With aliens, meta-humans, demons, and much more in the ranks, the Arrowverse has to be chock-full of powerful weapons that can keep them all at bay. For instance, there are devices capable of slowing down speedsters, effectively stripping them of their power. Similarly, weapons exist that suppress the abilities of Kryptonians. Of course, not all of the technology featured on The CW’s superhero shows is meant to harm the franchise’s most powerful beings. The key purpose behind the design of some weapons is to protect. Additionally, there are several weapons whose usage results in the destruction of cities; meanwhile, others could eviscerate everything on Earth if properly put to task. Regardless of the wielder’s intent, all of the aforementioned weapon types and countless others are dangerous. Some arguably deserve consideration as overpowered, since their power extends far beyond what’s usually fathomable.
But when there’s power, there also exists weakness. In a universe filled with meta-humans, demons, superpowered aliens, and so on, not every weapon will suffice. In fact, when heroes or villains bring certain tools to certain fights, said tools prove ineffective. The following list acknowledges both, the overpowered weapons and those that are of a weaker quality. Inevitably, in several cases, the term "weak" is relative. A bow and arrow, while primitive to some degree, remains quite deadly in our world today. When employed against meta-humans, however, its wielder better have some tricks up their sleeves. Here are 10 of the Arrowverse’s most overpowered weapons, and 10 that, in some instances, couldn’t harm a thing.
20 OVERPOWERED: THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
The Spear of Destiny first receives mention in Legends of Tomorrow’s second season. It’s an artifact said to have received its power from the blood of Christ and the Spear allows whoever wields it to alter reality. Interestingly, the Justice Society of America so feared what it could do in the wrong hands that the team broke the Spear into pieces. Afterwards, the JSA hid each piece in different locations throughout the world.
During the show, the Spear of Destiny’s power is proven immense when the Legion of Doom reassembles the weapon. Reverse-Flash crafts a “Doomworld,” where he reigns supreme and each of Earth’s heroes are gone. Not so surprisingly, the only way to ensure the Spear’s destruction is with the blood of Christ.
19 WEAKENED: SPEED FORCE BAZOOKA
To be fair, slowing down a speedster seems like an incredibly difficult task. Some of them can reach speeds that put the speed of light to shame. However, the Speed Force Bazooka designed by Tracy Brand and HR Wells, but mostly Tracy Brand, supposedly provides a surefire way to stop Savitar. The device should effectively slow him down, allowing Team Flash a chance to trap the villain in the Speed Force for good.
The Flash’s attempt at getting the Bazooka to do its job is a bust. Evidently, Savitar’s access to the Philosopher’s Stone renders the device ineffectual. Therefore, Barry has to rely on his own skill and wits to bring his nemesis down.
18 OVERPOWERED: DEATH TOTEM
The Death Totem is at its most powerful when wielded by Sara Lance. Though she initially attempts to escape its thrall, the Death Totem gets ahold of her. While the totem’s in control, Sara does a good amount of damage to the Waverider and its crew.
What makes the Death Totem overpowered is its ability to both control the wielder and mentally affect people nearby. To get other Legends to lower their defenses, the totem induces a hallucination, making onlookers believe Sara is a loved one. For instance, Wally sees Jesse Quick, who tries breaking his heart all over again. Nate sees his grandfather, who admonishes him for not living up to the family name. The Death Totem isn’t just overpowered -- it’s heartless, too.
17 WEAKENED: GOLD GUN
In The Flash’s first season, Lisa Snart, aka Golden Glider, asks Cisco to make her a gun like that of her brothers'. Instead of a Cold Gun replica, she feels worthy of a weapon that best suits her style and personality. Thus, Cisco creates a Gold Gun. When the trigger is pulled, a gold substance shoots out which can solidify objects and people into said substance. It’s one of Cisco’s stranger inventions, that’s for sure.
The Gold Gun itself should not be considered weak by any means. However, compared to its sister weapons -- the Cold and Heat Guns -- both of which are Cisco originals, the Gold Gun leaves plenty to be desired.
16 OVERPOWERED: THE MARKOV DEVICE
The Markov Device, or, as it’s more commonly known, the earthquake machine causes quite the stir in Arrow’s first two seasons. During the show’s pilot season, the device destroys the Glades, a section of Starling City that’s filled with impoverished neighborhoods. In Arrow’s sophomore effort, the earthquake machine is stolen and sold to the highest bidder. Luckily, the vigilante and his budding team of heroes put a stop to the sale.
That one machine causes so much destruction is mind-boggling. Of course, there exists real world devices of this kind. Nikola Tesla created an earthquake-generator late in the 19th Century. But, somehow, combining the incredible power of science with fiction often makes the impossible feel a tad more realistic.
15 WEAKENED: HAWKMAN'S MACE
Make no mistake, the mace that Hawkman wields is not something you want to run into face first. For all its apparent shortcomings, the weapon aids Hawkman in battle on all fronts. Honestly, his skill with the weapon is what seems to make the mace formidable. That said, it was never strong enough to rid the hero of his and Hawkgirl’s primary nemesis, Vandal Savage.
