History Main / SinglePowerSuperheroes

* The espers in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' and ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'' generally seem to operate like this. They have ''one'' very specific power that they can use in all sorts of ways (eg. Misaka has control over electricity, which she can use to stick to walls, shoot lightning, create railguns...). The one esper who breaks this rule is Gunha Sogiita, who [[ComboPlatterPowers has several powers that don't seem to have anything to do with each other]], frustrating researchers to no end, especially since [[ApathyKilledTheCat he has no interest in learning how his powers work]]. Mages tend to be a bit more complicated.

** The best example of this trope would have to be the protagonist himself, Monkey D. Luffy. He is a RubberMan, able to stretch and contort his body like it was rubber. That's about it. He keeps discovering new and increasingly creative applications for it, however, that it's the only power Luffy needs.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', most members of the Parr family have one superpower each (SuperStrength for Bob, RubberMan powers for Helen, SuperSpeed for Dash), and the film implies that is also the case with most supers. The exceptions are Violet, who has both invisibility and force field generation, and Jack-Jack, who appears normal [[spoiler:but develops a wide variety of powers in the climax]]. Of course, Violet's powers are identical to Marvel's [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Invisible Woman]], who originally only had the invisibility and developed the forcefields later. Helen is a gender-swapped Mr Fantastic, Bob's powers are equivalent to the Thing, minus the [[ReluctantMonster downside]], Dash has [[ComicBook/{{Xmen}} Quicksilver]]'s powers and Frozone has Iceman's.

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' usually works like this, [[EveryoneIsASuper with 80% of the human population being born with superpowers]] called Quirks. While most people simply inherit one of their parents' Quirks, some will instead inherit both of their parents Quirks combined into a brand new one. The prime example is Shoto Tororoki, whose Quirk: Half Cold Hald Hot, is a combination of his father's [[PlayingWithFire fire]] power and his mother's [[AnIcePerson ice]] power. The series also goes into the possibility of someone gaining multiple powers. The prime example being the villain [[BigBad All For One]], whose Quirk also named [[PowerParasite All For One]], grants him the power to steal other Quirks and either use it himself or transfer it to someone else. He used this to create the Nomu, genetically augmented individuals who have been bestowed multiple Quirks, but whose brains atrophied from the strain, turning them into mindless monsters. On the other side of the coin, All For One created his own arch-nemesis by bestowing a Quirk that accumulates power to his supposedly [[{{Unsorcerer}} Quirkless]] brother, who actually had a useless Quirk that he could pass on to other people. The two Quirks combined into a single Quirk that grants the power of SuperStrength and SuperSpeed and can be [[SuperEmpowering transferred from person to person]] called One For All. With the power of the Quirk increasing each time it gets transferred. Originally used by the hero [[SupermanSubstitute All Might]], he eventually passed it on to the protagonist Izuku Midoriya.[[spoiler: Its later revealed that One For All absorbed the Quriks of the previous users, with Midoriya being the first user able to access these additional powers.]]

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' usually works like this, with 80% of the human population being born with superpowers. While most people simply inherit a combination of their parents' Quirks, [[note]]For example, Katsuki Bakugo's father sweats nitric acid while his mother produces glycerine, meaning his power combines the two into nitroglycerine, giving him the ability to [[StuffBlowingUp generate explosions]][[/note]] a rare few get both, like Shoto Tororoki who possesses his father's [[PlayingWithFire fire]] powers and his mother's [[AnIcePerson ice]] powers at the same time. The students at [[SuperheroSchool U.A.]] are trained to overcome this, learning to use their powers in different ways: protagonist Izuku Midoriya has a Quirk that enhances his body, which he initially just uses to give himself [[HeroicRROD self-destructive]] SuperStrength, but with experience he learns to spread the power evenly throughout his body, granting a lesser degree of strength but also exceptional speed; he also figures out how to use the force of his strength to launch concussive blasts of air.
** The series also goes into the possibility of someone gaining multiple powers, [[spoiler:primarily thanks to All For One, which has the power to steal other powers and bestow them upon others. He used this to create the Nomu, individuals with multiple powers whose brains atrophied from the strain, turning them into mindless monsters. On the other side of the coin, All For One created his own arch-nemesis by bestowing a Quirk that stocks power to his supposedly powerless brother...who actually had a useless Quirk that he could pass on to other people. The two abilities combined into a single Quirk that gets stronger with time and can be passed on to others, creating One For All, the Quirk used by the hero All Might...and by Izuku.]]

