Warning: spoilers for 2025’s Superman!
James Gunn’sSupermanjust nailed thesuper-smart hero Mister Terrific, showcasing his genius and the surprisingly versatile uses of his iconic T-Spheres. However, the movie smartly held back on showcasing his most unique superpower, seemingly saving it for Edi Gathegi’s next appearance as the hero.
Mister Terrific’s unique superpower makes him one of DC’s most accomplished spies, running the intelligence agency Checkmate.
In 2025’sSuperman, Clark Kent is friends with the Justice Gang - Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, and Mister Terrific. When Superman is imprisoned by Lex Luthor, Mister Terrific agrees to help rescue him,leading to a compelling fight scenethat has contributed to himbecoming the movie’s surprise breakout character.
However, while Mister Terrific showcases forcefields, holograms and force blasts with his T-Spheres, he holds back on deploying the unique ability that is considered by many (including the hero himself) to bethe character’s one true superpower.
Mister Terrific Is Invisible to All Electronic Surveillance
He’s the Ultimate Stealth Agent
In the comics, Mister Terrific is constantly upgrading his equipment, with his T-Spheres and microcomputer mask granting him a range of capabilities that are limited only by his creativity. However,one of his most reliable powers is being totally undetectable to all forms of electronic surveillance. Mister Terrific doesn’t show up on cameras, can’t be recorded, and can’t be scanned or targeted via technological means. This extends to electronic and cyborg beings, who can only detect Mister Terrific if he allows it.
The power is possible due to nanotechnology embedded in his mask creating an electromagnetic field, meaning thateven when his T-Spheres are taken down, he still possesses this ability. Coupled with his incredible athleticism and tactical mind, this ability has made Mister Terrific one of DC’s greatest undercover operatives. In the comics, Mister Terrific has links tothe intelligence agency Checkmate, frequently acting as the group’s co-director, codenamed the White King.
At some points, Mister Terrific’s mask has been fully bonded to his face, disappearing at will but impossible to remove - hence why he considers his technological invisibility an actual"superpower"rather than external tech.
This power is possessed by few other superheroes in fiction, and is part of what makes Mister Terrific a unique player in the DC Universe. As someone who has mastered technology but is invisible to it,he can stroll into any building in the world without leaving a trace. Even the Justice League know that their systems aren’t safe from Mister Terrific’s curiosity.Terrific is such an effective intelligence agentthat even Batman has hired him to investigate other heroes (inStrange Adventures, by Tom King, Mitch Gerads and Evan Shaner.)
The DCU Made the Right Call to Hold Back on This Iconic Power
James Gunn Gave Edi Gathegi’s Hero Room to Grow
Going up against Lex Luthor seems like the perfect opportunity to utilize Mister Terrific’s technological invisibility, but asSupermanproved,the character didn’t actually need this unique power for his debut to shine. Ultimately, it was a smart move not to introduce this ability in the character’s first DCU appearance. Given his breakout status, it’s likely Mister Terrific will appear again in future. And when he does, James Gunn has the perfect reveal locked and loaded to give fans something new to love about the hero.
If the DCU continues to be as loyal to the comics asSupermanwas,it’s likely that Mister Terrific will take on some form of his spymaster status in future movies. At that point, it will be a great reveal to introduce his technological invisibility as a secret advantage he’s been keeping to himself. Few fans expected Mister Terrific to be one of the most-discussed parts ofSuperman, but they can rest assured that there’s still enough comic lore to recreate the accomplishment when he inevitably returns to the DCU in future.