After Hawkman’s demise, Hawkgirl coats his mace in Nth metal by melting the bracelets she wears. This metal, which comes from Thanagarian technology, immensely strengthens the mace and helps the Legends in their victory over Vandal Savage.
14 OVERPOWERED: KRYPTONITE ARROW
Anything with Kryptonite is overpowered when a Kryptonian becomes the target. Arrows are always dangerous in their own right. Combine these two weapons and Kryptonians are evidently devastated by the effects. Since The Dark Knight Returns, it’s been made abundantly clear that Kryptonite arrows can do serious damage to the intended victim.
The overpowered quality of the Arrowverse version comes into play when considering Oliver Queen’s access to the radioactive substance. How does Green Arrow even know what Kryptonite is? More importantly, where did he get it? Since these question were first raised during the “Crisis on Earth-X” crossover, neither have received an answer. Perhaps Green Arrow himself deserves a spot on this list.
13 WEAKENED: T-SPHERES
Curtis Holt’s T-Spheres are designed to act as offensive and defensive weapons. In the field, Curtis often deploys them for tactical use. However, every now and then, Mr. Terrific uses T-Spheres to incapacitate enemies. One example of this is seen during Arrow’s fifth season, in “Fighting Fire with Fire.” To save Wild Dog from Vigilante, Mr. Terrific throws a T-Sphere that strikes, then disorients Vigilante. Even Wild Dog, a man whose skepticism rivals Oliver’s, compliments his comrade on a job well done.
The T-Spheres still don't seem to have reached their full potential. Yet, since they improve each season, Curtis may upgrade them during Season 7. Who knows? Soon enough, they may become Team Arrow’s best bet versus the bad guys.
12 OVERPOWERED: LEVIATHAN
The Leviathan is a massive weapon crafted by future technology from the 3100s. Vandal Savage uses the behemoth of a robot in his quest to gain control of the world. Despite its enormous size, the Leviathan is quite the agile piece of machinery. It can fly, use its humanoid form to fight hand-to-hand, and has weapon systems capable of launching projectiles. In short, the Leviathan is advanced military tech that the Legends probably had no business defeating.
The Legends did indeed come out on top, though, thanks to Ray Palmer’s Atom suit. Still, Vandal Savage's futuristic military giant could not be a more formidable foe. It’s a wonder another version of the Leviathan hasn’t popped up yet.
11 WEAKENED: AIR TOTEM
The Air Totem that Zari Tomaz wields on Legends of Tomorrow isn’t necessarily weak. When compared to the other six Totems, however, it does not rank high where power is concerned. The Air Totem allows the wielder access to the power of air, which can be used both defensively and offensively. In the show, Zari often blasts strong gusts of air from her hands to throw enemies back.
Not until all six Totems are combined together does the Totem’s full potential receive the spotlight. Still, even on its own, the Air Totem offers Zari what she needs whenever she’s in the field, which seems to be rare compared to other Legends.
10 OVERPOWERED: COLD GUN
Captain Cold’s Cold Gun is created for one purpose: to stop The Flash in case he ever goes rogue. Cisco explains as much during The Flash’s first season, after a confrontation between the Speedster and Captain Cold goes awry. That this weapon is capable of stopping, probably permanently, the Fastest Man Alive more than warrants its placing on this list.
Of course, the Gun’s cold properties, which allows it to reach a temperature of absolute zero, are useful for more than bringing the Scarlet Speedster to a halt. For instance, it’s been known to disrupt security systems and cool situations of nuclear proportions.
9 WEAKENED: THE YAMASHIRO'S KATANA
The Yamashiro family’s katana appears a few times throughout Arrow’s third season. The sword returns during Legends of Tomorrow’s “Shogun” episode. In the Arrowverse, the sword is a prized possession, passed down through several generations of the Yamashiro family. There’s no evidence of the katana bearing properties that compare to its comic book counterpart.
In the comics, the sword referred to as the Soultaker Sword is more than a family heirloom. Soultaker entraps the souls of those that have been offed by its blade. Interestingly, there are circumstances wherein such souls are unleashed from the Soultaker. Afterwards, they’re used to fight alongside their liberator. Unfortunately, the Arrowverse doesn’t take this approach.
8 OVERPOWERED: STAFF OF HORUS
This ancient Egyptian artifact is comprised of Nth metal, the same metal found in Thanagarian technology. The Staff of Horus’ mystical properties are what make it stand out as a powerful weapon. For one, the energy that projects from it can eviscerate targets on contact. Audiences see this in action during Arrow’s “Legends of Yesterday” episode, which is a part of the Arrowverse’s first major crossover.
Vandal Savage's scouring the Earth for it provides further proof of the Staff of Horus' devastating abilities. When he locates it in Central City, many of the Arrowverse’s heroes are wiped out. Ultimately, The Flash saves the day, but this doesn’t take away from the Staff’s power.