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' usually works like this, with 80% of the human population being born with superpowers. While most people simply inherit a combination of their parents' Quirks [[note]]For example, Katsuki Bakugo's father sweats nitric acid while his mother produces glycerine, meaning his power combines the two into nitroglycerine, giving him the ability to [[StuffBlowingUp generate explosions]][[/note]], a rare few get both, like Shoto Tororoki who possesses his father's [[PlayingWithFire fire]] powers and his mother's [[AnIcePerson ice]] powers at the same time. The students at [[SuperheroSchool U.A.]] are trained to overcome this, learning to use their powers in different ways: protagonist Izuku Midoriya has a Quirk that enhances his body, which he initially just uses to give himself [[HeroicRROD self-destructive]] SuperStrength, but with experience he learns to spread the power evenly throughout his body, granting a lesser degree of strength but also exceptional speed; he also figures out how to use the force of his strength to launch concussive blasts of air.

* Pretty much everyone on ''Series/{{Misfits}}'' are only given one power by a mysterious storm. In the original gang, Kelly has MindReading, Curtis has TimeTravel, Simon can turn {{invisible}}, Alisha makes people want to have sex with her, and Nathan [[spoiler: is immortal.]] In the new group, Finn has {{telekinesis}}, Jess has XRayVision, Rudy has a LiteralSplitPersonality, and [[spoiler: Curtis first switches powers to become a GenderBender and later switches to [[OurZombiesAreDifferent raising the dead.]]]] Most of the other powered characters also have one power, and sometimes it's [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway useless]] anyway (or seems that way).

* Similarly, [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] was originally just a [[TheBigGuy very big, very strong]] behemoth. Soon, he gained an assortment of powers, some which were logical in relation to increased muscle ability, such as [[InASingleBound super-leaping]], NighInvulnerability, SuperSpeed and SuperReflexes. Then, over time, things just got crazy, and he gained other abilities such as [[ImmuneToMindControl immunity to mind control]], [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to see supernatural creatures]], [[EnergyAbsorption ability to absorb radiation]], a HealingFactor that rivals ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'s, [[SuperNotDrowningSkills a gland that lets him breathe underwater]], and sometimes the ability to create new personalities as needed (each with their own power set).

'''Cyclops:''' ''[deadpan, despondent and bored]'' ...I shoot it with my Optic Blast.

* From Creator/DCComics, we have ComicBook/{{Wildcat}}, Dr. Mid-Nite, both ComicBook/WonderTwins, ComicBook/{{Metamorpho}}...

** Although many of the Devil's Fruit [[SemanticSuperpower have multiple powers that all fall under one name]]. For example, the Sand Sand Fruit lets the user control sand, turn into sand, and drain water out of other people's bodies.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', superpowers cover basically every type you could imagine, so naturally many individuals have just one specific power and maybe some RequiredSecondaryPowers. That being said, even the most one dimensional powers tend to have a fairly wide variety of clever uses, and frequently in the series the bug-controlling protagonist realizes that [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower control over all insects in a few block radius can actually applied for]] ''[[HeartIsAnAwesomePower a lot]]'' [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower of different effects]]. Some also have a single power that can produce a variety of effects, like Eidolon, whose "single" power is the ability to switch between having a variety of other powers (although a limited number and for a limited time), and Lung, whose ability can basically be summarized as "turning into a dragon when he's fighting" which includes rapid regeneration, pyrokinesis, super strength, flight and so on. There are, of course, [[SuperpowerLottery lucky exceptions]] like Alexandria who simply have multiple distinct powers.

