Deadpool is one of Marvel’s biggest and most well known characters. He first appeared in New Mutants in 1991, baring more than a striking resemblance to DC Comics villain Deathstroke. While both are guns for hire, Deadpool’s crass humor and fourth wall breaking abilities quickly established him as his own character. Over the course of time his character was changed from that of a villain to an antihero.
- Deadpool is coming back with a third movie in the franchise, and the news just got even more exciting. While fans were thrilled when they learned Ryan Reynolds would return to the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the actor really got viewers worked up with his most recent announcement. Hugh Jackman will be back as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. While it is a good bet that Jackman’s appearance will be little more than Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Professor X earlier in 2022, having him back as Wolverine one more time has fans ready to see more Deadpool. Another thing that excites fans is what comic book powers the MCU might reveal that the previous Deadpool movies didn’t.
The Merc with a Mouth has now become a household name thanks to the popularity of his books, his appearances in cartoons, and the popular Deadpool films. The success of the films have not only proven how warmly adaptations can be received if they are faithful to their source material but also propelled Fox and Marvel to plan several installments (ranging from sequels and ensemble movies) starring him.
Deadpool’s Superpowers
Immortality
Deadpool fans are aware the Merc with a Mouth is extremely hard to kill, as his incredible healing powers make even harming him quite difficult. But there’s another reason why Deadpool is such a formidable opponent. He is impossible to kill.
Deadpool was “cursed” with immortality by the Dark Lord Thanos when he felt threatened of Lady Death’s relationship with Deadpool and sought to separate them for eternity. Death developed a flirtatious relationship with Deadpool during his torture after his failure in Department K. Their feelings for each other were strong enough for Deadpool to want to die and be with her. Sadly, Thanos immortalized Deadpool because he wanted Death for himself.
Holographic Device
Since a lot of mutants in Marvel Comics have appearances that don’t quite allow them to blend in, the X-Men use “image-inducers” to allow the more colorful characters to fit in with more ease. Deadpool, with his scars, has made use of that on multiple occasions. While the antihero prefers to remain masked at all times, he has often needed to interact with humans who don’t take to his appearance.
This holographic device allows Wilson to change his looks, and another advantage of it was the anonymity it provided. Being a hired gun, there are many people who would be only too happy to put a bullet in his brain, so changing his appearance has its perks.
Super Resistant To Hangovers
Most Deadpool fans know Deadpool’s healing factor is quite useful. It allows him to heal after being shot and eat continuously without gaining weight. Deadpool’s body is also resistant to most poisons, but the Merc also has another handy superpower: he can’t get hung over.
While Wade does get inebriated if he drinks a lot of alcohol, his body’s super-powerful immune system protects him from getting drunk easily, meaning that Wilson needs a lot of alcohol in his system before he can even remotely be affected. In Deadpool #7, the Merc ends up drinking an entire sack full of booze and doesn’t even get a hangover the next day.
Super Strength
Wade Wilson was in good shape even before the various Weapon X treatments, but after the procedures, Wilson had superhuman strength. Thanks to his healing abilities, Deadpool can push himself beyond the human limits. In Cable & Deadpool #13, it was revealed that the Merc was so strong he was able to hurt a man just using his thumb and forefinger.
In X-Force #11, a powerful warrior from the Mojoverse says he and Deadpool are equally matched in strength. That said, different writers for the Deadpool comics have had different approaches to his strength. That said, his strength isn’t his greatest asset, and he’s certainly not as strong as heroes like Colossus or The Hulk.
Agility
There’s a reason early Deadpool comics seem similar to Spider-Man comics, and that’s because both heroes are quite agile. Apart from having superhuman strength and endurance, Deadpool’s balance, agility, and bodily coordination are that of an Olympic athlete. The Merc has some unreal reflexes, which are largely due to the effects of Weapon X.
Weapon X has also modified his body so that it produces less fatigue-inducing toxins, which allows him to perform one acrobatic maneuver after another, not once getting tired. Deadpool is fast enough to sidestep any blow or bullet that comes his way, even from a close range. And because Wade Wilson’s human training made him a force to be reckoned with even before Weapon X, Deadpool’s agility is superior to that of Captain America and even Spider-Man.
Super Healing
Deadpool’s super healing is one of the reasons why the Merc with the Mouth is so carefree when he’s under fire. His accelerated healing factor (which stems from Wolverine) allows him to regenerate cells, tissues, and even limbs. His healing abilities are so strong that Wilson was able to re-grow his head after The Punisher shot him.