7 WEAKENED: HEAT GUN
Mick Rory’s Heat Gun is basically a compact flamethrower. Cisco designs a second version of the gun, after the first is destroyed when the Heat Gun’s and Cold Gun’s respective projectiles cross streams. Mick’s weapon of choice wreaks havoc at every turn and is actually quite powerful. Weakness with regards to the Heat Gun warrants consideration since Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 sees Mick use the Fire Totem.
The Fire Totem allows Mick to do more than just generate flames. With the Totem, he’s also able to manipulate fire, shaping it into myriad forms. Additionally, using a Totem means bypassing the many limitations of technology.
6 OVERPOWERED: DOMINTATORS' MIND CONTROL DEVICE
During the Arrowverse’s “Invasion!” crossover, the Dominators crash land on Earth-1 with one goal in mind: eradicate all meta-humans. One phase of the aliens’ plan involves a mind control device, which the Dominators use to pit some of the heroes against The Flash and Green Arrow. What makes this technology so powerful is its ability to subjugate the Girl of Steel.
Additionally, not until Supergirl inadvertently destroys the device does its thrall over the heroes subside. Therefore, in addition to being a powerhouse on the offensive front, this particular piece of Dominator technology also packs quite the defensive barrier. Suffice it to say, the mind control device makes the Dominators all the more threatening.
5 WEAKENED: ROBOTIC BEES
Robotic bees aren’t a joke, real or otherwise. They definitely cause a number of issues on The Flash. When someone is attacked by even a single robotic bee, it’s one's life ultimately at risk. A swarm of the tech-based insects are capable of taking lives in an instant. Like real bees, however, these tiny objects do have their fair share of weaknesses. Unlike real bees, the most devastating of threats comes courtesy of being hacked.
The villain responsible for the robotic bees, Brie Larvan, learns of her design’s shortcomings when Felicity Smoak successfully hacks into the technology that powers the bees. In doing so, Felicity steers the swarm into a body of water. For some reason, Larvan didn’t take such a possibility into consideration.
4 OVERPOWERED: BOOMERANG
A boomerang by its lonesome does not seem even remotely dangerous. However, when weaponized, boomerangs can deal a devastating blow if that is the thrower’s intention. Since Captain Boomerang’s intentions are always aimed at advancing himself, regardless of the obstacles, he’s known to have weaponized boomerangs on his person.
In the Arrowverse, the rogue’s boomerangs are quite versatile. Their sharpened edges make them deadly enough, whether Captain Boomerang employs them for hand-to-hand combat or uses them as projectiles. Yet, it’s the C4 charges housed within them that ensure destruction on impact. If one doesn’t do the trick, Captain Boomerang has no reason to worry -- he carries approximately half a dozen on him at once.
3 WEAKENED: BOW AND ARROW
Against human enemies, and a few meta-human ones, the standard bow and arrow couldn’t be a more deadly weapon. Whether he’s wielding a recurve or compound bow, the Green Arrow is a force to be reckoned with. In many instances, however, targets with invulnerability or other special powers are immune to the pointed end of arrows. Of course, in such situations, the Emerald Archer’s resourcefulness takes center stage as he’s prone to using trick arrows.
Most of the other bow-wielding heroes and villains in the Arrowverse don’t have these tactics at their disposal, though. As such, they’re required to protect themselves by other means -- guns, swords, hand-to-hand combat, etc.
2 OVERPOWERED: LEX'S WARSUIT
There’s a tease of Lex Luthor’s famous Warsuit during Supergirl’s second season. It’s shown locked away in a vault and his mother, Lillian, beams at the suit with pride. During the show’s third season, Lillian takes her admiration of the suit to another level as she dons it in an attempt to take out Morgan Edge.
The suit is incredibly impressive. It features flight capabilities, gives the wearer enhanced strength, comes equipped with a Kryptonite sword, and can generate energy blasts. Seeing it in action proves one thing, Lex Luthor definitely built the Warsuit to annihilate Kryptonians. At the end of the episode in which Lillian dons the suit, “For Good,” it’s destroyed by Winn Schott’s drones. We probably haven’t seen the last of Lex’s advanced technology, though.
1 WEAKENED: SAMUROID
A Samurai Android, aptly dubbed Samuroid, constitutes the first villain Team Flash faces in The Flash’s fourth run. The Samuroid flies, fights with a sword, and isn’t half bad at energy projection. Every move is precise, impressive even. Kid Flash has difficulty going toe-to-toe with it; however, the robot’s impressiveness has limits.
For all the havoc it wreaks across Central City, the Samuroid doesn’t seem to actually harm anyone. The robot’s one command from Clifford Devoe is find The Flash. After being beaten by Barry Allen, the Samuroid serves its true purpose of surveying the team from within S.T.A.R. Labs. Therefore, its antics count as little more than a glorified distraction, a Trojan horse of sorts.