SPOILER ALERT: Warning, this article contains minor spoilers about Disney Pixar’s Incredibles 2. Proceed at your own risk.
Like the rest of the Incredibles, Jack-Jack Parr possesses superhuman powers.
However, due to his age, the youngest child of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl has little control over his myriad of abilities.
In Incredibles 2, it’s revealed that Jack-Jack has 17 (!) powers. But which would actually help his crime-fighting family in a fight, and which would prove a hindrance? We rank how effective they would be.
Laser Eye Beams
Like the X-Men’s Cyclops, Jack-Jack can shoot laser beams from his eyes. Normally, they appear as rays, but also can be fired in short bursts. By holding Jack-Jack and aiming him at enemies, he becomes a human cannon.
Monster Baby
When Jack-Jack gets cranky, or wants a cookie, he turns into monster baby, a pink-skinned, razor-fanged, sharp-clawed beast. The Incredibles should let monster baby go first, terrifying them or roughing them up.
Monster baby actually made an appearance in the first film in a battle versus Syndrome.
Giant Jack-Jack
Jack-Jack can grow exponentially in size. The sight of a giant baby could be as terrifying as monster baby, or serve as an impassable barrier.
Elastibaby
Like his mother, Jack-Jack can become elastic. While we didn’t see him stretch his limbs, his body can absorb impact. There are a few applications for this — baby wrecking ball for one. And the added bonus of resistance to physical harm would probably quell Elastigirl’s nerves.
Phasing
This is where Jack-Jack’s powers become more of a hindrance. The baby can phase through solid matter, getting into lots of mischief (including a memorable fight with a backyard visitor).
In a battle this isn’t too practical; as he can only phase himself and would probably get lost.
Replication
Jack-Jack can create multiple versions of himself. What’s worse than multiple babies? Multiple baby diapers.
Combustion
Jack-Jack can burst into flames. It’s a great offensive power, but not for a baby who crawls around without direction, as demonstrated in the animated short, Jack-Jack Attack. Fortunately, in Incredibles 2, Edna Mode designs a super suit that douses his flames with retardant.
In terms of combat, perhaps his sister Violet could envelop a flaming Jack-Jack in one of her forcefields and drop them right before impact, effectively making him a fireball.
Or he can combine combustion with monster-form and be a raging, fiery beast.
Levitation
A flying baby can be hard to keep track of, especially when combined with …
Teleportation
The least helpful of Jack-Jack’s abilities. He’ll just disappear in thin air (like the new super, Voyd), sending his parents, siblings, and babysitter’s into a panic. Offering a cookie seems to be one of the ways to lure him out of the mysterious dimension he disappears into. The best superhero teams work together, not apart.