Deadpool’s survived similar encounters with other Marvel characters including The Hulk. His superb healing abilities have allowed him to regenerate brain tissue and have prevented him from aging. All in all, Deadpool easily has one of the strongest healing abilities in the Marvel Universe.
Super Pouch
Superhero comics were once littered with costumes containing pouches. While most of these served some purpose — Batman’s has proven to be quite useful time and time again — others were simply for show. Deadpool and Cable too were given pouches in the 80s and 90s. While Cable used them to hold his guns, Deadpool’s seemed simply for show.
In cartoons though, his “super pouch” can hold all sorts of things that seem impossible to fit in them. His “magic pouch” also allows him to pull large objects seemingly from nowhere, though, in most cases, that is used for comic relief than practicality.
Knowledge of Different Languages
Wade Wilson is also fluent in many languages. Considering the Merc has made quite a name for himself, it makes sense that he’d be tasked with targets in all different parts of the world. This has made Wilson not only accustomed to the cultures of different countries, but also fluent in the languages of different countries.
The Merc with the Mouth knows languages such as German, Russian, Japanese, French, Urdu, and Spanish. The multilingual assassin also has a working knowledge of American Sign Language, which he’s had to use on several occasions, most notably in Hawkeye vs. Deadpool, where Hawkeye and he communicated with each other extensively through ASL.
Teleportation Device
The holographic image-inducer isn’t the only device in Wade Wilson’s arsenal. Until some time ago, the Merc with the Mouth used to travel with the help of a teleportation device. The Deadpool films had Wade Wilson use a cab to travel. However, in the comics, Deadpool would use his handy “personal teleporters.”
These handy devices were great at making sure that Deadpool arrived at his target’s doorsteps on time, but it also made his job a little too easy, which is why he stopped using them after a while. Interestingly, that didn’t mean that the antihero would not teleport ever again. In Deadpool & Cable, Deadpool was swallowed up by Cable after Deadpool had melted into a puddle and when Cable swallows the Merc, it gives Wilson some of Cable’s genetic abilities, including the power to teleport.
Resistant to Telepathic Attacks
Because Deadpool is hardwired differently from others, his brain can do things other brains cannot. For example. Deadpool’s healing powers help him fight against Marvel’s smartest telepaths. Because of his brain’s ever-changing biology, it’s impossible for a psychic to influence or control Deadpool. Emma Frost, one of the most gifted telepaths, couldn’t even get into his mind.
In fact, his brain is so powerful that it can be used as a secure place for mutants to have conversations without getting interrupted. Ghost Rider’s infamous Penance Stare has not been able to do any damage to Deadpool.
Deadpool’s Weaknesses
Thanos
Considering that Thanos made Deadpool immortal, it stands to reason that he would be one Deadpool weaknesses. The Eternal Titan’s love for Lady Death is well known throughout the multiverse, and it was only because he didn’t want there to be any possibility of Deadpool becoming close with Death that he made him immortal.
If Thanos ever decides to lift his “curse,” Deadpool would not be as much of a force to be reckoned with as he is right now. In fact, Thanos once did grow tired of Deadpool and almost killed him in Deadpool vs Thanos, but although he lifted the curse, he spared the Merc’s life as he needed help to find Lady Death.
Kids
Deadpool’s one of the most violent characters Marvel has, but that doesn’t mean that the hero doesn’t have a soft side. The Merc knows very little about his own father and mother, but he knows that he didn’t have the best childhood. That may very well be the reason why Deadpool has such a strong bond with children. The antihero has often prioritized the lives of children above others in comic books.
Even the big-screen adaptations of Deadpool had him developing a strong kinship with Negasonic Teenage Warhead and later Russell Collins. In the comics, Deadpool also has a daughter named Ellie who he initially doesn’t know about, so it’s entirely possible that his paternal instincts have kicked into high gear after discovering his daughter.
Cows, Clowns and Other Phobias
Deadpool is easily one of the most powerful characters Marvel has. The fast-talking gunman seems almost fearless on the battlefield, but in reality, there’s a lot that scares the Merc with the Mouth. There are two things though, that scare him above all: cows and clowns are a Deadpool weakness. Wilson’s always been scared of cows because he believes that their eyes are all-knowing. The Merc is also scared of clowns, finding them too creepy.
In Cable & Deadpool #15’s “Enema of the State — Part One: Killer Clowns,” Wilson refers to clowns as one of the Earth’s biggest threats, second only to Galactus. In Deadpool #17, after Deadpool opens up about some of his phobias, he and Domino also admit to suffering from Gallinophobia (fear of chickens) as well.
