billy Butcher from ''Comicbook/TheBoys''. After Butcher's wife was [[RapeAsBackstory raped by]] [[BewareTheSuperman a superhero]], she dies when the unborn super-powered fetus literally rips itself out of her womb.

* ''ComicBook/AvengersAcademy'' has many of the students manifest their abilities during teenager-dom, in extremely traumatic ways. Jennifer Takeda, for instance, discovers her abilities when making out with her boyfriend. Unfortunately for Jenny, her ability is to project and excrete hazardous, toxic, and radioactive materials. He doesn't die, but the trauma haunts her.

* Another exception: [[http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ps238/comics/index.php PS238]], which deals with "prodigies", who are elementary-school students with superpowers (one of the titular school's taglines is ''ComicBook/PS238'': Making sure the next generation doesn't break too much of this generation's stuff").
* Persuasion (Kara Killgrave), of ''ComicBook/AlphaFlight'', manifests her mind control powers and turns purple at age 13.

* The film ''Film/SkyHigh2005'' only has the main character as having his powers first activate on-screen whilst he was in his teens, and it does kinda say that what with the powers being in the blood, the PubertySuperpower is the last possible point for someone to gain superpowers (unless you have a vat of toxic waste), after which it's pointless to have that cape at the ready.

* Averted in ''Film/{{Scanners}}'', where the telepaths of the title are quite capable even [[FetusTerrible before birth]]. This guarantees that when they grow up, they will have [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity a host of psychological problems]], and - because they've been able to hear the thoughts of others their whole lives - a deeply flawed sense of self.

* The whole point of the Disney movie ''Film/UpUpAndAway'', where the middle child of a superhero family is quickly approaching his 14th birthday. All superheroes receive their powers before this age. If they don't, then they remain ordinary humans. His younger sister, though, got her EyeBeam powers at the age of two (now imagine for a second a two-year-old who can shoot lasers out of her eyes), so 14 is just a cut-off age. He remains a human at the end but comes to term with it, and his best friend suggests he still becomes a masked hero [[BadassNormal but without powers]]. On the upside, he can touch [[KryptoniteIsEverywhere aluminum foil]]. In order not to cause his father (a respected local hero named Bronze Eagle) to be embarrassed at having a normal son, the kid fakes having superstrength (by rigging a patio door to fly off its hinges when he opens it) and flight (by throwing a ball at a tree and running away). His grandfather (a retired hero named Steel Condor) sees right through him and urges him to tell his father the truth.

* Magical education starts in early adolescence (age 11) in the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series (a coming of age story.) Magical ability, however, is present since birth. It's generally accepted that if it ''hasn't'' revealed itself by age 7, it's not there.

* Yet another notable (and extreme) exception: In Creator/RobinMcKinley[='=]s ''Spindle's End'' (an [[AdaptationExpansion expansion]] of the various "Literature/SleepingBeauty" stories) magic permeates everything and the Fairies are actually normal people who just happen to have the inborn ability to control it. Some Fairies come into their power fairly early. A few manifest powers very early, a phenomenon known in the novel as "Baby Magic". As cutesy as that sounds, it's actually very dangerous and unpredictable. A baby Fairy may be able to understand AnimalTalk. Or, he may be able to [[BalefulPolymorph transform the nanny into a terrier]] and pull a OneWingedAngel act ''every'' time he has a tantrum...

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', magical talent typically sets in at puberty, but people only begin to achieve their full power [[WizardsLiveLonger at age 100]]. This emphasises how badass Harry is, as he isn't even 40 and is among the top twenty most powerful wizards on the planet.

* Mostly averted in the novel ''VideoGame/StarCraft: Ghost: Nova'' with the titular character who is an extremely-powerful [[PsychicPowers telepath]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinetic]]. While, normally, psychic individuals are required to be turned over to the Ghost Academy, Nova is from one of the Old Families of Tarsonis, and her father uses his considerable influence to keep her "gift" hidden. It's mentioned that she's been able to do things from infancy and always appears to know what people are thinking and feeling. However, it's not until she's in her teens that her powers start approaching "critical". When her parents are killed in front of her by a bunch of rebels, she literally goes nuclear, wiping out the rebels and any innocent bystander nearby, as well as shattering the penthouse dome, which is rated for nuclear strikes.

* Averted in ''Literature/CorrespondenceFromTheGoddess'', where Lydia Devin is an aimless adult a couple of years out of high school when her powers start showing up.

