History Main / SemanticSuperPower

** {{Inverted|Trope}} with the USJ Nomu: it's Quirk is Shock ''Absorption'', not Shock ''Nullification''. All Might realizes he can exploit this and, figuring the Nomu's Quirk must have a limit to how much it can absorb, engages in a PummelDuel with it until it can't absorb his punches anymore, after which he [[ATwinkleInTheSky sends it flying]] with a MegatonPunch.

* ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'': [[DependingOnTheAuthor Some writers]] give Aquaman power over any living thing that has a connection to the sea. The trick is that it doesn't have to be a ''present'' connection: so long as the creature, or its ancestors, was in the sea at some point in time, he can control it. Guess where virtually ''all life on Earth'' originates from?

* Dmitrii Blinov from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'' possesses the ability to [[PoerCopying mimic]] any magical attack he's been hit by. Turns out that the definition of "magical attack" includes [[spoiler:Soma's Power of Dominance, which lets Soma absorb the souls of the monsters he kills and copy their abilities. Dmitrii tricks Soma into killing him, causing his soul to be absorbed by the latter and allowing him to copy the Power]].

* Dmitrii Blinov from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'' possesses the ability to [[PoerCopying mimic]] any magical attack he's been hit by. Turns out that the definition of "magical attack" includes [[spoiler:Soma's Power of Dominance, which allows him to passively absorb the souls of the monsters he kills and copy their abilities. Dmitrii tricks Soma into killing him, causing his soul to be absorbed by the latter and allowing him to copy the Power]].

* In ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', the powers of Demon Lords are incredibly semantic. Toxel, Demon Lord of Poison, [[TheCorruption can also poison thoughts and relationships.]] The Lord of Treachery is so [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin treacherous]] that she won't even stay dead, and exploits this for a ThanatosGambit. But probably the best example is how Chaos demons are immune to WhiteMagic because demons being hurt by that ''is a rule.''

* Parodied by ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater''. Red Mage is constantly showing his companions that he can make anything a MinmaxersDelight. Lockpicking can be accomplished, for instance, using the pickpocket skill because it's just removing a lock from a pocket in a door. The interrogation skill is simply emptying pockets of information in people's minds. This being ''8-Bit Theater'', InsaneTrollLogic is completely applicable [[AchievementsInIgnorance if you're stupid enough not to wonder how it's at all possible.]] ("[[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2008/05/01/episode-986-164/ There is no problem that cannot be overcome by an imaginative and vigorous use of the animal husbandry skill.]]") Likewise, Thief can steal things that are intangible or that ''don't exist'', basically [[ImpossibleThief doing anything as long as can it be called "theft"]]. Fighter can block anything, including the ground from a fall. Fighter's "logic" for this is that it's NotTheFallThatKillsYou, it's the ground.

* ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'': Rosemaster has the power to control (to a limited extent) anyone with a flower-based name. This works great in the Flower Kingdom, where she erases everyone's memories of the princess that the heroes need to complete their quest. But she doesn't just have power over standard flowers; Cucumber, Almond, and Carrot are all susceptible to her power as well. This is why she kidnaps Nautilus and erases their memories of her. [[spoiler:This gets derailed when Rosemaster kidnaps Peridot (her own ally) and erases everyone's memories of her. Peridot is so pissed off that [[PuppyLove Almond]] doesn't remember that she destroyed Rosemaster's memory machine]].

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': This is about the only limitation to the [[SmugSnake infuriatingly annoying]] Gladstone Gander's [[BornLucky inherent power of extremely good luck]]. Specifically, Gladstone seems to have the ability to always receive an outcome that has the lowest possible odds. This backfires on him, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard especially when he tries to manipulate that outcome,]] on several occasions:

** Hippiemancy seems unsuited to the [[ForeverWar world of Erf]], being a discipline dedicated to pacifism, peace, and love itself. However, they can force units to avoid fighting each other, or, with sufficient skill, protect ''themselves'' from harm. Also included in the broad discipline of Hippiemancy is command over [[GreenThumb Flower Power,]] making them expert poisoners and dealers of some ''nasty'' drugs if they so choose.