* Replace "Superheroes" with "Anti-Heroes" and Cassie Hack of ''ComicBook/HackAndSlash'' now qualifies thanks to the recent arcs of her comic book series, because she gained a healing factor (literally her only genuine super-power at this point) since then.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', superpowers cover basically every type you could imagine, so naturally many individuals have just one specific power and maybe some RequiredSecondaryPowers. That being said, even the most one dimensional powers tend to have a fairly wide variety of clever uses, and frequently in the series the bug-controlling protagonist realizes that [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower control over all insects in a few block radius can actually applied for ''a lot'' of different effects]]. Some also have a single power that can produce a variety of effects, like Eidolon who's "single" power is the ability to switch between having a variety of other powers (although a limited number and for a limited time), and Lung who's ability can basically be summarized as "turning into a dragon when he's fighting" which includes rapid regeneration, pyrokinesis, super strength, flight and so on. There are, of course, [[SuperpowerLottery lucky exceptions]] like Alexandria who simply have multiple distinct powers.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'', where just about everyone has a unique power (flight, manipulating density, manipulating boundaries) in addition to the powers granted by their species or training... but said power is so massively ill-defined it can easily reach SemanticSuperpower.

* Pretty much everyone on ''Series/{{Misfits}}'' are only given one power by a mysterious storm. In the original gang, Kelly has MindReading, Curtis has TimeTravel, Simon can turn {{invisible}}, Alisha makes people want to have sex with her, and Nathan [[spoiler: is immortal.]] In the new group, Finn has {{telekinesis}}, Jess has XRayVision, Rudy has a LiteralSplitPersonality, and [[spoiler: Curtis first switches powers to become a GenderBender and later switches to [[OurZombiesAreDifferent raising the dead.]] ]] Most of the other powered characters also have one power, and sometimes it's [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway useless]] anyway (or seems that way).

'''Cyclops:''' (''deadpan, despondent and bored'') ...I shoot it with my Optic Blast.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

* Contractors in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' have only a single power. They might be ''creative'' with it, but it always comes back to one general ability.
** This means that contractors who have an ability that needs RequiredSecondaryPowers are quite pooched, as evidenced by the Contractor with a FlashStep ability who essentially defeats himself.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', most members of the Parr family have one superpower each (SuperStrength for Bob, RubberMan powers for Helen, SuperSpeed for Dash), and the film implies that is also the case with most supers. The exceptions are Violet, who has both invisibility and force field generation, and Jack-Jack, who appears normal [[spoiler:but develops a wide variety of powers in the climax]].
** Of course, Violet's powers are identical to Marvel's [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Invisible Woman]], who originally only had the invisibility and developed the forcefields later. Helen is a gender-swapped Mr Fantastic, Bob's powers are equivalent to the Thing, minus the [[ReluctantMonster downside]], Dash has [[ComicBook/{{Xmen}} Quicksilver]]'s powers and Frozone has Iceman's.

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]
* All superpowered characters in ''Film/SkyHigh2005'' are like this outside of Will, who inherited one power from each of his parents ({{Flight}} from his mother, SuperStrength from his father). Lampshaded by Royal Pain when Will's flight power manifests during the FinalBattle.
-->'''Royal Pain''': You're flying?! That's impossible!

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

* Most superpowered characters in ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' have only one power, and many others have "related" powers (eg Hiro Nakamura can bend time ''and'' space).

* Subverted in ''{{VideoGame.Touhou}}'', where just about everyone has a unique power (flight, manipulating density, manipulating boundaries) in addition to the powers granted by their species or training... but said power is so massively ill-defined it can easily reach SemanticSuperpower.

[[folder: Web Original]]
* A lot of the supers in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse. Chaka can control ki. That's it. Except she can control her ki, your ki, pull extra ki out of the ground, read ki in other people, learn tricks by watching people use their ki... Blot can absorb electromagnetic energy. Kamuro can shoot sparks out of her hands.