* The titular character of ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' had very occasional instances of telekinetic ability as a baby/toddler, but gained consistent powers, including some telepathy, after her first period.

* In the German booklet series ''Maddrax'' there are the [[{{Mutants}} mutants]]. In their childhood, they are not at all different from ordinary humans, only with the onset of puberty does the mutation begin.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' averts this. Characters manifest their powers at various ages. Some, like Nathan Petrelli or Matt Parkman, manifest well into adulthood. Others, like Micah Sanders or Molly Walker, manifest before puberty. The youngest example is Donna, from the comics, who was unaware she had a power at all because she'd had it from ''birth''. [[IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat She had simply assumed]] telescopic vision ''was'' normal. Or Claire Bennet, whose powers had her survive a fire as a baby.

* Averted on ''{{Series/Merlin|2008}}'' -- the titular character could use his magic "before he could talk".
* ''Series/{{Spaced}}'': The comic Tim is working on is about an orphaned kid who is exposed to some weird chemical by an amoral 'Doktor' as part of some twisted experiment. Absolutely nothing happened and the Doktor destroyed his research. Then when puberty hit, the dormant chemicals in his bloodstream activated and the orphan kid mutated into the comic's titular Bear.
* Slayers in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' fit this model too. They suddenly become a Slayer around thirteen or fifteen. [[spoiler: Right up until Willow breaks the 'one girl' system]] in season 7's "Chosen".
** Not most of them, prior to [[spoiler: Willow's spell at the end of the series]]. Only a few Potential Slayers ever end up being "activated". Most aren't, and if they're not called by the age of 20 or so, they never will be.

* Latent telepaths in ''Series/BabylonFive'' often manifest at puberty, though some (like [[spoiler: Susan Ivanova,]] manifest substantially earlier.

* The series ''Series/TheXFiles'' has Dylan Lokensgard. He is a kind of human insect mutant. And because he is in adolescence, his body changes and his powers develop. His [[HumanMomNonHumanDad mother, who is also such a creature (his father is an ordinary human)]], makes him aware of this several times during the episode.

* Maria in ''ComicStrip/SafeHavens'' doesn't develop her ability to TimeTravel until she hits puberty, much to the relief of [[spoiler:[[KidFromTheFuture her parents]] Dave and Samantha]] who were worried about Maria's present self disappearing as a baby. This doesn't seem to be binding, though, Maria's son Leonardo develops ''his'' powers at a much younger age. Then again, [[spoiler: he ''is'' UsefulNotes/LeonardoDaVinci, it wouldn't be at all surprising that he's a prodigy in ''this'' field too.]].

* ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'': As seen by charts in the facility containing her, Elizabeth had her reality-warping abilities since she was a baby, but once she started going through puberty, the intensity of said powers skyrocketed to the point they had to build a device to shackle her power to manageable (by Comstock, not by Elizabeth) levels.

[[folder:Web Animation]]

* Inverted in ''Webcomic/ToPreventWorldPeace''. {{Magical Girl}}s gain their powers as young children and are expected to lose them during puberty.

* The adult fiction series ''Tim, the Teenage MC'' double-subverts it. Tim is born with his telepathic powers switched on, but "grows out of them" shortly after learning to talk. He forgets about them until they reactivate around puberty.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': When Mr. Cat and [[spoiler:Stumpy]] hit puberty, [[spoiler:they gain invisibility powers. Subverted though as the two were actually suffering from a disease, and had not hit puberty yet.]]

* [[spoiler: Inverted]] in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. [[spoiler: Sari]] realizing her robot heritage and upgrading herself with the Allspark key actually ''causes'' her to go through puberty. It's never really explained how this works, nor is the disorienting nature of [[spoiler: going from eight to a teenager in an instance]] addressed in any way. Since [[spoiler:Sari]] is a Cybertronian, it was probably just an upgrade to her body; happens all of the time in ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''.
* In the appropriately titled ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' episode "Mewberty", the title character goes through the Mewni equivalent of puberty. This consists of her becoming boy crazy and sprouting acne-like purple heart stickers when exposed to them. Those stickers eventually overtake and cocoon her, transforming her into a six-armed flying butterfly monster with super strength and Spider-Man web powers that kidnaps and imprisons every boy she can find. Then it arbitrarily wears off after a few hours, leaving her with only a pair of small vestigial wings as a reminder. [[spoiler: Later on the powers resurge in a less horrifying fashion.]]
* Zatara in ''WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'' awakened her magical powers after getting her first zit.

