Marvel fans have spent decades debating which superpower tops the wish list—and the answers are as varied as the heroes themselves. But when you step back and look at the deeper psychology behind those choices, one ability consistently rises above the rest: the healing factor.
Best known through characters like Wolverine and Deadpool, this power is more than just a flashy comic book gimmick. For top-selling fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, it’s the biggest superpower there is—and for a good reason.
1. The Final Escape from Death
Let’s be honest—death and hurt can be frightening for everybody. The healing factor is the best solution to that fear. Sanderson himself has mentioned that one reason for the appeal of the power is the tranquility of mind that comes with it. Having the knowledge that you might live through almost anything—and possibly live forever—transcends the fear of the unknown into a form of freedom. For others, it is not merely avoiding death, but living life without restraint.
2. Invulnerability Without the Limelight
Though flying or wielding lasers might command attention, healing factors provide a less flashy form of power. It’s not spectacle—it’s toughness. Being able to heal from any wound means you can take risks, confront danger with abandon, and live with abandon without trepidation. It’s invincibility with less ego, and that subtle strength has a certain appeal.
3. The Charm and Drama of Immortality
Authors frequently examine the emotional burden of immortality: loneliness, loss, and coping with staying connected in a world that keeps changing. Sanderson, who has written characters aged thousands of years, is not unfamiliar with that trope.
But even with those disclaimers, he contends that immortality would not necessarily be a curse IRL. Most fans agree—yes, eternal life might be a bit of a bummer, but being able to see history happen and see the world in every period? That’s a compromise that most would happily accept.
4. Wolverine and Deadpool: More Than Just the Muscles
Some of what makes Deadpool and Wolverine so intriguing isn’t so much their toughness or attitude—it’s their ability to heal. Their healing factors allow them to endure the impossible, make outrageous gambles, and come back again and again, scarred but invulnerable. That’s more than a storytelling tool—it’s part of their icon status. It’s not tough; it’s never giving in.
5. High-Impact, High-Entertainment Value
Regenerative abilities are also good bang for your buck, both in terms of storytelling and on-screen. The power to recover from any damage opens up savage fight choreography and impossible escape sequences to savage delight.
It’s a talent that encourages risk-taking on the part of the writer, and audiences adore the anarchy it unleashes. It’s because of that combination of utility and panache that the heal factor has become a staple of some of Marvel’s most enduring memories.
6. A Fan Favorite for Good Reason
In the end, the healing factor provides more than physical recuperation—it provides freedom. Freedom from terror. Freedom to discover. Freedom to exist without caution. Brandon Sanderson’s choice expresses the greater sentiment of fans: of all the abilities in Marvel’s universe, the healing factor is the one that allows you to remain in the narrative for the longest time, and appreciate each page for it.