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', superpowers cover basically every type you could imagine, so naturally many individuals have just one specific power and maybe some RequiredSecondaryPowers. That being said, even the most one dimensional powers tend to have a fairly wide variety of clever uses, and frequently in the series the bug-controlling protagonist realizes that [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower control over all insects in a few block radius can actually applied for ''a lot'' of different effects]]. Some also have a single power that can produce a variety of effects, like Eidolon who's "single" power is the ability to switch between having a variety of other powers (although a limited number and for a limited time), and Lung who's ability can basically be summarized as "turning into a dragon when he's fighting" which includes rapid regeneration, pyrokinesis, super strength, flight and so on. There are, of course, [[SuperpowerLottery lucky exceptions]] like Alexandria who simply have multiple distinct powers.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', most superpowered individuals have one superpower and its RequiredSecondaryPowers. That said, there are exceptions; the '[[FlyingBrick Alexandria Package]]' (named after the heroine who has it, plus perfect memory) includes flight, strength, and toughness, some [[SuperpowerLottery lucky bastards]] like Eidolon and Scion have multiple powers as part of their power, and there's a known effect where two people triggering in close proximity at the same time results in gaining multiple powers (Minor character Circus, for example, has minor pyrokinesis, enhanced agility, and the ability to use {{Hammerspace}}). Everyone else has to make do with [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower using their powers in creative ways]], like the bug-controlling protagonist using her power to sense insects to scout for her group.

* Due to the way the TabletopGame/HeroSystem rules work, on paper most of the characters from the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' have multiple superpowers ''on paper''. Functionally, however, what most of them have is just a single power for which they've discovered multiple uses. For example, Bungie is a RubberMan who has superior strength (because she can use her strechability to change her point of leverage in her own body) and invulnerability to most physical attacks (because her elastic body stretches with the force of the attack), and can change her shape (by stretching her body into various forms), but it all boils down to Bungie ''stretching''.
** To elaborate, the Hero System defines powers in terms of game-mechanical ''effects'', not so much in ones of ''concept''. So instead of giving your character the explicit power of "plant control" the way you might in some other superhero systems, you'd look at what you wanted them to be able to mechanically ''do'' and then pick appropriate pre-defined "stock" powers (say, things like Change Environment, Entangle, and Telekinesis), tweak them to suit the concept, and unite them all under the same "special effect"...which would just so happen to be "plant control". (''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'' works the same way.)

* The pre-reboot ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' had a "No Duplicate Powers" rule. They accepted only one member with a particular power, and traditionally members had only one each--ComicBook/CosmicBoy:MagnetismManipulation, Saturn Girl:{{Telepathy}}, Lightning Lad:ShockAndAwe, Brainiac 5:SuperIntelligence, Phantom Girl:{{Intangibility}}, Triplicate Girl:SelfDuplication, ect.--with some exceptions like ComicBook/{{Superboy}} and ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}.

** Although many of the Devil's Fruit [[SemanticSuperpower have multiple powers that all fall under one name]]. For example the Desert Desert Fruit lets you control sand, turn into sand, and drain water out of other people's bodies.

** This is [[DependingOnTheWriter inconsistently]] applied to Nightcrawler. Sometimes teleportation is considered his only "true" power, with things like hiding in darkness being just a function of his dark fur and wall-crawling coming from his unusual fingers and toes (and he's therefore unable to cling to very smooth surfaces). Other times he has full-on invisibility in shadows and can climb pretty much anything.

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', most superpowered individuals have one superpower and its RequiredSecondaryPowers. That said, there are exceptions. A few, notably [[SuperpowerLottery Scion]], have multiple unrelated supwerpowers. Many others find uses for their secondary powers; notably the protagonist, who can control bugs; her ability to ''sense'' bugs in her range of control makes her an almost perfect scout.

* From Creator/DCComics, we have Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, both Wonder Twins, ComicBook/{{Metamorpho}}...

* The pre-reboot ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' had the "No Duplicate Powers". They accept only one member with a particular power..with some exceptions like Superboy and Supergirl.