Nearly all current "dramatic" superheroes with "natural" superpowers (such as [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] mutants) receive them as teenagers. In fact, the trope originated with the creation of ''[[ComicBook/XMen the X-Men]]'' in the 1960s and was probably developed to appeal to the overwhelmingly teenage readership of comic books at the time.

* In ''Manga/MobPsycho100'', the emotional volatility that accompanies puberty is noted to have dramatic effects on espers with EmotionalPowers. Shigeo was born an esper, but it's at age fourteen that his power starts growing exponentially and beyond his ability to reliably control it through EmotionSuppression. Additionally, [[spoiler:his brother Ritsu, [[TheCallPutMeOhHold a latent esper himself]],]] starts manifesting his own EmotionalPowers shortly after turning thirteen.

Nearly all current "dramatic" superheroes with "natural" superpowers (such as [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] mutants) receive them as teenagers. In fact, the trope originated with the creation of ''[[ComicBook/XMen the X-Men]]'' in the 1960s and was probably developed to appeal the overwhelmingly teenage readership of comic books at the time.

* ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'' shows that [[{{Youkai}} half-demons]] grow older at a human rate until they reach puberty. However, once they reach puberty, they become significantly more long-liver than humans. However, the extent of this longevity can vary widely. However, the half-demons only get their longevity during their puberty. They already had their superhuman physical strength as children.

** Exceptions to the PubertySuperpower tend be extreme. The shapeshifter Morph, as explained in ''Comicbook/{{Exiles}}'', was born a fairly squishy mass of a baby. Nonetheless he counts himself lucky, since his power allowed him to quickly shift into a more normal appearance and live a fairly happy family life.

*** Kurt Wagner alias Nightcrawler was born with the physical characteristics that accompany his teleportation power, i. e. he was born with blue fur, hands and feet with fewer digits, a prehensile tail etc. The teleportation itself was a straight example of this trope.

** Her younger brother Benjamin however turned out to have superstrength and the ability to shoot organic webs as an infant. Luckily, as it turned out, as he was thus able to save his own and his mother's life.

-->'''normalman:''' When did you get your super powers?\\

* ''ComicBook/AvengersAcademy'' has many of the students manifest their abilities during teenager-dom, in extremely traumatic ways. Jennifer Takeda, for instance, discovers her abilities when making out with her boyfriend. Unfortunately for Jenny, her ability is to project and excrete hazardous, toxic and radioactive materials. He doesn't die, but the trauma haunts her.

* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku's new spider powers are mistaken for this as he passes off his abilities as a Quirk.

* The film ''Film/SkyHigh2005'' only has the main character as having his powers first activate on-screen whilst he was in his teens, and it does kinda say that what with the powers being in the blood, the PubertySuperpower is the last possible point for someone to gain superpowers (unless you have a vat of toxic waste), after which its pointless to have that cape at the ready.

%%* ''Film/{{Carrie|1976}}'' dealt with this theme. Note that {{superhero}}es aren't the only ones with super-powers...
* Magicians in ''Film/TheCovenant'' have a two-level PubertySuperpower. They first get their powers around age 13, and get a massive power boost when they hit 18. From that point on, however, their magic becomes CastFromLifespan.

* The whole point of the Disney movie ''Film/UpUpAndAway'', where the middle child of a superhero family is quickly approaching his 14th birthday. All superheros receive their powers before this age. If they don't, then they remain ordinary humans. His younger sister, though, got her EyeBeam powers at the age of two (now imagine for a second a two-year-old who can shoot lasers out of her eyes), so 14 is just a cut-off age. He remains a human at the end but comes to term with it, and his best friend suggests he still becomes a masked hero [[BadassNormal but without powers]]. On the upside, he can touch [[KryptoniteIsEverywhere aluminum foil]]. In order not to cause his father (a respected local hero named Bronze Eagle) to be embarrassed at having a normal son, the kid fakes having superstrength (by rigging a patio door to fly off its hinges when he opens it) and flight (by throwing a ball at a tree and running away). His grandfather (a retired hero named Steel Condor) sees right through him and urges him to tell his father the truth.

* Almost every superpower in ''Literature/WomenOfTheOtherworld'' is a puberty superpower. Werewolves first begin to change at the end of puberty; the average age of their first change is 18, although it can happen anytime between 15 and 21. Witches can begin practicing minor spells at a young age, but after their first [[NoPeriodsPeriod period]] can perform a ritual that greatly increases their magical strength. Half-demon powers also start showing up at the beginning of puberty, and increase in strength until their late twenties. In fact, the parallel young adult series ''Literature/DarkestPowers'' focuses on adolescents just coming into their powers.