* Mirror Master, one of ComicBook/TheFlash's enemies, can do just about whatever the writer can imagine as long as it involves light and/or glass, up to and including creating entire mirror universes.
-->''"I can use a mirror a thousand different ways. Can turn a man inside out. Cut a hole through a seven-foot concrete wall. Make ye see things from yer fantasies--or from yer worst nightmares."'' (''ComicBook/TheFlash'' vol. 2 #212)
* Cypher of ''ComicBook/XMen,'' whose only power is the ability to understand all languages. After being written as completely useless 99% of the time, writers upgraded his powers to include programming languages and a dozen other things most sane people would never label a language. For example, understanding "body language" lets him know what somebody's going to do in a fight before they make the move. And let's not get into how broken it is to have total understanding of the language of ''magic'' -- not as broken as one might assume, though; Doctor Strange has pointed out to several foes (most notably Nicodemus and Silver Dagger) that mastering the reciting of spells can only make one a skilled adept. True mastery requires spiritual development and enduring trials and experiences... it has to be earned as well as learned.
* Various versions of the villainous android Amazo possess the combined powers of the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}}. One version of Amazo turned out to possess the JLA's abilities on a conceptual level to such a degree that he could copy all members present or not and [[spoiler:he was depowered and defeated when the heroes temporarily disbanded the JLA.]]
* ComicBook/DoctorStrange is the Master of ''all'' Mystic Arts, thank you. In an early appearance, he saves some bystanders using the Indian rope trick, an old standard from stage magic.
* [[DependingOnTheAuthor Some writers]] of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} give him power over any living thing that has a connection to the sea. The trick is that it doesn't have to be a ''present'' connection: so long as the creature, or its ancestors, was in the sea at some point in time, he can control it. And guess where virtually ''all life on Earth'' originates from?
* ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'': Beast Boy can take the form of any animal. Do alien life forms count? Mythic animals? [[ContinuitySnarl Depends on writer and/or retcon.]] Various versions of him have also become ''groups'' of animals and a werebeast that combined traits from multiple animals.
* Nico Minoru from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' has the Staff of One, a powerful MagicStaff that can do just about anything. The only limitation is that [[ItOnlyWorksOnce she can't use the same command twice]] and expect the same result. However, she can get away with using ''synonyms''. A cursory look at the English language alone (and she's not limited to only English) proves that the Staff's limitation isn't so much a limitation as it is a test of her ingenuity and her willingness to expand her mind and her vocabulary. Many times she is sidelined because she finds herself unable to come up with a new way of wording something.
** This even appears in ''Videogame/MarvelPuzzleQuest'', where whenever one of Nico's Staff of One abilities is used, the power name changes, at times even in other languages (Heal! becomes Kaifuku!, Curar!, and Curatio!).
* Wildcat from the ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'' has nine lives. You'd think he'd be gone after dying nine times, but nope: he ''always'' has nine lives.
* This is about the only limitation to the [[SmugSnake infuriatingly annoying]] Gladstone Gander's [[BornLucky inherent power of extremely good luck]] in the [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Donald Duck comic stories.]] Specifically, Gladstone seems to have the ability to always receive an outcome that has the lowest possible odds. This backfires on him, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard especially when he tries to manipulate that outcome,]] on several occasions:

* ComicBook/{{Vixen}} has the ability to mimic the abilities of any animal in existence. Given that she lives in the FantasyKitchenSink that is the DCU, this means she can copy the abilities of mythical beings such as dragon. At one point, she could also copy the abilities of the human animal which allows her to copy the speed of Jay Garrick (one of the Flashes), Black Lightning's electrokinesis, and every power in Superman's entire set of ComboPlatterPowers, although she protested that this ''wasn't'' how her powers worked, and it turned out the TricksterGod Anansi was altering her story.
* The Legion of Super-Heroes villain the Persuader has an axe said to be able to cut through anything. This includes intangible things like the force of gravity causing things to float, metaphorical things like someone's air supply, and even the boundary between timelines to build the Fatal Five into the Fatal Five ''Hundred''.
* This trope is taken to its logical conclusion with ''ComicBook/TheInhumans'' character simply named Reader. His power is warping reality to manifest whatever he reads. In his past, his people had gouged his eyes out to try and nullify this ability, but he worked around it by learning braille. Maximus correctly guesses that, since words and their meanings are entirely constructed, he can manifest any nuanced effect he wants as long as there's a word to mean so. To this end, he coins the word "floob", as a concise way to induce a mass astral projection.
** Karnak, a BadassNormal member of the royal family was given a similar semantic upgrade to Cypher's. Originally, he was Black Bolt's bodyguard, whose training and mental focus allowed him to sense the weak points in solid objects, and strike them at just the right force and angle to make them shatter. That ability was expanded so that he can see the weak point in anything, from solid objects to fighting styles to ''arguments.''
* ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' enemy Dr. Destiny is a pro at this, employing lateral thinking for new uses and ways to return after the League beats him.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' fanfiction, ''Fanfic/{{Harmless}}'':

* ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'': Rosemaster has the power to control (to a limited extent) anyone with a flower-based name. This works great in the Flower Kingdom, where she erases everyone's memories of the princess that the heroes need to complete their quest. But she doesn't just have power over standard flowers; Cucumber, Almond, and Carrot are all susceptible to her power as well. This is why she kidnaps Nautilus and erases their memories of her. [[spoiler:This gets derailed when Rosemaster kidnaps Peridot (her own ally) and erases everyone's memories of her. Peridot is so pissed off that [[ToyShip Almond]] doesn't remember that she destroyed Rosemaster's memory machine]].

* In Literature/WingsOfFire, [[RealityWarper animus]] [[WordsCanBreakMyBones magic]] works entirely on semantics. Probably the most infamous example of this is a bowl enchanted to duplicate anything dropped in it when a command phrase is spoken. The animus who enchanted it intended it for food only, but due to the wording of the spell, ''anything'' placed in the bowl is duplicated as long as it's small enough, and the duplicates are perfect copies down to the enchantments. [[spoiler: Qibli abuses this to his advantage to save the entire [=IceWing=] tribe by duplicating an earring that protects the wearer from any spells ever cast on them by [[BigBad Darkstalker]]. Since the incurable plague currently afflicting the [=IceWing=] tribe was the result of a spell cast by Darkstalker, the earrings instantly cured the plague. In addition, because the Ice Kingdom is behind a magical cliff that only lets [=IceWings=] and [=IceWing=] hybrids pass, the earrings had to be distributed by an [=IceWing=] hybrid residing outside the Ice Kingdom(since Darkstalker is half [=IceWing=], he explicitly left an exception for [=IceWing=] hybrids so he wouldn't affect himself or his descendants).]]

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' introduces one late in the series: [[spoiler:earlier, Lelouch used his [[CompellingVoice Geass]] on Suzaku to compel him to "''live''", and as a result, Suzaku becomes compelled to prioritize his survival above all else when placed into dangerous situations. By the time Lelouch makes his grab for power with Suzaku as his persona [[TheDragon Dragon]], Suzaku has learned to manipulate the command given to him by Lelouch's Geass to fight even more fiercely, his drive to "''live''" giving him a distinct edge over many of his opponents.]]

* In Literature/WingsOfFire, [[RealityWarper animus]] [[WordsCanBreakMyBones magic]] works entirely on semantics. Probably the most infamous example of this is a bowl enchanted to duplicate anything dropped in it when a command phrase is spoken. The animus who enchanted it intended it for food only, but due to the wording of the spell, ''anything'' placed in the bowl is duplicated as long as it's small enough, and the duplicates are perfect copies down to the enchantments. [[spoiler: Qibli abuses this to his advantage to save the entire IceWing tribe by duplicating an earring that protects the wearer from any spells ever cast on them by [[BigBad Darkstalker]]. Since the incurable plague currently afflicting the IceWing tribe was the result of a spell cast by Darkstalker, the earrings instantly cured the plague. In addition, because the Ice Kingdom is behind a magical cliff that only lets IceWings and IceWing hybrids pass, the earrings had to be distributed by an IceWing hybrid residing outside the Ice Kingdom(since Darkstalker is half IceWing, he explicitly left an exception for IceWing hybrids so he wouldn't kill himself).]]