Wolverine
Deadpool and Wolverine have more in common than they’d like to admit. Both were part of life-altering, superpowers-gifting experiments, and both are also expert martial artists. That’s one of the reasons why Wolverine is regarded as one of the few Mutants capable of defeating Deadpool. Both are also master assassins, though Wolverine himself has stated that he believes that Deadpool is better.
That said, Wolverine is far stronger and faster than Wade. Wolverine is also a better tactician while Deadpool rarely plans things ahead. There’s also the fact that Wolverine has much more developed senses which make him superior to Deadpool in the battlefield. Lastly, there’s the fact that Deadpool’s healing powers can get severely affected from Gamma radiation, whereas Wolverine has no such problems.
Cure for Cancer
One of Deadpool’s biggest assets, his healing ability, stems from his cancer. While seeking treatment for his terminal cancer, Wade Wilson agreed to become a test subject for the Weapon X program. While the experiments done on him didn’t remove his cancer, it did mutate it so that his cells would constantly be dying and regenerating.
If a person wanted to eliminate Deadpool for good, the first step would be finding a cure for cancer. What’s to say that Beast or some other genius Marvel figure couldn’t figure out a cure for cancer? Assuming that were to happen, Deadpool would undoubtedly become more vulnerable and an easier target, making this a massive weakness.
Kittens
Nothing sways Deadpool like Kittens. The Merc with the Mouth has always had a thing for the lovable animals since he first appeared in comics. In “The Magic of Grackling,” Deadpool is powerless in the face of kittens. He’s admitted multiple times that they’re the one true Deadpool weakness.
That said, kittens are perfect for distracting Deadpool, who already has problems focusing. While promoting the 2016 superhero film, actor Ryan Reynolds made sure to join in on the Caturday festivities, posting a shot of him in his Deadpool garb with Kittens on him. A promo clip was released before the release of the film in which he’s shown saving a cat.
Mental Instability
While Deadpool may pretend to be okay with his mental health issues, the fact of the matter is that he really isn’t. Despite his sunny demeanor, Wade Wilson suffers from serious schizophrenia and depression so extreme that it made him seek ways to end his life.
Deadpool’s impulsive nature makes him unable to manage his emotions and as a result of this, and his ADHD, he can be severely weakened. His mental condition may be the cause of the gaps in his memory about his childhood and upbringing. Needless to say, his unique brain, while making him super unpredictable in the field, also makes him quite defenseless at times.
Gamma Radiation
A little-known fact about Deadpool is that he doesn’t do so well with Gamma Radiation. Deadpool’s healing factor is among the most powerful in Marvel, but if the Merc with The Mouth is exposed to excessive Gamma Radiation, his healing factor is all but gone. This was exposed in Deadpool #1 when Wade Wilson traveled to Antarctica to sabotage a gamma reactor.
Wilson realized his healing factor had slowed down greatly after exposure to Gamma Radiation. In fact, Deadpool needed Hulk’s blood to restore his abilities to their full potential. It’s interesting to note that Wolverine doesn’t have this Deadpool weakness, and the part of him that gets affected by the radiation is most likely the same part that makes his regenerative healing superior to that of Wolverine’s.
The Muramasa Blade
Comic book fans who aren’t familiar with Wolverine may not know what this item is and why it links to Deadpool. The sword (made by Japanese swordsman Muramasa) is one of the few items that can kill Wolverine, which by extension means that it can also kill Wade Wilson. After all, it’s because of Wolverine that Deadpool obtained his super healing abilities.
While Deadpool has never come in contact with the Muramasa Blade, it is said to be among the only relics in the Marvel Universe capable of putting a stop to the Merc with the Mouth. After Thanos lifting the curse, this Deadpool weakness is the single most effective way to bring Deadpool to his knees.
Alternate Deadpools
In light of how unstoppable Wade Wilson is, the easiest way to finish The Crimson Comedian would be to bring in other Deadpools to finish the job. In Deadpool Vol 2. #44, Wade discovers his stalker, Ella Whitby, had secretly been storing his dismembered body parts in her freezer. These parts were chucked in a dumpster by Wade. Little did he know that once combined they would make another evil version of Deadpool.
This Evil Deadpool fought with Wade Wilson on multiple occasions including in Deadpool Kills Deadpool. In addition to him, Deadpool could also face possible death from the alternate universe versions of him: The Deadpool Corps. The Deadpool Corps, being alternate versions of him, know his strengths and weaknesses and are evenly matched with him. It would make sense if one of them could end up killing Wade Wilson.