* The twin sisters in ''Literature/TWitches'' discover they have magical powers at age 14. In the the movie, it was curiously changed to 21.

* In two of Creator/SergeyLukyanenko's novels, genetically-engineered people don't receive the full extent of their abilities until they undergo a metamorphosis in early to mid teens. In ''Literature/LineOfDelirium'', Kay Dutch is an illegal "super", with a preference for linguistics, although all his physical and mental qualities are at superhuman levels. He explains that he was a scrawny weakling until sixteen, at which point his body started its modifications. In ''Literature/{{Genome}}'' any "spesh" has to undergo pupation at around 12-13, at which point his or her mind and body undergo the final changes.

* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' has [[HalfHumanHybrid demigods]]. As soon as they enter puberty, their powers develop. But at the same time they also get a smell [[MagicIsAMonsterMagnet that attracts dangerous monsters]].

* Averted in ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'', where the [[WitchSpecies witch-children]] are shown using magic even as infants. Of course they're [[HalfHumanHybrid half-mortal]], so their abilities may be atypical. Endora brags that Samantha was able to fly on her own by age five, but then adds that Samantha had been precocious for her age.

* In ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople1973'', new teeps begin manifesting their powers in a dramatic "breaking out," their head suddenly crowded with overheard voices via telepathy and, more dangerously, teleporting instinctively with no destination in mind, winding up stuck in hyperspace forever. ([[Series/TheTomorrowPeople2013 The revival]] solves that problem, at least, by means of a beacon which would draw any undirected teleports to a single location, letting them learn how to 'jaunt' safely and bringing them together to learn from each other, like teen girls dragging a friend off to the bathroom to explain the facts of life or deal with an embarassing period accident.)

* ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'': As seen by charts in the facility containing her, Elizabeth had her reality warping abilities since she was a baby, but once she started going through puberty, the intensity of said powers skyrocketed to the point they had to build a device to shackle her power to manageable (by Comstock, not by Elizabeth) levels.

* In ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' most [[MadScientist Sparks]] break through as teenagers or young adults. It's subverted by Gil, who built his first construct as a young boy. Double subverted by Agatha, who '''started''' breaking through as a child, but got a PowerLimiter put on her. Her powers fully awakened when she lost it thirteen years later.

* Interestingly enough Creator/HannaBarbera gave us one of the few inversions on this trope. Bamm-Bamm Rubble whole super powered as a baby loses his in his teen years on ''WesternAnimation/ThePebblesAndBammBammShow'' only to regain them in adulthood in later movies. Essentially making his puberty superpower being that he ForgotAboutHisPowers.

* In the appropriately-titled ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' episode "Mewberty", the title character goes through the Mewni equivalent of puberty. This consists of her becoming boy crazy and sprouting acne-like purple heart stickers when exposed to them. Those stickers eventually overtake and cocoon her, transforming her into a six-armed flying butterfly monster with super strength and Spider-Man web powers that kidnaps and imprisons every boy she can find. Then it arbitrarily wears off after a few hours, leaving her with only a pair of small vestigial wings as a reminder. [[spoiler: Later on the powers resurge in a less horrifying fashion.]]

* Magicians in ''Film/TheCovenant'' have a two-level PubertySuperpower. They first get their powers around age 13, and get a massive power boost when they hit [[strike:21]] 18.

Curiously, few such teens have trouble figuring out HowDoIShotWeb; apparently, the powers are just instinctive. This doesn't stop [[ProfessorXLikesWatchingTeenagersSweat mentor figures]] from putting them through {{training|From Hell}} to [[TrainingTheGiftOfMagic master those abilities]], however.

* Maria in ''ComicStrip/SafeHavens'' doesn't develop her ability to TimeTravel until she hits puberty, much to the relief of [[spoiler:[[KidFromTheFuture her parents]] Dave and Samantha]] who were worried about Maria's present self disappearing as a baby. This doesn't seem to be binding, though, Maria's son Leonardo develops ''his'' powers at a much younger age. Then again, [[spoiler: he ''is'' UsefulNotes/LeonardoDaVinci]].

See also DangerousSixteenthBirthday. Compare TheCallPutMeOnHold. Contrast GrowingUpSucks where a character possesses a power throughout childhood, but ''loses'' it at puberty instead.

* Mutants living in the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' generally go through the activation of their powers between ages ten and twelve, with some cases waiting as late as age fourteen.